How to Use Your GoPro HERO8 As a Webcam
After months of quarantine, we are all used to working and communicating remotely (right?). The ubiquity of camera touting devices and the abundance of video chat apps made the transition easy (well, not easy ), but there is always room for improvement – and one way to make your video chats even better is to install a better webcam. …
Problem? Excellent webcams are sold out almost everywhere. However, if you have a GoPro HERO8 Black, this is no longer a problem because you can use it as a webcam.
The app that does this magic is currently available for macOS, although it’s still in beta (a Windows version is also in development). You will also need a beta firmware to put your HERO8 in webcam mode, so paste in our usual caveats about potential and compatibility issues when using beta versions here.
Installing the app and connecting your GoPro is easy enough as long as you have all the necessary components, but GoPro has a dedicated support forum for webcam software should you run into any issues during installation.
How to use the GoPro HERO8 Black as a webcam
Before you start, you need to collect a few materials and then install the pre-release software. Here’s what you need:
- GoPro HERO8 Black
- Mac with a microSD card slot or external microSD card reader.
- HERO8 USB cable
The next step is to manually update HERO8 Black to the beta firmware so that it can be used in webcam mode on your PC. You can download the firmware here and then follow these instructions to start the update.
Once that’s done, it’s time to go to your Mac to install the webcam app and set up your camera.
- Download and run the GoPro Webcam app installer. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.
- Run the app after installing it.
- Turn on your HERO8 Black and connect it to your computer using a USB cable. You should see a USB icon on your HERO8’s mini-display and a blue dot above the GoPro icon in your computer’s status bar. (Note: You cannot use the GoPro Webcam App if the GoPro Labs App is also open.)
Your HERO8 is now connected as a webcam and should appear as a camera or capture device in whatever video chat, streaming, or recording app you use. You will need to manually select it in the app’s settings menu, and the exact location of these settings differs depending on the app, but it’s not hard to find it.
At the moment, the GoPro Webcam app has quite a few advanced settings and features, although you can switch between two video resolution options:
- Click the GoPro Webcam icon in the status bar, then click Settings.
- Select the desired video quality. The app uses 1080p by default, but 720p is also possible. Click “Apply” to confirm your choice.
The HD resolution and small size of the HERO8 should be a good webcam, especially if you want the famous GoPro wide-angle view. Whether you’re looking for other external camera options or expecting to launch the GoPro Webcam app on Windows, we also have a guide on how to use a Canon DSLR camera for video chatting and streaming , as well as another guide on how to use your smartphone .