Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives today. We use our phones for various purposes like communication, internet browsing, online shopping, and banking. With the rise of mobile technology, it has also become easier for someone to track your phone without your knowledge. So, it is essential to know if your phone is being tracked or not. Keep reading. This article will go over some of the more common signs that can help you identify whether your phone is being tracked or not and how to prevent it.Experience the full potential of your digital life effortlessly and securely.As hackers continue to improve their methods, it can be tricky to tell if your phone has been compromised. But, despite their sneaky tactics there are some telltale signs to know if you are being tracked.One of the most common signs that your phone is being tracked is an unusual battery drain. If you notice that your phone’s battery is running out faster than usual, it could be a sign that there is a tracking app running in the background. Tracking apps use GPS, and other sensors in your phone to collect data, and this process consumes a lot of battery power. So, if you notice that your phone is losing its charge quickly, it is a good idea to check if there is any tracking app installed on your device.If you notice a sudden increase in data usage on your phone, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps use your phone’s data connection to send data to the person tracking you. So, if you notice that your phone is using more data than usual, you should check your phone’s data usage to see if any tracking app is consuming a large amount of data.If you hear unusual background noise while making a phone call, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps use the microphone in your phone to record your conversations, and this can cause background noise. So, if you hear any strange sounds while on a call, it is a good idea to check your phone for any tracking apps.If your phone’s performance has become slow and sluggish, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps use a lot of system resources, which can cause your phone to become slow and unresponsive. So, if you notice that your phone is not performing as well as it used to, it is a good idea to check for any tracking apps.If you notice that your phone is displaying pop-ups and ads more frequently than usual, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps can display pop-ups and ads on your phone to collect data or generate revenue. So, if you see more ads and pop-ups than usual, it is a good idea to check for any tracking apps on your phone.If your phone feels warmer than usual, it could be a sign that there is a tracking app running in the background. Tracking apps use a lot of processing power, which can cause your phone to become warmer than usual. So, if you notice that your phone is warmer than usual, it is a good idea to check for any tracking apps.Noticed any unfamiliar apps on your phone? It could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps are usually disguised as harmless apps like games or weather apps. So, if you see any unfamiliar apps on your phone, it is a good idea to check them for any tracking features.If you receive strange text messages on your phone, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps can send commands and messages to your phone to control it remotely. So, if you receive any unusual or suspicious messages, it is a good idea to check your phone for any tracking apps.It is important to know if your phone is being tracked or not. The signs mentioned above can help you identify whether your phone is being tracked or not. If you notice any of the signs mentioned above, it is essential to take action to protect your privacy. Here are a few steps you can take:The signs that your phone is being tracked can be easy to miss, but it is crucial to pay attention to them and take action if you notice any of them. If your phone is being tracked, your personal information, including your location, contacts, and online activity, can be accessed by someone else without your knowledge or consent. This can be a serious threat to your privacy and security, so it’s essential to take steps to protect yourself. Remember, being proactive in protecting your phone can help prevent potential damage to your privacy and security in the long run. Also, you might be interested in how to protect your phone from hackers and cyber threats, check out our great post here. Yes. It is indeed possible for third parties to track your phone without you realizing it, through the use of spyware and other unscrupulous methods that run in the background.To put a stop to phone tracking, you should keep your phone’s software updated, refrain from installing strange apps on your phone, and consider using a privacy-focused VPN (Virtual Private Network). Some tell-tale signs of phone tracking include unusual battery drain, unexplained data usage, and a noticeable reduction in device performance. For example, your phone might be running unusually slow or give unfamiliar errors.

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives today. We use our phones for various purposes like communication, internet browsing, online shopping, and banking. With the rise of mobile technology, it has also become easier for someone to track your phone without your knowledge. So, it is essential to know if your phone is being tracked or not. Keep reading. This article will go over some of the more common signs that can help you identify whether your phone is being tracked or not and how to prevent it.Experience the full potential of your digital life effortlessly and securely.As hackers continue to improve their methods, it can be tricky to tell if your phone has been compromised. But, despite their sneaky tactics there are some telltale signs to know if you are being tracked.One of the most common signs that your phone is being tracked is an unusual battery drain. If you notice that your phone’s battery is running out faster than usual, it could be a sign that there is a tracking app running in the background. Tracking apps use GPS, and other sensors in your phone to collect data, and this process consumes a lot of battery power. So, if you notice that your phone is losing its charge quickly, it is a good idea to check if there is any tracking app installed on your device.If you notice a sudden increase in data usage on your phone, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps use your phone’s data connection to send data to the person tracking you. So, if you notice that your phone is using more data than usual, you should check your phone’s data usage to see if any tracking app is consuming a large amount of data.If you hear unusual background noise while making a phone call, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps use the microphone in your phone to record your conversations, and this can cause background noise. So, if you hear any strange sounds while on a call, it is a good idea to check your phone for any tracking apps.If your phone’s performance has become slow and sluggish, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps use a lot of system resources, which can cause your phone to become slow and unresponsive. So, if you notice that your phone is not performing as well as it used to, it is a good idea to check for any tracking apps.If you notice that your phone is displaying pop-ups and ads more frequently than usual, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps can display pop-ups and ads on your phone to collect data or generate revenue. So, if you see more ads and pop-ups than usual, it is a good idea to check for any tracking apps on your phone.If your phone feels warmer than usual, it could be a sign that there is a tracking app running in the background. Tracking apps use a lot of processing power, which can cause your phone to become warmer than usual. So, if you notice that your phone is warmer than usual, it is a good idea to check for any tracking apps.Noticed any unfamiliar apps on your phone? It could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps are usually disguised as harmless apps like games or weather apps. So, if you see any unfamiliar apps on your phone, it is a good idea to check them for any tracking features.If you receive strange text messages on your phone, it could be a sign that your phone is being tracked. Tracking apps can send commands and messages to your phone to control it remotely. So, if you receive any unusual or suspicious messages, it is a good idea to check your phone for any tracking apps.It is important to know if your phone is being tracked or not. The signs mentioned above can help you identify whether your phone is being tracked or not. If you notice any of the signs mentioned above, it is essential to take action to protect your privacy. Here are a few steps you can take:The signs that your phone is being tracked can be easy to miss, but it is crucial to pay attention to them and take action if you notice any of them. If your phone is being tracked, your personal information, including your location, contacts, and online activity, can be accessed by someone else without your knowledge or consent. This can be a serious threat to your privacy and security, so it’s essential to take steps to protect yourself. Remember, being proactive in protecting your phone can help prevent potential damage to your privacy and security in the long run. Also, you might be interested in how to protect your phone from hackers and cyber threats, check out our great post here. Yes. It is indeed possible for third parties to track your phone without you realizing it, through the use of spyware and other unscrupulous methods that run in the background.To put a stop to phone tracking, you should keep your phone’s software updated, refrain from installing strange apps on your phone, and consider using a privacy-focused VPN (Virtual Private Network). Some tell-tale signs of phone tracking include unusual battery drain, unexplained data usage, and a noticeable reduction in device performance. For example, your phone might be running unusually slow or give unfamiliar errors.

Your smartphone stores a great deal of personal information. Let’s face it, your whole life is on that thing. You use your cell phone on a daily basis, sending emails and text messages, making calls, listening to voicemail messages, taking and sharing videos and photos, using social media, and so much more.What if someone was able to access all of that personal data? That could be a disaster.But why would someone spy on you? What would they care about the information on your cell phone? There are multiple reasons why someone might want to monitor your smartphone-based activities.Your significant other (or ex-significant other) could be wondering what you’re up to when they’re not around. You could have important business-related information stored on your device. If you have any money at all in your bank account or anything left on your credit limit, someone would love to steal that.So, is someone spying on your phone? Are they using cell phone spying software? How do you tell when someone is watching you through your cell phone? What can you do about it if they are? Those are excellent questions, and they are the reason I wrote this article.Even if you protect your smartphone with a strong password, it’s still possible to be hacked. Seemingly innocent Android apps have been discovered to contain spyware, and if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, someone can install spyware on your device.In this guide, I’ll tell you 10 ways to tell if someone is spying on your smartphone and what you can do to stop them.Luckily, there are warning signs that you can pick up on that will alert you that there may be spyware infecting your device and monitoring your activities.While some signs are tougher to pick up on than others, if you stay aware of how your device usually performs, you can detect if something is going on with your device.Here are the 10 ways to tell whether or not someone is monitoring your smartphone.Has your monthly data usage spiked recently? Is your device suddenly using more data than normal, bumping up against your monthly data allotment, yet you haven’t changed your online habits? That could indicate that someone has installed spyware on your device.Lower-quality spy tools will try to send as much data about your device back to their home base (AKA the bad guys) as they possibly can. This can use large amounts of data.On the other end of the spectrum, some of the spyware makers are quite skilled at it, and their sneaky apps are much more selective with what info they look for and send back home. This makes detection a bit tougher.It all comes down to making sure that you stay aware of your monthly data usage and pay close attention to any sudden spikes in usage that you might see.While you can contact your wireless carrier to check on how much data you’ve used, you can also check on your device. This means you can quickly check data usage without the need to search around on your provider’s website or app for data usage information.To check your cellular data usage on an Android 10 device, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of Android.):To check your cellular data usage on an iPhone running iOS 16, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of iOS and on iPads running iPadOS.):While you should expect your iPhone or Android phone screen to light up when you receive an incoming call, message, or most other types of notifications, your smartphone’s screen shouldn’t be lighting up for no reason while it’s in standby mode.If you see your device’s screen light up, hear unexpected noises or sounds, and then you don’t see any new notifications on the screen, something could be up.Is your smartphone rebooting for no obvious reason or without you manually rebooting it? Someone may have unauthorized remote access to your smartphone.Unexpected reboots may indicate someone has remote admin access and can reboot your device at will. This would also indicate they have all sorts of other access to your device and the personal data stored on it.It could also mean the latest app or operating system you recently downloaded has a bug in it. Check for new updates for the device’s OS or for the app. See if you can duplicate the device reboot by using the app that was open when it happened.On your Android device, you can install and run antivirus or anti-malware security software to scan your device. iOS users will find that antivirus scanners are not available, and in the sandboxed iOS operating system, it’s more likely that there is a bug in an app or in the OS that is causing the reboots.In the days of analog cell phone networks, weird noises in the background and unstable connections were to be expected. However, today’s all-digital cell networks usually provide connections that are stable and mostly noise-free.So, if you are hearing weird noises in the background, or (even worse) hear a voice that doesn’t belong to the person you called, there is a possibility that someone is monitoring or recording your conversation.Have you either received unexpected messages with weird characters in them or have your friends or other parties reported receiving weird or offensive messages from your phone?This can be a sign that you have spyware or malware installed on your smartphone. SMS worms spread themselves through the online world by sending text messages with links embedded in them. If the victim taps the link, the worm can infect their smartphone.On your Android device, you can install and run security software such as antivirus or anti-malware to scan your device. iOS users will likely not have to worry about these types of worms, as they target Android devices for the most part.Also, be wary of clicking links in these text messages, as such links can also be used to scam you via phishing schemes to steal your personal and/or business information. This is true on both the Android and iOS device platforms.If you see your device’s battery life begin deteriorating rapidly and unexpectedly, that could mean your battery is old and in need of a replacement. Or, it could mean that your device is infected with spyware, and the additional load it’s putting on your smartphone is draining the battery quicker than usual.Spyware monitors all of your on-device activities and sends information about these activities back to the bad actors that infected your device. Shortened battery life often goes hand-in-hand with increased data usage due to the activities of the spyware.Taking screenshots, copying and pasting text, recording your conversations, and possibly taking photos or recording video can eat up battery life at an alarming rate. This is especially obvious when your smartphone is supposedly idle.If you’re not sure whether it’s just an old battery or actual spy software, test this by trying a different set of batteries or checking your device’s battery in a different device. Then, monitor the battery usage.Sorry iPhone users, your device’s batteries are not removable. But, you can make a Genius Bar appointment and they can check your battery for you. Users running iOS 14 and up can take advantage of a privacy feature that alerts you when an app on your device is using its camera or microphone.If an app is using your iPhone’s camera, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:If an app is using your iPhone’s built-in microphone, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:While it is perfectly normal to see either of these indicators light up when apps are using either the camera or the mic, seeing them light up when you’re not actively recording video or audio should serve as a warning sign that something might be up.It’s easy to check your device to find out which apps currently have access to your device’s microphone or camera.On the iPhone, do the following:On an Android Device, do the following:These instructions are for generic Android 10. The steps will be similar for customized versions of Android 10 or for other versions of Android. Check with your device’s manufacturer for more information.While increased battery temperature can be a sign of multiple technical issues, it can also indicate that unauthorized activities, like spyware activities, are occurring in the background.If you haven’t used your smartphone recently, and it’s just been sitting idle on your desk, it shouldn’t be warm or hot to the touch. If it is overly warm, then spyware could be working behind the scenes, collecting information, and sending it back to the bad actors’ home base.Your smartphone, much like a Mac or Windows PC, attempts to shut down all active processes before turning itself off or when it is rebooted.And, much like your computer, occasionally those processes can hang up and either prevent or greatly slow the shutdown process. While this can happen to any device, you may notice that it is happening more often than usual if your device has been infected with spyware.You may notice that your smartphone takes longer than usual to shut down right after you’ve finished an active period with your mobile phone. This could mean the spyware is working in the background, saving its ill-gotten information and sending it back to home base.In addition to slowing the shutdown process of your smartphone, spyware can also prevent your device from shutting down or rebooting completely.Again, this can be caused by a harmless app misbehaving, but if it just started happening recently, or is happening more often than not, your device might be infected with spyware. (Did anyone else hear Jeff Foxworthy say that last sentence in their head? Just me? Okay.)High-end smartphones made in the last five years or so should run fast and not show many performance issues during day-to-day use. If you notice your smartphone is lagging, performing much worse than usual, or is suddenly running out of resources like memory or storage space, it might be infected with spyware.This is tougher to tell with older smartphones or low-priced budget handsets like you get off the rack at Walgreens. But, if you pay attention to how your smartphone usually performs, you can usually tell if something is going on.As mentioned above, there is no lack of spying apps available for smartphones. A few popular examples are:All the spyware listed above can monitor and record text messages and phone conversations.With these monitoring apps, a bad guy can take control of your mobile phone’s microphone and listen to everything that happens in your immediate surroundings or even record your phone calls.Furthermore, the more advanced applications can even steal your passwords, use your camera to physically spy on you, or even lock your cell phone completely so you can’t use it anymore.So, is there a way to find out whether spyware is installed on your device? If so, how can you remove it? Here’s how.The following instructions are for generic Android 10 devices. Your cell phone or mobile device may be running a different version of Android. However, the process should be similar on many versions of Android. Android device vendors can also make changes to settings menus, so your layout may look different.However, keep in mind that many spy apps do not use the actual name of the monitoring tool, but instead use a fake name to hide it. You should delete any unknown apps on your device.If you’re suspicious, I recommend visiting your cellular provider’s nearest store or going to an electronics store, like Best Buy. Their tech team, known as the “Geek Squad,” can help you delete any file that belongs to spy software.In addition, you can also use the Google Play Store “Google Play Protect” feature to scan your installed apps for any harmful behavior. It won’t detect all spy apps, but it’s another weapon to battle the nosy apps. Do the following:These steps are for generic Android 10. Steps on other recent versions of Android should be similar.Your apps will be scanned for any suspicious behavior.Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems are locked down, preventing apps from being installed from outside of the App Store.It’s true that you can jailbreak an iOS device, which allows installing apps from other sources. However, jailbreaking requires physical access to your mobile device, making it tougher for a bad guy (or a nosy spouse) to install spyware on the device.If you have jailbroken your iPhone, any of the software you install from the Cydia App Store or another jailbreak app repository could include malicious code. So be aware of that danger if you’re considering jailbreaking your handset.While this will prevent the installation of some of the nastiest spyware available out there, Apple does allow some apps in their App Store that can be used as spyware.These apps are usually marketed to parents for monitoring their kids’ usage, GPS location, and online activities. Unfortunately, a suspicious partner, employer, or other nosy individuals can also use them to track your usage. But, keep in mind that they would need access to your mobile device and would need to know your device passcode and iCloud password.mSpy is one of the apps available in the App Store for tracking purposes, and if you read the reviews of this app and similar apps, many of the reviews are from users looking to catch a cheating spouse.Keep in mind, if you simply want to keep tabs on your kids’ (or your spouse’s) GPS location, Apple includes their “Find My” service that does just that as a built-in free service in iOS.If you’re afraid that someone has installed spyware on your iOS device, changing your iCloud password will in most cases stop the app’s monitoring.You can also search for and delete the app from your mobile device by entering the App Store app and searching for “spy” or a similar search term.If an app shows “OPEN” in the list, that means the app is installed on your device. Find the app icon on your device’s Home screen, then tap and hold on the icon until a pop-up menu appears. Tap on “Remove App” from the pop-up menu. Bye-bye spy app.There have certainly been reports of unintentional security and privacy vulnerabilities that were discovered in iOS and its apps in the past, allowing access by certain strains of spyware and malware.Although these vulnerabilities have been fixed by now, there are always new threats popping up from time to time. Luckily, Apple does a decent job of keeping these bugs squashed with iOS updates, so be sure to keep your iPhone or iPad updated. (Go to the Settings app, tap “General,” then tap “Software Update” to check for available updates.)If your iPhone or iPad has been out of your sight for an extended period of time, you can simply update your device by following the steps in the previous paragraph.You can also update iOS by connecting your iOS device to your Windows PC or Mac and updating the operating system via iTunes (or via Finder on macOS Catalina or higher). This should remove any jailbreak while disabling any spy app requiring a jailbroken device.Pro tip: You can also manually backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes in Windows or macOS (or in Finder if you’re using macOS Catalina or later).I’m just kidding, there isn’t a solution. That’s because there really isn’t any true spyware available for the Windows Phone platform. (At least not that I could find.)This is likely due to the lack of success of the Windows Phone platform, meaning there isn’t much of a financial incentive to write spyware for it. (If you do know of any spyware on this platform, please let me know in the comments below.)A factory reset is a last-resort option for both Android and iOS cell phones. Resetting your cell phone to its factory settings will delete all third-party apps – which means any spy software will be removed as well.If you elect to do this, I strongly recommend creating a backup of your contacts, photos, and other important files you don’t want to lose. Trust me, you will miss them once they’re gone.Again, this process may vary on your Android device. Check with your mobile device’s manufacturer for more information.After resetting your cell phone to its factory settings, I suggest that you download and install an app called AppNotifier that will notify you whenever a new application is installed on your mobile phone. Once the app is installed, whenever someone installs something on your phone on the sly, you should receive a heads-up about it.Another way to reset your iPhone back to the factory settings is via iTunes.Generally, many people that fall victim to spy software are not even aware of the fact that it’s happening.Once you discover that someone has been spying on you, your first reaction may be disbelief (likely followed by anger). Whether it was with personal or business intent, the impact can be hard to cope with upon discovery.If your cell phone is showing any of the signs listed above that suggest that someone might be spying or using a stalking app against you, I strongly recommend that you follow the above solutions for your Android or iOS device.Perhaps it’s not a spy software tool causing any of these signs, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!If you are actually being stalked, in the U.S., I urge you to call the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime at 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846). If you are based in the U.K., call Paladin at 020 3866 4107.Sadly, yes. While it isn’t possible on iOS devices, due to the operating system’s sandboxing security, it is possible for apps to intercept your WhatsApp messages on Android devices. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article.As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device. Some remote spying apps will allow you to track the location of an iPhone, but you’d require the user’s iCloud login and password to enable the tracking of the device. Anything more than that and you’d require physical access.There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capability of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app. To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above.As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously.To block your phone from being tracked, turn off the cellular and WiFi radios (turning on “Airplane Mode” does this). Disable your device’s GPS radio or turn off “Location Services.” On most Android devices, you can also shutdown the phone and remove the battery. It isn’t possible to remove the battery from an iPhone. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. (Um, especially the part about turning it off.)Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a 2014 interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off. It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off.The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on. Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down.Spyware comes in various forms. These can include:If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device’s data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device’s screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device’s battery life suddenly decreasing. These are just some of the indicators.Stalkerware (spyware) can monitor your smartphone to record your location, which websites you visit, and the apps you use. Stalkerware can also record all of the keystrokes you make on your phone, meaning it can record all of the text you enter, including texts, emails, and login/password information,Many times, stalkerware is installed by a nosy spouse to track their partner and their actions. It can also be installed by parents on their offspring’s phones to monitor their actions. Organizations also install it on employees’ phones to ensure company-provided devices are used properly.First of all, make sure your smartphone never leaves your sight. In most cases installing spyware on your device requires physical access to the device. So keeping your phone in your possession will help prevent any spyware from being installed.Also, make sure to lock your smartphone using a secure and unique passcode or password. Also, enable face or fingerprint authentication, which means the device will only unlock for you.Contents [hide]

Your smartphone stores a great deal of personal information. Let’s face it, your whole life is on that thing. You use your cell phone on a daily basis, sending emails and text messages, making calls, listening to voicemail messages, taking and sharing videos and photos, using social media, and so much more.What if someone was able to access all of that personal data? That could be a disaster.But why would someone spy on you? What would they care about the information on your cell phone? There are multiple reasons why someone might want to monitor your smartphone-based activities.Your significant other (or ex-significant other) could be wondering what you’re up to when they’re not around. You could have important business-related information stored on your device. If you have any money at all in your bank account or anything left on your credit limit, someone would love to steal that.So, is someone spying on your phone? Are they using cell phone spying software? How do you tell when someone is watching you through your cell phone? What can you do about it if they are? Those are excellent questions, and they are the reason I wrote this article.Even if you protect your smartphone with a strong password, it’s still possible to be hacked. Seemingly innocent Android apps have been discovered to contain spyware, and if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, someone can install spyware on your device.In this guide, I’ll tell you 10 ways to tell if someone is spying on your smartphone and what you can do to stop them.Luckily, there are warning signs that you can pick up on that will alert you that there may be spyware infecting your device and monitoring your activities.While some signs are tougher to pick up on than others, if you stay aware of how your device usually performs, you can detect if something is going on with your device.Here are the 10 ways to tell whether or not someone is monitoring your smartphone.Has your monthly data usage spiked recently? Is your device suddenly using more data than normal, bumping up against your monthly data allotment, yet you haven’t changed your online habits? That could indicate that someone has installed spyware on your device.Lower-quality spy tools will try to send as much data about your device back to their home base (AKA the bad guys) as they possibly can. This can use large amounts of data.On the other end of the spectrum, some of the spyware makers are quite skilled at it, and their sneaky apps are much more selective with what info they look for and send back home. This makes detection a bit tougher.It all comes down to making sure that you stay aware of your monthly data usage and pay close attention to any sudden spikes in usage that you might see.While you can contact your wireless carrier to check on how much data you’ve used, you can also check on your device. This means you can quickly check data usage without the need to search around on your provider’s website or app for data usage information.To check your cellular data usage on an Android 10 device, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of Android.):To check your cellular data usage on an iPhone running iOS 16, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of iOS and on iPads running iPadOS.):While you should expect your iPhone or Android phone screen to light up when you receive an incoming call, message, or most other types of notifications, your smartphone’s screen shouldn’t be lighting up for no reason while it’s in standby mode.If you see your device’s screen light up, hear unexpected noises or sounds, and then you don’t see any new notifications on the screen, something could be up.Is your smartphone rebooting for no obvious reason or without you manually rebooting it? Someone may have unauthorized remote access to your smartphone.Unexpected reboots may indicate someone has remote admin access and can reboot your device at will. This would also indicate they have all sorts of other access to your device and the personal data stored on it.It could also mean the latest app or operating system you recently downloaded has a bug in it. Check for new updates for the device’s OS or for the app. See if you can duplicate the device reboot by using the app that was open when it happened.On your Android device, you can install and run antivirus or anti-malware security software to scan your device. iOS users will find that antivirus scanners are not available, and in the sandboxed iOS operating system, it’s more likely that there is a bug in an app or in the OS that is causing the reboots.In the days of analog cell phone networks, weird noises in the background and unstable connections were to be expected. However, today’s all-digital cell networks usually provide connections that are stable and mostly noise-free.So, if you are hearing weird noises in the background, or (even worse) hear a voice that doesn’t belong to the person you called, there is a possibility that someone is monitoring or recording your conversation.Have you either received unexpected messages with weird characters in them or have your friends or other parties reported receiving weird or offensive messages from your phone?This can be a sign that you have spyware or malware installed on your smartphone. SMS worms spread themselves through the online world by sending text messages with links embedded in them. If the victim taps the link, the worm can infect their smartphone.On your Android device, you can install and run security software such as antivirus or anti-malware to scan your device. iOS users will likely not have to worry about these types of worms, as they target Android devices for the most part.Also, be wary of clicking links in these text messages, as such links can also be used to scam you via phishing schemes to steal your personal and/or business information. This is true on both the Android and iOS device platforms.If you see your device’s battery life begin deteriorating rapidly and unexpectedly, that could mean your battery is old and in need of a replacement. Or, it could mean that your device is infected with spyware, and the additional load it’s putting on your smartphone is draining the battery quicker than usual.Spyware monitors all of your on-device activities and sends information about these activities back to the bad actors that infected your device. Shortened battery life often goes hand-in-hand with increased data usage due to the activities of the spyware.Taking screenshots, copying and pasting text, recording your conversations, and possibly taking photos or recording video can eat up battery life at an alarming rate. This is especially obvious when your smartphone is supposedly idle.If you’re not sure whether it’s just an old battery or actual spy software, test this by trying a different set of batteries or checking your device’s battery in a different device. Then, monitor the battery usage.Sorry iPhone users, your device’s batteries are not removable. But, you can make a Genius Bar appointment and they can check your battery for you. Users running iOS 14 and up can take advantage of a privacy feature that alerts you when an app on your device is using its camera or microphone.If an app is using your iPhone’s camera, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:If an app is using your iPhone’s built-in microphone, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:While it is perfectly normal to see either of these indicators light up when apps are using either the camera or the mic, seeing them light up when you’re not actively recording video or audio should serve as a warning sign that something might be up.It’s easy to check your device to find out which apps currently have access to your device’s microphone or camera.On the iPhone, do the following:On an Android Device, do the following:These instructions are for generic Android 10. The steps will be similar for customized versions of Android 10 or for other versions of Android. Check with your device’s manufacturer for more information.While increased battery temperature can be a sign of multiple technical issues, it can also indicate that unauthorized activities, like spyware activities, are occurring in the background.If you haven’t used your smartphone recently, and it’s just been sitting idle on your desk, it shouldn’t be warm or hot to the touch. If it is overly warm, then spyware could be working behind the scenes, collecting information, and sending it back to the bad actors’ home base.Your smartphone, much like a Mac or Windows PC, attempts to shut down all active processes before turning itself off or when it is rebooted.And, much like your computer, occasionally those processes can hang up and either prevent or greatly slow the shutdown process. While this can happen to any device, you may notice that it is happening more often than usual if your device has been infected with spyware.You may notice that your smartphone takes longer than usual to shut down right after you’ve finished an active period with your mobile phone. This could mean the spyware is working in the background, saving its ill-gotten information and sending it back to home base.In addition to slowing the shutdown process of your smartphone, spyware can also prevent your device from shutting down or rebooting completely.Again, this can be caused by a harmless app misbehaving, but if it just started happening recently, or is happening more often than not, your device might be infected with spyware. (Did anyone else hear Jeff Foxworthy say that last sentence in their head? Just me? Okay.)High-end smartphones made in the last five years or so should run fast and not show many performance issues during day-to-day use. If you notice your smartphone is lagging, performing much worse than usual, or is suddenly running out of resources like memory or storage space, it might be infected with spyware.This is tougher to tell with older smartphones or low-priced budget handsets like you get off the rack at Walgreens. But, if you pay attention to how your smartphone usually performs, you can usually tell if something is going on.As mentioned above, there is no lack of spying apps available for smartphones. A few popular examples are:All the spyware listed above can monitor and record text messages and phone conversations.With these monitoring apps, a bad guy can take control of your mobile phone’s microphone and listen to everything that happens in your immediate surroundings or even record your phone calls.Furthermore, the more advanced applications can even steal your passwords, use your camera to physically spy on you, or even lock your cell phone completely so you can’t use it anymore.So, is there a way to find out whether spyware is installed on your device? If so, how can you remove it? Here’s how.The following instructions are for generic Android 10 devices. Your cell phone or mobile device may be running a different version of Android. However, the process should be similar on many versions of Android. Android device vendors can also make changes to settings menus, so your layout may look different.However, keep in mind that many spy apps do not use the actual name of the monitoring tool, but instead use a fake name to hide it. You should delete any unknown apps on your device.If you’re suspicious, I recommend visiting your cellular provider’s nearest store or going to an electronics store, like Best Buy. Their tech team, known as the “Geek Squad,” can help you delete any file that belongs to spy software.In addition, you can also use the Google Play Store “Google Play Protect” feature to scan your installed apps for any harmful behavior. It won’t detect all spy apps, but it’s another weapon to battle the nosy apps. Do the following:These steps are for generic Android 10. Steps on other recent versions of Android should be similar.Your apps will be scanned for any suspicious behavior.Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems are locked down, preventing apps from being installed from outside of the App Store.It’s true that you can jailbreak an iOS device, which allows installing apps from other sources. However, jailbreaking requires physical access to your mobile device, making it tougher for a bad guy (or a nosy spouse) to install spyware on the device.If you have jailbroken your iPhone, any of the software you install from the Cydia App Store or another jailbreak app repository could include malicious code. So be aware of that danger if you’re considering jailbreaking your handset.While this will prevent the installation of some of the nastiest spyware available out there, Apple does allow some apps in their App Store that can be used as spyware.These apps are usually marketed to parents for monitoring their kids’ usage, GPS location, and online activities. Unfortunately, a suspicious partner, employer, or other nosy individuals can also use them to track your usage. But, keep in mind that they would need access to your mobile device and would need to know your device passcode and iCloud password.mSpy is one of the apps available in the App Store for tracking purposes, and if you read the reviews of this app and similar apps, many of the reviews are from users looking to catch a cheating spouse.Keep in mind, if you simply want to keep tabs on your kids’ (or your spouse’s) GPS location, Apple includes their “Find My” service that does just that as a built-in free service in iOS.If you’re afraid that someone has installed spyware on your iOS device, changing your iCloud password will in most cases stop the app’s monitoring.You can also search for and delete the app from your mobile device by entering the App Store app and searching for “spy” or a similar search term.If an app shows “OPEN” in the list, that means the app is installed on your device. Find the app icon on your device’s Home screen, then tap and hold on the icon until a pop-up menu appears. Tap on “Remove App” from the pop-up menu. Bye-bye spy app.There have certainly been reports of unintentional security and privacy vulnerabilities that were discovered in iOS and its apps in the past, allowing access by certain strains of spyware and malware.Although these vulnerabilities have been fixed by now, there are always new threats popping up from time to time. Luckily, Apple does a decent job of keeping these bugs squashed with iOS updates, so be sure to keep your iPhone or iPad updated. (Go to the Settings app, tap “General,” then tap “Software Update” to check for available updates.)If your iPhone or iPad has been out of your sight for an extended period of time, you can simply update your device by following the steps in the previous paragraph.You can also update iOS by connecting your iOS device to your Windows PC or Mac and updating the operating system via iTunes (or via Finder on macOS Catalina or higher). This should remove any jailbreak while disabling any spy app requiring a jailbroken device.Pro tip: You can also manually backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes in Windows or macOS (or in Finder if you’re using macOS Catalina or later).I’m just kidding, there isn’t a solution. That’s because there really isn’t any true spyware available for the Windows Phone platform. (At least not that I could find.)This is likely due to the lack of success of the Windows Phone platform, meaning there isn’t much of a financial incentive to write spyware for it. (If you do know of any spyware on this platform, please let me know in the comments below.)A factory reset is a last-resort option for both Android and iOS cell phones. Resetting your cell phone to its factory settings will delete all third-party apps – which means any spy software will be removed as well.If you elect to do this, I strongly recommend creating a backup of your contacts, photos, and other important files you don’t want to lose. Trust me, you will miss them once they’re gone.Again, this process may vary on your Android device. Check with your mobile device’s manufacturer for more information.After resetting your cell phone to its factory settings, I suggest that you download and install an app called AppNotifier that will notify you whenever a new application is installed on your mobile phone. Once the app is installed, whenever someone installs something on your phone on the sly, you should receive a heads-up about it.Another way to reset your iPhone back to the factory settings is via iTunes.Generally, many people that fall victim to spy software are not even aware of the fact that it’s happening.Once you discover that someone has been spying on you, your first reaction may be disbelief (likely followed by anger). Whether it was with personal or business intent, the impact can be hard to cope with upon discovery.If your cell phone is showing any of the signs listed above that suggest that someone might be spying or using a stalking app against you, I strongly recommend that you follow the above solutions for your Android or iOS device.Perhaps it’s not a spy software tool causing any of these signs, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!If you are actually being stalked, in the U.S., I urge you to call the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime at 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846). If you are based in the U.K., call Paladin at 020 3866 4107.Sadly, yes. While it isn’t possible on iOS devices, due to the operating system’s sandboxing security, it is possible for apps to intercept your WhatsApp messages on Android devices. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article.As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device. Some remote spying apps will allow you to track the location of an iPhone, but you’d require the user’s iCloud login and password to enable the tracking of the device. Anything more than that and you’d require physical access.There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capability of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app. To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above.As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously.To block your phone from being tracked, turn off the cellular and WiFi radios (turning on “Airplane Mode” does this). Disable your device’s GPS radio or turn off “Location Services.” On most Android devices, you can also shutdown the phone and remove the battery. It isn’t possible to remove the battery from an iPhone. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. (Um, especially the part about turning it off.)Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a 2014 interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off. It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off.The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on. Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down.Spyware comes in various forms. These can include:If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device’s data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device’s screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device’s battery life suddenly decreasing. These are just some of the indicators.Stalkerware (spyware) can monitor your smartphone to record your location, which websites you visit, and the apps you use. Stalkerware can also record all of the keystrokes you make on your phone, meaning it can record all of the text you enter, including texts, emails, and login/password information,Many times, stalkerware is installed by a nosy spouse to track their partner and their actions. It can also be installed by parents on their offspring’s phones to monitor their actions. Organizations also install it on employees’ phones to ensure company-provided devices are used properly.First of all, make sure your smartphone never leaves your sight. In most cases installing spyware on your device requires physical access to the device. So keeping your phone in your possession will help prevent any spyware from being installed.Also, make sure to lock your smartphone using a secure and unique passcode or password. Also, enable face or fingerprint authentication, which means the device will only unlock for you.Contents [hide]

Your smartphone stores a great deal of personal information. Let’s face it, your whole life is on that thing. You use your cell phone on a daily basis, sending emails and text messages, making calls, listening to voicemail messages, taking and sharing videos and photos, using social media, and so much more.What if someone was able to access all of that personal data? That could be a disaster.But why would someone spy on you? What would they care about the information on your cell phone? There are multiple reasons why someone might want to monitor your smartphone-based activities.Your significant other (or ex-significant other) could be wondering what you’re up to when they’re not around. You could have important business-related information stored on your device. If you have any money at all in your bank account or anything left on your credit limit, someone would love to steal that.So, is someone spying on your phone? Are they using cell phone spying software? How do you tell when someone is watching you through your cell phone? What can you do about it if they are? Those are excellent questions, and they are the reason I wrote this article.Even if you protect your smartphone with a strong password, it’s still possible to be hacked. Seemingly innocent Android apps have been discovered to contain spyware, and if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, someone can install spyware on your device.In this guide, I’ll tell you 10 ways to tell if someone is spying on your smartphone and what you can do to stop them.Luckily, there are warning signs that you can pick up on that will alert you that there may be spyware infecting your device and monitoring your activities.While some signs are tougher to pick up on than others, if you stay aware of how your device usually performs, you can detect if something is going on with your device.Here are the 10 ways to tell whether or not someone is monitoring your smartphone.Has your monthly data usage spiked recently? Is your device suddenly using more data than normal, bumping up against your monthly data allotment, yet you haven’t changed your online habits? That could indicate that someone has installed spyware on your device.Lower-quality spy tools will try to send as much data about your device back to their home base (AKA the bad guys) as they possibly can. This can use large amounts of data.On the other end of the spectrum, some of the spyware makers are quite skilled at it, and their sneaky apps are much more selective with what info they look for and send back home. This makes detection a bit tougher.It all comes down to making sure that you stay aware of your monthly data usage and pay close attention to any sudden spikes in usage that you might see.While you can contact your wireless carrier to check on how much data you’ve used, you can also check on your device. This means you can quickly check data usage without the need to search around on your provider’s website or app for data usage information.To check your cellular data usage on an Android 10 device, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of Android.):To check your cellular data usage on an iPhone running iOS 16, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of iOS and on iPads running iPadOS.):While you should expect your iPhone or Android phone screen to light up when you receive an incoming call, message, or most other types of notifications, your smartphone’s screen shouldn’t be lighting up for no reason while it’s in standby mode.If you see your device’s screen light up, hear unexpected noises or sounds, and then you don’t see any new notifications on the screen, something could be up.Is your smartphone rebooting for no obvious reason or without you manually rebooting it? Someone may have unauthorized remote access to your smartphone.Unexpected reboots may indicate someone has remote admin access and can reboot your device at will. This would also indicate they have all sorts of other access to your device and the personal data stored on it.It could also mean the latest app or operating system you recently downloaded has a bug in it. Check for new updates for the device’s OS or for the app. See if you can duplicate the device reboot by using the app that was open when it happened.On your Android device, you can install and run antivirus or anti-malware security software to scan your device. iOS users will find that antivirus scanners are not available, and in the sandboxed iOS operating system, it’s more likely that there is a bug in an app or in the OS that is causing the reboots.In the days of analog cell phone networks, weird noises in the background and unstable connections were to be expected. However, today’s all-digital cell networks usually provide connections that are stable and mostly noise-free.So, if you are hearing weird noises in the background, or (even worse) hear a voice that doesn’t belong to the person you called, there is a possibility that someone is monitoring or recording your conversation.Have you either received unexpected messages with weird characters in them or have your friends or other parties reported receiving weird or offensive messages from your phone?This can be a sign that you have spyware or malware installed on your smartphone. SMS worms spread themselves through the online world by sending text messages with links embedded in them. If the victim taps the link, the worm can infect their smartphone.On your Android device, you can install and run security software such as antivirus or anti-malware to scan your device. iOS users will likely not have to worry about these types of worms, as they target Android devices for the most part.Also, be wary of clicking links in these text messages, as such links can also be used to scam you via phishing schemes to steal your personal and/or business information. This is true on both the Android and iOS device platforms.If you see your device’s battery life begin deteriorating rapidly and unexpectedly, that could mean your battery is old and in need of a replacement. Or, it could mean that your device is infected with spyware, and the additional load it’s putting on your smartphone is draining the battery quicker than usual.Spyware monitors all of your on-device activities and sends information about these activities back to the bad actors that infected your device. Shortened battery life often goes hand-in-hand with increased data usage due to the activities of the spyware.Taking screenshots, copying and pasting text, recording your conversations, and possibly taking photos or recording video can eat up battery life at an alarming rate. This is especially obvious when your smartphone is supposedly idle.If you’re not sure whether it’s just an old battery or actual spy software, test this by trying a different set of batteries or checking your device’s battery in a different device. Then, monitor the battery usage.Sorry iPhone users, your device’s batteries are not removable. But, you can make a Genius Bar appointment and they can check your battery for you. Users running iOS 14 and up can take advantage of a privacy feature that alerts you when an app on your device is using its camera or microphone.If an app is using your iPhone’s camera, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:If an app is using your iPhone’s built-in microphone, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:While it is perfectly normal to see either of these indicators light up when apps are using either the camera or the mic, seeing them light up when you’re not actively recording video or audio should serve as a warning sign that something might be up.It’s easy to check your device to find out which apps currently have access to your device’s microphone or camera.On the iPhone, do the following:On an Android Device, do the following:These instructions are for generic Android 10. The steps will be similar for customized versions of Android 10 or for other versions of Android. Check with your device’s manufacturer for more information.While increased battery temperature can be a sign of multiple technical issues, it can also indicate that unauthorized activities, like spyware activities, are occurring in the background.If you haven’t used your smartphone recently, and it’s just been sitting idle on your desk, it shouldn’t be warm or hot to the touch. If it is overly warm, then spyware could be working behind the scenes, collecting information, and sending it back to the bad actors’ home base.Your smartphone, much like a Mac or Windows PC, attempts to shut down all active processes before turning itself off or when it is rebooted.And, much like your computer, occasionally those processes can hang up and either prevent or greatly slow the shutdown process. While this can happen to any device, you may notice that it is happening more often than usual if your device has been infected with spyware.You may notice that your smartphone takes longer than usual to shut down right after you’ve finished an active period with your mobile phone. This could mean the spyware is working in the background, saving its ill-gotten information and sending it back to home base.In addition to slowing the shutdown process of your smartphone, spyware can also prevent your device from shutting down or rebooting completely.Again, this can be caused by a harmless app misbehaving, but if it just started happening recently, or is happening more often than not, your device might be infected with spyware. (Did anyone else hear Jeff Foxworthy say that last sentence in their head? Just me? Okay.)High-end smartphones made in the last five years or so should run fast and not show many performance issues during day-to-day use. If you notice your smartphone is lagging, performing much worse than usual, or is suddenly running out of resources like memory or storage space, it might be infected with spyware.This is tougher to tell with older smartphones or low-priced budget handsets like you get off the rack at Walgreens. But, if you pay attention to how your smartphone usually performs, you can usually tell if something is going on.As mentioned above, there is no lack of spying apps available for smartphones. A few popular examples are:All the spyware listed above can monitor and record text messages and phone conversations.With these monitoring apps, a bad guy can take control of your mobile phone’s microphone and listen to everything that happens in your immediate surroundings or even record your phone calls.Furthermore, the more advanced applications can even steal your passwords, use your camera to physically spy on you, or even lock your cell phone completely so you can’t use it anymore.So, is there a way to find out whether spyware is installed on your device? If so, how can you remove it? Here’s how.The following instructions are for generic Android 10 devices. Your cell phone or mobile device may be running a different version of Android. However, the process should be similar on many versions of Android. Android device vendors can also make changes to settings menus, so your layout may look different.However, keep in mind that many spy apps do not use the actual name of the monitoring tool, but instead use a fake name to hide it. You should delete any unknown apps on your device.If you’re suspicious, I recommend visiting your cellular provider’s nearest store or going to an electronics store, like Best Buy. Their tech team, known as the “Geek Squad,” can help you delete any file that belongs to spy software.In addition, you can also use the Google Play Store “Google Play Protect” feature to scan your installed apps for any harmful behavior. It won’t detect all spy apps, but it’s another weapon to battle the nosy apps. Do the following:These steps are for generic Android 10. Steps on other recent versions of Android should be similar.Your apps will be scanned for any suspicious behavior.Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems are locked down, preventing apps from being installed from outside of the App Store.It’s true that you can jailbreak an iOS device, which allows installing apps from other sources. However, jailbreaking requires physical access to your mobile device, making it tougher for a bad guy (or a nosy spouse) to install spyware on the device.If you have jailbroken your iPhone, any of the software you install from the Cydia App Store or another jailbreak app repository could include malicious code. So be aware of that danger if you’re considering jailbreaking your handset.While this will prevent the installation of some of the nastiest spyware available out there, Apple does allow some apps in their App Store that can be used as spyware.These apps are usually marketed to parents for monitoring their kids’ usage, GPS location, and online activities. Unfortunately, a suspicious partner, employer, or other nosy individuals can also use them to track your usage. But, keep in mind that they would need access to your mobile device and would need to know your device passcode and iCloud password.mSpy is one of the apps available in the App Store for tracking purposes, and if you read the reviews of this app and similar apps, many of the reviews are from users looking to catch a cheating spouse.Keep in mind, if you simply want to keep tabs on your kids’ (or your spouse’s) GPS location, Apple includes their “Find My” service that does just that as a built-in free service in iOS.If you’re afraid that someone has installed spyware on your iOS device, changing your iCloud password will in most cases stop the app’s monitoring.You can also search for and delete the app from your mobile device by entering the App Store app and searching for “spy” or a similar search term.If an app shows “OPEN” in the list, that means the app is installed on your device. Find the app icon on your device’s Home screen, then tap and hold on the icon until a pop-up menu appears. Tap on “Remove App” from the pop-up menu. Bye-bye spy app.There have certainly been reports of unintentional security and privacy vulnerabilities that were discovered in iOS and its apps in the past, allowing access by certain strains of spyware and malware.Although these vulnerabilities have been fixed by now, there are always new threats popping up from time to time. Luckily, Apple does a decent job of keeping these bugs squashed with iOS updates, so be sure to keep your iPhone or iPad updated. (Go to the Settings app, tap “General,” then tap “Software Update” to check for available updates.)If your iPhone or iPad has been out of your sight for an extended period of time, you can simply update your device by following the steps in the previous paragraph.You can also update iOS by connecting your iOS device to your Windows PC or Mac and updating the operating system via iTunes (or via Finder on macOS Catalina or higher). This should remove any jailbreak while disabling any spy app requiring a jailbroken device.Pro tip: You can also manually backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes in Windows or macOS (or in Finder if you’re using macOS Catalina or later).I’m just kidding, there isn’t a solution. That’s because there really isn’t any true spyware available for the Windows Phone platform. (At least not that I could find.)This is likely due to the lack of success of the Windows Phone platform, meaning there isn’t much of a financial incentive to write spyware for it. (If you do know of any spyware on this platform, please let me know in the comments below.)A factory reset is a last-resort option for both Android and iOS cell phones. Resetting your cell phone to its factory settings will delete all third-party apps – which means any spy software will be removed as well.If you elect to do this, I strongly recommend creating a backup of your contacts, photos, and other important files you don’t want to lose. Trust me, you will miss them once they’re gone.Again, this process may vary on your Android device. Check with your mobile device’s manufacturer for more information.After resetting your cell phone to its factory settings, I suggest that you download and install an app called AppNotifier that will notify you whenever a new application is installed on your mobile phone. Once the app is installed, whenever someone installs something on your phone on the sly, you should receive a heads-up about it.Another way to reset your iPhone back to the factory settings is via iTunes.Generally, many people that fall victim to spy software are not even aware of the fact that it’s happening.Once you discover that someone has been spying on you, your first reaction may be disbelief (likely followed by anger). Whether it was with personal or business intent, the impact can be hard to cope with upon discovery.If your cell phone is showing any of the signs listed above that suggest that someone might be spying or using a stalking app against you, I strongly recommend that you follow the above solutions for your Android or iOS device.Perhaps it’s not a spy software tool causing any of these signs, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!If you are actually being stalked, in the U.S., I urge you to call the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime at 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846). If you are based in the U.K., call Paladin at 020 3866 4107.Sadly, yes. While it isn’t possible on iOS devices, due to the operating system’s sandboxing security, it is possible for apps to intercept your WhatsApp messages on Android devices. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article.As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device. Some remote spying apps will allow you to track the location of an iPhone, but you’d require the user’s iCloud login and password to enable the tracking of the device. Anything more than that and you’d require physical access.There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capability of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app. To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above.As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously.To block your phone from being tracked, turn off the cellular and WiFi radios (turning on “Airplane Mode” does this). Disable your device’s GPS radio or turn off “Location Services.” On most Android devices, you can also shutdown the phone and remove the battery. It isn’t possible to remove the battery from an iPhone. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. (Um, especially the part about turning it off.)Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a 2014 interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off. It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off.The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on. Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down.Spyware comes in various forms. These can include:If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device’s data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device’s screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device’s battery life suddenly decreasing. These are just some of the indicators.Stalkerware (spyware) can monitor your smartphone to record your location, which websites you visit, and the apps you use. Stalkerware can also record all of the keystrokes you make on your phone, meaning it can record all of the text you enter, including texts, emails, and login/password information,Many times, stalkerware is installed by a nosy spouse to track their partner and their actions. It can also be installed by parents on their offspring’s phones to monitor their actions. Organizations also install it on employees’ phones to ensure company-provided devices are used properly.First of all, make sure your smartphone never leaves your sight. In most cases installing spyware on your device requires physical access to the device. So keeping your phone in your possession will help prevent any spyware from being installed.Also, make sure to lock your smartphone using a secure and unique passcode or password. Also, enable face or fingerprint authentication, which means the device will only unlock for you.Contents [hide]

Your smartphone stores a great deal of personal information. Let’s face it, your whole life is on that thing. You use your cell phone on a daily basis, sending emails and text messages, making calls, listening to voicemail messages, taking and sharing videos and photos, using social media, and so much more.What if someone was able to access all of that personal data? That could be a disaster.But why would someone spy on you? What would they care about the information on your cell phone? There are multiple reasons why someone might want to monitor your smartphone-based activities.Your significant other (or ex-significant other) could be wondering what you’re up to when they’re not around. You could have important business-related information stored on your device. If you have any money at all in your bank account or anything left on your credit limit, someone would love to steal that.So, is someone spying on your phone? Are they using cell phone spying software? How do you tell when someone is watching you through your cell phone? What can you do about it if they are? Those are excellent questions, and they are the reason I wrote this article.Even if you protect your smartphone with a strong password, it’s still possible to be hacked. Seemingly innocent Android apps have been discovered to contain spyware, and if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, someone can install spyware on your device.In this guide, I’ll tell you 10 ways to tell if someone is spying on your smartphone and what you can do to stop them.Luckily, there are warning signs that you can pick up on that will alert you that there may be spyware infecting your device and monitoring your activities.While some signs are tougher to pick up on than others, if you stay aware of how your device usually performs, you can detect if something is going on with your device.Here are the 10 ways to tell whether or not someone is monitoring your smartphone.Has your monthly data usage spiked recently? Is your device suddenly using more data than normal, bumping up against your monthly data allotment, yet you haven’t changed your online habits? That could indicate that someone has installed spyware on your device.Lower-quality spy tools will try to send as much data about your device back to their home base (AKA the bad guys) as they possibly can. This can use large amounts of data.On the other end of the spectrum, some of the spyware makers are quite skilled at it, and their sneaky apps are much more selective with what info they look for and send back home. This makes detection a bit tougher.It all comes down to making sure that you stay aware of your monthly data usage and pay close attention to any sudden spikes in usage that you might see.While you can contact your wireless carrier to check on how much data you’ve used, you can also check on your device. This means you can quickly check data usage without the need to search around on your provider’s website or app for data usage information.To check your cellular data usage on an Android 10 device, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of Android.):To check your cellular data usage on an iPhone running iOS 16, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of iOS and on iPads running iPadOS.):While you should expect your iPhone or Android phone screen to light up when you receive an incoming call, message, or most other types of notifications, your smartphone’s screen shouldn’t be lighting up for no reason while it’s in standby mode.If you see your device’s screen light up, hear unexpected noises or sounds, and then you don’t see any new notifications on the screen, something could be up.Is your smartphone rebooting for no obvious reason or without you manually rebooting it? Someone may have unauthorized remote access to your smartphone.Unexpected reboots may indicate someone has remote admin access and can reboot your device at will. This would also indicate they have all sorts of other access to your device and the personal data stored on it.It could also mean the latest app or operating system you recently downloaded has a bug in it. Check for new updates for the device’s OS or for the app. See if you can duplicate the device reboot by using the app that was open when it happened.On your Android device, you can install and run antivirus or anti-malware security software to scan your device. iOS users will find that antivirus scanners are not available, and in the sandboxed iOS operating system, it’s more likely that there is a bug in an app or in the OS that is causing the reboots.In the days of analog cell phone networks, weird noises in the background and unstable connections were to be expected. However, today’s all-digital cell networks usually provide connections that are stable and mostly noise-free.So, if you are hearing weird noises in the background, or (even worse) hear a voice that doesn’t belong to the person you called, there is a possibility that someone is monitoring or recording your conversation.Have you either received unexpected messages with weird characters in them or have your friends or other parties reported receiving weird or offensive messages from your phone?This can be a sign that you have spyware or malware installed on your smartphone. SMS worms spread themselves through the online world by sending text messages with links embedded in them. If the victim taps the link, the worm can infect their smartphone.On your Android device, you can install and run security software such as antivirus or anti-malware to scan your device. iOS users will likely not have to worry about these types of worms, as they target Android devices for the most part.Also, be wary of clicking links in these text messages, as such links can also be used to scam you via phishing schemes to steal your personal and/or business information. This is true on both the Android and iOS device platforms.If you see your device’s battery life begin deteriorating rapidly and unexpectedly, that could mean your battery is old and in need of a replacement. Or, it could mean that your device is infected with spyware, and the additional load it’s putting on your smartphone is draining the battery quicker than usual.Spyware monitors all of your on-device activities and sends information about these activities back to the bad actors that infected your device. Shortened battery life often goes hand-in-hand with increased data usage due to the activities of the spyware.Taking screenshots, copying and pasting text, recording your conversations, and possibly taking photos or recording video can eat up battery life at an alarming rate. This is especially obvious when your smartphone is supposedly idle.If you’re not sure whether it’s just an old battery or actual spy software, test this by trying a different set of batteries or checking your device’s battery in a different device. Then, monitor the battery usage.Sorry iPhone users, your device’s batteries are not removable. But, you can make a Genius Bar appointment and they can check your battery for you. Users running iOS 14 and up can take advantage of a privacy feature that alerts you when an app on your device is using its camera or microphone.If an app is using your iPhone’s camera, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:If an app is using your iPhone’s built-in microphone, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:While it is perfectly normal to see either of these indicators light up when apps are using either the camera or the mic, seeing them light up when you’re not actively recording video or audio should serve as a warning sign that something might be up.It’s easy to check your device to find out which apps currently have access to your device’s microphone or camera.On the iPhone, do the following:On an Android Device, do the following:These instructions are for generic Android 10. The steps will be similar for customized versions of Android 10 or for other versions of Android. Check with your device’s manufacturer for more information.While increased battery temperature can be a sign of multiple technical issues, it can also indicate that unauthorized activities, like spyware activities, are occurring in the background.If you haven’t used your smartphone recently, and it’s just been sitting idle on your desk, it shouldn’t be warm or hot to the touch. If it is overly warm, then spyware could be working behind the scenes, collecting information, and sending it back to the bad actors’ home base.Your smartphone, much like a Mac or Windows PC, attempts to shut down all active processes before turning itself off or when it is rebooted.And, much like your computer, occasionally those processes can hang up and either prevent or greatly slow the shutdown process. While this can happen to any device, you may notice that it is happening more often than usual if your device has been infected with spyware.You may notice that your smartphone takes longer than usual to shut down right after you’ve finished an active period with your mobile phone. This could mean the spyware is working in the background, saving its ill-gotten information and sending it back to home base.In addition to slowing the shutdown process of your smartphone, spyware can also prevent your device from shutting down or rebooting completely.Again, this can be caused by a harmless app misbehaving, but if it just started happening recently, or is happening more often than not, your device might be infected with spyware. (Did anyone else hear Jeff Foxworthy say that last sentence in their head? Just me? Okay.)High-end smartphones made in the last five years or so should run fast and not show many performance issues during day-to-day use. If you notice your smartphone is lagging, performing much worse than usual, or is suddenly running out of resources like memory or storage space, it might be infected with spyware.This is tougher to tell with older smartphones or low-priced budget handsets like you get off the rack at Walgreens. But, if you pay attention to how your smartphone usually performs, you can usually tell if something is going on.As mentioned above, there is no lack of spying apps available for smartphones. A few popular examples are:All the spyware listed above can monitor and record text messages and phone conversations.With these monitoring apps, a bad guy can take control of your mobile phone’s microphone and listen to everything that happens in your immediate surroundings or even record your phone calls.Furthermore, the more advanced applications can even steal your passwords, use your camera to physically spy on you, or even lock your cell phone completely so you can’t use it anymore.So, is there a way to find out whether spyware is installed on your device? If so, how can you remove it? Here’s how.The following instructions are for generic Android 10 devices. Your cell phone or mobile device may be running a different version of Android. However, the process should be similar on many versions of Android. Android device vendors can also make changes to settings menus, so your layout may look different.However, keep in mind that many spy apps do not use the actual name of the monitoring tool, but instead use a fake name to hide it. You should delete any unknown apps on your device.If you’re suspicious, I recommend visiting your cellular provider’s nearest store or going to an electronics store, like Best Buy. Their tech team, known as the “Geek Squad,” can help you delete any file that belongs to spy software.In addition, you can also use the Google Play Store “Google Play Protect” feature to scan your installed apps for any harmful behavior. It won’t detect all spy apps, but it’s another weapon to battle the nosy apps. Do the following:These steps are for generic Android 10. Steps on other recent versions of Android should be similar.Your apps will be scanned for any suspicious behavior.Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems are locked down, preventing apps from being installed from outside of the App Store.It’s true that you can jailbreak an iOS device, which allows installing apps from other sources. However, jailbreaking requires physical access to your mobile device, making it tougher for a bad guy (or a nosy spouse) to install spyware on the device.If you have jailbroken your iPhone, any of the software you install from the Cydia App Store or another jailbreak app repository could include malicious code. So be aware of that danger if you’re considering jailbreaking your handset.While this will prevent the installation of some of the nastiest spyware available out there, Apple does allow some apps in their App Store that can be used as spyware.These apps are usually marketed to parents for monitoring their kids’ usage, GPS location, and online activities. Unfortunately, a suspicious partner, employer, or other nosy individuals can also use them to track your usage. But, keep in mind that they would need access to your mobile device and would need to know your device passcode and iCloud password.mSpy is one of the apps available in the App Store for tracking purposes, and if you read the reviews of this app and similar apps, many of the reviews are from users looking to catch a cheating spouse.Keep in mind, if you simply want to keep tabs on your kids’ (or your spouse’s) GPS location, Apple includes their “Find My” service that does just that as a built-in free service in iOS.If you’re afraid that someone has installed spyware on your iOS device, changing your iCloud password will in most cases stop the app’s monitoring.You can also search for and delete the app from your mobile device by entering the App Store app and searching for “spy” or a similar search term.If an app shows “OPEN” in the list, that means the app is installed on your device. Find the app icon on your device’s Home screen, then tap and hold on the icon until a pop-up menu appears. Tap on “Remove App” from the pop-up menu. Bye-bye spy app.There have certainly been reports of unintentional security and privacy vulnerabilities that were discovered in iOS and its apps in the past, allowing access by certain strains of spyware and malware.Although these vulnerabilities have been fixed by now, there are always new threats popping up from time to time. Luckily, Apple does a decent job of keeping these bugs squashed with iOS updates, so be sure to keep your iPhone or iPad updated. (Go to the Settings app, tap “General,” then tap “Software Update” to check for available updates.)If your iPhone or iPad has been out of your sight for an extended period of time, you can simply update your device by following the steps in the previous paragraph.You can also update iOS by connecting your iOS device to your Windows PC or Mac and updating the operating system via iTunes (or via Finder on macOS Catalina or higher). This should remove any jailbreak while disabling any spy app requiring a jailbroken device.Pro tip: You can also manually backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes in Windows or macOS (or in Finder if you’re using macOS Catalina or later).I’m just kidding, there isn’t a solution. That’s because there really isn’t any true spyware available for the Windows Phone platform. (At least not that I could find.)This is likely due to the lack of success of the Windows Phone platform, meaning there isn’t much of a financial incentive to write spyware for it. (If you do know of any spyware on this platform, please let me know in the comments below.)A factory reset is a last-resort option for both Android and iOS cell phones. Resetting your cell phone to its factory settings will delete all third-party apps – which means any spy software will be removed as well.If you elect to do this, I strongly recommend creating a backup of your contacts, photos, and other important files you don’t want to lose. Trust me, you will miss them once they’re gone.Again, this process may vary on your Android device. Check with your mobile device’s manufacturer for more information.After resetting your cell phone to its factory settings, I suggest that you download and install an app called AppNotifier that will notify you whenever a new application is installed on your mobile phone. Once the app is installed, whenever someone installs something on your phone on the sly, you should receive a heads-up about it.Another way to reset your iPhone back to the factory settings is via iTunes.Generally, many people that fall victim to spy software are not even aware of the fact that it’s happening.Once you discover that someone has been spying on you, your first reaction may be disbelief (likely followed by anger). Whether it was with personal or business intent, the impact can be hard to cope with upon discovery.If your cell phone is showing any of the signs listed above that suggest that someone might be spying or using a stalking app against you, I strongly recommend that you follow the above solutions for your Android or iOS device.Perhaps it’s not a spy software tool causing any of these signs, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!If you are actually being stalked, in the U.S., I urge you to call the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime at 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846). If you are based in the U.K., call Paladin at 020 3866 4107.Sadly, yes. While it isn’t possible on iOS devices, due to the operating system’s sandboxing security, it is possible for apps to intercept your WhatsApp messages on Android devices. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article.As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device. Some remote spying apps will allow you to track the location of an iPhone, but you’d require the user’s iCloud login and password to enable the tracking of the device. Anything more than that and you’d require physical access.There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capability of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app. To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above.As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously.To block your phone from being tracked, turn off the cellular and WiFi radios (turning on “Airplane Mode” does this). Disable your device’s GPS radio or turn off “Location Services.” On most Android devices, you can also shutdown the phone and remove the battery. It isn’t possible to remove the battery from an iPhone. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. (Um, especially the part about turning it off.)Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a 2014 interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off. It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off.The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on. Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down.Spyware comes in various forms. These can include:If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device’s data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device’s screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device’s battery life suddenly decreasing. These are just some of the indicators.Stalkerware (spyware) can monitor your smartphone to record your location, which websites you visit, and the apps you use. Stalkerware can also record all of the keystrokes you make on your phone, meaning it can record all of the text you enter, including texts, emails, and login/password information,Many times, stalkerware is installed by a nosy spouse to track their partner and their actions. It can also be installed by parents on their offspring’s phones to monitor their actions. Organizations also install it on employees’ phones to ensure company-provided devices are used properly.First of all, make sure your smartphone never leaves your sight. In most cases installing spyware on your device requires physical access to the device. So keeping your phone in your possession will help prevent any spyware from being installed.Also, make sure to lock your smartphone using a secure and unique passcode or password. Also, enable face or fingerprint authentication, which means the device will only unlock for you.Contents [hide]

Your smartphone stores a great deal of personal information. Let’s face it, your whole life is on that thing. You use your cell phone on a daily basis, sending emails and text messages, making calls, listening to voicemail messages, taking and sharing videos and photos, using social media, and so much more.What if someone was able to access all of that personal data? That could be a disaster.But why would someone spy on you? What would they care about the information on your cell phone? There are multiple reasons why someone might want to monitor your smartphone-based activities.Your significant other (or ex-significant other) could be wondering what you’re up to when they’re not around. You could have important business-related information stored on your device. If you have any money at all in your bank account or anything left on your credit limit, someone would love to steal that.So, is someone spying on your phone? Are they using cell phone spying software? How do you tell when someone is watching you through your cell phone? What can you do about it if they are? Those are excellent questions, and they are the reason I wrote this article.Even if you protect your smartphone with a strong password, it’s still possible to be hacked. Seemingly innocent Android apps have been discovered to contain spyware, and if you’ve jailbroken your iPhone, someone can install spyware on your device.In this guide, I’ll tell you 10 ways to tell if someone is spying on your smartphone and what you can do to stop them.Luckily, there are warning signs that you can pick up on that will alert you that there may be spyware infecting your device and monitoring your activities.While some signs are tougher to pick up on than others, if you stay aware of how your device usually performs, you can detect if something is going on with your device.Here are the 10 ways to tell whether or not someone is monitoring your smartphone.Has your monthly data usage spiked recently? Is your device suddenly using more data than normal, bumping up against your monthly data allotment, yet you haven’t changed your online habits? That could indicate that someone has installed spyware on your device.Lower-quality spy tools will try to send as much data about your device back to their home base (AKA the bad guys) as they possibly can. This can use large amounts of data.On the other end of the spectrum, some of the spyware makers are quite skilled at it, and their sneaky apps are much more selective with what info they look for and send back home. This makes detection a bit tougher.It all comes down to making sure that you stay aware of your monthly data usage and pay close attention to any sudden spikes in usage that you might see.While you can contact your wireless carrier to check on how much data you’ve used, you can also check on your device. This means you can quickly check data usage without the need to search around on your provider’s website or app for data usage information.To check your cellular data usage on an Android 10 device, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of Android.):To check your cellular data usage on an iPhone running iOS 16, do the following. (The process should be similar on other versions of iOS and on iPads running iPadOS.):While you should expect your iPhone or Android phone screen to light up when you receive an incoming call, message, or most other types of notifications, your smartphone’s screen shouldn’t be lighting up for no reason while it’s in standby mode.If you see your device’s screen light up, hear unexpected noises or sounds, and then you don’t see any new notifications on the screen, something could be up.Is your smartphone rebooting for no obvious reason or without you manually rebooting it? Someone may have unauthorized remote access to your smartphone.Unexpected reboots may indicate someone has remote admin access and can reboot your device at will. This would also indicate they have all sorts of other access to your device and the personal data stored on it.It could also mean the latest app or operating system you recently downloaded has a bug in it. Check for new updates for the device’s OS or for the app. See if you can duplicate the device reboot by using the app that was open when it happened.On your Android device, you can install and run antivirus or anti-malware security software to scan your device. iOS users will find that antivirus scanners are not available, and in the sandboxed iOS operating system, it’s more likely that there is a bug in an app or in the OS that is causing the reboots.In the days of analog cell phone networks, weird noises in the background and unstable connections were to be expected. However, today’s all-digital cell networks usually provide connections that are stable and mostly noise-free.So, if you are hearing weird noises in the background, or (even worse) hear a voice that doesn’t belong to the person you called, there is a possibility that someone is monitoring or recording your conversation.Have you either received unexpected messages with weird characters in them or have your friends or other parties reported receiving weird or offensive messages from your phone?This can be a sign that you have spyware or malware installed on your smartphone. SMS worms spread themselves through the online world by sending text messages with links embedded in them. If the victim taps the link, the worm can infect their smartphone.On your Android device, you can install and run security software such as antivirus or anti-malware to scan your device. iOS users will likely not have to worry about these types of worms, as they target Android devices for the most part.Also, be wary of clicking links in these text messages, as such links can also be used to scam you via phishing schemes to steal your personal and/or business information. This is true on both the Android and iOS device platforms.If you see your device’s battery life begin deteriorating rapidly and unexpectedly, that could mean your battery is old and in need of a replacement. Or, it could mean that your device is infected with spyware, and the additional load it’s putting on your smartphone is draining the battery quicker than usual.Spyware monitors all of your on-device activities and sends information about these activities back to the bad actors that infected your device. Shortened battery life often goes hand-in-hand with increased data usage due to the activities of the spyware.Taking screenshots, copying and pasting text, recording your conversations, and possibly taking photos or recording video can eat up battery life at an alarming rate. This is especially obvious when your smartphone is supposedly idle.If you’re not sure whether it’s just an old battery or actual spy software, test this by trying a different set of batteries or checking your device’s battery in a different device. Then, monitor the battery usage.Sorry iPhone users, your device’s batteries are not removable. But, you can make a Genius Bar appointment and they can check your battery for you. Users running iOS 14 and up can take advantage of a privacy feature that alerts you when an app on your device is using its camera or microphone.If an app is using your iPhone’s camera, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:If an app is using your iPhone’s built-in microphone, you’ll see an indicator light up at the top of your device’s screen, as shown here:While it is perfectly normal to see either of these indicators light up when apps are using either the camera or the mic, seeing them light up when you’re not actively recording video or audio should serve as a warning sign that something might be up.It’s easy to check your device to find out which apps currently have access to your device’s microphone or camera.On the iPhone, do the following:On an Android Device, do the following:These instructions are for generic Android 10. The steps will be similar for customized versions of Android 10 or for other versions of Android. Check with your device’s manufacturer for more information.While increased battery temperature can be a sign of multiple technical issues, it can also indicate that unauthorized activities, like spyware activities, are occurring in the background.If you haven’t used your smartphone recently, and it’s just been sitting idle on your desk, it shouldn’t be warm or hot to the touch. If it is overly warm, then spyware could be working behind the scenes, collecting information, and sending it back to the bad actors’ home base.Your smartphone, much like a Mac or Windows PC, attempts to shut down all active processes before turning itself off or when it is rebooted.And, much like your computer, occasionally those processes can hang up and either prevent or greatly slow the shutdown process. While this can happen to any device, you may notice that it is happening more often than usual if your device has been infected with spyware.You may notice that your smartphone takes longer than usual to shut down right after you’ve finished an active period with your mobile phone. This could mean the spyware is working in the background, saving its ill-gotten information and sending it back to home base.In addition to slowing the shutdown process of your smartphone, spyware can also prevent your device from shutting down or rebooting completely.Again, this can be caused by a harmless app misbehaving, but if it just started happening recently, or is happening more often than not, your device might be infected with spyware. (Did anyone else hear Jeff Foxworthy say that last sentence in their head? Just me? Okay.)High-end smartphones made in the last five years or so should run fast and not show many performance issues during day-to-day use. If you notice your smartphone is lagging, performing much worse than usual, or is suddenly running out of resources like memory or storage space, it might be infected with spyware.This is tougher to tell with older smartphones or low-priced budget handsets like you get off the rack at Walgreens. But, if you pay attention to how your smartphone usually performs, you can usually tell if something is going on.As mentioned above, there is no lack of spying apps available for smartphones. A few popular examples are:All the spyware listed above can monitor and record text messages and phone conversations.With these monitoring apps, a bad guy can take control of your mobile phone’s microphone and listen to everything that happens in your immediate surroundings or even record your phone calls.Furthermore, the more advanced applications can even steal your passwords, use your camera to physically spy on you, or even lock your cell phone completely so you can’t use it anymore.So, is there a way to find out whether spyware is installed on your device? If so, how can you remove it? Here’s how.The following instructions are for generic Android 10 devices. Your cell phone or mobile device may be running a different version of Android. However, the process should be similar on many versions of Android. Android device vendors can also make changes to settings menus, so your layout may look different.However, keep in mind that many spy apps do not use the actual name of the monitoring tool, but instead use a fake name to hide it. You should delete any unknown apps on your device.If you’re suspicious, I recommend visiting your cellular provider’s nearest store or going to an electronics store, like Best Buy. Their tech team, known as the “Geek Squad,” can help you delete any file that belongs to spy software.In addition, you can also use the Google Play Store “Google Play Protect” feature to scan your installed apps for any harmful behavior. It won’t detect all spy apps, but it’s another weapon to battle the nosy apps. Do the following:These steps are for generic Android 10. Steps on other recent versions of Android should be similar.Your apps will be scanned for any suspicious behavior.Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems are locked down, preventing apps from being installed from outside of the App Store.It’s true that you can jailbreak an iOS device, which allows installing apps from other sources. However, jailbreaking requires physical access to your mobile device, making it tougher for a bad guy (or a nosy spouse) to install spyware on the device.If you have jailbroken your iPhone, any of the software you install from the Cydia App Store or another jailbreak app repository could include malicious code. So be aware of that danger if you’re considering jailbreaking your handset.While this will prevent the installation of some of the nastiest spyware available out there, Apple does allow some apps in their App Store that can be used as spyware.These apps are usually marketed to parents for monitoring their kids’ usage, GPS location, and online activities. Unfortunately, a suspicious partner, employer, or other nosy individuals can also use them to track your usage. But, keep in mind that they would need access to your mobile device and would need to know your device passcode and iCloud password.mSpy is one of the apps available in the App Store for tracking purposes, and if you read the reviews of this app and similar apps, many of the reviews are from users looking to catch a cheating spouse.Keep in mind, if you simply want to keep tabs on your kids’ (or your spouse’s) GPS location, Apple includes their “Find My” service that does just that as a built-in free service in iOS.If you’re afraid that someone has installed spyware on your iOS device, changing your iCloud password will in most cases stop the app’s monitoring.You can also search for and delete the app from your mobile device by entering the App Store app and searching for “spy” or a similar search term.If an app shows “OPEN” in the list, that means the app is installed on your device. Find the app icon on your device’s Home screen, then tap and hold on the icon until a pop-up menu appears. Tap on “Remove App” from the pop-up menu. Bye-bye spy app.There have certainly been reports of unintentional security and privacy vulnerabilities that were discovered in iOS and its apps in the past, allowing access by certain strains of spyware and malware.Although these vulnerabilities have been fixed by now, there are always new threats popping up from time to time. Luckily, Apple does a decent job of keeping these bugs squashed with iOS updates, so be sure to keep your iPhone or iPad updated. (Go to the Settings app, tap “General,” then tap “Software Update” to check for available updates.)If your iPhone or iPad has been out of your sight for an extended period of time, you can simply update your device by following the steps in the previous paragraph.You can also update iOS by connecting your iOS device to your Windows PC or Mac and updating the operating system via iTunes (or via Finder on macOS Catalina or higher). This should remove any jailbreak while disabling any spy app requiring a jailbroken device.Pro tip: You can also manually backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes in Windows or macOS (or in Finder if you’re using macOS Catalina or later).I’m just kidding, there isn’t a solution. That’s because there really isn’t any true spyware available for the Windows Phone platform. (At least not that I could find.)This is likely due to the lack of success of the Windows Phone platform, meaning there isn’t much of a financial incentive to write spyware for it. (If you do know of any spyware on this platform, please let me know in the comments below.)A factory reset is a last-resort option for both Android and iOS cell phones. Resetting your cell phone to its factory settings will delete all third-party apps – which means any spy software will be removed as well.If you elect to do this, I strongly recommend creating a backup of your contacts, photos, and other important files you don’t want to lose. Trust me, you will miss them once they’re gone.Again, this process may vary on your Android device. Check with your mobile device’s manufacturer for more information.After resetting your cell phone to its factory settings, I suggest that you download and install an app called AppNotifier that will notify you whenever a new application is installed on your mobile phone. Once the app is installed, whenever someone installs something on your phone on the sly, you should receive a heads-up about it.Another way to reset your iPhone back to the factory settings is via iTunes.Generally, many people that fall victim to spy software are not even aware of the fact that it’s happening.Once you discover that someone has been spying on you, your first reaction may be disbelief (likely followed by anger). Whether it was with personal or business intent, the impact can be hard to cope with upon discovery.If your cell phone is showing any of the signs listed above that suggest that someone might be spying or using a stalking app against you, I strongly recommend that you follow the above solutions for your Android or iOS device.Perhaps it’s not a spy software tool causing any of these signs, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!If you are actually being stalked, in the U.S., I urge you to call the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime at 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846). If you are based in the U.K., call Paladin at 020 3866 4107.Sadly, yes. While it isn’t possible on iOS devices, due to the operating system’s sandboxing security, it is possible for apps to intercept your WhatsApp messages on Android devices. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article.As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device. Some remote spying apps will allow you to track the location of an iPhone, but you’d require the user’s iCloud login and password to enable the tracking of the device. Anything more than that and you’d require physical access.There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capability of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app. To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above.As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously.To block your phone from being tracked, turn off the cellular and WiFi radios (turning on “Airplane Mode” does this). Disable your device’s GPS radio or turn off “Location Services.” On most Android devices, you can also shutdown the phone and remove the battery. It isn’t possible to remove the battery from an iPhone. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. (Um, especially the part about turning it off.)Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a 2014 interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off. It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off.The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on. Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down.Spyware comes in various forms. These can include:If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device’s data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device’s screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device’s battery life suddenly decreasing. These are just some of the indicators.Stalkerware (spyware) can monitor your smartphone to record your location, which websites you visit, and the apps you use. Stalkerware can also record all of the keystrokes you make on your phone, meaning it can record all of the text you enter, including texts, emails, and login/password information,Many times, stalkerware is installed by a nosy spouse to track their partner and their actions. It can also be installed by parents on their offspring’s phones to monitor their actions. Organizations also install it on employees’ phones to ensure company-provided devices are used properly.First of all, make sure your smartphone never leaves your sight. In most cases installing spyware on your device requires physical access to the device. So keeping your phone in your possession will help prevent any spyware from being installed.Also, make sure to lock your smartphone using a secure and unique passcode or password. Also, enable face or fingerprint authentication, which means the device will only unlock for you.Contents [hide]

Sadly, yes. While it isn’t possible on iOS devices, due to the operating system’s sandboxing security, it is possible for apps to intercept your WhatsApp messages on Android devices. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article.

As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device. Some remote spying apps will allow you to track the location of an iPhone, but you’d require the user’s iCloud login and password to enable the tracking of the device. Anything more than that and you’d require physical access.

There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capability of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app. To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above.As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously.

To block your phone from being tracked, turn off the cellular and WiFi radios (turning on “Airplane Mode” does this). Disable your device’s GPS radio or turn off “Location Services.” On most Android devices, you can also shutdown the phone and remove the battery. It isn’t possible to remove the battery from an iPhone. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. (Um, especially the part about turning it off.)

Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a 2014 interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off. It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off.The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on. Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down.

Spyware comes in various forms. These can include:

If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device’s data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device’s screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device’s battery life suddenly decreasing. These are just some of the indicators.

Stalkerware (spyware) can monitor your smartphone to record your location, which websites you visit, and the apps you use. Stalkerware can also record all of the keystrokes you make on your phone, meaning it can record all of the text you enter, including texts, emails, and login/password information,Many times, stalkerware is installed by a nosy spouse to track their partner and their actions. It can also be installed by parents on their offspring’s phones to monitor their actions. Organizations also install it on employees’ phones to ensure company-provided devices are used properly.

First of all, make sure your smartphone never leaves your sight. In most cases installing spyware on your device requires physical access to the device. So keeping your phone in your possession will help prevent any spyware from being installed.Also, make sure to lock your smartphone using a secure and unique passcode or password. Also, enable face or fingerprint authentication, which means the device will only unlock for you.

VPN testing methodology

Devices with monitoring or spy software put on them will act differently from untampered ones. The following are some indications that your actions are watched, your phone has been hacked or tracked by spy software:1. Battery depletion more quickly: Spy software uses battery and device resources while active in the background. As a consequence, your device’s battery will discharge more quickly as a result of this.2. Unusual noises during calls: If you experience odd background sounds while talking, it’s conceivable that someone is using a monitoring device to listen in on your calls. It is a symptom of a compromised phone.3. The appliance is overheating: An app that updates data in the cloud would use many resources continuously, increasing the risk of the device overheating.4. Increased use of data: The spy software will use many data since it transmits the device report to the monitoring person. You can notice this in the expanded data use on your smartphone. But remember that more than one indication is needed to guarantee anything. If all three of these symptoms coexist, you’ll want to know how to handle the issue.5. Abnormally asking for permission: Some applications may request unnecessary rights. For example, why is a note app requesting camera use permission? Why is a culinary app requesting permission to record voice? Keep this in mind when it occurs. If you have a pop-up camera on your phone—yes, they do exist—and it pops up without your intervention, that implies certain applications are covertly snapping pictures.

Unfortunately, hackers may easily get access to your phone. For them, it may be as easy as requiring you to click a link or install an app. It may be challenging to get the program off your phone after it’s installation. Sometimes, you may not even be aware that it is there.So, how can you find malware on an iPhone or an Android device? If you feel Someone is spying on you and you need to learn how to detect or track them, this section serves as a guide!For iPhone:Jailbreak: Apple does not allow the installation of spying or monitoring technologies. Because of this, if someone wants to put surveillance software on your phone, they must jailbreak it first. Jailbreaking entails eliminating the security constraints that Apple put in place for iOS. While jailbreaking an iPhone may improve access to iOS’s fundamental features, it exposes your device to several security dangers.Install software from outside Apple’s App Store: The Cydia software is installed when an iPhone is jailbroken, which might reveal the jailbreak. Because of this, if you discover the Cydia software on your iPhone and you didn’t jailbreak your device, it implies someone else did it secretly and maliciously.Accept invitations from find my iPhone without knowing: By default, you cannot tell the device is being seen with Find My iPhone. However, you can activate the System Service’s status bar icon so that when any system service location tracking is enabled, the device displays the location services symbol in the status bar.Using free/open/public WiFi spots: A public WiFi Internet connection implies that hackers can read your data since it does not need authentication. Additionally, the administrator of the WiFi network may be able to observe the websites you visit and may even sell your information.For Android: Rooted: The Android equivalent of eliminating OS limitations and gaining superuser access to the device’s essential features is rooting an Android smartphone. But like jailbreaking, rooting Android comes with several security dangers.Download virus: Malicious software called Stealthy Thief can trick Android smartphone users into believing their devices have been off. In reality, they are still active and vulnerable to misuse.

Short codes can also be used to check if messages and data are secure and whether your phone is being monitored. This section provides code and instructions to secure smartphones against potential tracking.*#21#Using this code, you can check if calls, messages, and other data are being diverted. It will display the type of diversion and the number to which the information is diverted on your phone screen.*#62#If your calls, messages, and data appear to be diverted, use this code to identify the destination. It is likely that your voice calls have been directed to a number provided by your cellular provider.##002#To avoid the possibility of accrued charges due to auto-redirection, using a universal code to switch off all redirection settings on your phone is recommended before roaming.*#06#This code can be used to determine your IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identifier). Knowing this number can help you recover a lost or stolen phone, as its location is transmitted to the network operator even when a different SIM is inserted. Additionally, knowing someone else’s IMEI number enables one to identify the model and technical characteristics of their phone.

You may use the following methods to get rid of spy applications from your phone if you’re wondering, “Is my phone being monitored using a spy app?” -Delete manually from the Apps manager: Suppose you believe your smartphone is watched. In that case, tap the Apps Manager option in your device settings and manually uninstall the app since spy software will remove its icon and operate covertly in the background. No matter how sophisticated a spy program is or how hard it tries to conceal its existence, it will always be visible in Apps Manager, even if it pretends to be another crucial system function.Update the OS on your device: Updating the operating system on your smartphone is another efficient way to get rid of a spy program. Like other software, spy applications rely substantially on OS compatibility to function. The surveillance software could not function correctly after updating your phone’s OS, which would eliminate the danger. When you use iTunes to update the iOS on an iPhone, it will uninstall any apps you may have installed after jailbreaking the device.Reset the factory settings: You may conduct a factory reset on your smartphone to get rid of the spy software if you can’t discover it or if there has yet to be an OS upgrade published for your model. Your smartphone’s factory reset will erase all the data and applications, including the Spy software. However, this approach should be the final one you attempt to remove the spyware since you will lose all the files on your device.How can you safeguard your phone?You must always maintain your phone security so that you won’t need to be watchful of the symptoms that indicate someone installed a surveillance app.Here’s how to safeguard your phone from spy applications. -Use a password to unlock the phone: If you keep your phone password-protected, they won’t be able to install the spy program since every surveillance app requires physical access on the target device. It will shield your phone from unwanted access in addition to installing surveillance applications.Don’t jailbreak or root your phone: If you jailbreak or root your phone, malware may be able to install additional apps—including surveillance apps—without your knowledge. So, to prevent being watched, you install applications after rooting or jailbreaking your phone with great caution, or you don’t.Install an app for security: Utilising a security or antivirus program may reduce your device’s vulnerability to malware or spyware installation. Any dangerous apps installed on your phone will be immediately detected and reported to you by these.Update your device: Always maintain your device’s OS and firmware up to date to address any security flaws in older software.Avoid installing untrusted apps: You risk unintentionally downloading spyware or malware if you continue to install every other program you come across. Make sure an app is from a reputable developer before installing it.

Kids are fascinated by applications from unknown sources. Therefore, they may download certain unsuitable apps when using their gadgets, unlike adults who may be concerned about the safety of these unverified programs. So, how can you tell whether your child’s smartphone has downloaded an untrusted app? I endorse FamiSafe: Program Blocker as a strong and dependable parental control app. Have a quick look at this video to know how FamiSafe works:You can quickly see which applications your kid has loaded or removed using this app’s Software Blocker & Usage function. You will get notifications as soon as they install an untrusted app. Just prohibit any worthless applications. You may ban any program that is unsafe for your kid with this tool!Thinking, “Is my phone being tracked?” may be frightful since you know that if your doubt is valid, then all your personal information on the phone might be at risk. The tracker might obtain your smartphone’s user account information, contact list information, email, and other information.This could expose your family to hazards along the road. Thus, we’ve provided you with some advice about “how to identify whether your Android is hacked.” So, follow the tips above to delete the spy software from your phone after ensuring there has been no hacking.