What to Do When GoPro Video Looks Choppy on iPhone/iPad?
By Carissa Morland Updated: March 6, 2019
- I connected my GoPro to GoPro app on my iPhone, pictures turn out perfect but the video is always choppy.
- I recorded a bunch of videos on my Hero 7 Black. But when I play them on my iPad Pro, they look choppy. They are recorded in 1080/60 with Protune off…Any idea?
The issue, choppy playback, probably happens when you check GoPro videos on iPhone, iPad. It drives trouble to users who hope to edit the footage for later sharing. Here, we will discuss why GoPro video looks choppy/jerky on iPhone, iPad and list possible troubleshooting tips.
Possibility #1: GoPro Video Looks Choppy in GoPro App on iPhone/iPad
GoPro App builds a close connection between mobiles and GoPro. It allows users to get quick access to GoPro shots and organize, view, edit the video story. View mode helps check whether the content and quality are prefect. However, sometimes, you can't get a smooth playback. What're the causes and how to fix?
Reason #1: Your GoPro video is not fully compatible in GoPro App on iPhone/iPad.
GoPro offers various resolutions, not all of which are available to share and play in GoPro App on different devices. And, some 4K and slow-motion (high frame rate) videos filmed by HERO 8/7/6 Black take HEVC as the format. Please make sure whether your iPhone or iPad is the required device to fully support the GoPro video you try to play.
>> Supported Resolutions in GoPro App
>> HEVC Supported iPhone/iPad: Running on iOS 11 and using A10 processor or newer.
iPhone 6, 7/7 Plus, 8/8 Plus, X/Xs/Xs Max; 10.5-inch/12.9-inch iPad Pro
Fixes:
1. If choppy playback happens when you play a 4K or slow motion video, try to downscale the resolution to 1080P/30FPS.
2. If choppy playback happens when you play a HEVC video, try to convert HEVC to H.264.
The Program Which Gives a Fix of GoPro Choppy Playback
- • It offers the easiest way to reduce resolution/frame rate and transcode videos.
- • The build-in quality optimization engine helps retain the possible highest quality.
- • Hardware acceleration tech can deliver the fastest conversion and compression speed.
VideoProc is a good GoPro video editor for beginners enabling users to cut, trim, crop, flip, add watermark/effects/subtitle, stabilize shaky images, correct fisheye and more.
In the following, let's get how to downscale and convert GoPro videos with VideoProc.
Step 1. Launch VideoProc and click Video button.
Step 2. Click +Video to load the source file you can't play in GoPro app smoothly.
Step 3: Go to the bottom of the window. Click Video tab and select MP4 H264 as the output format.
Step 4: Double click MP4 H264 option and you will be led to format setting page. Find Frame Rate and select 30 or lower FPS. Then, move to Resolution and change it to 1920x1080 or lower. After that, click Done.
Step 5: Click Browse button to set a new output folder if necessary. Press RUN to start conversion and compression.
Reason #2: GoPro App on iPhone/iPad doesn't work well.
The older version of GoPro app may cause some unexpected errors. On the other hand, the app may be not working for a while.
Fixes:
1. Update your GoPro App for iOS to the latest version.
2. Copy videos from GoPro camera to iPhone/iPad to check whether it is choppy with built-in player.
3. Try another player app (for example VLC) to play GoPro video on iPhone/iPad.
Possibility #2. GoPro Video Looks Choppy in Built-in/3rd-party Players
Sometimes, although you have copied the video from GoPro cameras to iPhone/iPad, it still looks choppy with the built-in or third-party players. If you're experiencing this issue, follow us to get causes and troubleshooting methods.
Reason #1. Your iPhone/iPad is not power enough to play large/4K/HEVC GoPro videos.
It has a high system requirement to play large/4K/HEVC GoPro videos. If your iOS device features an under-powered processor, you may get choppy playback.
Fixes:
1. For a large video, compress it to a smaller size by decreasing bit rate, frame rate or cut/trim the video length. >> Learn how to compress GoPro video in details...
2. For a 4K video, downscale 4K to 1080P or lower resolution. In fact, you can get almost the same visual effect to watch 4K and 1080P on iOS devices.
3. For a HEVC video, convert HEVC to H.264 which is more compatible and better supported by iOS devices. >> How to downscale and convert videos with ease...
Reason #2: Some GoPro videos can't be played on iOS 10 or lower version.
If you have HEVC, time lapse or slow motion file from GoPro choppy playback on iPhone iPad, you need to check if you get the device run on iOS 11.2 or newer.
Fixes:
1. Update iOS to the latest version.
2. Or, you have to adjust video parameter to meet the supported format, resolution and frame rate.
Reason #3: You don't have enough space on iPhone iPad.
If there is a 2G GoPro raw files, make sure that the free space is larger than 4GB. Otherwise, you will get a choppy playback.
Fixes:
Free up space. Delete redundant photos/videos or uninstall Apps that are not commonly used.
Bottom Line
To be honest, GoPro video choppy playback on iPhone/iPad usually occurs. Large-sized high-definition files can't be well supported even though you get the newest models. In order to fix this issue, it's a good choice to compress and downscale videos making them much more compatible with devices. VideoProc is the program which helps compress GoPro videos while keeping high quality delivering a resulting file with crisp images which can smoothly play GoPro videos on iPhone iPad.
By the way, if you want to get the best visual effects of GoPro 4K videos, you'd better play it on 4K TV instead of mobiles.
Try VideoProc to Process Your GoPro (4K) Footage Now!
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