Change the Date or Time of a FIT File

Change the start date and time of an activity, for example when the watch clock was wrong after travel or a reset. Every time in the file moves together, so distance, pace and averages stay the same.

How to use it

Load the file, enter the correct start time in your local time, or use the one-hour and one-day buttons for time zone and date mistakes, then download the corrected file.

Times from 1989

If the activity shows a date in 1989 or 1990, the watch recorded before it knew the time. The repair tool fixes that automatically.

Quick answers

Why does Strava say my file has corrupted time data?
Usually some data points carry a 1989 time or jump backwards. Run the file through the repair tool, which fixes both.


Will changing the time affect my records?
No. Pace, distance and heart rate are unchanged. Only the date and time move.

More free tools for your activity files are on the FIT file tools page.


Small things I always use

Watches and sensors

On the bike

Home and indoor training

  • NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
  • Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
  • Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
  • Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.

Health, recovery and sleep

  • FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
  • hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
  • Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
  • Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
  • Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
  • Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.


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