Permissions, battery and troubleshooting
Permissions
The permissions assistant guides you through all permissions on first start. You can check them again any time under Settings › Permissions (Location, Bluetooth, notifications & battery).
| Permission | Why the app needs it |
|---|---|
| Location (precise/approximate) | Record the route, distance, start and destination |
| Background location (Allow all the time) | Keep recording with the screen off; needed for Bluetooth auto-start |
| Foreground service (location) | Run the trip recording reliably |
| Bluetooth connect (Android 12+) | Detect your car for auto-start |
| Notifications (Android 13+) | Show that a trip is being recorded |
| Internet / network state | Sync with the server, load map tiles, resolve addresses |
All permissions are optional. Without them you can still start trips manually while the app is open. Location data is only used for trip recording. Details are in the privacy policy.
Battery optimization
Android and many manufacturers put apps to sleep in the background to save battery. That can stop a running recording or prevent the Bluetooth auto-start.
Settings › Permissions shows whether the app is affected and opens the system settings for you. Set the app's battery usage to Unrestricted.
- Samsung: also check Settings › Battery › Background usage limits. Fahrtenbuch must not be listed under Sleeping apps or Deep sleeping apps.
- Other manufacturers (Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus, …) have similar power-saving settings. Look for an option like "autostart" or "background activity" and allow it for Fahrtenbuch.
Troubleshooting
The trip did not start automatically. Check that the vehicle has the right Bluetooth device assigned, that background location is set to Allow all the time, that the Bluetooth permission is granted and that battery usage is unrestricted.
The recording stops in the background. This is almost always battery optimization – see above.
The QR code is rejected.
QR codes are single-use and expire after a short time. Refresh the code in the web dashboard and scan again. The server address in the QR code must be reachable from the phone – use the server's public address, not localhost.
Purpose, contact or note are not saved on the server. These values and per-trip time zones need a current server version. Update your server.
Map tiles do not load. Maps are loaded from OpenFreeMap and need an internet connection. The route itself is stored on the device and appears once the tiles are available.
Licenses
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. The licenses of all third-party libraries are listed in the app under Settings › About the app › Show all licenses.