Strava introduces messaging feature

Move over Instagram DMs… Strava has officially dropped its long-awaited messaging feature. No need to run between apps to connect with your running crew or reach out to your running crush on Facebook or Instagram; now, you can do it all in one place.

Strava’s grand plan behind this upgrade was to create a seamless avenue for athletes to co-ordinate adventures, share inspiration, swap training tips and more—all within the unified platform.

As of Monday, the messaging feature will be available for all Strava users (on mobile only). Look for the speech bubble icon in the top right corner of the Strava home screen and group tabs. If you can’t find it, restart your Strava app and make sure you have version 335.0 downloaded. You can also send your ridiculous workouts or long runs to your friends by tapping the share icon on a Strava activity to share it in a chat. You’ll have the option to choose from existing chats or create a new one.

Don’t be alarmed, Strava still respects your boundaries; you can still manage and control who invades your running space with customizable messaging settings. Your options? “Following” lets any follower slide into your DMs; “Mutuals” keeps it exclusive to mutual followers (someone you follow who also follows you); and “No One” is for those who prefer a solo run or treadmill—total privacy, even in chat form.

For the time being, you cannot send images on Strava… yet. But you can send activities, reactions and GIFs. Strava plans to add other new messaging features in early 2024. Premium messaging features are apparently on the way, so all Strava subscribers can get ready for a VIP chat experience.