PlateDetect Support
Help, troubleshooting, and how to reach us.
Get in touch
The fastest way to reach the PlateDetect team is by email or X. We read every message and reply within a few business days.
When reporting an issue, it helps to include:
- Your iPhone model and iOS version (Settings > General > About)
- The PlateDetect version (Settings > About PlateDetect in the app)
- The plate format you configured, such as AA ## or AAA ####
- Whether the issue happened in Scan, Field Check, History, Watchlist, Plate Rules, or Settings
- A short description of what you did and what you expected
- Screenshots if anything looks visually wrong
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often.
Do I need an account to use PlateDetect?
No. PlateDetect has no account system. Scanning, History, Watchlist, Plate Rules, and Field Check work locally on your iPhone. Optional Bring Your Own Backend sync only runs if you configure your own HTTPS endpoint.
What iPhone and iOS version are required?
PlateDetect is currently iPhone-only and requires iOS 17 or later.
Why is detection not starting?
PlateDetect strictly follows the plate formats you add in Settings > Plate Formats. If no format is configured, detection stays off. Add a format such as AA ##, AAA ####, or the exact pattern used where you scan.
How do plate formats work?
Use A for a letter and # for a number. For example, AA ## accepts two letters followed by two numbers. Saved detections show the matched format instead of a country label.
Why does PlateDetect ask for Camera, Photos, Location, or Face ID?
Each permission is tied to a feature:
- Camera - live plate scanning and Field Check.
- Photo Library - importing images you choose for on-device plate scanning.
- Location - optional GPS coordinates and region labels for saved History records when location tagging is on.
- Face ID - optional app lock for saved plate history and exports.
You can revoke any of these any time in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security.
What is Field Check?
Field Check is a separate tab for measuring whether a plate is readable from a selected distance. It reports readiness using OCR confidence, plate size, framing, and plate shape. Field Check does not save scans to History.
How does History saving work?
Manual Save stores the current detection when you choose. Auto-save only stores a stable plate when both detection confidence and OCR confidence meet your threshold, and it waits for the configured same-plate interval before saving that plate again.
What gets stored in History?
History stores the normalized plate, raw OCR text, detection and OCR confidence, capture time, source, save mode, matched format, optional notes, optional GPS region, and saved media based on your privacy save mode.
How do Watchlist alerts work?
Add plate numbers in Settings > Watchlist. Standard detections use a quieter confirmation tone. Watchlist matches use a distinct higher alert repeated three times. Watchlist matching tolerates common OCR confusions.
What are Plate Rules?
Plate Rules let you allow or restrict plate endings on selected days and time windows. A rule applies only when the day, time, and plate ending all match. Restricted matches take priority over allowed matches.
Does PlateDetect upload my scans?
Not by default. Detection runs on device and History is stored locally. If you enable Bring Your Own Backend, PlateDetect can send saved detections and optional media to the HTTPS endpoint you configure. QnSub does not receive that data unless you point the app at a QnSub-controlled endpoint.
How do I delete my data?
You can delete individual History records inside the app. Retention settings can automatically remove older History records after the selected number of days. Uninstalling PlateDetect removes the app's local data container from your iPhone.
I want a refund.
App Store purchases are handled by Apple, not by us. Request a refund through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Where can I read the privacy policy?
The full policy is at /platedetect/privacy. Short version: detection runs on device, History is local, and backend sync is optional.