How to export a GPX track from Strava?
Strava interface shown for illustrative purposes. Strava is a trademark of Strava, Inc. Epic Trace is an independent service and is not affiliated with Strava.
Every activity you record on Strava contains your full track: the exact path you traveled, meter by meter.
This track belongs to you, and there are two ways to turn it into a 3D topographic relief of your route: by connecting your Strava account directly to the configurator—the fastest way—or by exporting the GPX file from Strava and importing it yourself. Here are both methods, step by step.
The easiest way: connecting Strava to the configurator
No file needed: the Epic Trace configurator connects to your account and imports the activity of your choice.
- Open the configurator and click on the Strava button.
- Choose "Connect with Strava" and authorize access in the window that appears.
- Your latest activities will appear: select one, and its track will be placed on the map.
That's it: the frame centers on your route, and you can add up to three tracks on the same piece—for example, two editions of the same race.
Regarding privacy: Epic Trace only reads your activities, nothing is ever published to your account, and you can revoke access at any time from your Strava settings.
The alternative: exporting the GPX file
A GPX file remains useful in several cases: representing a planned route (an upcoming race), keeping a copy of your track, or preparing the relief of an activity that is not on your own account—for example, the official file of a race, or a track that was sent to you as a gift.
From the Strava website (computer)
- Log in to strava.com and open the relevant activity.
- Click on the activity actions menu (the "⋯" icon, to the left of the page).
- Choose "Export GPX".
- The .gpx file will be downloaded: this is the file you will need to import into the configurator.
For your own activities, the GPX export contains your track and associated data. In some cases, and depending on individual privacy settings, Strava also allows you to download the track of another athlete's public activity—performance data is then removed, and the map visibility settings are respected.
From a phone
Exporting a GPX file for an activity can only be done from the Strava website: the mobile app does not offer this feature. On a phone, open strava.com in your browser—requesting the "desktop site" version if the export option does not appear—then follow the steps above.
Exporting a planned route
The routes you create in Strava ("Routes") are not activities: the direct connection does not offer them, but their GPX export works the same way. Open the route, then use its GPX export option—convenient for representing an upcoming race rather than a past activity.
Three pitfalls to be aware of
Activities without GPS. A treadmill session or indoor cycling workout contains no track: there is nothing to import or export. The configurator actually flags these for you as "no GPS track" in the list. Only activities recorded outdoors with GPS have a track.
Privacy zones. If you have set up a privacy zone around your home, the exported track may be truncated at its ends. Check the beginning and end of the route on the map.
The right format. If multiple formats are offered for export, GPX, FIT, and TCX are all accepted by the configurator. We have detailed the differences in our guide GPX, FIT, or TCX: which file should I use?
And then?
Whether the track comes from the Strava connection or a GPX file, the next steps are the same: it is placed on the real terrain in the configurator, you choose the framing, and you visualize your creation in 3D before ordering. Up to three tracks can be featured on the same piece.