Strava to Garmin: What Transfers and What Not

What transfers vs what does not

Before starting, it helps to know what Garmin Connect can actually receive. Activity files move over cleanly; the social and community layer does not move at all.

• GPS activities: transfers instantly: Strava exports each activity as GPX or FIT, and Garmin Connect imports both directly with no conversion step
• Routes: partial: saved Strava routes can be exported as TCX and re-imported as Garmin Courses, one route at a time (no bulk path)
• Segments: do not transfer: Garmin has its own segment system (also called Segments), but it is a separate database with separate leaderboards
• Kudos and comments: do not transfer: these are a Strava-only social layer with no Garmin equivalent and no export target
• Workout metadata: mostly transfers: distance, duration, pace, elevation, heart rate, cadence, and power travel inside the activity file itself
• Photos and activity descriptions: do not transfer via bulk export: the archive contains the GPS files, not the images or the text you wrote alongside them

Step 1: Request your Strava bulk export

Strava does not have a direct "send to Garmin" button, so the migration starts with a bulk archive request. It is the same export covered in the full Strava export guide. This section is the short version aimed at migration.

1. Go to strava.com and sign in, then click your profile picture > Settings.
2. Scroll to My Account and click "Download your account" > "Get Started".
3. Click "Request download" to confirm.
4. Wait for the confirmation email: usually 1–2 hours, longer for accounts with many years of activities.
5. Click the link in the email and download the ZIP before it expires.

Step 2: Unzip and locate the activities folder

The archive contains a lot of account admin files you do not need for a migration. Only one folder matters here.

1. Unzip the archive to a working folder on your computer.
2. Open the activities/ folder: it contains one GPS file per activity, in GPX or FIT format depending on how each was recorded.
3. Note that each file is named by its Strava activity ID, not by date or activity name.
4. Open the CSV summary file at the top level of the archive for a readable activity list. Date, name, distance, and duration for every entry.
5. Use that CSV to spot-check the import later: the activity count in the CSV should match what lands in Garmin Connect.

Step 3: Upload activities to Garmin Connect

This is the part that just works. Garmin Connect has accepted GPX and FIT uploads for years, and each file imports as a normal activity with its original date and metrics.

1. Go to connect.garmin.com and sign in (create a free account if you do not have one).
2. Click the cloud upload icon in the top-right corner, or go directly to connect.garmin.com/modern/import-data.
3. Drag and drop your GPX or FIT files from the activities/ folder into the upload area.
4. Garmin Connect imports each file as a separate activity, dated by the timestamp inside the file.
5. For large archives (1,000+ activities), upload in batches of 50–100 files. Bigger batches tend to time out.
6. Spot-check a few imported activities against the CSV summary before deleting anything from Strava.

Step 4: Routes. Manual recreation only

Garmin's segment system is built on a different database from Strava's, so Strava segments cannot be transferred. They can only be recreated as Garmin segments over the same stretch of road or trail.

Saved routes are the exception. A Strava route can be exported as TCX and imported into Garmin Connect as a Course, which is what you send to the watch for turn-by-turn navigation.

• In Strava, open the route you want to copy
• Click "Export TCX" from the route page
• In Garmin Connect, go to Training > Courses
• Click Import and upload the TCX file
• Name the course and save: it will sync to your watch on the next device sync

Step 5: What to do with kudos, comments, photos

This is the part of Strava that genuinely does not survive a migration. None of it has a Garmin destination, so the only decision is whether to preserve it outside either platform before you close the account.

• Kudos and comments are tied to your Strava account only. They cannot be exported into a usable format or moved to Garmin
• Photos attached to activities do not come down in the bulk export. They are only viewable on the Strava website while the account is active
• If preserving them matters, screenshot or manually download each activity's photos before closing the Strava account
• The "give kudos" social layer is a core Strava product feature and has no Garmin Connect equivalent. Garmin's community features are built around challenges and connections instead
• Keeping the Strava account open (free tier) is the simplest way to retain access to all of it. See the section below

Combining Strava and Garmin after migration

• Most people keep both accounts active: Garmin for training analysis and device features, Strava for the social feed and segment competition
• Activities uploaded directly to Garmin Connect auto-sync to Strava if you have the Garmin-to-Strava connection enabled in Strava settings
• Once that connection is live you only need to upload to one platform going forward. Garmin pushes to Strava automatically
• For ongoing analysis, Garmin Connect has the deeper training metrics (training load, HRV status, Body Battery. See the <a href="/guides/how-to-export-garmin-connect-data">Garmin export guide</a>); Strava keeps the social layer and segment leaderboards
• Do not enable sync in both directions during a bulk import, or you will create duplicate activities on both platforms

Where to store it

• Store in a folder named strava-to-garmin-2026-08
• Local copy on an external SSD (external SSD). Strava exports can be large for multi-year athletes
• Off-site encrypted copy in ProtonDrive (ProtonDrive)
• or pCloud (pCloud) for lifetime storage. See the <a href="/guides/backup-your-exports">backup guide</a> for the full setup
• Garmin Connect accepts batch uploads in case you need to redo the import later

Related guides

• Export Strava Data: GPS Files, Heart Rate & Activity History (2026)
• Export Garmin Data: FIT Files, Sleep and HRV
• Back Up Your Data Exports: Storage, Encryption & Organisation (2026)

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