How to Enable Motion and Activity Permissions
Motion and Activity permissions help MileEZ detect drives more accurately and efficiently. This guide shows you how to enable these permissions on your device.
Why Motion and Activity Permissions Are Recommended
Motion and Activity permissions are required for automatic drive detection and significantly improve:
- Detection Accuracy: Better distinguish driving from other movement
- Battery Efficiency: Use motion sensors instead of constant GPS
- Faster Detection: Quicker identification when you start driving
- Reduced False Positives: Fewer accidental trip detections
Enabling Motion & Fitness on iOS
During Initial Setup
When you first enable drive detection in MileEZ:
- Open the MileEZ app
- Tap the Settings tab
- Tap Drive Detection
- Toggle Automatic Drive Detection ON
- After granting location permission, you'll see a Motion & Fitness prompt
- Tap OK or Allow to grant access
Note: If you tap "Don't Allow," drive detection will still work but may be less accurate and use more battery.
If You Need to Enable It Later
If you previously denied Motion & Fitness access:
- Open iOS Settings app
- Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security
- Tap Motion & Fitness
- Find MileEZ in the list
- Toggle MileEZ ON
Verifying Your Settings
To confirm Motion & Fitness is enabled:
- Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness > MileEZ should be ON
- Fitness Tracking should be enabled: Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness > Fitness Tracking ON
Apple's Official Steps
For the most up-to-date instructions, visit Apple's support page: Control access to Motion & Fitness Activity on iPhone
Enabling Physical Activity on Android
During Initial Setup
When you first enable drive detection in MileEZ:
- Open the MileEZ app
- Tap the menu ☰ and select Settings
- Tap Drive Detection
- Toggle Automatic Drive Detection ON
- After granting location permission, you'll see a Physical Activity prompt
- Tap Allow to grant access
Note: This permission is called "Physical Activity Recognition" on Android 10+ devices.
If You Need to Enable It Later
If you previously denied Physical Activity access:
- Open Android Settings app
- Tap Apps or Applications
- Find and tap MileEZ
- Tap Permissions
- Tap Physical Activity (or Activity Recognition)
- Select Allow
For Android 10+ Devices
On newer Android versions:
- Settings > Privacy > Permission manager
- Tap Physical activity
- Find MileEZ and tap it
- Select Allow
Google's Official Steps
For the most up-to-date instructions, visit Google's support page: Control app permissions on your Android phone
How Motion Sensors Improve Detection
Motion and activity sensors help MileEZ by:
Acceleration Detection
- Identifies when you start moving at driving speeds
- Distinguishes driving from walking or cycling
- Detects when you stop at your destination
Battery Optimization
- Motion sensors use minimal battery compared to constant GPS
- MileEZ can "sleep" when you're not moving
- GPS activates only when motion suggests you're driving
False Positive Prevention
- Prevents tracking when you're a passenger
- Avoids recording trips when using public transportation
- Reduces unnecessary battery drain from non-driving movement
What Happens Without This Permission?
If you don't grant Motion & Fitness / Physical Activity permission:
Drive detection will still work, but you may experience:
- Slightly delayed trip detection
- Increased battery usage
- Occasional false positives from non-driving movement
- Reduced accuracy in start/stop times
Privacy and Data Usage
MileEZ uses motion data only to:
- Detect when you start driving
- Improve detection accuracy
- Optimize battery usage
Motion data is:
- Processed locally on your device
- Never shared with third parties
- Not stored separately from trip data
- Only used to enhance drive detection
Troubleshooting
Permission Shows as Enabled But Not Working
- Restart the app: Close MileEZ completely and reopen
- Restart your device: A full restart may help
- Check fitness tracking: Ensure system-wide fitness tracking is enabled
- iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness > Fitness Tracking
- Android: Check that Google Fit or similar services are working
Can't Find the Permission
- iOS 13 or earlier: This permission may not be available on older iOS versions
- Update iOS: Consider updating to the latest iOS version for best results
- Android 9 or earlier: Physical Activity permission was introduced in Android 10
- Update Android: Consider updating to Android 10+ if possible
Related Articles
Related Articles
How to Enable Location Permissions
Step-by-step guide to enabling location permissions for MileEZ automatic drive tracking
How to Enable Automatic Drive Detection
Learn how to turn on automatic drive tracking and optimize detection accuracy for your device
Getting Started with MileEZ
A complete guide to setting up MileEZ and tracking your first trip