It can be really frustrating to see your GoPro camera suddenly dying out on you, especially when you’re in the middle of your shooting session. GoPro battery drain is a real problem that a lot of users face. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid such situations. This post is all about why GoPro battery die so fast.
In this article, you’ll discover the reason why your GoPro battery dies so fast, and what can you do to avoid it.
So, let’s get started!
Why GoPro Battery Dies So Fast?
A lot of GoPro users frequently ask this question – Why does my GoPro battery die so fast? Well, there can be a few reasons behind the GoPro battery drain you’ve been facing.
Read this article to get 5 tips on how extend your battery life.
Leaving the WiFi on is the most common reason for GoPro battery drain. If you forget to turn your GoPro WiFi off before turning off the camera, it will suck power even when it’s switched off. That’s because the camera will gradually suck power as the system regularly polls for a signal.
Furthermore, even when your GoPro is not recording but is turned on, it’s still processing all the image data, adding tonal mapping, logging gyro & GPS data, logging 10-bit color information, and adding stabilization – all of this at your current resolution and frame rate settings. This drains the battery too.
Other common reasons behind the quick battery drain of your GoPro include cold weather, using settings that drain the battery more quickly, and not updating the firmware.
Ways to Avoid GoPro Battery Drain
Now that you know the most common reasons behind your GoPro’s battery drain issue, let’s discuss the ways to avoid it:
Turn Wifi Off
As described in the previous section, leaving the WiFi on is the most common reason for GoPro battery drain, even when the camera is turned off. So, make sure that you don’t have the blue flashing light showing that the WiFi is on before turning off the camera.
Keep the GoPro Off When Not Recording
As I’ve already mentioned, even when your GoPro is not recording but is turned on, it’s still processing a lot of data, which consumes your camera’s battery. So, ensure that you turn off the camera when it’s not recording. This will enable you to extend your camera’s battery life exponentially.
Don’t Overcharge the Battery
You should not leave your GoPro batteries plugged in all the time. This can lead to a gradual decrease in performance and quality. Avoid this by not leaving your camera plugged in after it’s fully charged.
Read the following article to learn how long you should charge your GoPro: How Long for GoPro Battery to Charge? + GoPro Battery Hacks.
Keep the Batteries Warm in Cold Weather
GoPro’s lithium-ion batteries aren’t known to perform well in cold weather. So, ensure that you keep your GoPro’s battery warm when operating in cold weather. An easy way to do it is by putting your GoPro battery in the inside zippered pocket of your jacket when the camera is not in use.
Turn Off the LCD Screen
When your GoPro’s LCD screen is ON, the camera uses more power. So, to avoid battery drain, avoid using the LCD screen while operating the action camera.
Keep Protune Off
If you keep Protune off while recording, it will slightly improve the battery life of your GoPro. However, this may mean that you would have to compromise on image quality. That’s why I personally never keep Protune off even if that means losing out on a few minutes of runtime.
Learn more about Protune in this article.
Use a Wall Charger
Connecting the USB cable to a wall charger gives a significantly faster and better charge to your GoPro than connecting it to your PC. So, if you use your PC for the same, consider changing this habit. Charge your GoPro battery using a wall charger for a faster charge.
Here’s a fast, GoPro official wall charger that I recommend.
- Dual USB port quickly charges up to two cameras at once (1.5 hours for an 80% charge;...
- 1 AMP per port for a quick charging solution
- Simultaneously record video or photos while charging
For more charging cables visit this page.
Update the Firmware
Updating the firmware of your GoPro will not only fix lingering issues but also increase its battery life. With firmware updates, the company comes up with several fixes to improve your camera’s performance.
Avoid using the Extra Settings (GPS, Voice Control)
Turning off the extra settings like GPS, voice control, etc. can boost the battery life of the GoPro Hero 5.
- Turning GPS off: If you don’t need GPS coordinates, turn it off. This will provide you with some extra battery life.
- Turning voice control off: When you have voice enabled, your is never really ‘off’. Even when it is switched off, it will respond to your voice command. This drains your camera’s battery. So, turn this setting off to avoid it.
Read more on voice control in this ultimate guide.
Reduce the Resolution & Frame Rates
As is obvious, high resolution and high frame rates consume energy faster. Therefore, in order to boost your GoPro’s battery life, consider reducing its recording resolution or frame rate.
How Long Should My GoPro Battery Last?
Here comes the duration of the battery of the latest GoPro models:
GoPro Hero 12 Black
Significantly, the GoPro Hero 12 Black features an overhauled power management system, allowing it to offer runtimes that are up to twice as long. GoPro asserts that the Hero 12 Black is capable of 70 minutes of uninterrupted recording at a 5.3K60 resolution, more than 95 minutes at 5.3K30, and in excess of 155 minutes for other recording modes. It’s important to point out that GoPro’s claim of doubling the runtime is contingent upon using the Enduro battery that comes included with the Hero 12. Using a standard GoPro battery will yield different durations of operation.
GoPro Hero 11 Black
GoPro has achieved considerable advancements in battery performance with its Hero 11 Black model. Although it uses the same 1,720mAh capacity Enduro battery as the Hero 9 and 10, the Hero 11 Black delivers a remarkable increase in recording time—up to 38% longer in moderate temperatures compared to earlier GoPro models and batteries, as reported by GoPro. The Enduro battery is included with the Hero 11 Black and can also be purchased separately as an upgrade for standard batteries of the Hero 9 Black and Hero 10 to enhance their performance. With a fully charged GoPro Hero 11 Black camera, you can expect to record for about 61 minutes at 5.3K and 60fps. At 5K (4:3) and 30fps, you can expect approximately 75 minutes of recording time.
GoPro Hero 10 Black
The GoPro Hero 10 Black is a recent addition to the GoPro lineup, boasting some notable features, such as enhanced battery life. Similar to the Hero 9, the Hero 10 is equipped with a 1720mAh battery, providing extended recording times. When the battery is fully charged, the GoPro Hero 10 can capture up to 90 minutes of footage in 5K at 30fps, 72 minutes in 4K at 60fps, and as much as 112 minutes in 4K at 30fps.
GoPro Hero 9 Black
The Hero 9 camera stands out as one of the most robust GoPro models in terms of battery life. Capable of operating for up to 2 hours before requiring a charge, its 1720mAh battery ensures both extended usage and high-quality recording in 4K video. The battery model number for the GoPro Hero 9 is ADBAT-001. With a fully charged GoPro Hero 9 Black camera, you can anticipate approximately 90 minutes of recording time at 5K and 30fps.
How Do I Check The Health of My GoPro Battery?
Before checking the health of your GoPro battery you should:
- Charge your GoPro battery: Ensure your battery is fully charged by connecting your GoPro to a power source using the USB cable provided or by using a GoPro-approved charger.
- Update your GoPro firmware: Make sure your GoPro has the latest firmware installed, as this can have an impact on battery performance. You can update the firmware using the GoPro Quik app or by visiting the GoPro website.
To check the health of your GoPro battery, follow these steps:
- Monitor battery drain during usage: Observe how quickly your battery drains during normal use. If it drains much faster than expected, this may indicate poor battery health. Compare the recording times with the ones provided by GoPro for your specific camera model. Keep in mind that recording at higher resolutions or using features like Wi-Fi can drain the battery faster.
- Test the battery life without recording: Turn on your GoPro without recording any video and monitor how long it takes for the battery to drain. A healthy battery should be able to last for several hours in standby mode. If it drains rapidly, this may be a sign of poor battery health.
- Try a different battery: If you have access to another GoPro battery, swap it with the one you’re currently using and observe the performance. If the other battery performs significantly better, this may indicate that your original battery is unhealthy.
If you suspect your GoPro battery is not performing as expected, it may be time to purchase a new battery or contact GoPro support for further assistance.
How to Increase Your Battery Life?
GoPro battery drain is a real problem and the most common reason behind it is forgetting to turn the WiFi off before turning off the camera. This might lead to a situation where you see that your GoPro’s battery is significantly drained even when you’ve fully charged the battery and left the camera switched off. So, make sure that you don’t have the blue flashing light showing that the WiFi is on before turning off the camera.
Other than that, follow the above-mentioned tips as per your needs to avoid the battery drain of your GoPro.
Thanks for reading!
I hope this guide helped you learn about the reason why your GoPro battery dies so fast, and what can you do to avoid it. 🙂
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