Does GoPro Wifi Work Underwater?

GoPros love water. One of the best things about them is that you can take them where other cameras fear to go. Whether that’s hiking in a downpour, snorkeling over a coral reef, or surfing big waves, GoPros are up for it.

But that’s not to say that every function will work in all conditions. As one example, you can’t control a GoPro by wifi underwater. That’s true even if it’s only the camera underwater and you (and the wifi remote or device) are above water.

That’s not a shortcoming of GoPros. It’s true of any camera, phone, or device using wifi. The problem is that wifi waves don’t work at all well underwater. It might be possible one day to set up wifi networks underwater, but for now, it’s not a practical option.

The problem is that the signal drops off very quickly in even a small amount of water. By the time you get a few inches, let alone a few feet, underwater, the signal is to weak to be usable.

So for all practical purposes, you can’t control your GoPro underwater with a wifi signal. That means you can’t use the GoPro smartphone app, nor can you use the GoPro Smart Remote, the GoPro Remo Voice-Activate Remote (even though the Remo is waterproof), or the devices that turn an LCD Backpac into a wireless view and controller.

If you’re planning to film underwater, it’s also worth remembering that the LCD touchscreens won’t work for touch control underwater. They do work just fine for viewing, though.

Underwater Wifi Extension Cable

WiFi itself won’t work underwater, but what you can do is transmit the signal for the underwater portion through a cable. That allows you to livestream from your GoPro underwater.

If you like DIY projects, it is possible to build your own. Or Cam-Do now offers off-the-shelf extension cables for the HERO4, HERO3+, and HERO3 with lengths ranging from 20 feet to 300 feet.

If you want to try building one yourself, here’s a how-to guide.

Waterproof Depth Ratings for GoPro Cameras

Newer GoPro models have a waterproof body. Older models required an external waterproof housing. Here are the depth ratings for the cameras themselves.

GoPro Model	Waterproof Depth Rating (without external housing)
HERO11 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO11 Black Mini	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO10 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO10 Black Bones Edition	Not waterproof or water-resistant.
HERO9 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO8 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
MAX	16 feet / 5 meters
HERO7 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO7 Silver	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO7 White	33 feet / 10 meters
Fusion	16 feet / 5 meters
HERO6 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO (2018)	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO5 Black	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO5 Session	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO4 Session / HERO Session	33 feet / 10 meters
HERO+ LCD	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO+	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO (2014)	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO4 Black	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO4 Silver	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3+ Black	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3 Black	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3 Silver	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HERO3 White	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HD HERO 2	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
HD HERO Original	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.
SD HERO	Not waterproof. Requires external waterproof housing.

To go deeper, you can put the camera inside a protective dive housing. These are the compatible protective housings for recent cameras.

GoPro Camera	Compatible Protective Housing	Depth Rating of Protective Housing
HERO11 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO10 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO10 Black Bare Bones	Not compatible with protective housing.
HERO9 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO11/10/9)	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO8 Black	Protective Housing (for HERO8)*	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO7 Black	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO7 Silver	Protective Housing (for HERO7 Silver/White)	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO7 White	Protective Housing (for HERO7 Silver/White)	131 feet / 40 meters
HERO6 Black	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO (2018)	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO5 Black	Super Suit	196 feet / 60 meters
HERO5 Session	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO Session	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO4 Session	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO4 Black	Aftermarket Dive Housing
HERO4 Silver	Aftermarket Dive Housing

* NB: Despite sharing the name, there are a few different versions under the same name of Protective Housing. So be sure you're getting the specific version for the camera you're using. For example, the HERO10 Black and HERO9 Black share the same one because their camera body is the same. But the Protective Housing for the HERO8 Black is different. And they're all different again from the Protective Housing for the HERO7 Silver and HERO7 White.