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How to Replace the Lens Cover on a GoPro HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, and HERO (2018)

Here's a guide to removing and installing the glass lens port cover on the GoPro HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, and HERO (2018).

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover Separate

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 2 months ago // Categories: Housings & Cases, Tips
Tags: GoPro HERO (2018), GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black

Deal: GoPro HERO9 Black Bundle

GoPro is running a deal on the new HERO9 Black, their newest and best camera. It's a bundle that includes the HERO9 Black, a 1-year subscription to GoPro, a Magnetic Swivel Clip, a spare battery, a Floating Hand Grip, and a 32GB SD card. It's all for $399.98.

Starting with the GoPro HERO5 Black, the larger GoPros1 have come with a new body design. With the HERO4 and earlier models, you had to put them in a separate housing if you wanted them to be waterproof. Starting with the HERO5 Black (or, technically, with the smaller HERO4 Session), the camera’s body is itself waterproof. In the case of the Black, that meant rethinking how to seal the lens in while also keeping it waterproof. The solution they came up with is a protective cover that locks firmly in place over the main lens but also has minimal impact on the optical quality. But the catch is that removing it isn’t really intuitive.

This process doesn’t work with the HERO8 Black, HERO7 Silver, or HERO7 White. Those cameras have a different lens port design that doesn’t detach from the camera.

The lens cover is the square part with the flat glass window that acts as a protective layer over the main lens. When you first look at it, it seems like it mightn’t be designed to come off. But it will, and you can replace it with a new one if the existing on is scratched or cracked. And yes, you can buy replacement lens covers), so scratching the lens cover doesn’t mean you have to replace the whole camera.

Another reason you might want to remove the lens cover is to use the camera in GoPro’s SuperSuit. For the camera to fit in that housing you’ll have to remove the lens cover first.

(There are other dive housings from third-party manufacturers that don’t require you to remove the lens cover, such as this this one.)

The photos here are of a HERO5 Black, but removing the lens cover on the HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, and HERO (2018) works exactly the same way–they use the same body. But the HERO7 Silver and White don’t have the removable lens port cover.

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover Removed

Removing the Protective Lens Cover

Removing the lens port cover is a two-step process. First, you need to pull the port just slightly off the body so that there’s a millimeter or so gap. Once you’ve done that, you can then twist the lens port off. But if you don’t create that small separation first, you won’t be able to twist it.

1. Create a Small Separation Between Lens Port and Camera Body

There are different ways to tackle the first part. The objective at first is to create just a small gap, not pull the cover off it completely just yet.

Using fingers. This works but can be hard to do, and I usually end up giving up and going with the next method. Gripping with your fingers on each side of the port, carefully but with some force pull the lens port directly away from the camera body. It will feel at first that it’s not moving and you might be concerned that you’ll break it, but you have to use quite a bit of force to pull it out. What you’re looking for is a millimeter or so gap between the port and the camera’s body.

Using a credit card. This is my preferred method. Wedge the edge of a credit card between the lens port and the camera body. Carefully rotate the credit card around the port to create a gap all the way around. A credit card seems to be about the perfect thickness. I’ve found that some other cards, like my library and shopping cards, are too thin.

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover Credit Card

Wedge a credit card in there gently and twist it around the lens.

Using tools. While this gets the job done, I don’t recommend it because of the risk of scratching your camera up. But if you have some very thin tools, like a couple of small screwdrivers (or yes, a knife blade–but please don’t cut yourself!), you can pry the lens port apart slightly to create that separation. You can also do it with a pair of pliers, but the chances of scratching the camera up are much higher.

Once you have a small gap around–maybe a millimeter or so–you can move to the next step.

2. Twist the Lens Cover Off

Now things get much easier. Just twist the lens port a quarter turn in either direction.

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover Twist

Give it a quarter turn in either direction.

The cover will then slide easily right off as the slots align on the back of it. The lens itself will now be exposed.

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover Exposed

With the lens exposed you can see the grooves that make you twist and lock the lens port cover.

GoPro HERO5 Black Remove Lens Port Cover Cover by Itself

Installing a Lens Port Cover

Installing a new lens port cover–or reinstalling the existing one–is simply the reverse of the process.

With the cover rotated a quarter turn from the body, slip it back on. It should align with the holding grooves.

While pushing the cover back towards the body firmly, rotate the lens port back into place. Make sure it’s going on evenly–it’s possible to lock it into place on only one side, in which case it’s not properly attached.

You’ll hear a solid click when it’s locked into place. Make sure it’s locked flush all the way around. It’s pretty easy to click one side in and have the other still out, in which case it’s not properly installed (but will also be obvious when you look at it).

GoPro Protective Lens Replacement for HERO6 Black/HERO5 Black (GoPro...
GoPro Protective Lens Replacement for HERO6 Black/HERO5 Black (GoPro...
  • Protective Lens Replacement covers the lens of your HERO6 Black or HERO5 Black to keep out dirt, dust and...
  • Tool-less removal and replacement
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Things to Watch For When Removing or Replacing the Protective Lens Cover

The first time you try this, it feels like it’s not going to come off or that you might break something. But the system is quite solid, so it’s quite hard to do any damage (so long as you’re not forcing it with tools).

Be extra careful not to get fingerprints or dust on the exposed lens.

While the lens is exposed, don’t lay the camera down on its front. The front of the lens is curved, and although it is glass, it can still get scratched pretty easily.

When you’re installing the cover, make sure that there’s no sand or grit caught in there that can cause issues with the waterproof seal or jam the lens in place.

And, finally, if possible, it’s a good idea to install the new lens cover in dry conditions such as an air-conditioned room. The reason is that if you do it in humid or damp conditions, such as out on a dive boat, trapping humid air in there might cause the lens to fog up, and there’s really no way to use anti-fog inserts with the protective lens cover. In reality, this isn’t a huge issue in this case for the simple reason that there’s not much air that can fit in that small space anyway, but it makes sense to minimize the risk of fogging if you can.


  1. By larger GoPros, I’m referring to the standard rectangular body shaped ones rather than the smaller series of cube-shaped cameras in the Session line. ↩

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2021-02-26 at 13:33. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on January 2, 2021

Categories: Housings & Cases, Tips
Tags: GoPro HERO (2018), GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black

I may earn a commission for purchases using links on this page. Learn more.

GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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