Strava has started rolling out full route navigation and mapping to its watchOS app. This brings a long-requested feature to Apple Watch users who run, hike, or ride with Strava. For the first time, you can load a route, see the map, check elevation, and follow directions straight from your wrist without pulling out your iPhone.
Reddit users on the r/Strava community noticed the feature over the weekend. Several people shared that route maps and turn-by-turn guidance now appear inside the Apple Watch Strava app, even if they did not sign up for any Strava beta. One Apple Watch Ultra 2 user said the option showed up for running and hiking workouts, which suggests Strava enabled the feature through a server-side update.
How the new Apple Watch navigation works
The beta lets you pick a pre loaded route in Strava and then follow it on your Apple Watch. You can see the path on a map, track where you are, and view elevation details as you move. This means you no longer need to keep your phone in hand to stay on course during an outdoor workout.
Until now, Apple Watch users had to rely on their iPhone for route guidance. While Strava added the option to share Apple Fitness Plus workouts to Strava last year, that feature did not help when you needed directions on the trail or the road. This new navigation tool changes that and makes the Apple Watch far more useful for outdoor training.
Who can use it right now
Both paying and free Strava users appear to have access to the beta. Strava has not said if it plans to lock this feature behind a subscription once it leaves testing. The company also has not published any official announcement yet.
Some users raised practical issues. One person said Strava is not their default workout app, which leads to duplicate workouts in Apple Health when they try to use Strava for navigation. Others talked about the need for offline maps, since many trails have no cell service. These points show where Strava still needs to improve before a full release.
Even so, the early response has been positive. Many users called it a big step forward for Strava on Apple Watch. If Strava keeps refining this feature, it will become one of the most important updates the watchOS app has ever received.
