As much as we can’t picture living life without our iPhones, which provide so many conveniences, there’s one thing we wouldn’t miss should all the iPhones in the world disappear: privacy issues.
As long as you own an iPhone, you own a tracking device — sad but true. Your smartphone detects and stores your locations, your contacts, your shopping habits, you name it. This is all well and good when it serves you and makes your day-to-day life easier to manage. But where things get tricky is if you suspect someone may be tracking your iPhone. At this point you suddenly remember all of the sensitive information contained in your phone and you want to act — fast.
Here’s how to tell if someone is tracking your iPhone so that you can fix the issue ASAP.
Hidden Application
Someone could be controlling your phone via hidden applications, but it’s no difficult to figure out if you have apps on your phone that you don’t know about (yet). Head to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Scroll down to view all of your apps. If you stumble across one that looks unfamiliar, simply click on it and delete it.
Microphone & Camera
A green privacy indicator lights up on the top of your iPhone whenever an app accessed the microphone or camera. And an orange light at the top can indicate that someone is secretly using your microphone access to record your conversations. If these indicators have you concerned about your privacy, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > enable Lockdown Mode.
Battery Drainage
Even if your phone isn’t exactly a superstar when it comes to maintaining battery life for very long, something hits different when your device has been tracked. You may notice battery drainage unlike anything your phone has experienced before, and this could be one of your first clues that something is rotten. Go to Settings > Battery > scroll down and check out battery usage by app. Here you’ll be able to see if there’s a strange app you didn’t download that appears on the list of battery drainers. If there is, delete it right away.
The thought of someone infiltrating your phone and all of your private data can be nerve-wracking. But knowing that you can check your phone for signs of someone tracking your device may put your mind a bit more at ease.
