[SOLVED] Why Is My GoPro Blinking Blue?

It is well established now that GoPro is one of the popular choices in the department of action cameras. And after reading multiple reviews and doing thorough research, I purchased the GoPro Hero 4 Session a couple of years ago.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this camera and appreciate that it is still usable even now. However, keeping the brilliant performance aside, I did face some minor issues, just like in any electronic device. And one of them was the constant blinking of blue light. And I started thinking, “why is my GoPro blinking blue?”

Since I did not want to reach out to customer care immediately, I started digging around a little and tried some tricks and strategies to find out why is my GoPro blinking blue. In the process, I also figured out that it is a common problem and has been faced by a lot of customers.

And if you are one of them and facing the same issue, I am here to help you with this article. So I will urge you to keep reading till the end.

What does the blue light in GoPro mean?

To find out why is my GoPro blinking blue, it is essential to know the significance of the blue light. When you notice the blue light blinking in your GoPro camera, it is typically related to connectivity issues. The GoPro cameras are compatible with the GoPro Quik app, and this application allows you to control the camera remotely. The camera usually connects to the application via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

According to the GoPro user manual, the blinking blue light indicates that the wireless connectivity feature is turned on, and the camera is not currently recording anything. The wireless connectivity feature can be on even if you have turned off the entire camera. Confused?

Let us suppose you have turned off the central processor in the camera. You can still leave the Wi-Fi connection on and power the camera later on using the GoPro Quik remote application. However, I do not recommend doing this because I have noticed it drains the battery immensely. So whenever I do not use the camera, I keep it turned off.

Do all GoPro cameras have blue lights?

Well, you will not see the blinking blue light in every model of the GoPro range. Currently, 8 models use blue light to indicate the wireless status. It includes all the GoPro Hero 4 models (including the black, silver, and session), all GoPro Hero 3 models (including the black, silver, and white), and all GoPro Hero 3+ models (including the black and silver).

After these models, GoPro has also released some newer versions, like the Hero 10, Hero 9, Max, Hero 8, etc. I have used quite a few of the newer models and observed that most of them come with a red status light, and I have never seen a blue flashing light in these.

However, it is not always possible to try out every model from the brand, and I would like to be corrected if any of these comes with the blue indicator light.

The reason behind the GoPro flashing blue light

By now, we know that the blue light on a GoPro camera acts as a wireless indicator. But that’s not all. There are a few more reasons why your GoPro camera is blinking blue. So let’s have a look at the reasons.

Damaged cables

Let us suppose you are using an outdated cable to connect your camera to your laptop or PC. So if your camera is not accepting the cable, you might notice the blue blinking light. Moreover, using a damaged cable is never a good idea as it can lead to a short circuit and ruin several internal components.

Using an unsuitable battery

I was unaware of this before it happened with one of my friends. When you use a camera for a long duration, the battery can run out after a while. And if you want to continue using the camera, you will naturally want to replace it with another charged battery. But the blue light might start blinking if that alternate battery is not suitable for your GoPro camera.

Using this incompatible battery can lead to a difference in voltage drop, ultimately damaging your GoPro camera’s motherboard.

I never recommend using a battery that is not from the authorized manufacturer. While trying to solve my friend’s issue, I noticed he was using a random extra battery without knowing how bad it could be for his camera. But thankfully, he got a proper alternative later on and did not face this issue again.

Messed up settings

It is natural to want to explore all the features of your GoPro camera and the GoPro Quik application that comes with it. But sometimes, it can lead to messed-up internal connection settings. And if that happens, the blue indicator light will start blinking.

If you did not turn off the Wi-Fi properly

I have seen that, more often than not, the blinking blue light is typically due to issues related to connectivity. The problem does not always necessarily lie with your camera itself. If you notice that you have turned off the Wi-Fi, but the problem is still there, maybe you have not completed the procedure correctly.

It can also happen that the Wi-Fi network is active due to some wrong settings, causing the blue light to blink even if your camera is turned off. The blinking light issue can also be related to the GoPro app. The blue light can keep blinking if you close the application without disabling the Wi-Fi properly.

Even though there are multiple potential reasons behind the GoPro blue blinking light, there is no reason to worry because the problem is not permanent. And you can solve most of the issues with the help of a few easy tips.

Why is the GoPro blue blinking light problematic?

You now know the potential reasons behind the blue-blinking light, and we will discuss how to turn it off in the upcoming section of this article. But why do you want to turn off the blue blinking lights? Why are they so problematic? Let me give a brief overview before moving on to the solution part.

The first reason is the immense battery drainage. If you do not turn off the wireless and the blue lights keep blinking for a significant duration, your battery will drain super fast.

Sometimes you do not want to attract attention to your camera, and you want to continue your shooting session in peace. The blue-blinking lights will do the exact opposite in this scenario. It will draw the eyes of people around you, and as a solution, you can keep the wireless on even after turning off the blinking light.

The third reason may be the most important one, and you must keep it in mind. When the blue light of your GoPro camera blinks, it is ready to be connected to the wireless network.

And during this specific time, your camera is vulnerable and can be hacked if you leave it unattended for a long time. And the worst thing that can happen after this is losing all your content. It is safe to say that this situation is a nightmare for photographers.

How to fix the GoPro blinking blue light problem?

Now you most factors of the question “why is my GoPro blinking blue?” You can fix the GoPro blinking blue light problem in a few different ways. Let us go over the tips and tricks so you can decide what to do if you are already facing this issue or face it in the future.

Turning off the blue light via the GoPro Quik app

I am assuming the wireless function of your GoPro camera is still on while implementing this scenario, and your camera is connected to the GoPro Quik application. Here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Ensure that your GoPro camera is connected to the go Pro mobile application.

2. Launch the application and navigate to the Settings menu.

3. On the app screen, you will notice the LED blink option with a toggle button. Toggle it on/off to turn off the blue blinking lights.

Restarting your camera

This is my go-to method whenever I face any issues with my GoPro camera. Restarting it should typically fix the problem, but there are other methods we can try out if this does not work. Here are the steps you need to follow for this procedure-

1. Pull out the batteries of your GoPro camera and wait for a few seconds before inserting them back again.

2. Now restart the camera and turn on the Wi-Fi to check if the problem is still there. I have used this method with one of my friends, and the blue light stopped flashing at this point.

3. However, if you see the problem still exists, turn off the Wi-Fi by pressing the Wi-Fi button for at least 10 seconds.

Performing a factory reset

If a normal restart process does not work, performing a factory reset can do the job. However, before performing the factory reset, it is essential to know that the entire memory will be erased.

Hence, I recommend backing up all the data on the memory card and ejecting it beforehand to protect the content. It will also reset the date and time on your camera, along with all additional settings.

Factory reset is also the ultimate solution in most scenarios. So I feel you should go for it at the last if no other methods work. Here are the steps to do so.

1. Remove the micro SD card and the battery from your GoPro camera.

2. Now press the recording button and put the batteries back.

3. This step is a tad bit complicated. Hold the shutter button and press the power button simultaneously.

4. Now turn off the camera and insert the MicroSD card again.

5. After implementing the steps above, your camera will turn on now and return to factory default settings.

Updating the firmware

Updating the firmware also has a high chance of success as it helps bring back the original settings of the GoPro camera. Again, your entire data will get erased using this process. So you must follow the backup procedure mentioned in the previous step.

Updating the firmware for GoPro Hero 3

1. First, you must download the appropriate firmware files depending on whether you are using Hero 3 Black, Hero 3 Silver, or Hero 3 White.

2. Next, you’ll have to download this specific zip file and unzip it once it is complete.

3. Copy the settings.in and update.cmd files.

4. Put a blank Micro SD card in your camera after you have taken the backup of your content. Turn on the camera and ensure sufficient battery to complete the process.

5. Now, if you are not sure of the location of the file, you can perform a quick search operation. Ensure you unzip the update file before placing it on the MicroSD card.

6. After unzipping the file, you will see a new Updates folder. Use a card reader to access the SD card on your PC. You can do this by turning on the camera after inserting the microSD card inside it and connecting your camera to the PC.

7. Now, you have to find the SD card on your computer and move the update files to the SD card. Eject the SD card after copying the update files successfully.

8. If the micro SD card is not already inserted in the camera, put it inside while the camera is turned off and not connected to the computer. Now, you can turn on the camera, and you should be able to see 00 on the file counter. This indicates that the latest firmware version has been installed successfully in the camera, and you can use it.

Updating the firmware for GoPro Hero 3+

If you use the GoPro Hero 3+, here are the steps to follow if you want to update the camera’s firmware.

1. First, download the ‘update’ zip files based on whether you use the black or silver version.

2. Next, ensure your camera has a sufficient battery, and insert a blank Micro SD card. Connect your computer to the camera.

3. Locate the zip file you just downloaded and unzip it to create a folder with the same name.

4. Copy the update folder and place it on the SD card. You can use a card reader to do this job as well.

5. After the files are copied successfully, eject your SD card, and disconnect the camera from the computer by removing the cables.

6. Like the previous scenario, you can turn on your camera now, and the update process should start automatically. If you hear a beep and the camera turns off, manually turn it on again. 00 should I appear on the file counter indicating the firmware update is successful.

Updating the firmware for GoPro Hero 4

Updating the software on Hero 3 and Hero 3+ was pretty similar. However, the procedure is slightly different if you own a Hero 4. Here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Visit the GoPro Hero 4 update page.

2. You will see the option “Other ways to update” at the end of the page. Once you see that, click the “Update your camera manually” option.

3. Next, the page will request some information related to your camera, including the serial number. Populate the required details and click next step.

4. Click the “Download Update” option and save it to the memory card. 

You can now follow the official update guide by GoPro and update your camera to the latest firmware.

How to fix the GoPro blinking blue light if the camera is not turning on?

Let us suppose your GoPro camera is flashing blue light, but it is not turning on. The first idea we naturally have in this case is to plug in the charger. But what to do if your camera is not starting even after that? This typically happens due to a power-related issue. The batteries in the camera might be incompatible, or the power cable could be faulty.

You can try using a different power cable, let the camera charge for a few minutes, and test again to check if the blue light turns off. Replacing the batteries is another idea you can go for.

When my cousin faced this issue, she went into full panic mode and removed the memory card, batteries, and all other attached accessories. The light went off after a while, and she inserted the batteries to turn on the camera again.

You can try the ultimate factory reset method if the abovementioned ones do not work. If the problem continues, the last resort is to reach out to customer care.

Conclusion

The blue light in your GoPro camera mainly blinks when it is ready to connect to a wireless network. But in case there is any other problem. I have discussed almost every point possible in this article. Reaching out to customer care is always a solution. But if you ask someone like me who is enthusiastic about technical issues and loves digging around to find the root cause, performing the different strategies may be exciting for you.

I have answered the question, “why is my GoPro blinking blue” to the best of my ability. And I hope that the article has been helpful for you and you can refer to it in times of need.

FAQs

What does a flashing blue light mean?

The flashing blue light on your GoPro camera is a wireless status indicator. The wireless connectivity feature is turned on if you see it blinking continuously. And when I say connectivity, it means via both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

What do you do when your GoPro won’t turn on?

If your GoPro is not turning on, you can try to restart the camera by removing the battery, waiting 5 seconds, and then inserting it again. When you press the mode button, the camera should technically respond by blinking lights or lighting up the screen. If it does not work, try to reset the camera by pressing the mode button for at least 10 seconds. The cameras should turn on now.

Why is my GoPro showing a red light?

There are many reasons why your GoPro might be flashing red light. It can happen in case of low battery, Micro SD card issues, and any internal issues in the hardware. The flashing red light is to get your attention. If we consider standard scenarios, the red light in a GoPro camera can glow when you connect it to a power source. I have also noticed the red light flashing in case of firmware issues.

Does the GoPro light up when charging?

Yes, you should typically see a red LED light flashing when your GoPro is charging. After the battery has been ultimately charged, the LED light will turn off. It is recommended to keep the camera turned off during the charging process.