Use Device Features in Apps (When Available)
What “device features” means
Some Apps you use in Spanner can use features built into your phone or tablet—like your camera, microphone, location, photos, or notifications. These features are optional: an App may work fine without them, but certain actions (like scanning, snapping a photo, or dictating text) won’t work unless your device supports it and access is allowed.
Common examples you might see
- Camera-based actions: take a photo, scan a label, capture a receipt, identify something from an image.
- Photos: attach an existing picture from your library.
- Microphone: dictate an entry or record a short note (when an App supports it).
- Location: save where something happened (e.g., a walk, a delivery, a maintenance note).
- Notifications: reminders or alerts from an App (when enabled).
How to use a device feature inside an App
The exact buttons depend on the App, but the experience usually looks like this:
If a device feature isn’t working, check these first
Use this checklist before you spend time changing settings.
1) Is the feature actually available on this device?
- Try the same action on a different device (if you have one). Some features may not appear on older devices.
- Make sure you’re on a supported device/OS version.
2) Does the App show the feature anywhere?
- Look for an obvious entry point: a camera icon, Scan, Add photo, Attach, Use location, or Dictate.
- If you don’t see it, the App may not include that feature yet (or it may be available only in a specific screen of the App).
3) Did you deny access earlier?
- If you previously tapped Don’t Allow, the feature may fail silently (for example, the camera view won’t open).
- Also check if access is set to something restrictive (for example, photos access limited to a few images).
4) Is something else using the feature right now?
- Close other apps that might be using the camera or microphone (video calls, camera apps, voice recorders).
- Try again after fully closing and re-opening Spanner.
5) Does it work in another app?
- Camera: open your device’s Camera app and take a photo.
- Microphone: record a quick voice memo or use dictation in another app.
- Location: open Maps and confirm it can find your location.
If it doesn’t work anywhere, it’s likely a device-wide setting, a system issue, or (rarely) a hardware problem.
6) Quick “reset” fixes that often work
- Turn Airplane Mode on and off (helpful for location and connectivity-related features).
- Restart your phone/tablet.
- Update Spanner and your device’s operating system (updates often fix camera and permission glitches).
What “working correctly” looks like (by feature)
- The camera view opens inside the App (or your device’s camera interface opens).
- You can take a photo or scan without getting stuck on a blank/black screen.
- The App attaches the image or fills in the scanned text after you confirm.
- You can select a photo from your library and it appears attached to the entry.
- If you can only see a few photos, your device may be set to allow access to selected images only.
- You can start dictation/recording and the App captures your words.
- If words are missing, move closer to the microphone and reduce background noise.
- The App can fetch a location without long delays.
- The location looks reasonable (not miles away or stuck at an old spot).
- You see alerts at the right time and tapping them opens the App.
- If you’re not getting alerts, check Focus/Do Not Disturb modes and notification settings.
When the App behavior seems inconsistent
Sometimes a feature “works,” but not the way you expected (for example, scanning returns the wrong info, or a photo attaches but the App doesn’t use it). In that case, it’s usually an App design issue rather than a device problem.
- Try the action with a simpler, clearer input (better lighting, a clearer label, a less cluttered photo).
- Try again with a different example (a different receipt, different barcode, different object).
- If results are consistently wrong, it may be time to adjust the App so it handles your real-world use better.