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Photo: Daniel Gadner, Outdooractive Editors

How to transfer your route content (GPX files) to Outdooractive

With recent changes in the outdoor navigation app landscape, many users are looking for alternatives to continue planning and tracking their adventures. Outdooractive provides a seamless way to import your existing routes and activities from other platforms like Komoot, Strava, Garmin, Suunto, and many more—all while keeping your data organized in one place.

New Feature: Mass GPX / FIT File Import to Outdooractive!

Easily transfer all your routes at once with our new Mass GPX Importer. Upload a ZIP file containing multiple GPX tracks and routes, and let us handle the rest. We also introduced a new Komoot specific upload option, where the system auto-detects what’s inside the zip file - routes, tracks, and sorts them for you.

Try it out yourself

The best way to export and import GPX or FIT files

Most outdoor apps allow you to export your saved routes and activities as FIT or GPX files, which are widely supported and ensure that your tracks, waypoints, and elevation data are preserved (What is a GPX File?).

To support you in exporting and importing GPX or FIT files, we created this guide which will walk you through:

  1. Exporting your routes and activities from other platforms (e.g. Komoot)
  2. Importing your GPX or FIT files into Outdooractive
    …via mass import (NEW in the Web)
    …individually (Web and the App)

Do you know about the "Subject Access Request"?

These days, thanks to GDPR, most apps have to give you access to your personal data if you ask for it. That means you can reach out to the support team of services like Komoot and request a copy of everything they’ve got on you—usually sent as a ZIP file with your profile info, photos, and all your routes as GPX or FIT files.

Once you’ve got that, it’s easy to bring for example your route data over to Outdooractive if you’d like.

1. ⬅️ Export GPX files from other platforms like Komoot (Web)

1.1 Access the list of completed activities or saved routes

  • Go to your profile
  • View either the list of completed activities or saved routes
  • Decide which route/activity you would like to download as a GPX file
1.1 Access the list of completed activities or saved routes

1.2 Select one of your completed activities or saved routes to be exported

  • Open the list of completed activities or saved routes and decide which one you would like to export
  • Select an activity or route from the list to access the detail page
  • Look for "Download GPX file", which can be found in the tab on the right

1.3 Download the GPX file of your completed activity or saved route

  • Once you clicked "Download GPX file", a modal with three download options will open
  • Select the 'Download' option

New: Download all GPX files of your Komoot activities or routes at once

  • Next to the completed activities and saved routes tabs you can find the download button
  • Click it and download all your routes at once

1.4 Save the respective GPX or .zip files on your computer

  • Make sure you save the GPX file under a known location on your computer

  • This GPX file will be used in the next step, when you upload the GPX file to Outdooractive

⬅️ Export GPX files from other platforms like Komoot (App)

1.5 Access the list of completed activities

  • View your profile
  • Select the list of completed activities

1.6 Download the GPX file for one of your completed activities

  • Select the activity you would like to export
  • Click on the three dot menu and check the download options
  • Select "Download GPX file"

1.7 Save the respective GPX file and open it directly in the Outdooractive app

  • Check if the download is completed and if the file is ready to be saved on your device
  • Once the download is successful, you can
    • save it to your mobile device
    • send it via email or WhatsApp to open it in the respective app
    • open it directly in the Outdooractive app (preferred option)
  • As suggested, please select the option to directly open it in the Outdooractive app
    • fill in the mandatory fields like the short description
    • hit 'Save'

1.8 Save it as a new route in the Outdooractive App

  • Once you saved the route in the Outdooractive app, you can view the imported route in your list of activities

2. ➡️ Import GPX file (Web)

2.1 Import your GPX file in the Outdooractive Route Planner

2.2 Upload your GPX file and choose the import method

  • A dialog box will appear asking you to select a GPX file from your device
  • Choose the desired file and click "Import" to upload it
  • Select the import method
    • follow known paths: The waypoints from your GPX file are placed along the existing trail network, allowing for accurate determination of route types and easier editing. Sections that cannot be matched to the network are displayed as dashed lines.
    • don't match waypoints to trail network: The waypoints remain as they are in the GPX file, without aligning to the trail network. This approach may make editing more challenging and won't provide automatic routing features.

2.3 Review and finalize your plan

  • Once imported, the plan will be displayed on the map
  • You can now
    • modify waypoints by clicking and dragging them
    • add new waypoints by clicking on the map
    • adjust the route to better fit your preferences or correct any differences
  • after finalizing your edits, click "Save"

2.4 Saved and done

  • After saving your edits, you land on the plan editing page
  • Add some description as part of the summary to enrich your plan
  • Save it and you are done

➡️ Import GPX file (App)

2.5 Import your GPX file in the Outdooractive Route Planner tab

  • Access the Route Planner tab and ensure you're logged into your account.

  • Switch to the list view (A, B, C,... point planning)

  • Start the GPX import by click on the link below the point "B", which says "Import GPX file" 

2.6 Upload your GPX file

  • After you successfully saved your GPX file (see export GPX file step above), check if the GPX file can be found in the "Download" folder
  • If not, use the search function of your iOS device to search for the file. To do so, enter the name of the route in the search bar.

2.7 Review, save, and done

  • You can now review and adapt your plan
  • Once everything is ok just click on the "Save Plan" button

3. ➡️ Mass Import GPX or FIT files as .zip (Web)

3.1 Drag & Drop your zip file

  • Go to My Page and click on “GPX upload” or access it directly via this link
  • The upload begins via drag & drop or file picker (follow the instructions in the modal)

3.2 Upload Options: Komoot or individual zip file

  • We automatically recognize from which source you uploaded the respective file type and take the next steps for you
    • either it is the import option specifically customized for Komoot files, which is even faster and more hassle-free 
    • or it is the basic import option where you need to differentiate between tracks or routes on your own
  • No worries, everything will be explained in detail at each step in the process
  • Once completed, we’ll show a summary, flag duplicates, and highlight anything we couldn’t import
  • Afterwards, you will find your content cleanly imported and ready to explore in your track or route list  

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