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Guide

How to upload a TCX file to Strava

Five steps, about two minutes. The one that trips most people up is step two: the Strava phone app has no file upload at all.

Upload it in five steps

  1. 01

    Download your TCX file

    The download starts on its own once payment clears. If you closed the tab first, the file is not lost — every export is saved to your account and you can fetch it again for free from Saved routes.

  2. 02

    Open strava.com in a browser

    This is the step that traps almost everyone. The Strava mobile app has no file upload at all. Use a browser instead — your phone browser is fine, you do not need a desktop.

  3. 03

    Choose Upload activity

    Click the + in the top right, pick Upload activity, then Choose files. Strava calls it "File" to separate it from a device sync.

  4. 04

    Pick the .tcx file you just downloaded

    Strava takes a few seconds to read distance, time, heart rate, cadence and laps out of the file. Nothing else is required from you.

  5. 05

    Fix the title, then save

    Strava names activities itself — "Morning Run" and so on. Rename it, set the activity type if it guessed wrong, then Save & View.

When the upload fails

Strava rejects the file
Almost always a clash: an activity already exists at that date and time. Change the activity date in Fakepace and export again.
The file is too large
Strava caps uploads at 25 MB. Only a very long route with a multi-hour duration gets close, because the file carries one trackpoint per second. Shorten the route or the duration.
The activity uploaded, but there is no heart rate
That file was a GPX, not a TCX. GPX carries the track and nothing else. Heart rate, cadence, laps and device data only travel in a TCX.
The pace does not match what I set
Strava shows average pace over moving time, and it recomputes distance from the GPS points. A small drift against the number you typed is normal.
I paid but the file never downloaded
Open Saved routes in your account. Everything you have paid for is there and re-downloading is free.

Keeping it believable

  • Use a pace you actually run. A sudden personal best is the thing people notice first.
  • Pick a plausible time of day — morning or late afternoon, not 3 a.m.
  • Let the pace drift. A perfectly flat split line looks machine-made.
  • Use it sparingly. A missed week is one thing; a whole season is another.

One honest note

Uploading a generated activity can breach Strava's terms of service, and that is on you rather than on us. Use it for testing, for a demo, or for a week that genuinely got away — and keep the numbers within what you normally run.

Ready for the next one?

Draw a route, tune the pace, and preview it exactly as Strava will render it. Drawing and previewing are free.

Build a routeSaved routes

Questions people ask

Why can't the Strava app upload my file?
File upload only exists on the web version. Open strava.com in your phone's browser — you do not need to request the desktop site.
Should I use TCX or GPX?
TCX. It carries heart rate, cadence, laps and device data, so Strava reads it as a recorded workout rather than a plain route.
Does this work with Garmin Connect?
Yes. Garmin Connect accepts TCX through Import Data, and so do most platforms that take activity files.
Can I re-download a file I already paid for?
Yes, for free, from Saved routes. What you cannot do is change the settings — a new pace, name or date is a new export.
How long does Strava take to process it?
Usually under a minute. If it is still processing after a few minutes, reload the page.