Strava: How to Turn Off or Hide Heart Rate Data

How to Turn Off Heart Rate Data on Strava

Controlling your heart rate data on Strava can be achieved by preventing its recording from connected sensors or by adjusting the privacy settings for individual activities or your entire profile. This guide details the step-by-step methods to manage your heart rate visibility on the platform.

Understanding Heart Rate Data on Strava

Strava allows users to track a wide array of performance metrics, with heart rate (HR) being one of the most fundamental physiological indicators. Typically, heart rate data is captured by external sensors like chest straps or optical wrist sensors (e.g., from smartwatches or dedicated HR monitors) that connect to your recording device (Strava app, GPS watch, bike computer). This data is then uploaded alongside your activity.

Why You Might Want to Turn Off Heart Rate Data:

While valuable, there are several reasons why an athlete or fitness enthusiast might choose to disable or hide their heart rate data:

• Privacy Concerns: Heart rate data can reveal physiological insights, and some users prefer to keep this information private from followers or the public.
• Avoiding Over-Analysis: For some, constantly reviewing HR data can lead to over-analysis or anxiety, detracting from the enjoyment of the activity or focusing on other training principles like Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).
• Focusing on Other Metrics: Athletes training with power meters (cycling) or precise pace targets may prioritize those metrics over heart rate for specific workouts.
• Inaccurate Data: If your HR sensor is malfunctioning or providing erroneous readings, disabling it can prevent skewed data from appearing on your activity logs.

Method 1: Preventing Heart Rate Recording During an Activity

This method involves disconnecting or disabling your heart rate sensor before you begin recording your activity. If the data isn't recorded, it won't appear on Strava.

On the Strava Mobile App (During Live Recording):

If you use the Strava app directly to record your activities and have a heart rate sensor paired:

• Before you start recording: Navigate to the record screen in the Strava app.
• Tap the gear icon (settings) in the top right corner.
• Look for "Sensors" or "Heart Rate Sensor."
• Toggle off or disconnect your heart rate monitor from this screen.
• Alternatively, simply ensure your heart rate monitor is not worn or is powered off before opening the Strava app to record, and do not pair it if prompted.

On a GPS Device (Garmin, Wahoo, Apple Watch, etc.) Connected to Strava:

Most Strava users upload activities from dedicated GPS devices. In these cases, Strava imports whatever data was recorded by your device. To prevent HR data from appearing, you must disable it on the recording device itself:

• Access your device's sensor settings: On your Garmin, Wahoo, Coros, Polar, or similar device, navigate to the sensor settings menu.
• Find "Heart Rate" or "HRM" sensors.
• Disable or unpair your heart rate sensor (e.g., chest strap) or turn off the optical wrist heart rate monitor if it's built-in.
• Consult your device's user manual for precise instructions, as menu navigation varies significantly between brands and models.

Method 2: Hiding Heart Rate Data After an Activity (Privacy Settings)

This method allows heart rate data to be recorded but controls its visibility on Strava. This is useful if you want the data for your own analysis but don't want others to see it.

Adjusting Activity-Specific Privacy:

You can hide heart rate data for individual activities after they've been uploaded:

• On the Strava Mobile App:
  • Go to the specific activity you wish to edit.
  • Tap the three-dot menu (More) in the top right corner.
  • Select "Edit Activity."
  • Scroll down to "Privacy Controls."
  • Look for the "Hide Heart Rate" toggle and switch it ON.
  • Tap "Save Activity." The heart rate graph and metrics will now be hidden from others, but visible to you.
• On the Strava Website:
  • Log in to your Strava account.
  • Click on the activity you wish to edit.
  • Click the pencil icon (Edit Activity) on the left side.
  • Under "Privacy," find "Hide Heart Rate" and check the box.
  • Click "Save."

Adjusting Default Privacy Settings for Future Activities:

You can set a default preference for how your heart rate data appears on all future uploads:

• On the Strava Mobile App:
  • Go to your "You" tab (profile icon).
  • Tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top right.
  • Select "Privacy Controls."
  • Scroll down to "Heart Rate."
  • You will see options like "Everyone," "Followers," or "Only You." Select "Only You" if you want your heart rate data to be private by default.
  • Note: This setting controls who can see your heart rate data, not whether it's recorded. If set to "Only You," the data will still be recorded and visible to you, but hidden from others.
• On the Strava Website:
  • Log in to your Strava account.
  • Hover over your profile picture in the top right corner and click "Settings."
  • On the left sidebar, click "Privacy Controls."
  • Scroll down to the "Heart Rate" section.
  • Choose your desired default visibility (e.g., "Only You" for maximum privacy).
  • Click "Save" at the bottom of the page.

Important Considerations Regarding Heart Rate Data

• Impact on Relative Effort: Strava's "Relative Effort" feature, which quantifies the cardiovascular demands of an activity, relies heavily on accurate heart rate data. If you disable or hide your heart rate, this metric may be less accurate or unavailable.
• Personal Data Integrity: While you might hide HR data from public view, recording it can still be valuable for your personal training analysis, trend tracking, and understanding your physiological responses over time. Consider hiding rather than outright disabling if personal analysis is important.
• Re-enabling Heart Rate Data: To turn heart rate data back on, simply reverse the steps outlined above – re-pair your sensor, enable it on your device, or adjust your privacy settings to a more public option.

Conclusion: Tailoring Your Strava Experience

Strava offers a robust platform for tracking and sharing your fitness journey. By understanding and utilizing the privacy and sensor settings, you gain significant control over your data. Whether you choose to prevent heart rate recording altogether or simply manage its visibility, these options allow you to tailor your Strava experience to best suit your personal preferences, training philosophy, and privacy needs.