It’s a fact that you can take your rugged GoPro camera to places where most other cameras can’t go! But this also means that there will be times when you would want to use it remotely, that is, without actually having your GoPro in your hand. And to achieve that, there are various ways, each with its own pros and cons for different situations.
In this article, we’ll discuss different ways to let you control your beloved GoPro remotely.
Use GoPro WiFi Remote Controllers
The most obvious way of controlling your GoPro remotely is by using a remote controller for GoPro. But, all GoPro models don’t support such remote controllers. For instance, Hero 7 Silver & White, and Hero (2018) won’t let you connect to a remote control. Thankfully for these models, there are some workarounds. The most popular and convenient way would be controlling our GoPro camera simply by using your smartphone with the GoPro Quik installed.
Using a GoPro WiFi Remote Controller is a pretty convenient way to allow you to operate your GoPro from a distance. Here’s a rundown of a few great options available in the market.
GoPro The Remote – Official GoPro Accessory
GoPro The Remote is an official GoPro accessory which is, in many ways, the most feature-rich of GoPro’s remote controls. It’s compatible GoPro Hero 12,11,10,9,8 and Max, and have wireless capabilities.
What we like: This remote control with built-in LCD screen lets you control all camera functions, including shutter, on/off and settings. It also can control up to 5 cameras simultaneously. The range of up to 196ft (60m) is also great, along with the fact that you can control up to 5 cameras at a time! What’s more? This rugged remote control is wearable, mountable and waterproof to 16ft / 5m. Includes a convenient wrist strap that also lets you attach The Remote to grips, handle bars and gear.
What we don’t like: It doesn’t work with voice control.
TELESIN Magnetic Charging Wireless Smart Controller
The Telesin remote controller is a versatile and user-friendly accessory designed for GoPro Max, GoPro Mini, Hero 11, Hero 10, Hero 9, Hero 8, and smartphones. The controller comes with an anti-drop wrist strap, making it wearable and easily mountable on a variety of equipment such as selfie sticks, motorcycles, bicycle handlebars, steering wheels, fishing rods, and more.
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What we like: With a fully charged battery, it can last for up to 10 hours, providing you with ample time to capture your adventures. The LED display is a fantastic addition, displaying battery life for both the camera and remote, remaining shooting time, and the number of working cameras. Moreover, the controller is water-resistant and dust-proof, making it suitable for various outdoor activities.
What we don’t like: limited to the photographing function.
GoPro Remo
Another great GoPro official accessory, GoPro Remo is a GoPro remote that works well with Hero 8, 7, 6 Black and Hero 5 Black & Session models.
What we like: Even though it looks kind of plain, Remo is a highly useful GoPro remote control that works with the voice control feature which comes in many of the latest GoPro models. It has a simplistic design with one large button in the middle for various functions and a second small button on the side for power/pairing. Remo has this great ability to hear you even in windy and noisy environments, which makes it a highly desirable choice. And it’s waterproof too (down to 16 ft / 5m)!
What we don’t like: Since it works via Bluetooth, it has a much shorter effective range (33ft/10m) than remote controllers that operate with WiFi.
Suptig Waterproof Wireless Remote Control for GoPro
This waterproof (6.5ft / 2m) wireless remote control for GoPro is another quality product by Suptig. It works well with most GoPro models (which include Hero 8, 7, 6 Black, Hero 5 Black/Session, Hero 4 Black/Session, Hero 3+, 3 Black, and Fusion).
What we like: Suptig GoPro Remote Control has a built-in LCD screen and lets you perform all functions with your GoPro remotely. It has an impressive 164ft / 50m range and lets you control up to 50 devices at a time. The built-in lithium battery provides a decent backup of about 5 hours and gets charged pretty quickly too (in just about 30 minutes)! All in all, this one is a good cheaper alternative to the GoPro Smart remote.
What we don’t like: A few users have reported that getting this remote to connect to the GoPro each time you turn it on is a bit of a pain!
How Do You Charge a GoPro Remote
All GoPro remotes have a built-in, rechargeable battery. But, it’s not necessary that they all use the same cable. So, you need to first ensure that you have the right cable. Ideally, you should only use the one that your remote originally comes with.
So, once you have the cable, charging your GoPro remote is pretty easy! You just need to insert one end of the cable into the charger & the other end into your remote, and plug it on the wall. For remotes with LCD, you’ll see an animated charging icon once it starts charging. For Remo, there’s a small red LED that lights up when the charging starts and it turns green when it’s fully charged.
Use Your Smartphone with GoPro App
Using your smartphone with GoPro App is a very convenient way to control your GoPro remotely. You can connect all GoPros that have wireless capabilities to your smartphone. This great app is available for free and can be downloaded directly from the GoPro website.
Using this method lets you connect your phone or tablet wirelessly to your GoPro. It provides full control over all of its settings and shooting modes. You can also watch live preview and playback of your shots. But, unlike WiFi remotes, your phone can connect to only one camera at a time.
Control Your GoPro with Apple Watch
If you own an Apple Watch, you can also control your GoPro right from your watch. The GoPro App for iOS has a watch version too, which lets you pair it with your cam. So, you don’t need an added wrist mount for GoPro remote. Just your Apple Watch with GoPro App makes sure that all your camera controls are just “a tap of your wrist” away!
The watch app has two screens. The first one shows a start/stop button and a yellow icon while recording. You can use the Crown of your watch to cycle through the various GoPro mode options: Video, Photo, Burst and Time-Lapse. While recording a video, a simple tap of the yellow icon adds a HiLight Tag. A swipe left takes you to the second screen which gives you access to the shot-preview screen – a live feed straight from your GoPro.
Have a look at this video to learn how to control your GoPro with Apple Watch (Series 3):
What’s the Best Way to Control a GoPro Remotely?
Well, that’s a tricky question. Because there’s no unique “best way” to control your GoPro remotely. What is the most suitable way for you may not be that useful for someone else! So, it all depends upon what you wish to achieve.
If you don’t want to invest in a separate accessory to control your GoPro remotely, you must just consider using your smartphone with the GoPro app installed as your GoPro remote. But for those who look for some extra possibilities, a wearable/mountable GoPro remote controller is the best bet! And, if you own an apple watch, you get the best of both worlds: all the features of a remote, with the uber-convenience of having your watch right on your wrist at all times.
Thanks for reading!
I hope this guide helped you know all about the GoPro remote 🙂
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