You can install the Strava app on a Wear OS watch, record activities, and sync them to Strava through your Android phone. Wear OS is the Google software that runs on many smartwatches. Strava for Wear OS isn’t compatible with iPhone.
Wear OS Watch and Phone Requirements
The Strava Wear OS app works on watches running Wear OS 3.0 or later. This includes Samsung Galaxy Watch4 and newer, Google Pixel Watch, and OnePlus Watch. You also need an Android phone with the latest version of the Strava app.
Install The App on Your Wear OS Watch
If Strava isn’t on your watch yet, install it manually:
On your watch, open the Google Play Store, find Strava, and tap Install.
On your phone, make sure you’re logged in to your Strava account in the Strava app.
Open Strava on your watch and sign in. Keep your phone nearby the first time you sign in.
When you start your first activity, follow the prompts to allow permissions. Strava only asks for the permissions your sport needs. For example, indoor sports don’t ask for location access.
Record an Activity
You can record activities on your watch without carrying your phone.
Open the Strava app on your watch.
Choose your sport type. Your most used sports appear at the top, based on your activity history. If you’re new to Strava, the sports you picked during onboarding appear first.
A 3 second countdown starts, then recording begins. You don’t need to wait on a “Getting GPS” screen. You can skip the countdown to start recording right away.
While you record, you can see the current time, your heart rate, and stats for your sport. See Live stats below.
To pause, tap Pause. Your time, distance, and stats stop right away, and the screen shows that you’re paused. Tap Resume to pick up where you left off.
To finish, press and hold Finish, then tap Save. You’ll see a summary of your activity’s key stats.
Your watch vibrates when you pause, resume, or finish. If you start moving while your recording is paused, your watch reminds you to resume. If your screen times out during a recording, raise your wrist to return to your live recording.
To delete a recording, tap Discard. You’ll be asked to confirm before your activity is deleted.
Save and Sync Your Activity
Your activity uploads to Strava automatically when your phone is within range. Your watch shows a syncing status while it uploads. It confirms once your activity is on Strava.
If the upload fails, your watch tells you why and tries again automatically. You’ll be notified once the upload succeeds.
If your phone isn’t nearby, your activity is stored on your watch. It uploads automatically once your watch reconnects. Activities waiting to upload are listed under Unsynced in the watch app.
To edit an activity on your phone, tap Open on phone after you save. There you can add a title and photos or change its visibility. If your phone isn’t in range, the activity appears on your phone once it syncs.
Auto-Pause
Auto-pause pauses your recording when you stop moving and resumes it when you start again. This way, your pace reflects your moving time. A label on screen shows when auto-pause is active.
Auto-pause is available for running and cycling activities. It doesn’t apply to indoor activities.
You can turn auto-pause on or off for running and cycling in your watch settings. Your choice is saved for future recordings.
You can still pause manually while auto-paused, for example if you stop at a café. If you start moving again while paused, your watch prompts you to continue recording.
Live Stats
The recording screen shows stats that fit your sport:
Indoor workouts, such as yoga or strength training, show time, heart rate, and calories. They don’t show distance or pace.
Indoor runs still show distance.
Outdoor rides show current speed.
Outdoor activities show current elevation and elevation gain. See Live elevation below.
If a stat isn’t available, for example when there’s no GPS signal, Strava hides it or marks it as unavailable. It doesn’t show 0.
Record Heart Rate
Strava uses the heart rate sensor in your watch. To record heart rate, allow the heart rate (sensors) permission when Strava asks at the start of your first activity.
Your heart rate appears on the recording screen and on a dedicated heart rate page during your recording. If you’ve set heart rate zones on your account, you can also view them during a recording. To learn more, see Training Zones on Strava.
Live Elevation
You can see your current elevation and total elevation gain on the record screen for outdoor activities. Descent sports, such as skiing, also show vertical descent.
Supported sport types include:
Ride
Alpine Ski
Backcountry Ski
E-Bike Ride
E-Mountain Bike Ride
Gravel Ride
Handcycle
Hike
Mountain Bike Ride
Nordic Ski
Rock Climb
Snowboard
Trail Run
Velomobile
Beacon on Wear OS Watches
Strava subscribers can turn on Beacon in the Wear OS Strava app. Before you start your first activity on your watch, set up your safety contacts in the Strava app on your phone.
If your Wear OS 3 or later watch doesn’t have LTE (cellular service), it must be connected to your phone. It needs that connection to send a Beacon message when you start an activity from the Wear OS Strava app.
Troubleshooting
Heart rate isn’t recording
First, check that Strava is allowed to use your watch’s heart rate sensor. On your watch, open Settings > Apps > Strava > Permissions and allow Sensors. On some watches, this permission is called Body sensors or Heart rate.
If permissions are already allowed:
Close the Strava app on both your watch and your phone.
Restart both devices.
Record a short activity to check whether heart rate appears.
Activity isn’t syncing from your watch to Strava
If your activity hasn’t synced, try these steps:
Make sure your phone is nearby with Bluetooth turned on.
Confirm you’re logged in to the Strava app on your phone.
Make sure Strava is up to date on your phone and on your watch. On your watch, update it from the Google Play Store.
Open Strava on your watch and go to Unsynced to see activities waiting to upload. Then tap Try Again.
Recording stopped or paused unexpectedly
If another workout app, such as Samsung Health, runs at the same time as Strava, it can interrupt your Strava recording. Wear OS can only track one workout at a time. Avoid running other workout apps while you record with Strava.
FAQs
Can I record without my phone?
Yes. Your activity is stored on your watch and uploads automatically once your watch reconnects to your phone.
Why don’t I see distance during my indoor workout?
Indoor workouts like yoga and strength training show time, heart rate, and calories instead. Indoor runs still show distance.
Can I use Strava with other workout apps at the same time?
We don’t recommend it. Wear OS can only track one workout at a time, so another workout app can interrupt your Strava recording.
Does Strava for Wear OS work with iPhone?
No. You need an Android phone with the latest version of the Strava app.