Can you imagine your phone being monitored? If you think your phone is safe then you should think again. You may not be aware of this but there are many spying apps available that can be installed on your phone without you knowing.
You would never know if your phone is being monitored or not. The only way to locate spyware on Android and iOS phones is to know the right way to do so. If you want to protect your phone from unwanted Android and iPhone spy apps, then you need to be more careful.
By learning how to tell if your cell phone has been hacked, tapped or monitored by spy software you can protect your privacy. So if you want to know the right way to detect spyware on your phone then you are in the right place. In this article, we will suggest ways that can help you detect spyware on your cell phone.
Why people use mobile spyware apps?
iPhone and Android spy apps are apps that are designed to track a person’s mobile phone activities. All you need to do is install the app on the target’s phone. The apps are designed in a way that can be used discreetly and therefore, it’s hard to detect them.
With the help of these apps, you can track all the activities that are going on in the target’s phone. From tracking phone calls to viewing messages and social media, you can monitor everything. They even give you real-time location information on your target device.
Every individual has his/her reasons to use these apps. A spyware app is mainly used by parents to keep a check on their kid’s mobile activities. This helps them know who their kids are talking to, what they are talking about and everything else. They will have better control over their kid’s discipline with the help of these apps.
Spy apps are also used by employers to keep a check on their employees’ activities. This might be seen as an invasion of privacy but many employers do it, of course, is a legal way. This is why you should know the ways to know when your phone is being monitored. If you know signs then you can protect your phone and privacy.
Ways to know if your phone is tapped
No matter how discreet a spy app is, there’s always a way to detect it on your phone. You just have to know the right method. If you pay extra attention to the details of your phone, you can easily find it out by yourself, here is what you should do:
1. Unwanted apps
You know the apps which you downloaded and installed on your phone. If all of a sudden you notice a new app in your device that you cannot recognize then chances are that your phone has tampered.
Most of the spy apps are disguised as other apps. This is why you cannot recognize them easily. However, if you are sure that you haven’t installed that app then probably someone else has done it. In this case, the first thing you should do is delete the app from your phone.
2. Receiving suspicious messages
Are you receiving odd texts on your phone? If yes, then you should consider checking your phone once. Many spy apps send weird texts with no meaning. You receive these texts because the spy app is trying to adjust some background functioning on your phone.
This is one of the best ways to know can someone hack your phone and read your texts?. There are times when you can figure out the person tracking your phone with the help of these texts.
3. The battery is draining much faster
You probably know how much battery your phone needs in a given day. If a spy app is running stealthily in the background, it will drain your phone faster.
This is not a guaranteed way of detecting spyware. But if your battery is running out faster than ever, then there is surely something wrong. There is a 50/50 chance that it is happening because of spyware, so you better check it.
4. Device getting overheated
Is your phone getting overheated more than it should? Does it happen even when you are not using your phone much? Be careful, because there is a very good chance that you have spyware on your phone.
Spy apps are known to use the real-time location of the device. As a result, your GPS is running in the background all the time, and that leads to the overheating of your device.
5. Device malfunctioning
Out of the blue if your device starts to malfunction, maybe someone is tracking your phone. For example, if your phone is showing blue/red light, automated settings and becoming unresponsive then you can be assured your phone has tampered. These are all the signs that indicate your phone being tapped.
6. Increased data usage
When your phone is getting tracked by a tool, it will also send data remotely to another device. As a result, your phone will use up more data. If you notice a spike in your mobile data usage then it can be an indication of your phone being monitored. You can check the details of your data usage from the Settings of your phone.
7. Noise in the background while calling
Another sign of phone tracking is when you hear noises in the background while making a call. This is one of the most obvious ways to know if your phone is being tapped. You should listen to the background noises carefully. If you hear echoes and other noises, be sure that someone has been sneaking around with your phone.
8. Suspicious behavior
This method is not related to your phone. If you notice your employer or parents have started to act differently then it could be that they are spying on your phone. This method is not very effective but you should still keep a close check on the behavior of people around you.
9. Odd browsing history
If you feel that your phone is being tracked then you should check its browsing history. The spyware doesn’t have any relation to your browsing history. But the person who has tampered with your phone must have opened a few links to download the app.
If you find links that are not browsed by you open them and check what’s there in the site. If you come across a site for spyware download, then you know your intuition was right.
10. Phone shutting down unexpectedly
One of the main ways to know whether your phone has been hacked is by examining its behavior. If your phone is shutting down automatically for no reason, then chances are that it has been compromised. If this is happening frequently, then you are advised to check your phone. This is important to protect your privacy.
Read more: How To Figure Out Who Hacked Your Phone?
How to get rid of spyware apps from your phone?
Now that you have detected a spyware app on your phone, you need to get rid of it. But how can you do it? Here are the things you can do to get rid of a spy app on your phone.
1. Delete it manually
The easiest way to get rid of a spyware app is to just delete/uninstall it manually as you do with any other apps. The apps often come disguised as other apps. So make sure that you are deleting the right one.
2. Factory reset your phone
Another great way is to factory reset your phone. This will delete all the apps that you’ve installed but at least it will secure your phone. Once you’ve done a factory reset on your phone, you can download all your favorite apps again easily.
3. Update your device
You should also check and update your phone frequently. This is yet another good way of getting rid of a spyware app. The new operating system of your phone can detect this type of apps. Also, the app may stop working in the newest version.
4. Install an anti-spyware app
You can also install an anti-spyware app. This is probably the best thing you can do to get rid of a tracking app.
How to protect your phone from spyware?
If you are wondering how to stop someone from spying on my cell phone then you should follow the tips given below.
You should always have a strong password lock on your phone. This will prevent others to use your phone when you are not around. Make sure that you use at least the passcode lock as all the other types of locks are easy to open. Also, you should keep changing your password regularly. This way no one will ever get to know your password.
You should have an anti-spyware app installed on your phone. It will help detect the app and notify you.
Monitoring someone’s phone without their permission is not a good habit. In fact, it’s considered invading their privacy. The only time you should be spying on someone’s phone is when it’s your kid and you just want to protect them from online harms.
