How to Use Your GoPro HERO8 as a Webcam – Lifehacker Australia

After months in quarantine, were all used to working and socialising remotely (right?). The ubiquity of camera-touting devices and the abundance of video-chat apps made the transition easy (well, not easy), but theres always room for improvement and one way to make your video chats look even better is to get a better webcam.
The problem? Great webcams are basically sold out everywhere. However, if you have a GoPro HERO8 Black, thats no longer a problem, because you theres a way to use it as a webcam instead.
The app that makes this magic happen is currently available for macOS, though its still in beta (a Windows version is also in the works). Youll also need beta firmware to put your HERO8 into webcam mode, so insert our usual caveats about potential bugs and compatibility errors when using betas apply here.
Getting the app install and your GoPro hooked up is easy enough as long as you have all the necessary pieces, but GoPro has a dedicated support forum for the webcam software if you run into any hitches during setup.
Before you get started, youll need to gather a few materials, and then install some preliminary software. Heres what youll need:

• GoPro HERO8 Black
• A Mac with a microSD slot or an external microSD card reader
• The HERO8s USB cable

The next step is to manually update your HERO8 Black with the beta firmware so it can be used in webcam mode on your PC. You can download the firmware here, then follow these instructions to run the update.
Once thats done, its time to move over to your Mac to install the webcam app and set up your camera.

1. Download and run the GoPro Webcam app installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
2. Launch the app once its installed.
3. Turn on your HERO8 Black and connect it to your PC via its USB cable. You should see a USB icon on the HERO8s mini display and a blue dot over the GoPro icon in your computers status tray. (Note: You cannot use GoPro Webcam app if the GoPro Labs app is also open).

Your HERO8 is now connected as a webcam and should show up as a camera or capture device option in any video chat, streaming or recording apps you use. Youll need to manually select it in the apps settings menus, and the exact location of these settings differs between apps but it shouldnt be hard to find.
At this point, the GoPro Webcam app is pretty slim on additional settings and features, though you can swap between two video resolution options:

1. Click the GoPro Webcam icon from the status bar, then click Preferences.
2. Select the video quality you want. The app defaults to 1080p, but 720p is also an option. Click Apply to confirm your selection.

The HERO8s HD resolution and small size should make for a good webcam especially if youre after that iconic GoPro wide-angle view. If youre looking for other external camera options or youre waiting for the GoPro Webcam app to launch on windows we also have a guide for using a Canon DSLR camera for video chats and streaming, and another for using your smartphone.

Click here to view the original article.