Strava is the world’s most popular fitness social network, and for good reason — it is addictive, motivating, and full of community spirit. But here is the uncomfortable truth that most users discover too late: its default privacy settings are dangerously exposed. If you are over 18, Strava sets your profile to “Everyone” by default, meaning anyone on the internet can see exactly where you run, when you run, and — with a little deduction — where you live.
That 200-metre privacy buffer around your activity start and end points might hide your exact address from a casual glance, but it is not nearly enough to protect you from a determined observer. Let me walk you through the settings you need to change right now.
Step 1: Increase Your Map Privacy Zone to 500 Metres
Head to Settings > Privacy Controls > Map Visibility and increase the buffer radius around your saved home address to at least 500 metres. Better yet, manually add your home and work addresses with a 500-metre-plus radius. This ensures that even if someone finds your profile, they cannot pinpoint exactly where you live or where your runs begin.
Step 2: Disable Heatmap Contributions
Strava’s global heatmap is a beautiful piece of data visualisation, but it also means every kilometre you log contributes to a publicly visible map of popular routes. If you live in a less populated area, your single running route may stand out like a beacon. Go to Privacy Controls > Product Improvements and toggle off “Contribute to community-powered features.” Your data, your choice.
Step 3: Turn Off Flybys
Flybys is a neat feature that lets you see who else was running the same route at the same time. It is also a stalker’s dream. Set it to “No One” under Privacy Controls > Flybys. If you want to see your own Flybys for personal curiosity, you can always toggle it back temporarily — just remember to switch it off again.
Step 4: Lock Down Your Profile Visibility
This is the big one. Go through every option under Where You Appear and set each to “Only You.” Pay special attention to Leaderboards, Segment Explorer, and Challenge participation — these are the most common ways strangers discover your activity details. Under Hidden Details, conceal your start time, pace, and calorie data so that even followers see only limited information.
Step 5: Disable Auto-Start on Your Smartwatch
Many users accidentally broadcast their location because their smartwatch automatically starts recording a workout. On Apple Watch, go to Settings > Workout > Start Workout Reminder and turn it off. On Garmin, navigate to Activity Tracking > Auto Activity and disable it. This gives you explicit control over when you are sharing your location versus when you are just living your life.
The Bottom Line
Strava is a fantastic platform that does not have to be a privacy nightmare. With these five adjustments, you can continue to enjoy the motivation and community features while keeping your personal data under your control. Take five minutes to lock down your settings — your safety is worth the effort.
