Transfer Files from GoPro Hero 9 to Mac

If you're a GoPro user who has captured long video clips using your Hero 9 camera, you may have encountered the issue of multiple small-sized MP4 files instead of a single large file. This is because the camera's Labs feature is enabled by default, which splits the recording into smaller chapters due to file size limitations. However, there is a way to transfer these files from your GoPro Hero 9 to your Mac computer.

The process involves using the ffmpeg command-line tool to concatenate multiple MP4 files into a single large file. Here's how:

1. Create a text file with a list of GoPro files: You need to create a text file called `filelist.txt` that contains the paths to all the GoPro files you want to merge.

2. Unzip and grab the ffmpeg version best for your computer: Download the latest version of ffmpeg from the official website and extract it to a folder within your executable path.

3. Start a terminal and run the following command: Open a terminal on your Mac and run the following command:

`ffmpeg -y -f concat -i your_path_to/filelist.txt -c copy -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map 0:3 your_output_path/final.mp4`

This command tells ffmpeg to concatenate all the files listed in `filelist.txt`, copy their audio and video streams, and output a single large file named `final.mp4` in the specified `your_output_path`.

4. Merge chapters into a single GoPro MP4: Once you've run the above command, you'll have a single large GoPro MP4 file that contains all your recorded footage.

Optional: Joining Chapters After Capture

If you're using the larger chapter feature on your GoPro camera, you may still end up with multiple small-sized MP4 files. In this case, you can use a tool like ReelSteady to merge these chapters into a single large file. However, keep in mind that this process is experimental and may not work everywhere.

Transferring files from your GoPro Hero 9 to your Mac computer is relatively straightforward using the ffmpeg command-line tool. By following these steps, you can concatenate multiple MP4 files into a single large file, making it easier to manage and edit your recorded footage.

Transfer files from gopro hero 9 to mac