Auto Sync
Best when Garmin Connect and Strava are linked correctly and you want new activities to flow without any extra work.
Manual Upload
Useful when one workout did not transfer or when you want to upload an exported FIT or TCX file yourself.
Custom File
Best for repairing metrics, rebuilding a clean track, or preparing a better TCX before importing to Strava.
Auto-sync Garmin to Strava
The easiest setup is to connect Garmin Connect directly to Strava once and let every future activity sync automatically. In Garmin Connect, open settings, go to the partners or connected-apps section, choose Strava, and approve the connection with your Strava account. After that, Garmin Connect becomes the bridge between your device and Strava.
The sequence matters. Your watch or Edge device uploads to Garmin Connect first. Only then can Strava import the session. If the device has not synced yet, Strava has nothing to pull. For that reason, the fastest troubleshooting step is often to confirm that the workout is already visible in Garmin Connect before you do anything else.
Step 1
Open Garmin Connect on the web or in the mobile app and go to the settings area.
Step 2
Find the partners or connected apps section, then choose Strava from the list.
Step 3
Sign in to Strava and approve the connection so Garmin Connect can send activities automatically.
Step 4
Complete a new ride, run, or workout on your Garmin device and wait for Garmin Connect to upload it first.
Step 5
After Garmin Connect receives the activity, Strava should import it automatically without a manual file upload.
Manual upload from Garmin to Strava
If one activity does not sync, you can still move it from Garmin to Strava manually. Open the workout inside Garmin Connect, export the file, and choose the format that best fits your case. Garmin often records the original activity in FIT, while TCX is useful when you want a more editable export before upload.
Once the file is downloaded, go to Strava on the web, open the upload flow, and select the exported file. This manual path is ideal for missed syncs, older workouts, or situations where you only want to re-import one activity instead of reconnecting the whole account. If you need a dedicated walkthrough for TCX, ForgePace already has a step-by-step TCX upload guide.
Create a custom activity to upload to Strava
Sometimes the Garmin export is not the file you actually want to upload. The route may contain bad GPS points, the timestamps may be inconsistent, or the workout metrics may no longer reflect the activity you are trying to publish. In those cases, rebuilding the file before the Strava upload is often faster than fighting with a broken source export.
ForgePace is designed for that fallback. You can generate a custom TCX file, keep the route clean, and shape the activity around the metrics you want Strava to read. That can mean fixing a corrupted track, creating a cleaner upload for testing, or preparing a file where distance, timing, heart rate, and power are more coherent than the original export.
Need a clean file for Strava?
Start on ForgePace to create a fresh TCX activity file, then upload it to Strava manually when auto-sync is not enough.
FAQ
Why aren't my Garmin activities syncing to Strava?
The most common reasons are a broken Garmin Connect to Strava authorization, a delayed upload from the device to Garmin Connect, duplicate activity detection, or a temporary sync outage on one of the two services. Reconnecting the partner link usually solves the issue.
What file format does Garmin use?
Garmin devices commonly record workouts as FIT files, while Garmin Connect can also export TCX in many workflows. FIT is compact and device-oriented, while TCX is easier to inspect and edit before uploading to Strava.
Can I manually upload a Garmin activity to Strava?
Yes. If auto-sync fails, export the activity from Garmin Connect as a FIT or TCX file, then upload that file manually through Strava's upload flow on the web.
When should I create a custom TCX file instead of exporting from Garmin?
A custom TCX file is useful when the original Garmin activity has missing metrics, broken timestamps, GPS drift, or any other issue that makes the source file unsuitable for a clean Strava import.