You just finished an amazing run or bike ride, and you’re ready to share your stats with your Strava friends. But your Garmin watch refuses to sync. Your workout sits there, trapped on your device, going nowhere.
This syncing hiccup happens more often than you’d think. Whether you’re using a Garmin Forerunner, Fenix, or any other model, the connection between your device and Strava can break down for several reasons. Let’s explore why this happens and how you can get your activities flowing again.
What’s Actually Happening Here
Your Garmin device talks to Strava through a connection you set up between Garmin Connect and your Strava account. Every time you finish an activity, Garmin Connect is supposed to automatically send that workout data over to Strava. This process usually takes just a few minutes after your watch syncs with the Garmin Connect app on your phone.
The breakdown can happen at different points in this chain. Sometimes your watch syncs fine with Garmin Connect, but the data never makes it to Strava. Other times, your watch won’t even sync with the Garmin Connect app in the first place. You might see your activity in Garmin Connect but nowhere on Strava, which can be super frustrating after you’ve just crushed a personal record.
If you ignore this issue, you’ll end up with gaps in your Strava training log. Your weekly totals will be off, your friends won’t see your achievements, and any challenges you’re participating in won’t count those missing activities. Over time, this creates an incomplete picture of your training progress.
The sync typically happens automatically, but it needs both apps to be working properly, a stable internet connection, and the right permissions in place. When any of these pieces fail, your data gets stuck somewhere between your wrist and Strava’s servers.
Garmin Not Syncing to Strava: Common Causes
Several things can interrupt the smooth flow of data from your Garmin device to Strava. Let’s look at what typically goes wrong so you can pinpoint your specific issue.
1. Disconnected or Expired Authorization
Your Garmin Connect account and Strava need permission to talk to each other. This connection can expire or get disconnected without warning. Maybe you changed your Strava password recently, or perhaps the authorization just timed out after several months.
You’ll know this is your problem if older activities synced fine but suddenly stopped working. The link between the two platforms is like a handshake agreement, and sometimes that agreement needs to be renewed. Strava or Garmin might have updated their systems, which can also break previously working connections.
Think of it like giving a friend a key to your house. If you change the locks, their old key stops working even though nothing else changed.
2. App Glitches or Outdated Software
Your Garmin Connect app or your Strava app might be running an older version that has bugs. Software updates fix these issues, but if you’ve been putting off those update notifications, you might be running into a known problem that’s already been solved.
Apps can also develop temporary glitches where they freeze or stop communicating properly with their servers. This happens more often than you’d think, especially after your phone updates its operating system.
3. Internet Connectivity Issues
Both Garmin Connect and Strava need a working internet connection to transfer your data. If your phone’s Wi-Fi is spotty or your mobile data is turned off, the sync will fail. Sometimes the issue is even simpler: you’re in airplane mode or your data limit has been reached for the month.
Your Garmin watch itself doesn’t need internet (unless it’s a model with built-in Wi-Fi or LTE), but your phone does. The watch syncs to your phone via Bluetooth, and then your phone needs internet to send that data to both Garmin’s servers and Strava’s servers. A weak connection can cause partial uploads that look like they worked but actually failed partway through.
4. Privacy Settings or Activity Type Restrictions
You might have privacy settings enabled in Garmin Connect that prevent certain activities from being shared. Maybe you marked an activity as private, or you’ve set up filters that only allow certain activity types to sync to Strava.
Strava has its own set of privacy controls too. If your Strava account settings don’t allow automatic uploads from third-party apps, your Garmin data won’t come through. Some users accidentally enable these restrictions while trying to keep certain workouts private.
5. Server Issues on Either Platform
Sometimes the problem isn’t on your end at all. Garmin’s servers or Strava’s servers can experience downtime or slowdowns. This usually affects lots of users at once, but you might not realize it’s a widespread issue if you’re just checking your own account.
Server maintenance, unexpected outages, or high traffic periods can all cause temporary sync failures. During major running events or popular workout times, the servers might get overwhelmed with upload requests. These issues typically resolve themselves within a few hours, but they can be confusing if you don’t know that’s what’s happening.
Garmin Not Syncing to Strava: DIY Fixes
Let’s get your Garmin and Strava talking again. These fixes will help you restore the connection and get your workouts flowing properly.
1. Reconnect Your Garmin and Strava Accounts
The first step is to break and remake the connection between your accounts. Open your Garmin Connect app and go to the settings menu. Look for “Connected Apps” or “Partner Apps” depending on your version.
Find Strava in the list and tap it. You should see an option to disconnect or revoke access. Go ahead and do that. Once it’s disconnected, you need to reconnect it from scratch.
Head over to Strava’s website or app and log in. Go to settings, then find the section for apps and services. Look for Garmin or partner connections. Click to connect Garmin, and it will ask you to authorize the connection. Follow the prompts to log in to your Garmin account if needed, then approve the permissions. This fresh connection often solves the majority of syncing problems.
2. Force Sync Your Garmin Device
Sometimes your watch or device just needs a manual push to get data moving. Open your Garmin Connect app with your watch nearby. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on for both devices.
Pull down on the main screen in Garmin Connect to manually trigger a sync. Your watch should vibrate or show a syncing icon. Wait until this completes fully before checking Strava. The activity might take up to 15 minutes to appear on Strava after it shows up in Garmin Connect, so give it some time.
3. Update Both Apps
Check for updates to both your Garmin Connect app and your Strava app. On iPhone, open the App Store and tap your profile icon at the top. Scroll down to see pending updates. On Android, open the Google Play Store, tap your profile, and select “Manage apps & device.”
Install any available updates for both apps. After updating, restart your phone completely. This clears out any temporary glitches and ensures the new versions are running fresh. Open Garmin Connect first, let it fully load, and then check Strava.
4. Check Your Internet and Bluetooth Connections
Make sure your phone has a strong internet connection. Try opening a web browser to confirm you’re online. If you’re on Wi-Fi, try switching to mobile data, or vice versa. Sometimes one connection works better than the other.
Check that Bluetooth is enabled and that your Garmin device is properly paired. Go to your phone’s Bluetooth settings and look for your Garmin in the list of connected devices. If it says “Not Connected,” tap it to reconnect. You might need to forget the device and pair it again from scratch if it’s being stubborn.
5. Manually Upload the Missing Activity
If automatic syncing fails, you can still get your workout to Strava manually. Open Garmin Connect and find the activity that didn’t sync. Tap on it to open the details page.
Look for a share or export option (usually three dots or a share icon). Select “Export to File” and choose the TCX or FIT file format. This downloads the activity file to your phone. Then open Strava, tap the plus icon to upload, and select “Upload Activity.” Choose the file you just downloaded from Garmin Connect. This gets your workout onto Strava even though automatic syncing isn’t working.
Once you’ve done this, you can still troubleshoot the automatic sync separately, but at least you won’t lose credit for your workout.
6. Reset Privacy Settings
Check that your privacy settings aren’t blocking the sync. In Garmin Connect, open the problematic activity and look for privacy settings. Make sure it’s not set to “Private” or “Only Me” if you want it to sync to Strava.
In Strava, go to settings and find privacy controls. Look for any settings related to third-party apps or automatic uploads. Make sure these are enabled to allow data from Garmin Connect. Some users have accidentally disabled these while trying to keep certain activities private, which then blocks all future uploads.
7. Contact Support If All Else Fails
If you’ve tried everything and your Garmin still won’t sync to Strava, it’s time to get expert help. Reach out to either Garmin support or Strava support through their official channels. They can check if there’s an account-specific issue or a server problem affecting your syncs. Sometimes there are backend issues that only the support teams can see and fix.
Wrapping Up
Getting your Garmin to sync with Strava shouldn’t feel like solving a puzzle. Most of these issues come down to simple connection problems, outdated apps, or authorization hiccups that you can fix yourself in just a few minutes. Start with the easiest fixes first, like reconnecting your accounts or forcing a manual sync, before moving on to more involved solutions.
Your workout data is valuable, and keeping it flowing smoothly between platforms helps you stay motivated and track your progress accurately. With these fixes in your toolkit, you’ll spend less time troubleshooting and more time actually training.