Hello @Padge 

Thanks for posting about this.  The Apple Watch cannot be used as a heart rate sensor for activities recorded on the Strava iPhone App.  In order to upload your Apple Watch recorded heart rate data, you would need to record the activity using your Apple Watch.

You can pair a compatible bluetooth heart rate sensor with your Strava iPhone App if you wish to record with your iPhone.  See more information here on how to do it and what's compatible.  

I hope that's helpful information - please let us know!

I appreciate the response. It’s so frustrating that this is not able to work. I want to see the map and stats on my phone while I’m riding but also want my heart rate data included. It sucks to have to wear an additional device when I already have one that collects the data. 😭

I wholeheartedly agree MP. While the issue might have its source on either end, I hope Strava will work towards integrating the Apple Watch sensors.

From my personal experience, I can confirm that it is possible to use the sensor from the "Apple Watch" to synchronize with a ride recorded on the "Strava" iPhone app. You need to have the "Apple Health" app installed on your phone. When you open the "Apple Health" app, in the upper right corner you have your profile icon. Click on it, go to "Privacy" then "Apps" and finally "Strava". You need to click on the "Turn On All" option. After that the "Strava" app on the "Apple Watch" will display heart rate information in the lower right corner and the recorded data will be displayed in the ride record itself. I hope my advice will be useful to you..

I have tried this numerous times, I have all permissions turned on for Strava in the apple health app and it just doesn’t work.  So frustrating….

Yeah, it would be great to have this. I use Adidas Running and it works like that. Somehow the phone app automatically starts the watch app and heart rate data is on both. Useful because the phone can give audio alerts on heart rate zones. 

Absolutely agree. Guys from Strava. Are you joking?! Look at Adidas Running. When you have an iPhone app, it can easily take the heartbeat data from Apple Watch in real time. It’s easy to implement it. Fix it finally!

Hi

Is there a way we can raise a feature request to be able to record HR from an Apple Watch while using an iPhone to us as an in ride dashboard?

I am a paying subscriber but the lack of this feature is making me question if I should continue to pay for a subscription or move over to Ride With GPS which not only has this feature but also has much better mapping functionality for in ride usage with iPhones including turn by turn navigation. 

I’ve been a Strava subscriber for a while now and have a lot of historic data in Strava and I like the analysis. However it feels like Strava only cares about using Garmin devices for in ride data collection, mapping and dashboards. 

please improve the Apple user experience!

I think this implementation is somewhat deficient. Take a look at how Ride With GPS does this – you hit start on the phone and immediately the watch app boots up and gives you a running indication of how far you’ve gone and at what speed while also recording your heart rate. This seems like an obvious improvement 

I forgot to mention, I get around this by using Adidas Running and then I use an app called Run Gap that syncs the record over into Strava.

I do this with "RideWithGPS", but the solution doesn't get you Strava's broad variety of exercise types.

..but 3 apps instead of one? No, thank you.

Strava team! Let's go, implement it already. I'm pausing my subscription until it's fixed.

Unimpressed with the moderator just cutting and pasting her response too. We understand Strava doesn't currently do this, but will you please fix it? We're loyal users, the data is there, just find a way to port it over please.

Or you may find more of us will turn to another app, which would be sad/stupid/easily avoidable!

If your goal is HB info in your Strava saved activity and iPhone display on your bike, you can record your session with your watch as linked by the moderator and record a simultaneous session on your iPhone. At the end of the ride, save the watch session and discard the phone session. Did it this morning, works great, just have to pause in two places - if you pause.

Note: Apple would have to broadcast HB info via bluetooth according to standard for Strava to have a clean implementation like the OP requests. 

While this does work, it's a pretty terrible workaround.  I think it is reasonable to ask Strava to have the watch app and the phone app talk to each other the way that other fitness apps do.

Hi Jane - I really like Strava but this is a major frustration. Definitely makes me want to explore other options. Is there any good news on the roadmap? This must be a high-demand request given Apple’s market position…

Please can you change this? ridicilous that I'm paying a ~60 a year for Strava and they can't event get either the Apple Watch HB to work with Strava-recorded activities or the apple watch to talk to the strava phone app.

Both are things other free apps seems to do without issues.

So many people asking for this... can you give some clarity on roadmap and/or why it's so difficult to do? 

Can you please provide me an update on when this will be added? I need it for cycling. Thank you.

I agree—this is silly shocking Strava cannot provide this when other apps can.  I just joined and may not continue because of this missing feature that others have.

That is really unfortunate. The Strava app on the Apple Watch is so scaled back it doesn’t appear to have all the functionality I want to use. For example, following a specific route. So I’ll need to run two sessions, one in the watch and one on the phone and remove the duplicate later. Not a fan of this not being better integrated. 

I really want Strava to start importing Apple Watch heart live

why does Garmin work so well when the Apple Watch doesn’t 

I just subscribed but shocked to see i cannot use my apple watch to record my heart rate real time. this is a huge part of my workouts. I hate cheat straps and having to buy additional devices bc an app wont use my highly accurate and comfortable apple watch readings. This feels like an oversight as im sure im not the only one who uses an iphone. i may unsubscribe over this   i hope you guys can add apple watch at some point

I found a workaround for this, I use Adidas Running and then RunGap to sync it over to Strava.

Kudos, but isn't that using three methods when only one should be necessary?