GoPro Inc was established in the USA back in 2002 with the idea of making action cameras connected to their own mobile apps. Mostly, these cameras are made for those doing sports to record their activities without holding their phone or any other camera in their hand. Afterward, the company developed its own video-editing software to help all those awesome videos look even better.
Obviously, after some time of use, you’ll come to a question about how to charge your GoPro. Is it enough to just change the battery, or do you need to charge it like your phone?
Check out this guide on how to charge all GoPro models, including the most popular GoPro 7.
Table of Contents
How to charge GoPro safely?
There are a bunch of GoPro models. The standard charging method for all of those is a USB cable 5V/1A. However, GoPro Hero 5, GoPro Hero 6, GoPro Hero 7, GoPro Hero (2018), and Fusion models support fast charging using USB 5V/3A.
As mentioned, regardless of the model, you can use a standard USB wall charger. If you haven’t got one with your camera, the one you have for your phone will most likely serve you well. Besides plugging in a USB to a wall, you can plug it into your PC or laptop and charge your GoPro this way as well. If you’re charging your GoPro using a laptop, make sure to plug your laptop into the AC since GoPro takes away a lot of its battery.
Another option is to charge your device using a power bank. Since it’s an external battery source, you can use it the same way you’re charging your mobile device. Plug in a USB cable and plug the other end into your GoPro camera. Some of the newer power banks can output up to 2A, which is enough to charge GoPro 7, for example.
Besides, you can use your car charger if you have no other options available. Charging will go slower, and if you have a newer GoPro version, such as GoPro 7, it will take a while till your camera is ready to use.
In the end, if you’re ready to wait, you can use a solar charger as well. Note that it’ll take forever for your GoPro to charge.
Types of GoPro USB Cables
There are a whole bunch of USB cables you can use to charge your GoPro. It mostly depends on your GoPro model and its ability to support fast charging. Here, I will present you with some of the models and USB types.
| GoPro Model | USB Type |
| GoPro HERO9 Black | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO8 Black | USB – C |
| GoPro MAX | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO7 Black | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO7 Silver | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO7 White | USB – C |
| GoPro Fusion | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO (2018) | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO6 Black | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO5 Black | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO5 Session | USB – C |
| GoPro HERO Session | Micro-USB B |
| GoPro HERO4 Session | Micro USB B |
| GoPro HERO4 Black | Mini USB |
| GoPro HERO4 Silver | Mini USB |
| GoPro HERO3+ | Mini USB |
| GoPro HERO3 | Mini USB |
| GoPro HERO+ LCD | Mini USB |
| GoPro HERO+ | Mini USB |
| GoPro HERO (2014) | Mini USB |
| GoPro HD HERO2 | Mini USB |
| GoPro HD HERO Original | Mini USB |
Of course, make sure that your power outlet supports fast charging and your USB type as well.
How Long Does It Take For a GoPro to Charge?
Again, it depends on the model and its fast-charging ability. Up to 80% charging will go fast, while the last 20% will be a battle.
If you’re using a low power source, such as a PC or a laptop, it can take up to 4 hours for your GoPro to charge.
On the other hand, if you’re using a regular power outlet and a fast charger, it will take around 1 hour. For standard USB cables, the optimal time is about 2 hours.
Charging GoPro 7 With Removable Battery
If you have a GoPro 7, you have a removable battery, which makes it a lot easier. At any given moment, you can simply switch the battery and continue recording.
Here are some of the possibilities you have using this GoPro model.
Connect the battery inside the camera
- Power off your GoPro camera
- Plug it into a USB charger
- Wait for the red light to appears – it indicates that your device is charging
Charge your battery in a battery charger
Another option that you have is to take the battery out, replace it with a new one, and the old battery can be charged in a battery charger. There are specific battery chargers for each GoPro generation, so make sure you get the right one!
Alright, after your GoPro has been charged, go on and enjoy your activities, knowing everything will be recorded. For more details, you can check this by RiderSpirit, explaining precisely how to charge your GoPro Hero 7.
GoPro Origins
The owner himself got the idea for such a camera while surfing in Australia. Now you know why the camera was thought of as sports equipment. Catch all those good moments and still be able to do your sport. However, over time, more and more people saw the value of such cameras, not just related to sports. When you have many people to record or want to do something just for fun, such as go on parasailing, having a GoPro camera can help preserve the moment. If you wish to take a good-quality video or a photo, GoPro has it all.
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