Popular fitness tracking app Strava is updating its iOS app to bring native data syncing with the Apple Watch. With support now enabled for Apple’s HealthKit developer framework, Apple Watch users can sync their activities automatically with Strava, negating the need for them to use a third-party app to enable the sync.
To enable automatic syncing, users will need to follow these steps:
- Open the Strava app and select Settings
- Head to “Applications, Services, and Devices,” then select Health
- Confirm by selecting Connect
- Once connected, make sure the “Send to Health” option is toggled on to upload data between your iPhone / Apple Watch and the Strava app
However, it must be noted that Strava cannot retroactively sync historical workouts since the automatic sync feature begins only after the connection is made. For users to be able to import older activities, they can do so from the settings page itself. The option is present under Health Settings at the bottom, where users can manually import activities.
This feature is a welcome addition for Strava users with an Apple Watch. While Apple Workout is a capable and feature-rich social fitness tracking app, it is limited just to users in the Apple ecosystem, with them needing to pay for third-party solutions to sync with cross-platform offerings such as Strava. The native sync feature means that Apple users can now easily track, follow, and compete with friends on other platforms.