Is My Phone Being Tracked?

How to tell if your phone is being tracked

Key signs that can indicate your phone is being tracked include unexpected status icons, a sudden decline in device performance, strange incoming texts, unexplained charges on your phone bill, and suspicious apps that you don’t recognize appearing in your app drawer. Here’s more detail on some of the key red flags of phone tracking.

Status icons appearing

Icons appear in your phone’s status bar when location data is being transmitted or when your camera or microphone is active. If you’re not actively using an app that needs one of these features, an icon appearing could signal that a malicious app is hijacking your phone to capture data or media.

On an Android device, an app using your location, microphone, or camera will be indicated with a green or blue icon at the top of your phone screen. You can tap the icon to find out exactly what app is using it.

On an iPhone, an orange dot in the top-right of your screen means that the microphone is being used, while a green dot means the camera is active. When location services are being used, you’ll see an arrow next to the clock in the status bar.

Poor device performance

If your phone is being tracked with spyware, you’re likely to see an impact on performance. Malicious apps can use significant power and bandwidth as they capture and transmit data, and this usage should stand out compared to your regular habits. Watch out for the following signs:

• Unusual battery drain: Your battery draining faster than normal could be because spyware is constantly collecting your location data or enabling your microphone.

• Overheating: Your phone overheating for no reason can be connected to the same root cause as unusual battery drain — malicious apps consuming system resources.

• High data usage: A tracking app running quietly in the background might be sending data to remote servers, causing consistently high data usage or unusual spikes.

Bear in mind that these performance issues aren’t proof that you’re being tracked, especially in isolation. But if you notice them alongside other warning signs, they might help you confirm what’s going on.

Suspicious apps

Malicious apps that can track your activity are often made to look harmless, perhaps disguised as a weather app or something else you wouldn’t pay much attention to. Plus, legitimate apps can be hijacked and updated by hackers to contain malicious features.

If you notice any new apps you didn’t install, or apps you recognize that seem to have changed significantly, look for more information about whether they’re legitimate or harmful. Sources like app store reviews and Reddit threads can give you insights into whether they pose a risk to your privacy.

And, if you discover a potential issue or are ever in doubt, make sure to uninstall the offending app. You can also use a malware scanner and removal tool to see if other potentially dangerous software is hiding on your phone.

Unusual communications and charges

Unusual activity related to calls, texts, or billing can be red flags that you’re being tracked. Spyware and other tracking apps sometimes interfere with normal communications or generate hidden costs as they capture or transmit data, leaving signs like:

• Strange text messages: Receiving texts with random numbers, symbols, or unfamiliar links could indicate that tracking software is communicating with a remote server. In some cases, these messages are command codes used to control spyware.

• Calls and texts you didn’t make: If you notice outgoing calls or messages in your history that you don’t remember making, it may be infected with malware that gives hackers remote access.

• Unexplained charges: Check your phone bill for unfamiliar premium SMS charges, international texts, or unexpected data overages. Tracking apps that transmit data in the background can increase your usage without you realizing it.

Strange location activity

If someone is tracking your phone, you may notice unusual location behavior or activity tied to your accounts. In particular, frequent location permission request pop-ups or the location icon appearing in your status bar when you’re not using a location-based app should be seen as red flags. In rare cases, you might even see unfamiliar entries in your location history

You can check which apps are using your location data on both Android and iOS devices by following these steps:

• On Android: Open the Settings app, tap Location, then tap App location permissions to check which apps can access location data, and remove access for apps that shouldn’t have it.

• On iOS: Open the Settings app, go to Privacy & Security, and tap Location Services to see a list of apps that can access your location data and change permissions on a per-app basis.

If any apps that don’t have a good reason to use your location have location permissions, consider removing them. And if you notice apps that you don’t recognize at all, think about uninstalling them altogether.

How to stop someone from tracking your phone

If someone is tracking your phone using spyware, the most effective way to stop them is to remove the malicious program that’s compromising your privacy. However, there are some steps you can take in the interim while you figure out if your phone is infected, including turning on airplane mode, checking your location settings, and using a VPN.

Turn on airplane mode

Airplane mode disables practically all of your phone’s wireless transmission signals, including your cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections. Turning it on means that, even if your phone is infected with spyware, no data can be transmitted back to the hacker. That gives you time to find the infection and remove the dangerous program

Here’s how to turn on Airplane mode:

• On iOS, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen > Tap Airplane mode.
• On Android, swipe down from the top of your screen > Tap Airplane mode.

Turn off location services

Turning off location services means your device is cut off from GPS, which in turn prevents harmful apps from accessing data about your location. Keep in mind that this will also affect the functionality of any legitimate app that relies on location data, like Google Maps or fitness trackers.

Here’s how to turn off location services altogether on iOS or Android:

• On iPhones or iPads, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > and toggle Location Services off.

• On Android, open Settings > Location > and toggle the Location setting to Off.

You can also prevent individual apps from accessing your location data in the same settings menus by managing location permissions.

Manage app permissions

Disabling location services entirely isn’t a permanent solution, since much of your phone’s functionality probably relies on location data. However, you can manage permissions on Android or iPhone on a per-app basis, deciding which apps can access your location data depending on whether they need it and whether you trust them.

Here’s how to manage location permissions on both iOS and Android:

• On iOS, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location services > select an app to change its permissions.

• On Android, open Settings > Security and privacy > Permission manager > Location > select an app to change its permissions.

Use a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) sends your internet traffic through a secure, encrypted tunnel that helps keep your activity private. While this won’t necessarily prevent spyware that’s installed on your device from tracking your location, it can help limit web-based tracking.

To set up a VPN, choose a reputable provider, download the VPN app from the official app store on your phone, and then log in or create an account. Finally, follow the on-screen instructions to enable your VPN, including choosing a server location that suits you.

Use a private browser

Some privacy-focused browsers can help block web-based trackers and third-party cookies that are used by advertisers and some cybercriminals. Similarly to VPNs, this option won’t prevent spyware from tracking you if your phone is infected. But using a privacy browser can complement a VPN, helping keep your online activity even more private.

Plus, some privacy-focused browsers, including Avast Secure Browser, also include security features to help you stay safer online. That includes tools to block ads and cookies and force websites to use HTTPS, securing any data you transmit.

Can someone track your phone?

Theoretically, yes, hackers or other cybercriminals can track your phone if it’s infected with sophisticated spyware that hijacks and transmits your location data. However, this type of tracking is unlikely to happen to you, unless perhaps you’re a high-profile politician being targeted by an extremely organized and advanced hacker group.

Beyond that type of tracking, which is particularly invasive and dangerous, your phone activity may be tracked in other less threatening ways. For example, your activity is probably tracked daily by advertisers, who can use tracking cookies and pixels to monitor what websites you visit and what content you consume, for example.

This tracking can be relatively innocent, simply designed to serve you personalized ads. But, to some users, it’s too intrusive, which is why many people use VPNs or privacy-focused browsers. Plus, even if your data is tracked for legitimate reasons, it’s still possible that it’ll end up in the wrong hands later if there’s a data breach. This can then leave you vulnerable to threats like phishing or identity theft.

Who could be tracking your phone?

Depending on your permissions, certain apps, service providers, and web advertisers may be able to track your activity to some extent, but probably not in the sense that they’re monitoring your movements. Other forms of tracking can be used by employers, governments, parents, or even hackers aiming to gather information they can use to commit fraud.

Here’s how your phone can be tracked and by whom:

• Hackers: In the unlikely event your phone has been infected with highly sophisticated spyware, there’s a chance that hackers or cybercriminals could track your location or spy on your communications and browsing activity.

• Advertisers: Online advertisers use tracking cookies, pixels, device ID tags, and IP addresses to build detailed target profiles based on browsing activity. This data is then used to serve personalized ads.

• Social media apps: Some social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok may track your activity on their respective apps to build a more detailed profile of you. This data then informs the kinds of content you see.

• Search engines: The likes of Google and Bing are generally capable of tracking your search history, location data, and other behavioral data to improve search results and give advertisers access to more information they can use in personalized campaigns.

• Employers: Workplace-issued phones may be equipped with monitoring software to ensure that the device is being used in line with company policy. The extent to which employers can monitor workplace devices depends on your jurisdiction and company policy.

• Government agencies: Some governments use surveillance tools to track their citizens’ phone and web activity. Although this is often done with national security in mind, critics have pointed to the use of invasive spyware such as Pegasusas an infringement of civil liberties and the right to privacy.

• Partners: “Stalkerware” is software that some people secretly install on another person’s phone, which essentially acts like the spyware that hackers use. A jealous, suspicious, or abusive partner might install this kind of app on your phone if they want to track you.

• Parents/guardians: Parental control apps that monitor online activity are commonly used by parents to protect their children from harmful content, as well as manage their screen time and track their location.

• Journalists: Some investigative journalists have utilized phone tracking as part of their investigations. The ethics of doing so have caused enormous controversy and resulted in legal trouble for the perpetrators, particularly in the UK, where various victims included Prince William, Elton John, Hugh Grant, and other high-profile public figures.

Parents, hackers, jealous partners, and companies may be able to track your phone’s location in a variety of ways.

Can my phone be tracked if location services are off?

Yes, in theory, Bluetooth, public Wi-Fi networks, and carrier towers can all be used to track a phone even if location services are turned off. For the most part, this capability is useful rather than threatening, enabling features that make it easier to find a lost phone or communicate your location without a GPS connection.

Here’s a more detailed look at how your phone can be tracked even when location services are disabled:

• Bluetooth: Bluetooth can be used to pinpoint your device's location — technology that’s used in the Find My feature on Apple devices, where nearby Bluetooth signals help pinpoint your device’s exact location.

• Public Wi-Fi networks: Your phone continuously scans for nearby Wi-Fi networks even when it isn’t connected to one, and that activity can be used to estimate your location through a method called Wi-Fi positioning.

• Carrier towers: Provided you have cell service, your phone is constantly exchanging signals with nearby cell towers. Carriers can estimate your location by measuring how long those signals take as they travel to and from towers.

However, none of these tracking methods are easily accessible to the general public, including low-level hackers. Therefore, they don’t tend to pose a risk to your privacy, and disabling location services while you investigate for a malware infection remains an effective way to prevent tracking.

Can people track your phone number?

In most everyday situations, a phone number alone can’t be used to track you. However, there are a few exceptions worth knowing about. One is that, in rare circumstances, the emergency services may be able to request that your carrier triangulate your rough location based on your signal interactions with nearby cell towers.

Beyond that, sophisticated hackers may be able to leverage the Signaling System 7 (SS7) set of protocols used by global phone carriers to access live location data. This type of exploit requires access to carrier network infrastructure, meaning it’s beyond the capabilities of your everyday scammer or fraudster. But it has been used in documented cases by surveillance companies to track people without their knowledge.

Help protect your phone from tracking with Avast

While most forms of serious phone tracking are only really accessible to high-level hacker groups or state-sponsored actors, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. Taking steps like adjusting app permissions on your phone and using a VPN when you need more security can help keep you better protected from potential tracking risks.

Avast SecureLine VPN can help keep your online activity more private, hiding your IP address, masking your location, securing Wi-Fi connections, and strengthening your privacy with bank-grade encryption. Try it free today.