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Conduct inspections via the mobile app while offline

This article outlines some of the best practices for when you conduct inspections via the mobile app while offline.

We understand that you might not always have access to a stable internet connection when you're doing your work. With SafetyCulture, you can conduct inspections and create actions via the mobile app even when your device is offline, allowing you to get the job done at any time, anywhere.

Take note

  • You may find some features unavailable while your mobile device is offline. This includes associating inspections with schedules, as well as viewing and downloading inspection reports.

We recommend following these best practices as much as possible to ensure your offline inspection data is stored safely on your mobile device. This way, it can sync and back up when you return to an area with a stable internet connection.

Before the inspection

You should make sure your SafetyCulture mobile app is up to date. Learn how to update mobile apps on Android and iOS devices.

To make sure you have the templates and inspections you need prior to going offline, make sure to perform a manual sync to download all templates available to you, and briefly open the inspections you need in edit mode to download them.

To make sure that you always have backup copies of photos you take during inspections, you can set your SafetyCulture mobile app to automatically duplicate inspection photos to the device's local photo library. If you decide to turn on this feature, make sure you have enough storage space on your Android or iOS device.

During the inspection

You can now start new inspections via the mobile app while offline. We recommend that you keep the SafetyCulture mobile app open during the offline period.

If you need to exit the SafetyCulture mobile app, make sure to save your inspection progress by tapping the back button for Android devices or Close for iOS devices located on the upper-left corner of your screen.

A screenshot showing the 'Close' button in inspections on iPhone.

We recommend that you turn on airplane mode for your mobile device to stay offline during your inspections.

After the inspection

If you turned on airplane mode prior to conducting inspections, you can now turn airplane mode off and let your device reconnect to the internet.

As soon as you're in an area with a stable internet connection, perform a manual sync on the SafetyCulture mobile app to sync all your inspection data. Make sure to wait for the syncing progress bar to complete before closing the app.

If you experience problems syncing your inspection data, try force closing and reopening the SafetyCulture mobile app, then perform a manual sync.

If you've created actions while offline, you can sync the actions by navigating to the "Actions" screen on the mobile app and swiping down on the screen.

A screenshot showing the process of refreshing the Actions tab on iPhone.

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