Strava Bluetooth heart rate feature makes quiet return

Strava has quietly re-enabled the Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) heart rate feature in its mobile app for both paying subscribers and free users. While all users will be able to view real-time heart rate data, subscribers will be able to view detailed analysis of data collected.

This comes just a year after the ability to monitor and record this physiological metric was removed from the mobile app.

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Re-enabling this feature allows users to pair compatible heart rate transmitters directly with an iOS or Android mobile device.

Strava had previously indicated it had to remove BLE and ANT+ heart rate connectivity functionality from the app as it was causing “stability issues” for some app users.

While this issue was not reported by a significant number of the claimed 70-million-plus users, even a small percentage of this group would still mean a lot of users.

The company has not indicated whether it will restore ANT+ connectivity to the app.

This update to restore BLE connectivity to the mobile app does not affect users who pair a heart rate monitor with a cycling computer or wearable device separately, and then upload this data to the mobile app.

To enable this heart rate monitoring feature and pair a Bluetooth heart rate monitor with the Strava app:
1) While wearing a heart rate monitor, launch the Strava mobile app.
2) Tap the Record button on the bottom center of the Strava home screen.
3) Tap the Heart Rate icon above the Start button and select your transmitter OR
   3a) Tap the settings button at the top left of the screen.
   3b) Tap the Heart Rate Sensor option at the bottom right of the settings screen.
4) Tap the Start button.