You know someone might be watching through your phone camera if you see the camera indicator light (green/orange dot) turn on unexpectedly, your battery drains fast, the phone overheats, data usage spikes, performance slows, or you find unfamiliar apps or strange files; these signs, especially together, suggest malicious software is active, so check app permissions, run a spyware scan, and look for unknown connected devices.
How can you know if someone is spying on your phone? Telltale signs include phone overheating or randomly restarting, drained battery, data usage spikes, and more. Let's take a closer look at 16 signs that indicate spyware on your phone and how to prevent it.
Another sign that someone is potentially watching or listening to you through your smartphone is photo, video, or audio files saved on your device or in your cloud storage that you didn't create. If you find suspicious files on your phone, they might contain malware – so handle them with care.
Mobile spyware is malware that allows hackers to steal information and watch anything within view of your phone camera. It can also enable them to access your microphone, location, calendar, and contacts. This makes it possible for hackers to record your videos and calls.
Unusual sounds during calls
If you hear clicking sounds, static, or mumbling, distant, and faint voices coming through your phone during conversations, it could be a sign that someone is eavesdropping. Hearing weird sounds every so often could just indicate you have a poor signal.
You can see computers, phones, and other devices where you are or were signed in to your Google Account recently. You can check google.com/devices to make sure no one else has signed in to your account.
Yes, resourceful cybercriminals have ways to mirror a victim's phone without their knowledge. Once the device is mirrored, the attacker can spy on the victim's screen, tracking their every action.
Assess the situation: Pay close attention to your surroundings and any suspicious behaviour you observe. Look for signs of stalking/surveillance, such as individuals loitering nearby, unusual vehicles parked outside your home or workplace, or repeated encounters with the same people.
How to stop someone from tracking your phone. You can stop someone from tracking your phone by turning on airplane mode, configuring settings like location services, clearing cookies, using a private browser, and using a VPN.
Use a Protective Case
They not only keep your phone safe in general but they may help protect your camera lens. You want to look for a case with a raised bezel, which essentially means that the case has a sort of ridge that surrounds the camera lens.
Press *#*#4636#*#* or *#*#197328640#*#* to see if anyone is watching your movements. These are Utility Net Monitor Codes. Dialing these codes can tell you if you're being tracked or monitored through your mobile phone.
Some stalkerware also lets the abuser use your microphone and camera to see and hear what's happening around the phone.
What Does ##002# Really Do? 🔐📞 ##002# instantly cancels all call forwarding on your phone — busy, unreachable, or no-answer. It's a simple way to reset settings and protect your privacy.
14 Signs That Your Phone Is Being Spied On
Hackers (or any creep with physical access to your phone) can install spyware or tracking apps that run in the background, monitoring your calls, messages, location, and online activity. These apps are often disguised as harmless programs, making them difficult to detect.
Who can see my search history on my phone? Your search history on your phone can be seen by search engines (like Google, if you're signed in), your internet service provider or mobile carrier, network admins, and anyone with access to your device.
5 signs your phone is possibly being tracked
Turn off location services and update your permissions to prevent apps from sharing your whereabouts. And use a VPN for an extra layer of protection. Combined, these measures make it much harder for anyone to monitor your phone without your knowledge.
3. Review connected devices in Google Account (Android)
If you're worried about being physically surveilled, try to remain aware of your surroundings. You may notice people loitering around you, possibly in a car or van. If you keep seeing the same vehicle over and over again, there's a chance you're being watched.
On an Android phone, the threat is clear. A malicious app or suspicious app can hide, using your phone's camera without your knowledge.
If you're concerned about potential phone tapping, there are several warning signs to watch for. From unusual battery drain to unexpected background noises during calls, these subtle clues can indicate someone is monitoring your device using techniques like automatic call forwarding or spyware.
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
Cybercriminals don't make it obvious that they've gained access to your phone, so look out for such signs that might indicate your phone has been hacked and mirrored: Account activity — unusual logins and suspicious activity on your accounts (Google, Facebook, iCloud, etc.);
On your Android device, go to the “Settings” app. Tap the “Connected Devices” option, then select “Cast Screen”. Tap the “Stop” button to turn off screen mirroring on your Android device.