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Apple values privacy and is dedicated to keeping your iPhone secure. Apps can only access your iPhone microphone and camera if you give them permission. Not only that, but when any app does that, your iPhone will let you know. Here’s how to check what app is using your camera or microphone on your iPhone.
Why You’ll Love This Tip:
- Easily see which iPhone apps are using your microphone, camera, or location.
- Figure out if you need to uninstall apps that access your private data.
How to See Which Apps Are Using Your iPhone Camera or Microphone
System Requirements
This tip works on iPhones running iOS 16 or later. Find out how to update to the latest version of iOS.
Ever seen a green or orange dot on your iPhone? If you’re wondering what these dots mean, it means your iPhone is trying to let you know that an app on your device has used the camera or microphone recently. You can also see other colored dots, which will let you know information like if an app used your location. Now, here’s how to test if your phone is listening to you:
- When you see colored dots appear at the top of the iPhone, swipe down from the top right corner to open the Control Center.
![iphone home screen with a red box around the right side of the status bar and a red arrow pointing downward, indicating to swipe down from the upper right edge of the screen]( "open control center on iPhone or iPad")
- You’ll see a series of icons with the names of apps that accessed the camera, microphone, or location recently, which you can tap.
![iphone control center with a red box around privacy icons at the top of the control center]( "see camera microphone location icons")
- When you tap that, you’ll open a window called Privacy, which will list apps and services that have used your camera, microphone, or location recently.
![iphone control center displaying privacy window displaying which apps have recently used the camera, microphone, and location]( "see all apps and services using iPhone camera microphone and location services")
That’s how to see what app is using your camera, microphone, or location. Next, find out how to turn off the microphone on your iPhone. For more iPhone security and privacy advice, sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter.
