I finally got my data back from a fitness app after 3 months of trying

I used a running app for years and wanted to switch to a different one. When I asked for my data, they just sent a useless PDF summary. I found an obscure setting buried in their privacy portal called 'Download Your Data' and submitted a formal request. It took 3 follow-up emails, but they finally sent a zip file with every single GPS route, heart rate log, and timestamp from my runs in Portland. Seeing it all laid out was eye-opening. They had way more than I thought. I'm now using a local app that lets me keep the files on my own computer. Has anyone else had to fight to get their raw activity data out of a service?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_wells3021d ago

I read an article last year about a guy who sued a big fitness company to get his raw GPS data... he won, but it took a year in court. It's crazy how they hide that download button. Good on you for sticking with the emails. That local app sounds like the right move... you should own the map of where you ran.

spencer40021d agoTop Commenter

Totally wild that it takes a lawsuit just to get your own numbers. My old running watch locked everything into their cloud, and when I switched brands, all those routes were just gone. Felt like losing a piece of my own history. That's why I only use apps now that let me save the file right to my phone. Makes you wonder what they're doing with all that data if they fight so hard to keep it.

angelarivera21d ago

Look at the Strava heatmaps they make from all that locked data. That's a public good showing where people actually run and bike, which helps cities plan safer routes. If everyone just hoarded their own files, we'd lose those big picture insights. Companies need to keep data structured in their cloud to build useful features, not just hand out raw logs. Sure, losing your old routes stinks, but that's the trade-off for getting free tools that learn from the whole community's info.