How to Tell If Your Phone Is Hacked or Being Spied On

Your battery drains in a few hours, your phone feels warm even when you are not using it, and friends say they got messages from you that you never sent. Before you panic, know that the cause is almost always harmless. Sometimes, though, these are signs of a spy app or a compromised account. If you are wondering “is my phone hacked?”, this guide shows you how to tell if your phone is hacked or being spied on, which checks to run in 10 minutes on Android and iPhone, and what to do right away if your suspicion is justified.

Is my phone hacked or being spied on? What it really means

People use “hacked phone” to describe very different situations. It helps to tell them apart, because the fix is different for each:

• Spy apps (stalkerware): a program installed by someone who had physical access to your phone, often a partner or an ex. It reads your messages, tracks your location, and sends your photos to another person.
• Malware: a malicious app you installed by mistake, usually from outside the official app stores or from a link in a text message. It can show ads, steal passwords, or capture banking details.
• A compromised account: your phone is clean, but someone knows the password to your Google, Apple, WhatsApp, or social media account and logs in from another device. This is the most common case.
• SIM swapping: a scammer convinces your carrier to move your number to a SIM card they control, so they receive your calls and text message codes instead of you.

Movie-style spyware that can get into a phone without a single tap does exist, but it is used against very specific targets such as journalists, activists, and politicians. For most people, the real risks are the first four situations above.

10 signs your phone may be spied on

1. The battery drains much faster than it used to

A spy app works constantly in the background: recording, tracking, and sending data. If your battery suddenly collapses and your habits have not changed, check which apps are using it.

2. The phone gets hot even when idle

Some warmth during games, video, or charging is normal. A phone that is hot while sitting on the table with the screen off deserves a closer look.

3. Data usage has gone up for no reason

Spy apps have to send out whatever they collect. Mobile data use that is far higher than usual and tied to an app you do not recognize is one of the more reliable warning signs.

4. There are apps you do not remember installing

They often have generic names like “System Service,” “Sync,” or “Device Health,” or a plain-looking icon. Some hide their icon entirely and only show up in the full list of installed apps.

5. Ads and pop-ups appear everywhere

Full-screen ads on your home screen or while you use other apps are the classic sign of adware, one of the most common types of malware on Android.

6. Your accounts send messages you did not write

If friends receive odd links from you on WhatsApp, Instagram, or email, it almost always points to a compromised account rather than an infected phone.

7. You receive verification codes you did not request

A text with a login code you never asked for means someone is trying to get into one of your accounts. Never share it with anyone, even if they claim to be customer support or a friend.

8. Your phone suddenly loses service

If you lose signal and it does not come back, while people near you on the same carrier have coverage, contact your carrier right away from another phone. A SIM swap may be in progress.

9. The microphone or camera turns on by itself

Recent versions of Android and iPhone show a small indicator (a green or orange dot, or an icon in the top bar) when an app is using the camera or microphone. If you see it while you are not using any app that needs them, find out which app it is.

10. Settings have changed and you do not remember changing them

An app with “accessibility” or “device administrator” permissions, an unknown configuration profile on an iPhone, call forwarding turned on: these are changes a person or a malicious app might make to take control of your phone.

Harmless or dangerous? A table to help you decide

How to check your phone in 10 minutes

On Android

1. Review the full list of apps: open Settings, go to the apps section, and scroll through everything, including system apps. Look for names you do not recognize and check when they were installed.
2. Check the most sensitive permissions: in the accessibility settings and in the device admin apps list (usually under the security settings), there should be no apps you do not know. These are the permissions spy apps like best.
3. Open the privacy dashboard: in the privacy settings you can see which apps used the camera, microphone, and location in the past few hours.
4. Run a Google Play Protect scan: open the Play Store, tap your profile picture, choose Play Protect, and start a scan.
5. Look at battery and data usage: the battery and network settings show which apps use the most.

On iPhone

1. Use Safety Check: in Settings > Privacy & Security you will find a tool that lets you see and revoke, in one go, the people and apps that have access to your data and location.
2. Check installed profiles: in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management there should be no profiles you do not recognize, unless the phone is issued by an employer.
3. Check the devices signed in to your Apple Account: tap your name at the top of Settings and scroll down to the list of devices. Remove any you do not recognize.
4. See which apps use the microphone and camera: under Privacy & Security, each permission shows the list of apps that have been granted access.
5. Update iOS: updates close the security holes that spyware exploits. If you have jailbroken your phone, keep in mind that you have turned off many of its protections.

On any phone: your accounts and phone number

• Google: in the Security section of your Google Account, review your signed-in devices and recent activity.
• WhatsApp: in Settings > Linked Devices there should be only the devices you use. An unknown computer linked through WhatsApp Web can read all your chats.
• Social media and email: almost every service has a list of active logins, with a button to sign out of other devices.
• Call forwarding: dial *#21# to see whether your calls are being forwarded to another number. If you did not set it up, you can cancel all forwarding with ##002# or ask your carrier.

What to do if your phone is hacked or spied on

1. From another, safe device, change your passwords for your main accounts: email, Google or Apple, banking, social media. Start with your email, because it can be used to recover all your other accounts.
2. Turn on passkeys or two-step verification wherever possible and sign out of all active sessions. Passkeys are the best option, and we explain them in our guide to what passkeys are and how to set them up.
3. Uninstall suspicious apps and revoke accessibility and device administrator permissions. If an app will not uninstall, remove its administrator permission first.
4. Update your operating system and all your apps.
5. If doubt remains, do a factory reset. It is the most reliable way to get rid of a spy app. Save your photos and contacts first, but do not restore a full backup of your apps, or you risk reinstalling the spy app too.
6. Tell your bank if you use banking apps or payment cards on the phone, and review your transactions.
7. If you suspect a SIM swap, call your carrier immediately and ask them to lock the SIM and review recent changes on your number.

An important note about spy apps installed by someone close to you. If you think a partner or ex is monitoring your phone, consider your safety before removing the app: the person spying on you will notice. You can preserve evidence (screenshots of the app and your settings) and reach out for help to a domestic abuse helpline (in the US the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233; in the UK the National Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Refuge, 0808 2000 247) or to the police. Stalkerware installed on your phone without your knowledge is a crime.

How to protect your phone from now on

• Lock your screen with a PIN of at least 6 digits plus fingerprint or face unlock, and never share your code. Almost all spy apps are installed by someone who has had your phone in their hands.
• Install apps only from official stores and be wary of apps that ask for accessibility permissions without a clear reason.
• Do not open links in text messages about parcels, fines, or problems with your bank: they are the front door for malware. You can read about the newest tricks in our guide to AI-powered scams and phishing.
• Keep your system and apps up to date at all times.
• Add a PIN to your SIM and, where your carrier offers it, a security passcode for any changes to your number.
• If you are a high-risk target (journalist, activist, executive), consider Lockdown Mode on iPhone, which drastically reduces the ways you can be attacked.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone spy on my phone with just my number?

For an ordinary person, it is very unlikely. Apps that promise to “spy on a phone using only the number” are almost always scams. The real risk is that someone has physical access to your phone or knows the passwords to your accounts.

Does the code *#06# show whether my phone is being spied on?

No. It only displays your phone’s IMEI number. To check call forwarding, use *#21#. No dial code can tell you whether a spy app is installed.

Is antivirus software enough?

On Android, a reputable antivirus can help find the best-known malicious apps, and Play Protect is already on by default. But it does not replace checking permissions, accounts, and linked devices. On iPhone, antivirus apps are very limited in what they can do.

Does a factory reset remove everything?

It erases the apps and data on the phone, including almost all spy apps. It does not protect your accounts: if someone knows your password, they can keep getting in until you change it.

Can iPhones not be spied on?

They are more locked down, but not invulnerable. The most common risks are an Apple Account with a stolen password, a configuration profile installed through trickery, or an unlocked phone in the wrong hands.

Key takeaways

• Battery drain, heat, and slowness alone are not enough: what matters is signs that appear together and suddenly.
• The most reliable signs are unknown apps, accessibility or administrator permissions you did not grant, linked devices you do not recognize, and messages sent without your knowledge.
• Check your accounts and phone number too, not just the phone: the most common case is a compromised account.
• If your suspicion is justified: new passwords from another device, passkeys, removing the apps, updates, and, if needed, a factory reset.