Drive Detection Best Practices

Why?

The MileIQ app needs to be opened regularly in order to track all of your drives. Because a tracked drive means time and money saved, right? We recommend opening the app at least once a week. If you're still missing a drive, follow the steps below, then get back on the road.

iOS | Android

iOS

⚠️ Important – On iOS, your iPhone may occasionally display:
“MileIQ has been using your location in the background. Do you want to continue allowing this?”
To allow MileIQ to continue detecting drives, you must select "Continue."
Choosing "Don't Allow" will disable location tracking and prevent MileIQ from recording drives.

Are Location Services On for MileIQ?

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services

  • Turn on Location Services if it’s off

  • Scroll down to locate MileIQ

  • Ensure location access is set to Always

    Selecting "While Using the App" will prevent automatic drive detection.

Is Background App Refresh Enabled?

  • Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh

  • Scroll to MileIQ and ensure it’s turned On

Did You Pause Drive Detection?

If you’ve turned off Drive Detection:
Go to MileIQ app > Account Settings > Drive Detection > Automatically Resume = On
Once unpaused, wait 5 minutes before driving. This gives MileIQ time to reacquire accurate location data.

If accurate location isn’t available before your drive starts, that drive might not be captured.

Is Your Device Restricting Background Activity?

Apps like battery savers, memory boosters, anti-virus apps, or data compressors may interfere with MileIQ.

  • Try disabling these apps

  • Or whitelist/ignore MileIQ in those app settings

Have You Opened the MileIQ App Recently?

Opening the app regularly helps:

  • Keep your drives fresh for classification

  • Prevent iOS from automatically offloading or suspending MileIQ

💡 Tip: Check Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Offload Unused Apps
If this is enabled, MileIQ may be offloaded if unused. If the app shows a cloud icon, tap it to reinstall.

Are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Enabled?

Even without active Wi-Fi connection, iOS uses nearby hotspots to improve location accuracy.

  • Enable Wi-Fi: Settings > Wi-Fi > On

  • If you’ve added a vehicle via Bluetooth, this may help MileIQ detect trips more accurately.

    See: How to add vehicles via Bluetooth

Are You Using the Latest Version of MileIQ?

Go to App Store > Updates > MileIQ > Update
Staying updated ensures the app works with the latest improvements and bug fixes.

Are You Logged Into the Correct Account?

Go to Account Settings in the app
Check the Signed in email address — make sure it's correct and typo-free.

An incorrect email might create a second account unintentionally.


Android

Are Location Services On for MileIQ?

  • Go to Settings > Location > App permissions > MileIQ

  • Select Allow all the time

  • Turn on Use Precise Location

Is Mobile Data Enabled?

  • Go to Settings > Connections > Data usage > Mobile data

  • Ensure Mobile Data is turned On

⚠️ If you've set a mobile data limit, make sure it hasn’t been exceeded.

Is Drive Detection Paused?

If Drive Detection is off:
Go to MileIQ app > Account Settings > Drive Detection > Automatically Resume = On
Wait 5 minutes after unpausing to allow location reacquisition.

Drives that start before location is accurate may not be recorded.

Is Your Device Restricting Background Activity?

Some Android settings or default system apps can close MileIQ in the background.

💡 Tip: Third-party battery-savers, memory boosters, or app managers can interfere with MileIQ. Try disabling them or add MileIQ to their Whitelist/Ignore List.

Have You Opened the MileIQ App Recently?

Opening the app regularly:

  • Helps keep MileIQ active in the background

  • Ensures more reliable drive capture and classification

Are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Enabled?

Even without connecting, nearby Wi-Fi improves location tracking.

Are You Using the Latest Android OS?

  • Go to Settings > System > About phone > System updates

  • Update your OS for better support of background apps

Are You Using the Latest Version of MileIQ?

  • Go to Play Store > My apps > MileIQ > Update

  • Staying current ensures optimal app performance

Are You Logged Into the Correct Account?

Go to Account Settings in the app
Check the Signed in email address — confirm there are no typos.


Additional Information

  • Please reference this article to understand what determines a drive.

  • Custom Purposes: You can track mileage for multiple businesses by setting up separate custom purposes for each business name. This makes drive classification and reporting easier.

  • ⚠️ Note: MileIQ can only be used on one device at a time. Signing in on a second device will cause drives to duplicate.

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