KSNF/KODE — iPhone users have been warned about a mysterious orange and green dot that can mean they’re being spied on. In 2020, Apple unveiled a feature for its iPhones that informs users when the microphone or camera is being accessed.
Apple said the goal with this feature is to prevent malicious apps from spying on users. The phone does this by displaying either an orange dot, or a green dot on the top right corner of your screen.
An orange dot means that the phone’s microphone is being used by an app, while a green dot indicator means the camera is being accessed. It can also mean that both the camera and microphone are being used by an app on your phone. The colored indicators first appeared when Apple released iOS 14.
To view or manage these symbols and indicators: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
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To find which apps may be causing you to see a green or orange dot, you’ll need to access the iPhone’s “Control Center,” by swiping down on the screen, starting from the top-right corner. Once the phone’s Control Center is open you can find out which app(s) are able to access your phone’s camera, microphone, or both. If you suspect an app is using the camera and/or microphone maliciously it is recommended that you immediately delete the app.
There are ways to protect your iPhone and yourself from apps that practice malicious activity, such as spying. One way is denying an app’s ability to access your iPhone’s microphone or camera. You can check on each app’s permissions by going into the iPhone’s “Settings.” Step-by-step instructions can be found HERE.
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Something to keep in mind: Just because the circular lights appear at the top of your phone’s screen, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re being spied on by a rogue app. Anytime you access an app that uses the device’s camera and/or microphone (such as Facetime, Voice Memos, or the iPhone Camera), the colored circles will show.
Now that you know what these illuminated symbols represent, there’s no need to worry when you see that orange or green glow — unless they shine unexpectedly.
