Troubleshooting
Fixes for the most common issues on the phone app (Android/iOS) and the web app (PWA). Each section notes which app it applies to.
Before anything else: make a Google Drive backup if you can. Almost every fix below is safe, but a backup means nothing you do here can cost you data.
GPS & mileage (phone app)
My shift ran but recorded 0 miles
- Check location permission. Comma needs “Allow all the time” (Android) or “Always” (iOS) to track in the background. If it’s set to “While using,” tracking stops the moment you leave the app. Fix it in your device’s system settings → Apps → Comma → Location.
- Check that location/GPS is on at the system level.
- Disable battery optimization for Comma (Android). Aggressive battery savers can kill the background service. In system settings, set Comma to “Unrestricted” / exclude it from optimization.
- Make sure you tapped Start Shift (not just opened the app) — tracking only runs during an active shift.
Mileage looks too low or too high
- Comma reconstructs your route from GPS samples; tunnels, parking garages, and dense urban canyons can briefly lose signal. Small gaps are normal.
- If a number is clearly wrong, edit the shift’s mileage manually from the Shifts list — your entry overrides the GPS estimate.
The live timer or tracking stopped mid-shift
- This is almost always the OS killing the background service to save power. Exclude Comma from battery optimization (see above) and keep the phone on its charger during shifts.
- Avoid “clear all” / swiping the app away from recents while a shift is running.
GPS doesn’t work in the web app
That’s expected. Browsers suspend location access for backgrounded tabs, so the web app can’t run continuous tracking. Log mileage manually when you save a shift in the web app, or use the phone app for automatic tracking.
Installation & updates
The web app won’t install / no “Install” option (web app)
- The install prompt only appears on supported browsers (Chrome, Edge, Android Chrome; Safari via Share → Add to Home Screen). Some in-app browsers (inside Facebook, Instagram, etc.) don’t support installing — open the site in your real browser instead.
- You may need to interact with the app once before the browser offers to install it.
- You can also trigger it from Settings → About → Install COMMA.
The web app is showing an old version (web app)
The PWA caches itself to work offline, so an update may take one reload to apply. Close all Comma tabs/windows and reopen, or pull-to-refresh. As a last resort, clear the site’s cache in your browser settings (this does not delete your data, but back up first to be safe).
Android says “app not installed” for the APK (phone app)
- Enable install from unknown sources for your browser/file manager (Android settings → Apps → special access).
- If a different signed build is already installed, uninstall it first, then install the new APK.
- Make sure you downloaded the APK from the official GitHub Releases page.
Data, backup & restore
I can’t connect Google Drive
- Make sure you complete the full Google sign-in and grant the Drive permission Comma requests — if you decline it, backup can’t work.
- If sign-in fails on the web app, disable pop-up blockers for the site and retry.
- Try again on a stable connection; the OAuth handshake needs network.
My backup won’t restore / “wrong passphrase”
- The passphrase is case-sensitive and must match exactly what you set when the backup was created. There is no reset — if it’s truly forgotten, that encrypted data can’t be recovered. See Encryption.
- Make sure you’re signed into the same Google account that holds the backup.
Restoring wiped data I wanted to keep
A backup restore replaces the target device’s data — it’s a snapshot, not a merge. Always restore onto a fresh install or a device you’re happy to overwrite. (Non-destructive merging is what Cloud Sync will provide once it ships.)
Data on my web app and phone app don’t match
They’re separate local vaults and don’t sync automatically yet. Move data deliberately with a backup/restore (or export/import). Continuous Cloud Sync is in development.
Taxes & numbers
Tax estimate seems off
- Confirm your country is set correctly (Settings) — it drives every rate.
- Confirm you’re using the intended method (standard mileage rate vs actual expenses) in Tax Center → Vehicle Tax Profile.
- Remember estimates are running approximations to bring to your accountant, not a filed return. See Tax Center.
A platform I use isn’t in the list
Add it as a custom platform: Settings → Platforms → + Add Custom Platform. It works exactly like a built-in one. See Supported Platforms.
App behaves oddly / crashes
- Restart the app (fully close and reopen).
- Update to the latest version — the version number is on Settings → About (phone) or the About tab (web).
- On the phone app, Settings → About → Export Diagnostics produces a system log you can share when reporting a bug.
- If a screen fails to load, back out and re-enter it; the app isolates screen errors so the rest keeps working.
Still stuck?
- Read the relevant feature guide — many “bugs” are a setting.
- Open an issue on GitHub.
- Reach the maintainer via the links in Settings → About.