Space for pervasive banner when authenticated
Set up vehicles and mileage tracking to use with the QuickBooks mobile app
Learn how to set up vehicle and mileage tracking in QuickBooks Online and the QuickBooks mobile app.
Note: This feature is limited for QuickBooks Online Free and QuickBooks Online Lite. Upgrade your plan to get more features. Go to Settings 
, then Subscriptions and billing. Then select Upgrade your plan.
Use the QuickBooks mobile app to track business mileage for your vehicles. Keep track of your trips and vehicle info during the year so you have everything you need to make deductions at tax time.
If you're already set up, follow these steps to automatically track your mileage.
This video will go over how to download and set up the QuickBooks mobile app for tracking, how to track a trip in the mobile app, how to make this easier with rules, how to review and enter trips in QuickBooks Online if you want, and finally how to track your potential mileage deduction.
Get payroll, time tracking, and accounting data seamlessly connect, so you can reduce inefficiencies and save nearly 4 hours a week with QuickBooks Time.
Video transcript
[0:00] You can use QuickBooks Online and the QuickBooks Online mobile app to track how many miles you drive for business. Let's go over how to download and set up the mobile app for tracking, how to track a trip in the mobile app, how to make this easier with rules, how to review and enter trips in QuickBooks Online if you want, and finally, how to track your potential mileage deduction.
[0:23] Download the QuickBooks Online mobile app onto your mobile device. Open the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and search for QuickBooks Online. Install the app. Then run the app and sign in. Select Menu, then Mileage. Toggle Auto-tracking on. This tells QuickBooks to track trips automatically in the background. Auto-tracking also requires the right device permissions.
[0:48] Select the settings prompt to open Mileage Settings. Review each item under Avoid missing trips and Optimize accuracy, then adjust device settings to match. A green check means the setting is correct. A red alert means the setting needs attention. Next, add vehicle info. Enter the vehicle's make, model, year, and ownership status.
[1:11] To assign this vehicle as the default for every trip, toggle Set as Primary vehicle on. Select Save. To enter a trip manually, select the Plus button from the Mileage screen. Enter the starting point and ending point, and QuickBooks calculates the distance automatically. Select Business or Personal. Business trips need a written purpose.
[1:32] Personal trips offer preset options: Personal, Medical, or Charity. The primary vehicle appears by default, but select the vehicle field to choose a different one. To record the return trip at the same time, toggle Round trip on. Once the information is complete, select Save. Auto-tracked trips appear on the Unreviewed tab.
[1:53] Open the trip and select Business or Personal to categorize it, then add a purpose. To add more vehicles, select the three-dot menu, then Intuit Account & Settings. Scroll to Mileage and select Manage Vehicles, then Add New Vehicle. To change which vehicle is the default for new trips, toggle Set as Primary on, then select Save. To automatically label trips taken regularly, set up a rule.
[2:19] Select Manage Mileage Rules, then Create new rule. Enter the starting and ending location, then select Business or Personal. Choose a vehicle if needed, and toggle Apply this rule to past trips to apply the rule to existing unreviewed trips. Select Save. To change a trip, select it from the Reviewed tab. Select the three-dot menu to Duplicate, Delete, or mark the trip as a Round Trip.
[2:45] For more detailed changes, select the pencil to enter edit mode. Select any field to change it, or select the trash can to delete the trip. You can also review and record trips on a computer. Select Expenses & Bills, then Mileage. The same trips from the mobile device appear here, ready to categorize as business or personal. The Business, Personal, and All tabs show reviewed trips.
[3:10] Select the Add trip drop-down to manage and add vehicles, import trips from MileIQ, download a list of trips as a CSV file, and manage favorite locations and rules. With trips logged, QuickBooks uses the IRS mileage rate to estimate the potential deduction for the year. Now you're ready to track mileage in QuickBooks Online.
Add a vehicle to QuickBooks
You can add as many vehicles as you need. Follow the steps for your web browser or mobile experience.
On a web browser
Go to All apps
, then Expenses & Bills, then Mileage (Take me there).Select the dropdown ▼ next to Add trip.
Select Manage vehicles, then select Add vehicle.
Note: If you need to update an existing vehicle’s info, select the vehicle you want to edit instead. Make the changes, then select Save.Enter your vehicle’s info.
In the Tax info section, select how you want to record your mileage for the year.
Select Save.
On an iPhone or iPad (iOS)
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to Menu ☰, then tap Mileage.
Tap Auto-tracking.
In the Manage section, tap Vehicles.
Tap Add Vehicle.
Note: If you need to update an existing vehicle’s info, tap the vehicle you need to update. Make the changes, then tap Save.Enter the vehicle’s make and model.
Note: If you want to set it as your primary vehicle, tap the switch
. You can also enter more info for your vehicle when you tap Optional Information.Tap Save.
On an Android phone or tablet
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to Menu ☰, then tap Mileage.
Tap + New, then tap Vehicle.
Tap Manage Vehicles, then tap Add new vehicle.
Note: If you need to update an existing vehicle’s info, tap the vehicle you need to update. Make the changes, then tap Save.Enter your vehicle’s info.
Tap Save.
Allow location access on your mobile device
For auto-tracking to work, allow location access for QuickBooks mobile app on your mobile device. Follow these steps depending on the mobile device you use:
On an iPhone or iPad (iOS)
Follow the steps from Apple. Set your device's Location Services for QuickBooks mobile app to Always. For the most accurate trip tracking, also turn on Motion & Fitness permissions.
On an Android phone or tablet
Follow the steps from Google. Turn on location access on your device. Then, set it to Allow all the time. For the most accurate trip tracking, also set physical activity permission to Allow.
Turn on mileage tracking
Turn on automatic mileage tracking in the QuickBooks mobile app. These steps work for both iOS and Android mobile devices.
Notes:
Add your vehicle info before you start tracking your mileage.
Currently, only Primary Admin and Company Admin can track mileage in QuickBooks Online. Each user can only view their own mileage. Here’s how to change user permissions so your driver can track their mileage.
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to Menu ☰, then tap Mileage.
Tap Auto-tracking.
Tap the switch
to turn on Auto-tracking.
Use the Trips Live Activity feature
On an iPhone to use the Trips Live Activity feature for the Current Allowable Expenses:
Important: Only available for iPhone 14 models and above.
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to the Today tab and tap Track Trip from the Quick Actions menu, or go to the Menu (☰) and tap Mileage.
Tap Track a Trip.
Tap Start to begin tracking your trip.
Enter the destination address in the Add Destination screen or select address from the list having previous address
A Live Activity Message will be displayed and Dynamic Island will appear on the lock or home screen.
Note: Should you lose your connection, your trip will still be saved in the unreviewed section so you can review it once your connection is re-established.
Manage your vehicles
Assign a primary vehicle
If you use more than one vehicle, set the one you use the most as the primary vehicle. QuickBooks mobile app will automatically tag auto-tracked trips to it.
Tip: You can always assign a different vehicle when you categorize trips.
Notes:
You can only use active vehicles as your primary vehicle.
If you only have one vehicle, it becomes your primary vehicle and you can’t deactivate it.
On a web browser
Go to All apps
, then Expenses & Bills, then Mileage (Take me there).Select the ▼ dropdown next to Add Trip. Then, select Manage vehicles.
Select the vehicle you want to assign as the primary vehicle.
Turn on the Set as primary vehicle
switch.Select Save.
On an iPhone or iPad (iOS)
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to Menu ☰, then tap Mileage.
Tap Auto-tracking.
In the Manage section, tap Vehicles.
Select the vehicle you want to set as primary.
Tap the Set as primary vehicle
switch.
Note: This won’t affect your previously-reviewed trips with your old primary vehicle.Tap Confirm, then Save.
QuickBooks mobile app will now tag the new trips you take to this vehicle.
On an Android phone or tablet
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to Menu ☰, then tap Mileage.
Tap + New, then tap Vehicle.
Tap the vehicle you want to set as primary.
Tap the Set as Primary vehicle
switch.
Note: This won’t affect your previously-reviewed trips with your old primary vehicle.Tap Confirm, then Save.
QuickBooks mobile app will now tag the new trips you take to this vehicle.
Make a vehicle inactive
If you don't use your vehicle anymore, you can make it inactive so it doesn't show up on your list of active vehicles.
Notes:
You can't mark your vehicle as inactive if it's set as the primary. You need to assign a different vehicle as the primary vehicle first.
Your existing trips stay linked to your old vehicle even after you make it inactive.
You can still export trips for inactive vehicles when needed.
On a web browser
Go to All apps
, then Expenses & Bills, then Mileage (Take me there).Select the ▼ dropdown next to Add Trip. Then, select Manage vehicles.
Select the vehicle you want to make inactive.
Select Vehicle no longer in use. This moves your vehicle to the Inactive section of your Manage vehicles pane.
If you need to reactivate a vehicle, follow the same steps. Then, select Activate. Your vehicle then returns to your list of active vehicles.
On an Android or iOS mobile device
Open the QuickBooks mobile app.
Go to Menu ☰, then tap Mileage.
Tap Auto-tracking.
In the Manage section, tap Vehicles.
Tap the vehicle you want to make inactive.
Tap I no longer use this vehicle.
Review the prompt, then tap Confirm. This moves your vehicle to the No longer in use section of your Vehicles page.
If you need to reactivate a vehicle, follow the same steps, then select Start using again?. Your vehicle then returns to your list of active vehicles.
You can add as many vehicles as you need.
Tip: Add your vehicle info before you start tracking your mileage.
Track business miles
Now that you’re all set up, check out how you can track trips with the QuickBooks mobile app.
Notes:
The accountant is the only one who has the view of "Download your client's trip log". If you don't, it's because you are the Primary Admin. You can only access the page if you are a firm user.
Right now, Intuit Accountant Suite users can only download trips. They can't add new trips.
Add and edit favorite locations
You can create and manage a list of your favorite locations. These will auto-populate when it comes time to review your trips.
Sign in to your QuickBooks Online account.
Go to All apps
, then Expenses & Bills, then Mileage (Take me there).In the Add trip dropdown ▼, select Manage favorite locations.
Select Add favorite location, or choose an existing location to edit.
Enter an address in the Address field. QuickBooks mobile app may auto-suggest the location as you type.
Enter a Name for this location.
Select Save when finished.
Sign in now for personalized help
See articles customized for your product and join our large community of QuickBooks users.
Call Sales: 1-800-365-9606
