This article has been updated since it was published on February 21, 2022.
Is there anything creepier than suspecting someone is following your every move on your iPhone? It can be all too easy to gain access to someone’s iPhone and find out where they go and which sites they browse — even what they purchase. But keeping yourself aware of the signs that your privacy has been breached is the one way to ensure you are as protected as possible. Tech Expert Aimee White, the co-owner of Keyboard Kings, tells us the scary way you can tell if your iPhone is being tracked.
How can you tell if your iPhone is being tracked?
There are a few ways in which you can tell if you’re being tracked on your iPhone. “To begin with, if your phone has suspicious apps installed that you didn’t install yourself, this is a clear indication,” White says. “In addition to this, the browser history of websites you’ve not accessed is another easy way to tell if someone is tracking your phone.
Sometimes a decreased battery life can be an indication of tracking, especially if it links with any of the other ways we have suggested. If calls are experiencing a lot of interference that isn’t linked to signal issues or background noise, this can point towards a tracked phone.”
It can be difficult to determine what is tracking and what is as a result of an older device, White notes. “If your phone is receiving emails and text messages from unknown sources, then there is the potential that spyware has been installed, and your phone is being tracked.”
Some other signs that your iPhone could be the victim of tracking include suspicious behaviors like your phone just turning off randomly or rebooting without you doing this yourself.
Receiving a number of text messages from callers you don’t know that include a ton of random codes may also be a sign that spyware has been installed on your phone.
What can you do if you suspect your phone is being tracked?
Okay, so now that you suspect your iPhone is being tracked, don’t panic — BUT do make sure you take steps to correct the issue.
“If you think your phone may be tracked, the best thing you can do is to tighten its security,” White says. “A lot of people are unaware of these settings on an iPhone. To begin with, I would recommend placing your phone on airplane mode and turning off the Wi-Fi, this will prevent anyone tracking the phone from being able to see your activity.
Once you have done this, you will want to alter your privacy settings and disable location services and the access that specific apps have to your location and personal details.. This will stop any location monitoring and keep you and your activity safe overall.”
And if you are still concerned about tracking or hacking, White reminds speaking to a professional, and potentially changing your number and handset as a precaution.
