Knowing how to check if a mobile app is tracking your activities can help you understand what information an app can access and how it may use your data. Many legitimate apps collect information for features such as location services, advertising, analytics, or personalised content. You can review app permissions, privacy settings, and background activity on your phone to identify apps with unusually broad access.
Check App Permissions
Start by reviewing the permissions granted to your installed apps.
On Android, open Settings and look for Apps, Permissions, or Permission Manager. On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security to review which apps can access different types of information.
Check location access
Review camera and microphone permissions
Check contacts and photos access
Look at other sensitive permissions
Check Location Tracking
Location access can allow an app to determine where your phone is.
Review which apps have access to your location and whether they can access it only while you are using the app or in the background.
Open your phone’s privacy settings
Select Location
Review apps with location access
Remove unnecessary access
Check Camera and Microphone Access
Review which apps have permission to use your camera or microphone.
Modern Android and iPhone devices can display indicators when these sensors are being accessed, depending on the operating system version.
Check camera permissions
Check microphone permissions
Pay attention to unexpected access indicators
Disable access for apps that do not need it
Review Background Activity
Some apps can continue performing activities when you are not actively using them.
Check your phone’s battery or mobile-data settings to see which apps are using significant resources in the background.
Open Battery settings
Review app activity
Check mobile-data usage
Investigate unusually high usage
Check Privacy Reports and Activity Logs
Some newer phones provide privacy dashboards or reports showing when apps have accessed sensitive information.
On iPhone, features such as App Privacy Report can provide information about data and sensor access. Android devices may provide similar information through the Privacy Dashboard.
Open your privacy settings
Look for privacy reports or dashboards
Review recent access
Investigate unfamiliar activity
Review the App’s Privacy Information
Check the app’s privacy information to understand what data it says it collects and why.
You can usually find this information in the app store listing or the app’s privacy settings.
Check the app’s privacy information
Review the types of data collected
Look at how the information is used
Consider whether the permissions are necessary
Remove Suspicious or Unnecessary Apps
If an app has permissions that do not appear necessary for its function, consider restricting its access or uninstalling it.
Only install apps from reputable sources and keep your phone’s operating system updated.
Restrict unnecessary permissions
Uninstall apps you do not trust
Keep your phone updated
Avoid installing apps from unknown sources
Check for Unfamiliar Apps
Look through your complete list of installed applications and identify anything you do not recognise.
An unfamiliar app does not automatically mean that your phone is being monitored, but it is worth investigating before allowing it to remain installed.
Review installed apps
Search for unfamiliar app names
Check when apps were installed where your phone provides this information
Remove suspicious applications
