Set up the Strava Apple Watch app
The Strava Apple Watch app supports watchOS 10.0 or later and iOS 17.0 or later. To get started, make sure you have the Strava app installed on your iPhone.
Install the app on your Apple Watch
Companion apps for iPhone are typically installed on your Apple Watch automatically. If the Strava app isn't visible on your watch, install it manually:
Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap My Watch.
Find Strava in the list and tap Install.
Make sure you're logged in to your Strava account on your iPhone.
Open the Strava app on your watch and follow the prompts to authorize permissions for Health and Motion & Fitness data.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Health > Data Sources & Access > Strava. Toggle on Heart Rate and Workouts.
If you don't see all permission toggles:
On the Strava app, go to Settings > Manage Apps & Devices > Health and tap Connect with Health.
Then go to Settings > Apps > Health > Data Access and Devices > Strava and toggle on all necessary permissions.
Record an activity
You can record activities on Apple Watch Series 4 or later without carrying your iPhone. Note that the Apple Watch app functions independently of the iPhone app; your phone will not visibly respond while you record, even if it's nearby.
Open the Strava app on your Apple Watch.
Choose your sport type to begin recording. A 3-second countdown will start; tap the screen to skip it.
During your recording, you can view your current time, heart rate, and sport-specific stats:
Outdoor run — Average pace of your current split or average overall pace. Tap the screen to toggle between the two.
Outdoor ride — Current speed.
To pause, swipe right and tap the pause button.
To finish, swipe left and tap Finish, then tap Save on the summary screen.
Your activity will upload to Strava automatically when your phone is within range or your watch has a network connection. You'll receive an in-app notification once the upload is complete. Note that there may be a short delay in syncing if your devices are not connected to Wi-Fi or are in low-power mode after extended use.
Record heart rate
To use the Apple Watch's built-in heart rate monitor, Strava needs permission to read heart rate data from Apple Health. You do not need to enable Bluetooth or heart rate sensors in the Strava iPhone app.
Open the Strava app on your Apple Watch as if you're about to record an activity. This will open a prompt on both your phone and watch.
On your iPhone, tap Open Strava and follow the prompts to allow Strava to access your Health data.
In Apple Health, scroll down to Allow Strava to Read Data and enable Heart Rate.
Your heart rate will appear in the lower right corner of the Apple Watch record screen. Note that heart rate does not appear on the Strava iPhone app recording screen.
Follow a route
You can follow a saved Strava route on your Apple Watch while recording.
On the sport type selection screen, tap the Route icon and select the route you want to follow.
Once selected, your activity will start recording.
To view the map while recording, swipe up on your watch face. You can follow your live location and saved route on the map. Tap the watch face to unlock interactive mode for zooming and panning.
To return to the stats screen, tap the back icon or use the watch scroll button.
Off-route alerts
Strava can alert you when you go off-route during a recorded activity. Off-route alerts are available on the Strava Apple Watch app, mobile record (iOS and Android), and Live Activity (iOS).
When you record with a saved route loaded, Strava tracks your position relative to the route. If you move a meaningful distance away, an alert appears on your recording screen. The alert dismisses automatically once you return to the route. Minor GPS drift will not trigger it.
Off-route alerts are on by default. To toggle them:
Apple Watch — While recording, swipe left to the settings page and tap the Off-Route Alerts toggle.
Mobile — Open navigation settings from the recording screen.
Turning alerts off won't affect your ability to follow a route.
Requirements:
Apple Watch or iPhone/Android running the latest version of the Strava app
A saved route loaded before or during recording
Live Activity requires iOS 16.1 or later
Live elevation
You can view your current elevation and total elevation gain/loss on the record screen for these sport types:
Hiking
Trail Running
Cycling (MTB, e-MTB, Gravel, and Road)
Winter Sports (Alpine Ski, Snowboard, Backcountry, and Snowshoe)
Watch face complications
You can add Strava complications to your watch face from the Apple Watch app on your iPhone or directly on your watch. Available complication sizes: circular small (bottom left), utilitarian small (middle), or modular small (bottom right).
To add from your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, select Modular, choose a location, and select Strava from the list.
To add from your watch, press and hold the watch face to enter the customization view, then swipe right to see which complications are available.
Troubleshooting
Heart rate isn't recording
First, verify that Strava has permission to access your heart rate data. In the Apple Health app, go to Browse > Heart > Heart Rate > Data Sources & Access and make sure Heart Rate and Workouts are toggled on.
If permissions are already enabled:
Force-close the Strava app on both your Apple Watch and your iPhone.
Restart both devices.
After restarting, try recording a few different activity types to see if heart rate appears.
If the issue persists, try disabling Low Power Mode. In the Apple Watch app, go to Apps > Workout > Low Power Mode and toggle it off.
Activity isn't syncing from Apple Watch to Strava
There may be a brief delay when devices aren't connected to Wi-Fi or are conserving battery after extended use. If the activity still hasn't synced, try the following:
Check connectivity — Make sure your Apple Watch is within range of your iPhone or has a reliable internet connection.
Force quit and restart — On your Apple Watch, double-tap the digital crown, swipe the Strava app left, and tap the red X button. Restart the Strava app on both devices.
Trigger a manual sync — On your Apple Watch, go to Settings > Unsynced to view and manually sync any unsynced activities.
Motion and Fitness option not appearing in Strava permissions
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Motion & Fitness > Fitness Tracking and confirm the setting is enabled. If it's already on, toggle it off and back on.
FAQs
Does the Apple Watch app support Strava Live Segments?
Yes. Live Segments are available on the Strava Apple Watch app.
Can I pair a Bluetooth LE chest strap with my Apple Watch?
Yes, compatible Bluetooth LE heart rate sensors can be paired with your Apple Watch.
Can I use Strava with other fitness trackers at the same time?
This is not recommended. Other workout apps that use the Apple Watch's GPS may interfere with your Strava recording.
How is live elevation on Apple Watch calculated?
Live elevation is derived from your device's motion sensor and requires motion permission in Strava. To grant access, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness. If motion access hasn't been granted, live elevation will be calculated from GPS instead, which is less accurate.
My activity is missing data such as GPS, maps, or heart rate. What should I do?
Strava needs health data access to display activity data such as heart rate. Make sure you've allowed health data access to Strava by following the steps here. Then check that you've granted all necessary permissions by going to Settings > Apps > Health > Data Access & Devices > Strava and toggling on all permissions.
If an activity is missing specific data such as GPS, maps, or heart rate, that data cannot be added back in once the activity has been uploaded. If the missing data is due to permissions that weren't previously granted, only activities uploaded after permissions are re-enabled will display that data — it cannot be applied retroactively.