Smart Tips to Extend Your GoPro Battery Life 

This guide will help you boost your GoPro battery life and optimize its performance.

In this post, I’ll list the average battery life of all the best GoPro models and provide you with seven pro tips to extend them.

I’ll also introduce you to the best way to use your GoPro for extended periods without running out of power.

Ready? Let’s dive deep into it.

How Long Does a GoPro Battery Last?

The higher your set video resolution and frame rates, the more power required for shooting and the less battery life you’ll have.

It’s crucial to remember this simple relation before reading the following numbers. In this section, I’ll provide you with the average battery life range of 15 GoPro models:

GoPro Model	Battery Life Range (Highest-Lowest Resolution)		Battery Capacity
Hero 12 Black	70 – 155 minutes		1720mAh
Hero 11 Black	35 (without airflow) or 61 (with airflow) – 137 minutes		1500mAh
Hero 11 Mini	51 – 114 minutes		1720mAh
Hero 10 Black	47 (with standard HyperSmooth)–120 minutes		1720mAh
Hero 9 Black	91 – 145 minutes		1720mAh
Hero 8 Black	67 – 81 minutes		1220mAh
Max 360	78 – 115 minutes		1600mAh
Hero 7 Black	45 – 85 minutes		1220mAh
Hero 7 Silver	106 – 146 minutes		1220mAh
Hero 7 White	107 – 146 minutes		1220mAh
Hero 6 Black	70 – 110 minutes		1220mAh
Fusion	75 – 80 minutes		2620mAh
Hero (2018)	80 – 150 minutes		1220mAh
Hero 5 Black	90 – 140 minutes		1220mAh
Hero 5 Season	80 – 120 minutes		2000mAh

A Close Look at the Battery Life of the Latest GoPro Models

If you’re still looking for more details about your GoPro battery, here I’ll provide a close look at the battery of the eight latest GoPro models:

1. GoPro Hero 12 Battery Life

GoPro Hero 12 comes with a highly optimized Enduro battery that can provide continuous recording times ranging from 70 to 155 minutes.

The company claims to have doubled the battery life of this model compared to the Hero 11. The key factor contributing to this huge difference is the improvement of the Hero 12 cooling system.

However, you need to keep in mind that this claim is based on a comparison between the two cameras when shooting at the highest resolution.

After analyzing the results of multiple tests for the Hero 12 battery, I can confidently say that the company’s claims are true to a great extent.

2. GoPro Hero 11 Battery Life

GoPro Hero 11 black comes with an Enduro battery with a capacity of 1720mAh.

It has a battery life ranging between 35 and 120 minutes depending on the airflow condition, recording resolution, and set frame rate.

GoPro has optimized the Hero 11 battery to provide 38% more recording time in moderate temperatures than previous versions.

3. GoPro Hero 11 Mini Battery Life

The Hero 11 Mini has a battery life ranging between 51 and 114 minutes, depending on the recording resolution.

This GoPro model comes with a battery capacity of 1500mAh, which is slightly less than the regular Hero 11.

The battery of the 11 Mini is also non-removable, unlike the battery of the standard Hero 11.

4. GoPro Hero 10 Battery Life

The Hero 10 battery life can last from 47 to 120 minutes based on the set video mode and frame rate.

The battery capacity of this model is 1720mAh, which is the same as the previous Hero 9 model.

Nevertheless, the Hero 10 offers 5K resolution shooting at 60fps. This isn’t the case with Hero 9, which only allows you to shoot 5K at 30fps.

5. GoPro Hero 9 Battery Life

The Hero 9 provides a battery life ranging between 91 and 145 minutes based on the set frame rates and video resolution.

The battery capacity is 1720mAh, which is considerably larger than the previous model, Hero 8

You can notice this difference in capacity when comparing the battery life of the two models.

For example, the Hero 9 provides approximately 23 more minutes of continuous 4K shooting time compared to the Hero 8.

6. GoPro Hero 8 Battery Life

GoPro Hero 8 has a battery life range of between 67 and 81 minutes, depending on the frame rate and recording resolution.

The battery has a capacity of 1,220mAh, the same capacity as the previous models 7, 6, and 5.

The battery is also removable, so you can benefit from using spare batteries to shoot for extended periods of time.

7. GoPro Max Battery Life

With Its 1,600mAh lithium-ion battery, GoPro Max provides you with 78 to 115 minutes of continuous recording time based on your chosen image quality and frame rate.

This is a pretty good battery life for an action cam. You can also use battery backup to extend shooting time even more.

8. GoPro Hero 7 Battery Life

GoPro Hero 7 Black comes with a battery life ranging between 45 and 85 minutes of continuous shooting.

The battery is removable and has a capacity of 1220mAh, the same as the previous models 6 and 5.

The other two versions of the Hero 7, Silver and White cameras, come with the same capacity as the Hero black.

That said, their batteries are non-removable, eliminating the option of using replacement batteries to extend shooting time.

For a side-by-side comparison of all these models’ features, check out our GoPro comparison chart and buying guide.

How Long Does It Take to Charge Your GoPro Battery?

The time your GoPro battery takes to recharge depends mainly on the power source you use.

Using the original GoPro dual battery charger can fully charge your battery within only two hours.

Even better, the latest GoPro models that come with Enduro batteries, such as Hero 11 and 12, can be charged 13% faster than other GoPros.

On the other hand, charging through another device, like a laptop, can take up to four hours.

What Impacts Your GoPro Battery Life?

Before diving into the tricks to increase the battery life, let’s first take a look at what shortens its life in the first place.

If your GoPro battery runs out of power faster than expected, a few reasons can stand behind this.

The following are the most common causes of fast battery drainage:

Enabling Unnecessary Features

This may sound intuitive, but every feature you enable in your GoPro soaks up a small portion of the cam’s battery power.

So, if you turn on too many features, your GoPro battery will drain quickly.

Extreme Temperatures

Most GoPros’s batteries work optimally at around 68 °F ± 9 °F.

If the temperature rises or drops extremely, it’ll deteriorate the battery’s performance and cause it to drain faster.

Additionally, exposure to direct sunlight or heat can hugely affect the battery’s health.

Battery Aging

It’s normal to notice a slight decrease in your GoPro battery life over the years.

Like any device’s power unit, the batteries of GoPros lose some of their capacity as they age. This certainly makes their power last shorter over time.

How to Increase GoPro Battery Life? 7 Pro Tips

The short battery life of action cams makes it necessary to conserve every last drop of power.

In this section, I’ll provide you with seven pro tips that can help you achieve this.

1. Enable the “Auto Power Off.”

If you’re like most people, you probably forget to turn off your GoPro after finishing your shoots. As expected, having your camera running, even if not in use, can gradually deplete its battery.

To avoid this scenario, the solution is ridiculously simple: just turn on the setting “Auto Power Off” and set it to five or ten minutes.

2. Lower the Display Brightness

High display brightness consumes a considerable amount of battery life, and you don’t need it in most cases.

You can comfortably use your GoPro with a 30 to 50% display brightness level. Some even use their cams with a 10% brightness level.

So, consider adjusting the display brightness to a lower level to conserve some precious battery power.

3. Turn off Any Unnecessary Settings

As I mentioned in the previous section, using too many features and settings can soak up much of the battery power fast.

Do you really need GPS, voice control, Wi-Fi, and LEDs all the time? If not, do yourself a favor and turn them off.

4. Store Your Batteries in a Warm Place

On a day with extremely low ambient temperatures, you need to protect your action cam’s batteries as much as possible from the harsh weather.

To do so, place them in the zippered pocket inside your bag or jacket.

5. Keep Your Firmware Updated

As you know, updating the firmware of your action camera is necessary to fix any recurrent issues you might have.

However, it also significantly contributes to conserving battery power and extending its life.

That’s because some updates include features that make the use of camera power more efficient.

For this reason, I highly recommend regularly checking for new firmware updates for your cam.

6. Limit the Use of the Remote Control and Smartphone Apps

In some scenarios, such as using your GoPro from a long distance, the Quik app and remote control can be super handy.

Still, this comes at the cost of consuming significant power due to the wireless connection between the camera and the other device.

That’s why I highly recommend using the mobile app or remote control only when necessary. This is to conserve as much battery power as possible.

7. Consider These Optional Tips

Besides the above tips, here are a few optional recommendations that you may consider to conserve your battery power.

I categorized these tips as optional because they won’t suit all GoPro users. Still, some users can highly benefit from them. Here they are:

• Reduce the set resolution and frame rate
• Turn off Protune mode
• Switch off the red light indicator

Accessories to Extend Your GoPro Battery Life

Relying only on the battery of your GoPro isn’t a wise idea if you shoot for extended periods.

In this case, you need to consider some GoPro accessories to boost your shooting time.

The following accessories can help you shoot all day long:

Extra Batteries

Most GoPro models come with removable batteries, allowing you to swap an empty battery with a charged one.

That way, having extra batteries allows you to keep shooting for hours. When your standard battery runs out at any time, you’ll simply set in another one and continue.

You can purchase two or three additional batteries, depending on your typical shooting period.

SPBL1B and AJBAT-001 batteries are perfect for numerous GoPro models. Choose the one that is compatible with your camera.

You can even use extra Enduro batteries if your GoPro is a Hero 9 or a newer model. These batteries are perfect for shooting in cold temperatures.

The Volta Grip

The Volta battery grip is another reliable accessory to boost your GoPro battery life.

It can seem pricey for some. However, it provides an impressive battery life for your camera and a bunch of other handy features that boost the shooting experience.

The Volta comes with an immense battery capacity of 4,900mAh that can add 240 minutes of shooting time at high resolution to your GoPro.

Mobile Power Banks

Portable power banks can offer ample power for your GoPro to produce hours of footage. This external power source can provide your GoPro with two to ten times its standard battery life.

Best of all, this option allows you to shoot for long hours without having to stop every hour or so to swipe batteries.

Power banks are stupidly easy to use. All you need is to plug in the USB-C cable in the port under the camera’s side door.

Remember that while the power bank cable is plugged in, your GoPro becomes non-water-resistant.

Solar Chargers

If you go camping or on long trips often, having a portable solar charger can help you keep your GoPro battery charged.

Whenever your GoPro is about to run out of power, you can plug it directly into the solar charger. For this option, I recommend using a 14W solar charger.