Connecting Canon EOS R8 to the Intervalometer App

Step-by-step instructions for pairing your Canon EOS R8 with the Intervalometer for Canon app over Bluetooth.

App Store

Google Play

Before you start

When the Intervalometer app first starts, allow Bluetooth access so it can discover and connect to your EOS R8.
Allow the app to use location / localisation services when prompted. On many phones this permission is required by the operating system to scan for nearby Bluetooth devices, even though the app does not use your location for tracking.

Pair the EOS R8 with the Intervalometer app

On the camera, open the connect menu.
Turn on the EOS R8. Press the MENU button and go to [Connect to smartphone(tablet)].

If a message appears saying that Wi-Fi settings is set to [Disable], select [OK] to continue.
Add a new device.
In the connect screen, choose [Add a device to connect to].

If a message appears saying that Bluetooth settings is set to [Disable], select [OK] to continue.
Start pairing on the camera.
A QR code screen appears. Because you already installed the Intervalometer app, simply press the SET button to start pairing instead of scanning the code.

The camera enters an active pairing state and waits for a Bluetooth connection.
Open the Intervalometer app on your phone.
Unlock your phone and start the Intervalometer app for Canon.
Tap "Add new camera" in the app.
In the main control screen, tap the camera icon in the top-right corner labelled Add new camera.

The Intervalometer app now scans for nearby Bluetooth devices and lists available cameras.
Select your EOS R8 from the list.
When your camera appears, tap the entry that matches your EOS R8 to start pairing.
Confirm Bluetooth pairing on the phone.
Your phone shows a Bluetooth pairing request. Confirm the request to allow the Intervalometer app to connect to the EOS R8.
Confirm pairing on the camera.
The camera establishes the Bluetooth connection. Press the SET button to complete the pairing.
Check that pairing is complete.
The camera shows a pairing complete screen, followed by the name of your smartphone as a connected device.

In the Intervalometer app, you see your EOS R8 listed as the active camera, and the main control screen is ready to trigger the shutter.
Start using the Intervalometer app.
You are now ready to use the Intervalometer app as a Bluetooth remote and interval timer for your EOS R8.

After pairing

Once the connection is established, you can start and stop exposures from your phone without touching the camera.

Set exposure time and interval directly in the app.
Use BULB mode on the camera and let the app control how long each exposure runs.
Run an open-ended sequence or stop automatically after a chosen number of images.
Use the Bluetooth link to minimise camera shake when starting and stopping exposures.

Cancel pairing and start again

If you change phones or run into connection problems, delete the existing pairing and set it up again.

On the EOS R8

Press MENU and go to [Connect to smartphone(tablet)].
Select [Edit/delete device].
Choose the smartphone you no longer want to use.
Select [Delete connection information] and confirm with [OK].

On the smartphone

Open your phone's Bluetooth settings.
Find the entry for your EOS R8 and remove or forget the device.

After removing the pairing on both camera and phone, follow the steps in the pairing section above to connect the Intervalometer app again from scratch.

Troubleshooting

Phone cannot find the camera

Make sure the camera is on the [Add a device to connect to] screen and that you pressed SET to start pairing.
Check that Bluetooth is enabled on your smartphone and that the EOS R8 Bluetooth setting is set to [Enable].
If the camera still does not appear, cancel pairing on both camera and phone, restart both devices, and try again.

Camera shows a different smartphone name or will not pair

On the camera, open [Connect to smartphone(tablet)] and use [Edit/delete device] to delete any smartphones you no longer use.
On your phone, remove old EOS R8 entries from the Bluetooth device list.
Repeat the full pairing process, including tapping Add new camera in the Intervalometer app.

Intervalometer app does not connect, but the camera shows a paired phone

Ensure no other app is trying to control the camera in the background. If you use Canon's own remote control app, close it completely before using the Intervalometer app.
In the Intervalometer app, tap your camera entry or use the reconnect option to establish the Bluetooth link again.
If the problem persists, delete the pairing on both camera and smartphone (as described above) and set it up again from scratch.

Camera shows "Connection target not found"

On the camera, remove the existing phone entry under [Connect to smartphone(tablet)] → [Edit/delete device] by selecting your phone and choosing [Delete connection information].
On your phone, open Bluetooth settings and remove / forget the EOS R8 entry.
Start the pairing process again from the beginning and, in the Intervalometer app, use Add new camera to scan for the EOS R8 and add it as a new device instead of tapping connect on an old entry.

If none of these steps solve the issue, please contact us at help@intervalometer.app and include your camera model, phone model, and a short description of what happens during pairing.