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Van Line Pro

Camera, microphone & photo permissions

How the app asks for camera, microphone, speech, and photo access, and how to turn it back on if it's off.

Van Line Pro needs a few iOS permissions to do its job: the camera to scan and photograph, the microphone plus speech recognition to dictate items, and photo access to attach pictures from your library. The app asks for each one only when you first use the feature, and explains why before iOS shows its prompt.

The priming screen (before iOS asks)

The first time you start a capture flow, the app shows a plain-language screen explaining what the camera gives you before the system prompt appears. For a LiDAR scan the headline reads "Scan rooms with the camera", and it lists three points:

  • "The camera and LiDAR sensor measure each room and size every item — real cube feet and weight."
  • "Scanning runs on your device. We don't record or save video — only the measurements and any photos you keep."
  • "You review every item and any pre-existing damage before it's added. Nothing lands on the inventory until you confirm it."

Tap Allow camera & continue to trigger the real iOS prompt, or Not now to back out. Backing out here doesn't burn your one-time system prompt, you'll see this screen again next time.

Note: The photo-capture and damage-photo flows show the same kind of screen, worded for taking pictures. The closing line on those reads: "This inventory is an official record — capture only true, visible condition."

When camera access is off

If you previously declined the camera, the priming screen switches to a denied state. The headline reads "Camera access is off", with the line: "To scan rooms, turn on camera access for Van Line Pro in Settings." (On the photo flows it reads "To photograph items…".)

Tap Open Settings to jump straight to Van Line Pro's settings in iOS. Turn Camera on, then return to the app, it picks up the change automatically and continues.

Re-enable a permission in iOS Settings

You can also fix any permission from iOS at any time:

  1. Open the iOS Settings app.
  2. Scroll to and tap Van Line Pro.
  3. Turn on the toggle you need: Camera, Microphone, Speech Recognition, or Photos.
  4. Return to Van Line Pro and try again.

Dictation (microphone + speech) errors

Dictation needs both microphone and speech-recognition access, and speech is transcribed on-device.

  • "Allow microphone and speech access in Settings to dictate items." — one of the two permissions is off. Open iOS Settings › Van Line Pro and turn on both Microphone and Speech Recognition.
  • "Couldn't start dictation. Check that another app isn't using the microphone, then try again." — the mic couldn't start, often because another app (a call, a voice memo, another recorder) has it. Close that app, then try again.

See Dictate items for the full dictation flow.

Why each permission is used

These are the exact reasons iOS shows when it asks:

  • Camera — "Van Line Pro uses the camera and LiDAR scanner to measure rooms, size items, and photograph their condition for the moving inventory. It doesn't record video."
  • Photos — "Van Line Pro lets you attach photos of items to document their condition on the inventory."
  • Microphone — "Van Line Pro uses the microphone so you can dictate inventory items hands-free."
  • Speech Recognition — "Van Line Pro transcribes your speech on-device to turn dictated items into inventory entries."

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