How to Create Instagram Strava Overlays: A Complete Guide

Love tracking your runs, rides, and hikes on Strava? There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing your workout stats after pushing your limits. But why keep those achievements to yourself?

Sharing your Strava activities on Instagram is a great way to document your fitness journey and inspire others. The trick is making it look good. That's where Strava overlays come in—placing your stats as a transparent layer over a stunning photo.

In this guide, we'll walk through three simple methods to create eye-catching Strava overlays for Instagram.

What Is a Strava Overlay?

A Strava overlay takes your workout stats—distance, pace, time, elevation—and layers them over an image. Instead of posting a boring screenshot, you get a professional-looking graphic that tells a story.

Perfect for:

• Showing off a mountain summit with your climbing stats
• Sharing a personal best with the route data
• Documenting a training session with key metrics

Method 1: Create Custom Overlays for Instagram Stories

This method gives you full control over how your stats look. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Screenshot Your Activity

Open Strava and find the activity you want to share. Take a screenshot and crop it to show only the stats you care about. Less clutter means a cleaner final result.

Step 2: Remove the Background

Upload your screenshot to an AI background removal tool. The AI will automatically detect your stats and remove everything else, giving you a clean transparent PNG.

This works in seconds—no manual editing required. The AI identifies the text, numbers, and graphics, then precisely separates them from the background.

Step 3: Download to Your Phone

Save the transparent image to your device. On iPhone, open it in your gallery and tap "Copy" (found in the three-dot menu).

Step 4: Create Your Instagram Story

Open Instagram and start a new Story. Upload your background photo—the trail you ran, the view from your ride, or any image that captures the moment.

Step 5: Add Your Stats Overlay

Tap the screen until "Paste" appears. Your Strava stats will appear as a layer on your photo. Position them where they look best, resize if needed, and share.

The result? A professional-looking Story that combines your achievements with the experience itself.

Method 2: Use Strava's Built-In Stats Stickers

Strava has made this even easier with direct Instagram integration. Here's how:

1. In the Strava app, open your activity
2. Tap the Share icon
3. Select "Instagram Stories"
4. Instagram opens with your Stats Sticker ready to place

From here, you can add a background photo from your camera roll, resize and reposition the sticker, and customize with additional stickers or text.

This is the fastest method—perfect for quick sharing right after your workout.

Method 3: Design Polished Feed Posts

For posts that go on your main Instagram feed (not Stories), you might want something more polished. Design tools make this easy:

1. Open your preferred design tool and select an Instagram post template
2. Upload your background photo and Strava screenshot
3. Place your main photo as the background
4. Add your Strava screenshot on top
5. Use the background removal feature to create a transparent overlay
6. Adjust size and position
7. Download and post to Instagram

This method gives you the most control over the final look. Add text, adjust colors, and create a consistent style for your fitness content.

Tips for Better Overlays

Choose the right background: Pick photos that complement your stats. Mountain vistas for hikes, cityscapes for urban rides, gym shots for strength training. Keep it readable: Make sure your stats stand out against the background. If the photo is busy, consider adding a subtle solid background behind your numbers. Focus on key metrics: Don't overcrowd your image. Distance, time, and pace are usually enough for most posts. Build consistency: Use the same style, colors, or layout across your posts. This helps with personal branding and makes your content instantly recognizable.

Why AI Background Removal Works Best

You could manually edit your Strava screenshots in photo editing software, but AI tools offer several advantages:

• Speed: Get results in seconds versus minutes of manual work
• Precision: AI handles complex edges around text and numbers better than most manual tools
• Simplicity: No design skills needed—just upload and download

The technology has come a long way. Modern AI can distinguish between the important content (your stats) and the background, even with tricky colors or patterns.

Automating the Process

If you post frequently, manually creating overlays can get tedious. Consider setting up automation:

• Some tools offer integrations that connect Strava with background removal services
• When you complete a new activity, the overlay is generated automatically
• Perfect for consistent content without the repetitive work

Conclusion

Creating Strava overlays for Instagram doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you use the manual method for complete control, Strava's stickers for speed, or design tools for polished feed posts, there's an approach that fits your workflow.

The key is finding what works for you and sticking with it. Consistency beats perfection—your followers will appreciate seeing your fitness journey, regardless of how fancy your graphics are.

Ready to give it a try? Your next PR deserves to be shared in style.