Connect Garmin to Strava in three steps
You can send your Garmin workouts to Strava automatically by connecting your Garmin account to your Strava account. The connection takes about five minutes and happens entirely through Strava's settings — you do not need to touch your Garmin device itself.
Once connected, every activity you record on your Garmin (runs, rides, swims, hikes) uploads to Strava within a few minutes of finishing. You can then see your stats, segments, and social feed all in one place. The connection stays active until you turn it off, so you only set it up once.
Key Takeaways
- You must have both a Garmin account and a Strava account before you start — create either one for free if you do not have it yet.
- The connection happens in Strava's settings under "Connected Apps", not in the Garmin app or on your watch.
- After you connect, your Garmin automatically sends new activities to Strava without any extra steps on your part.
- If activities stop uploading, the most common cause is that your Garmin account lost its internet connection or your Strava subscription changed.
What you need before you start
You need a Strava account and a Garmin account. If you have a Garmin watch or device, you already have a Garmin account — that is what you use to sync your watch to the Garmin app on your phone. If you do not have Strava yet, create one at strava.com for free.
Make sure you are logged into Strava on the device you will use to set up the connection (phone, tablet, or computer). You will need to log into your Garmin account during the process, so have that password ready too.
How to connect Garmin to Strava on your phone
Open the Strava app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Tap "Settings" near the top of the menu. Scroll down and tap "Connected Apps".
Look for Garmin in the list and tap it. Tap the blue "Connect" button. You will be taken to a Garmin login page — enter your Garmin email and password and tap "Sign In". Garmin will ask you to confirm that you want to let Strava access your data. Tap "Allow" or "Authorize" (the exact wording depends on your phone's operating system).
You will be sent back to Strava. If you see a green checkmark next to Garmin under "Connected Apps", the connection worked. Your next Garmin activity will upload automatically.
How to connect Garmin to Strava on a computer
Go to strava.com and log in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Settings". Click "Connected Apps" in the left menu. Find Garmin and click the blue "Connect" button.
You will be taken to a Garmin login page. Enter your Garmin email and password and click "Sign In". Garmin will ask permission to share your data with Strava — click "Allow" or "Authorize". You will return to Strava, and you should see a green checkmark next to Garmin.
What happens after you connect
Your Garmin device will continue to work exactly as it did before. You record activities the same way — start a workout, finish it, and your watch saves it. The only difference is that Strava now receives a copy of that activity automatically.
The upload usually happens within five minutes of finishing your activity, but can take up to an hour if your phone or computer is offline. Once it appears in Strava, you can add a title, description, photos, or mark it as private. Any edits you make in Strava do not change the original file on your Garmin.
Troubleshooting: activities not uploading
If you finished a workout on your Garmin but it did not show up in Strava after an hour, first check that your phone or computer has an internet connection. Garmin cannot send data to Strava if it is offline.
Next, go back to Strava's Connected Apps and check whether Garmin still shows a green checkmark. If the checkmark is gone or if you see a "Reconnect" button instead, the connection has broken. This sometimes happens if you changed your Garmin password or if Strava's connection expired. Tap or click "Connect" again and log in with your current Garmin credentials.
If you have a free Strava account and recently switched to a paid subscription (or vice versa), disconnect and reconnect Garmin. This resets the connection and usually fixes upload problems. Go to Connected Apps, tap or click Garmin, and select "Disconnect". Wait 30 seconds, then tap or click "Connect" again.
Disconnect Garmin from Strava if you need to
If you want to stop sending activities to Strava, go to Strava's Connected Apps, find Garmin, and tap or click "Disconnect". Your old activities stay in Strava, but new Garmin workouts will no longer upload. You can reconnect at any time by following the same steps above.
Disconnecting does not affect your Garmin device or the Garmin app — your watch will continue to record and store activities normally. You can still manually upload activities to Strava by exporting them from Garmin if you want to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect multiple Garmin devices to the same Strava account?
Yes. Once you connect your Garmin account to Strava, any device that syncs to that Garmin account will send activities to Strava. If you have a Garmin watch and a Garmin bike computer both linked to the same Garmin account, both will upload to Strava automatically.
What if I have both a Garmin and another brand of watch?
You can connect multiple device brands to Strava. Go to Connected Apps and look for your other device (Apple, Fitbit, Wahoo, Polar, etc.). Each one connects separately, so you can have Garmin, Apple Watch, and a Wahoo bike computer all sending to the same Strava account at the same time.
Do I need to keep the Garmin app on my phone for the connection to work?
No. The Strava-to-Garmin connection works through Garmin's servers, not through the Garmin app on your phone. You can uninstall the Garmin app and activities will still upload to Strava. However, you will not be able to see your Garmin stats or sync your watch without the app.
Can I upload old Garmin activities to Strava after I connect?
The automatic connection only sends new activities going forward. Old workouts on your Garmin will not upload automatically. You can manually export them from the Garmin app or Garmin Connect and upload them to Strava one at a time, but there is no bulk upload option.
What data does Strava receive from Garmin?
Strava receives your activity type, distance, duration, pace or speed, elevation gain, heart rate (if your Garmin recorded it), and the route map. It does not receive your Garmin password, personal settings, or any data from other apps you may have connected to Garmin.