Guide

Get a route onto your watch

Every route has a Run this route button: on a shared route's page, in the map's More menu, and on each card in My routes. It asks what you run with and shows the quickest way for that watch or app. This page is the long version, for every one of them.

Garmin

Forerunner, Fenix, Epix, Venu, Edge and the rest. Garmin watches follow a route as a course.

From a computer (the most reliable way)

1. Press Run this route, choose Garmin, then Download the file (.gpx).
2. Open Garmin Connect's courses page, signed in, and choose Import.
3. Pick the file, check the activity type, and Save.
4. Choose Send to Device. The course is on your watch after its next sync, under Courses (or Navigation, then Courses).

From an Android phone

Choose Send to Garmin Connect and pick Garmin Connect. If your browser saves the file instead, open it from your downloads and choose Garmin Connect. Save it, then send it to your watch.

From an iPhone

Garmin Connect's iPhone app doesn't reliably accept files from other apps (Garmin has said it was never meant to). Use the computer steps above in Safari instead: Garmin Connect's website works on a phone.

Sending straight to your Garmin with one tap is planned. It needs Garmin's approval first.

Apple Watch

Apple's own Workout app can't follow a route from another app, and that is still true on watchOS 26. So an Apple Watch needs an app on the watch that can. Any of these works:

• WorkOutDoors (a one-time purchase): choose Apple Watch, then Send to an app, and pick WorkOutDoors. In WorkOutDoors, open the route and tap Send to Watch. On the watch, choose the route in WorkOutDoors' settings before you start, so it shows on the map.
• Footpath: the same, picking Footpath. It can guide you turn by turn.
• Komoot (importing is free): pick Komoot, then start the route from Komoot's watch app. To follow it offline, the area has to be unlocked in Komoot.
• Strava, for Strava subscribers: see Strava below. Once the route is in Strava, start a run on Strava's watch app and tap the Route button.

On a computer, send the file to your iPhone first (AirDrop or email works), then open it in one of these apps.

Strava

Strava doesn't let other apps add routes to your account, so this takes two steps, and it has to be done in a browser rather than in Strava's app. Making a route from a file may need a Strava subscription.

1. Press Run this route, choose Strava, then Save the file.
2. Choose Open Strava's route page (or go to strava.com/routes/new), signed in.
3. Press Upload, choose the file you saved, and Save the route.

It shows up under Routes in Strava, in Strava's Apple Watch app, and on a Garmin, COROS or Wahoo you've connected to Strava.

COROS

1. On your phone, press Run this route, choose COROS, then Send to an app, and pick COROS.
2. In the COROS app, find it under Routes and sync it to your watch.

On a computer, send the file to your phone first (AirDrop or email works) and open it in the COROS app.

Suunto

1. On your phone, press Run this route, choose Suunto, then Send to an app, and pick Suunto.
2. The route appears among the Suunto app's routes. Switch on Use in watch to sync it.

Wahoo and Hammerhead

Wahoo ELEMNT: on your phone, choose Send to an app and pick the Wahoo app; the route syncs to your bike computer.

Hammerhead Karoo: download the course (.gpx) and upload it on the Hammerhead dashboard's Routes page; it syncs to the Karoo.

Komoot

On your phone, choose Send to an app and pick Komoot, or download the file and import it on komoot.com. Importing is free. If you've connected Komoot to Garmin, Wahoo, Suunto, COROS or its Apple Watch app, it passes the route on.

Just your phone

To be guided along a route with your phone in hand or on an armband, open it in an app that can: Komoot, Footpath, or Strava for its subscribers. Choose Just my phone, then Send to an app.

Just the file

GPX works almost everywhere: Garmin, Wahoo, COROS, Suunto, Komoot and Strava all import it. Choose Just the file to download it.

Why isn't it one tap everywhere?

Each watch maker decides which apps may put routes on its watches, and most approve them one at a time. Run Map App will apply to Garmin, COROS, Suunto and Wahoo, and each one that says yes becomes one tap here. Apple's Workout app doesn't accept routes from any app, and Strava doesn't let apps add routes, so for those the steps above are the way for now.

Something here out of date for your watch? Tell us.