Strava for iOS Gains HealthKit Integration for Importing Apple Watch Workouts

[MacRumors]

Strava for iOS was today updated with improved HealthKit integration, allowing users to import Apple Watch workouts into the Strava app.

Prior to today's update, Strava users had to rely on third-party solutions like the Healthfit app to share workouts between the Apple's Health records and Strava. Now they can import workouts recorded on iPhone or Apple Watch directly into the app.

To enable the Apple Health import feature, users should go to the Settings in the Strava app and select Applications, Services, and Devices. Then choose the Health app and any workouts recorded through Apple's native app should be available to upload to Strava.

In addition, today's update adds the ability to crop user activity recorded on iPhone, which is useful if GPS tracking has been left running for too long. Summit members can also now see their heart rate, power, and Grade Adjusted Pace on Segments.

Strava: Run, Ride, Swim is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. A premium Strava membership costs $7.99 per month.

Article Link: Strava for iOS Gains HealthKit Integration for Importing Apple Watch Workouts

 

[Aslevik]

Great news! Healthfit no longer can autosync so that is one less step to import!

 

[rbart]

Heathfit can autosync again since last update.

 

[Aslevik]

Heathfit can autosync again since last update.

Really? 🤔

 

[bviktor]

... or just use RunGap which can sync anything from anywhere to anywhere. I'd drop that but I also have Endomondo and I want to keep both Strava and Endomondo in sync with my Watch.

I'll consider this new HK import feature and just exporting the Strava workouts to Endomondo when my RunGap sub expires.

 

[rbart]

Really? 🤔

Yes, it's working again

 

[tmsmart]

Seems crazy that you have to get and pay for a third party app to sync your data from one Apple product to another.

 

[bviktor]

Seems crazy that you have to get and pay for a third party app to sync your data from one Apple product to another.

Indeed it sounds crazy. Thankfully that has never been the case. This news is about Apple framework support in the Strava iOS app, hth. The paid apps you're talking about sync Healthkit data to various 3rdparty apps, not from the Watch to the iPhone.

 

[CrzyP]

Seems crazy that you have to get and pay for a third party app to sync your data from one Apple product to another.

Yeah it’s a little crazy. HealthFit is a one-time purchase, so it’s a small price to pay. I have a lot of history and social running groups across Garmin, Starva, and Nike so it’s worth it to me.

 

[rbart]

Seems crazy that you have to get and pay for a third party app to sync your data from one Apple product to another.

Healthfit is not free but it's very cheap, one time purchase, the developer does a great job.
It's my best app purchase with workoutdoors.
When you can pay for a watch+iphone, you can pay 5$ for a great app

 

[tmsmart]

Thanks for everyone’s clarification. Most of my workouts are gym related so not sure I’m a good use case. Just didn’t clearly understand what that was for. Thanks again.

 

[fredash]

Healthfit is not free but it's very cheap, one time purchase, the developer does a great job.
It's my best app purchase with workoutdoors.
When you can pay for a watch+iphone, you can pay 5$ for a great app

Exactly the same for me : WorkOutDoors and HealthFit are my 2 preferred apps.

 

[ziggie216]

How is HealthFit compare to RunGap?

 

[ChromeAce]

If Strava would simply work the way it should, all its data would be stored in HealthKit to begin with and no import/export would be necessary. That’s what HealthKit is for: a database of all your activity that’s shared among all all your hardware and software. We don’t need multiple apps trying to do the same things and then requiring import/export complications.

 

[Someyoungguy]

If HealthKit could track the mileage on my shoes I probably wouldn’t bother with Strava. I think Nike run club does, but I stopped using Nike when it crashed during a workout.

 

[rbart]

How is HealthFit compare to RunGap?

For me it’s better and cheaper, but rungap can export/import to some platforms that healthfit doesn’t support (garmin connect for example)
But Healthfit is able to export to FIT or TCX files so you always have a workaround

 

[huges84]

There’s another important fix in the Strava update: Strava says they fixed the bug where they would end up syncing the same workout to Apple Health twice. It was really annoying having to check if my calories were correct or doubled and deleting the extra workout. I am counting my calories so this is important to be right.

 

[EatinPonies]

If Strava would simply work the way it should, all its data would be stored in HealthKit to begin with and no import/export would be necessary. That’s what HealthKit is for: a database of all your activity that’s shared among all all your hardware and software. We don’t need multiple apps trying to do the same things and then requiring import/export complications.

That's exactly what I was thinking... But for this feature update, does it have to be a *new* workout that you've done after the app update I just performed? I played soccer last night (recorded on my watch) and I have granted access to Health data as outlined above, but I can't figure out how to import (or even find) the activity from last night. Maybe it has to match an existing Strava activity type? In that case, why doesn't my run from Monday show up?

 

[mcgoldrickster]

Looks like I’ll be continuing to use healthfit as the Apple health data apparently doesn’t contain any location data on your workouts, so... no maps of running / cycling workouts

 

[Dunk the Lunk]

Testing this today it doesn’t seem to sync Workouts created on the iPhone via NTC (I think the release notes are pretty explicit saying Apple Watch workout) but I though it would be worth a test, especially give the way the article is written. Hopefully it might come in a future update.

If Strava would simply work the way it should, all its data would be stored in HealthKit to begin with and no import/export would be necessary. That’s what HealthKit is for: a database of all your activity that’s shared among all all your hardware and software. We don’t need multiple apps trying to do the same things and then requiring import/export complications.

Why would Strava want/need to store it’s data on your local iOS device? It’s a platform neutral app. Are there ANY non-Apple apps that do what you describe?

Looks like I’ll be continuing to use healthfit as the Apple health data apparently doesn’t contain any location data on your workouts, so... no maps of running / cycling workouts

It’s always been the case...which is why Strava wouldn’t use it as it’s primary storage method.

 

[EatinPonies]

Looks like I’ll be continuing to use healthfit as the Apple health data apparently doesn’t contain any location data on your workouts, so... no maps of running / cycling workouts

So... I'm not sure that you're correct here. I *only* use my Watch and the built-in activity/exercise tracker and here's the behavior I see from mine:
* If I record an indoor run or walk on a treadmill there is no location info transferred to Strava
* If I record an OUTDOOR run or walk, the entire map and path transfers to Strava just like I expect it should
* It looks to me like Strava only supports outdoor runs, walks, and biking. So if it's anything other than that (I play soccer, for example), Strava will only import it as "Evening activity" or "Morning activity" with no location info.

I hope that helps!

 

[madmads]

Is this actually working for anyone? I've tried uploading older work outs and nothing.

Tonight I went for a pool swim so tried to upload it to strava and it just says pending.

 

[mcgoldrickster]

So... I'm not sure that you're correct here. I *only* use my Watch and the built-in activity/exercise tracker and here's the behavior I see from mine:
* If I record an indoor run or walk on a treadmill there is no location info transferred to Strava
* If I record an OUTDOOR run or walk, the entire map and path transfers to Strava just like I expect it should
* It looks to me like Strava only supports outdoor runs, walks, and biking. So if it's anything other than that (I play soccer, for example), Strava will only import it as "Evening activity" or "Morning activity" with no location info.

I hope that helps!

Did you get this message when uploading a bike work out?

 

[lsbuffs]

I had been using HealthFit to bring my Apple Watch workouts into Strava. With this new Strava update I've now imported two runs directly into Strava without using HealthFit. Both runs were exactly 3 miles. Watch showed 3 miles, Workout app shows 3 miles, yet they've imported into Strava as 3.06 and 3.05 miles. The mile splits are totally wrong. Not sure what's happening with Strava massaging the Health/Workout data but I'm going back to using HealthFit. Ended up deleting the bad Strava workouts and re-importing them using HealthFit.

 

[sta1210]

I thought I would revisit this thread. Is there a way to directly sync workouts from the Apple Watch/iPhone into Strava? I believe that I have selected all the correct settings but nothing seems to happen? Does one still need or prefer Healthkit?