Capturing Receipts on Mobile

What is this page about: How to capture and submit expense receipts using the Light mobile app or mobile browser. Light's AI reads each receipt photo and automatically fills in the merchant, amount, date, and category, so you can submit expenses in seconds, right from your phone.

# On this page

• Access Light on mobile
• Taking a receipt photo
• Submitting your receipt
• Review & edit
• Quick tips
• Frequently asked questions
• Mobile browser tips
• Related articles

Use Light on your phone to capture a receipt as soon as you get it. Light's AI reads the photo automatically. Here's how it works.

# Access Light on mobile

Light has a mobile app for iOS and Android where you can capture receipts and manage your expenses on the go. Install the Light app and tap Sign in to log in with your Light account (Light uses single sign-on, so you'll be taken through your organisation's login flow rather than a separate Light password).

Prefer not to install an app? Light also works right in your phone's browser:

1. Open your phone's web browser (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android)
2. Go to app.light.inc
3. Log in with your Light account
4. Light will display in a mobile-optimised view, so you can capture and submit expenses right from your browser, no download needed

# Taking a receipt photo

Set yourself up for success:

• Good lighting: Natural light or overhead lighting works best
• Straight angle: Hold your phone parallel to the receipt (not at an angle)
• Full receipt in frame: Capture the entire receipt, including date, merchant, amount, and items purchased
• Close enough to read: Light needs to see the text clearly, but don't crop anything out
• Still shot: Hold steady for a moment before snapping, so Light's AI has a clean image to work from

Avoid:

• Receipts in the sun (creates glare)
• Blurry or crooked photos (hard for Light's AI to read)
• Only showing part of the receipt
• Dark lighting that makes text hard to see

# Submitting your receipt

1. In the Light mobile app, or in Light in your mobile browser, tap Expenses
2. Tap Add expense
3. Choose Take photo (to snap one now), Browse files (to upload a file, including PDFs), or Browse photos (to upload a photo you already took)
4. If taking a photo: frame your receipt and tap the shutter button
5. Light creates a draft expense and its AI reads the receipt, filling in the merchant name (shown as the expense's title), amount, date, and a category suggestion

# Review & edit

1. Tap the draft to open it
2. Look over what Light extracted
3. If something's wrong, tap that field and edit it
4. Add a description if you want (e.g., "Client meeting lunch")
5. Make sure the category is right
6. Tap Save
7. When you're ready, tap Submit, then confirm Submit expenses? to submit all of your draft expenses to Light together, as a single reimbursement

Your expenses are now submitted for approval.

# Quick tips

• Submit while the purchase is fresh: You'll remember details better and be more accurate
• Batch your receipts: Save up a few receipts and submit them all to Light at once when you have time
• Photo library: If you already took a photo, Light can work with that too, no need to retake it
• Check the receipt: Before you submit, make sure Light read everything correctly. It's faster to fix it now than after your manager sees it

# Frequently asked questions

# "The photo is too blurry"

Retake the photo with better lighting and a steadier hand. Make sure the receipt text is clearly visible for Light to read.

# "Light can't read my receipt"

Try again with a clearer photo. If it's a digital receipt (email), you can take a screenshot of that instead. Some receipts are just hard to read, so you can type the details into Light manually.

# "I want to edit the details"

After Light reads the receipt, you can click any field and change it. Amounts, dates, categories: all editable before you submit.

# "My phone went to sleep before I submitted"

The expense itself is saved and waiting for you in Light under Expenses. Edits you were mid-typing when the app closed won't carry over, so double-check those fields before you submit.

# Mobile browser tips

• Bookmark Light: Save app.light.inc to your home screen for quick access
• Allow camera access: Light needs permission to use your camera. When your browser prompts you, tap "Allow"
• Check your internet: Make sure you have a good connection before submitting to Light
• Portrait orientation: Hold your phone in portrait mode for easier viewing and submission

# Related articles

• Submitting an Expense for Reimbursement
• Submitting Expenses via Slack
• Submitting Expenses via Microsoft Teams
• Submitting Expenses via Email
• Tracking Your Reimbursement Status