[Android] Help! What do I do if my app is recording incorrect mileage?

You'll want to follow the below troubleshooting methods if the app is recording incorrect mileage, if you see straight lines, or if the app is crashing. 

Here are the most common reasons you might run into a problem with the mileage tracker: 1) running an old version of the app, 2) incorrect location and/or battery settings, 3) too many other open apps, 4) closing the app in the middle of a drive, 5) clear your data/cache and add storage permissions, and 6) forgetting to end a drive. 

1. Check that you have the latest version of the app

You can update the app at any time by going to the Google Play store. You can check your current version by heading to the settings page of your app (tapping on the profile icon on the home screen and then selecting "Settings" from the main menu):

2. Check your battery and location permission settings

• Incorrect permissions are the most common cause of mileage tracking. If you don't allow the app to track your location, it won't be able to do its job.
• If you don't allow the app to track while the app is in the background, it will stop tracking once you open another app such as Google Maps or if your screen turns off. 
• Note, Stride only tracks your location when you turn the tracker on. We aren't capable of tracking your location with the mileage tracker off, nor are we allowed to. 

Let's review your settings. First, let's look at the battery-saving settings for Android. The battery optimization setting terminates background apps, so you want to make sure this is turned off for the Stride app. 

For Android 12, you'll want to:

• Navigate to Settings > Apps > and find the Stride app
• Tap on Battery
• Confirm the Stride app has "Unrestricted" battery settings:
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You'll also want to check your location permission for the Stride app. 

• Depending on your device, you can swipe down from the top of your screen and find the Location icon > Touch and hold the Location icon
• Select App permissions > Find and tap on the icon for the Stride app 
• Confirm the Stride app has "Allow all the time" location permission settings and that "Use precise location" is toggled on.

You can also navigate here by:

• Heading to Settings again > Location > App permissions and tapping on the Stride app; OR
• Settings > Apps > Tap on three dots in the top right-hand corner and select Permission manager > Location > Stride

Since settings vary by phone and version of Android, contact taxhelp@stridehealth.com if you need navigational help!

3. Close apps that you're not using!

Running too many apps at once can affect your phone's ability to track your location. If you have a ton of other apps open, they'll all be competing for the forefront and will be trying to use your phone's location software.

• Close any other apps that you're not actively using (by double-tapping your home screen and swiping up on them) when you use Stride.
• Bring Stride to the foreground of your screen once per hour. This will "remind" your phone that it's still using your location settings on purpose and will prevent other apps from taking the foreground and interrupting your drive recording. 

4. Don't swipe to close the app in the middle of a drive

When you swipe to close the app in the middle of a drive, the mileage tracker will continue tracking time, but not mileage. Then when you go to reopen the app, it will connect a straight line between the point at which you closed the app and the point at which you reopened it. 

• If you need to correct a drive, tap on the green "+" button and select Add Expense > Add Miles Manually
• You can also go to the main menu and tap "Add a trip manually?" You'll be able to enter and save manual drive information here, too. 

5) Clear your data/cache and add storage permissions

Depending on your device, you'll follow the below steps to clear your date/cache (these are temporary files that can slow down some devices once there's a build-up and also clog up valuable storage space):

• Navigate to Settings > Apps > Select the Stride app from the list of available apps
• Tap on Storage > Clear data > Clear cache

You can also navigate here by:

• Finding the Stride app on your home screen, touch and hold until you get a pop-up, and then tap on the "i" icon
• On the "App info" screen, select Storage

6) Always remember to end a recording when you stop driving

If you forget to stop the tracker when you're done driving, you'll see the app record all kinds of strange lines and will show record times of 24+ hours. Please note, your phone may shut down the Stride app if it’s left in the background of your phone for long periods of time. It’s not the intended use of the app to be left open continuously like this. You'll want to make sure you turn off the tracker when you're done to ensure this doesn't happen, or else you'll have to delete the entire drive. 

Still need help? Drop us a line at taxhelp@stridehealth.com!