Alex Ruben
How To Successfully Upload Your Garmin Activity Manually to Strava
If you’ve ever had trouble with Garmin activities not syncing properly or just want to upload some older workouts manually, you’re not alone. Sometimes Garmin Connect doesn’t push things over correctly, or maybe you want a backup copy of those runs and rides. Whatever the reason, doing it manually isn’t too bad — once you get the hang of it, it’s straightforward. Just a few extra steps than usual, but definitely saves the headache of waiting for auto-syncs that sometimes don’t happen. After all, Garmin and Strava don’t always play nicely, so manual uploads can be a lifesaver.
How to Fix Garmin to Strava Manual Uploads
Access Your Garmin Connect Account
First, fire up your browser and go to the Garmin Connect website (https://connect.garmin.com). Log in with your credentials. If you’ve got multiple Garmin devices, don’t forget to pick the right account or device profile. This step is pretty basic but important — you wanna make sure you’re looking at your actual data. If Garmin Connect isn’t updating properly or missing activities, it can throw off your entire upload process later, so double-check your recent activities are there.
On some setups, this sometimes fails the first time, then works after a quick browser refresh or cache clear. Because of course, Garmin has to make it a little harder than necessary.
Locate and Export the Activity File
Once logged in, find your activities in the menu—look for Activities > All Activities. Scroll through to find that run, ride, or swim. Weirdly, Garmin sometimes stores things in different folders depending on your device or app version, so poke around if you don’t see what you’re after.
Click on the activity you want, then look for the settings gear icon (usually in the top-right), click it, and choose Export File. You’ll likely want a .FIT or .TCX file, as these formats are compatible with Strava. The file will be downloaded as a ZIP, probably saving into your Downloads folder unless you’ve changed default settings. On some devices, exporting can be slow or glitchy, but reattempts often work.
Prepare Your Files and Head Over to Strava
Once you’ve got your ZIP file, it’s time to prepare for the upload. Right-click the ZIP and select Extract All. You might need to specify where to unzip — your desktop or a dedicated folder. After extraction, you should see files like activity.fit or activity.tcx. This is what Strava needs to process your workout manually.
Next, jump over to Strava and log into your account. If you’re on your phone, the process is similar but might involve the app’s menu options for uploading.
Upload the Activity to Strava
Click the plus icon (+ Add) in the top right corner and select Upload Activity. From there, choose File. When prompted, browse to the folder with your extracted activity file. Not sure which one — usually the fit or tcx file is the one you want.
On some devices or browsers, clicking “Choose Files” might not seem to do anything immediately, but just give it a second or refresh if needed. If it’s slow or your file isn’t selectable, try a different browser or clear cache — sounds trivial, but sometimes that sneaky cache messes things up.
Complete the Upload and Fix Possible Issues
Double-click your activity file or select it, then start the upload. If the activity already exists in Strava, you’ll get a notification about it. Otherwise, add any additional details, like activity type, title, or privacy settings, then hit “Save”. Sometimes, the upload gets stuck if the file isn’t in the right format or corrupted, so double-check that your files aren’t damaged or incomplete. And yes, the file size can matter — huge files could timeout or glitch, so keep things tidy.
Extra Tips & Troubleshooting
Here are a few things that might help if you run into hiccups:
- Make sure your Garmin device has synced recently with Garmin Connect. Missing recent activities? They won’t be there to export.
- Check that you’re exporting in
.FIT,.TCX, or.GPX. Strava supports these formats best, and other formats might cause errors or missing data. - Keep your Strava app and browser versions up to date; updates sometimes fix bugs that could block uploads.
- If the ZIP files refuse to extract or upload, try doing it on a different PC or with a different program (like 7-Zip). Sometimes the issue is corrupt ZIPs or odd permissions.
If nothing works, maybe wait a bit and try again — sometimes Strava is just overloaded or Garmin servers glitching. Or, on some machines, the first upload attempt has a hiccup, but the second or third does the trick.
Wrap-up
Getting your Garmin activities into Strava manually isn’t the worst thing once you’ve set it up. It’s kind of a pain having to jump through hoops, but hey, at least you know your data’s there. Just keep your files organized, check format compatibility, and don’t be afraid to try different browsers or restart your computer if it won’t cooperate. Over time, it becomes second nature, especially if auto-sync isn’t dependable.
Summary
- Access Garmin Connect and export activities as
.FITor.TCX. - Unzip the exported files in a dedicated folder.
- Log into Strava, go to Upload Activity, select
File. - Choose your extracted activity file, upload, and customize if needed.
- Repeat for multiple activities, one at a time — unfortunately, no bulk upload.
Final thoughts
This whole process feels a bit clunky, but once you figure out the quirks — like file formats and extraction — it’s pretty manageable. Sometimes, you just gotta be patient and do a few extra clicks. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone. Fingers crossed it helps!