To connect Garmin to Strava, open the Strava app, tap the Settings icon in the upper-right corner of the You tab, open the menu for connecting a device, and select Garmin > Connect Garmin. Then sign in to Garmin Connect and complete the permission prompts. After linking, enable Activities in the connection settings so workouts uploaded to Garmin Connect can transfer automatically to Strava.
The short version
- Start in Strava: Link your Garmin Connect account through the Strava app or website.
- Allow activity sharing: Enable Activities in Garmin Connect’s Strava connection settings.
- Sync your Garmin: Your recorded activity must reach Garmin Connect before automatic sharing can send it to Strava.
- Recover missing workouts: Export activities from Garmin Connect and upload the files to Strava when automatic sharing misses them.
| Account linking method | Where to start | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Strava mobile app | You tab > Settings | Setup on iPhone or Android |
| Strava profile settings | Social Connections | Setup without the phone app |
| Strava device upload page | Garmin | Alternative browser setup |
| Garmin Connect app | Connected Apps | Setup when Strava is listed |
Connect through the Strava app
Open Strava on your iPhone or Android phone and select You. Tap the Settings icon in the upper-right corner, open the menu for connecting a device, then select Garmin > Connect Garmin.
Sign in to the Garmin Connect account that receives activities from your Garmin device. Complete the permission prompts to finish linking the accounts, then check the activity sharing setting below.
You can also start in Garmin Connect by selecting More > Settings > Connected Apps > Strava, then selecting Agree and Authorize. If Strava is absent from that screen, start the connection from the Strava app instead.
Connect through the Strava website
For setup without the Strava phone app, sign in to Strava in a desktop browser. Open your profile menu, select Settings, then open My Profile. Under Social Connections, select Connect with Garmin, sign in to Garmin Connect, and complete the permission prompts.
Another browser route starts at Strava’s device upload page. Select Garmin > Connect with Garmin, sign in to Garmin Connect when prompted, and select the data to share. Select Save, then Agree to complete the connection.
Enable automatic activity sharing
In Garmin Connect, open More > Settings > Connected Apps > Strava. Enable Activities to allow automatic activity sharing. This permission is separate from Courses, which controls sending Strava routes to compatible Garmin devices.
Your Garmin still needs to upload its recordings to Garmin Connect before they can transfer to Strava. Pairing a watch with your phone does not authorize Strava by itself, and linking Strava does not replace the device’s upload connection.
To pause activity sharing later, return to the same Strava connection screen and disable Activities. You can keep the accounts connected while stopping automatic activity transfers.
Sync your Garmin with Garmin Connect
For Bluetooth delivery, open Garmin Connect and select More > Garmin Devices > Add Device. On iPhone, select Find Nearby Accessories when prompted. Put your watch in pairing mode using its model’s phone or connectivity settings.
Common watch paths start with Menu, then Connectivity or Phone, followed by Pair Phone or Pair Mobile Device. When Garmin Connect detects the watch, select the displayed setup option, which may be Start, Connect It, or Set Up. Enter the six-digit code displayed on the watch or confirm that the displayed codes match.
If you use a fēnix 7 Standard, Solar, or Pro series watch, you can trigger a sync after pairing by holding LIGHT to open the controls menu, then selecting Sync. Other Garmin models can have different buttons and controls.
A computer provides another upload route for Garmin Express-compatible devices. Download Garmin Express, choosing the Windows or Mac version for your computer, then connect your Garmin with its USB cable and install and open the program. Select Add Device and complete setup using the Garmin Connect account linked to Strava.
Wi-Fi-capable Garmin devices can upload saved activities when within range of a configured network. To configure one through Garmin Express, select your device, then Tools & Content > Utilities > Sign In, and sign in to Garmin Connect. Select Add a Network, choose the network, enter its password, and select Save.
To configure Wi-Fi through your phone instead, open Garmin Connect and select More > Garmin Devices, then your device. Select General or Connectivity, opening System first if your model requires it. Select Wi-Fi Networks, or select Wi-Fi and then select My Networks. Select Add a Network, choose the network, enter its password, then select Connect and OK.
Fix activities that do not reach Strava
Start by checking whether the missing activity is already in Garmin Connect. If it is missing there too, restore the device’s upload connection using your phone, USB, or configured Wi-Fi network. Strava’s account connection cannot forward a recording that has not reached Garmin Connect.
When the activity is present in Garmin Connect, return to More > Settings > Connected Apps > Strava. Check that Activities is enabled before resetting the connection.
If sharing still fails, select Disconnect on that Garmin Connect screen, then repeat the linking steps in Strava. Reconnecting does not automatically recover activities recorded while the accounts were disconnected. Manually transfer those recordings using the file method below.
A separate Garmin permission can block uploads if you previously revoked device upload consent. In Garmin Connect, open More > Settings > Profile & Privacy > Data > Device Upload and enable the upload toggle. If you also need to restore storage consent, open Storage & Processing and select Agree.
Upload older or missing activities manually
Check your Strava activity history after linking to see which older Garmin workouts transferred. The initial transfer can include older activities, but you should not count on a fixed history window. Use manual export and upload for older workouts that are missing and recordings made while the accounts were disconnected.
On a computer, sign in to Garmin Connect, open Activities, and select the activity’s title. Select the gear icon and choose an export format. For the native FIT file, select Export File, then extract the downloaded ZIP so you can upload the FIT file inside it.
Open Strava’s activity file upload page, select Choose File, and select the exported activity file. You can also export activities from Garmin Connect in TCX or GPX format.
For several activities, select + > Upload activity on Strava’s website and open the file upload option. Select your exported activity files together. Strava allows up to 15 files per batch without a subscription, or 25 with a subscription.
If an activity never reached Garmin Connect, you can upload its file directly from a Garmin that exposes activity files to your computer. Connect the device, locate the activity file, then return to Strava’s file upload page and select Choose File to upload it. This direct method does not support devices that require the ANT+ agent; for compatible ANT hardware, use Garmin Express to sync with Garmin Connect.
Send Strava routes to your Garmin
Route sharing is optional and requires a Garmin device that supports Courses. In Garmin Connect, select More > Settings > Connected Apps > Strava, then enable Courses.
Open the desired route in Strava and select its star or save icon, then sync your Garmin through Garmin Connect or Garmin Express. If a previously starred route does not transfer, unstar it and star it again, then sync your device. The old Strava Routes Connect IQ app is no longer supported, so use the Courses connection for route transfers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Garmin child account connect to Strava?
You cannot connect a Garmin child account to Strava. Garmin’s child-account restrictions also block other third-party account connections.
Can Apple Health send my Garmin workouts to Strava?
You cannot use Apple Health as a native relay for Garmin workouts into Strava. Strava excludes activities that third-party services write to Apple Health.
Does connecting Garmin enable Strava Live Segments?
You need a Strava subscription and a Garmin model that supports Strava Live Segments, plus a separate segment setup. In Garmin Connect, select More > Training & Planning > Segments, open the three-dot menu, and select Strava Segments > Launch Strava. Alternatively, on Garmin Connect’s website, select Training and Planning > Segments > Switch to Strava Segments and complete authorization. Star the desired segments in Strava, then sync your device.
Can Strava Beacon work with a Garmin?
You can use Beacon with a Strava subscription, a Beacon-compatible Garmin, both mobile apps, Bluetooth pairing, and a phone with cellular service. In Strava, select Record > Settings > Beacon, or select the Beacon icon. Enable Beacon, then Beacon for Garmin, and follow the handoff to configure Garmin’s Auto Start. Without Auto Start, open LiveTrack, select Start LiveTrack, then start recording on your Garmin.
How do I sync an older Garmin with a USB ANT Stick?
For a compatible Garmin supplied with a USB ANT Stick, plug the stick into your computer and open Garmin Express. Sync the device with the Garmin Connect account you linked to Strava.
