IPHONE users have been warned about a mysterious orange dot that could indicate they are being watched.
Apple released a feature for its phones in 2020 that alerts users when their microphone or camera is being used.
The tool was included in iOS 14 and has remained available on iPhone ever since.
The goal of this feature, according to Apple, is to prevent malicious apps from spying on users.
However, many users are still unaware of its existence, which can be dangerous.
If you see an orange dot on your screen, it means that an app is using your phone’s microphone.
You might notice this if you’re using the Voice Memo app to record something.
When you make phone calls or use Siri, the orange dot will also appear.
If the “Differentiate Without Color” setting is enabled, this can also appear as an orange square.
If you see a green dot appears in the top-right corner of your screen, that means an app is using your iPhone’s camera.
It could also indicate that an app is using your phone’s camera and microphone.
A green dot will appear if you use your camera app or Instagram to take a selfie or record a video.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size to view or manage these symbols and indicators.
How to use this tool
First, users must ensure that their operating system is at least iOS 14.
Swiping into your Control Center after that will show you what is being accessed and which app is doing so.
If you suspect an app is spying on you when it shouldn’t, go to Settings and check the app’s permissions.
How to protect yourself
You can protect yourself from apps that spy on you by denying them access to your microphone or camera, for example.
If you’re really concerned, you could simply uninstall the app.
“Privacy is a fundamental human right and at the core of everything we do,” Apple explained back in 2020.
“That’s why with iOS 14, we’re giving you more control over the data you share and more transparency into how it’s used.
“An indicator appears at the top of your screen whenever an app is using your microphone or camera. And in Control Center, you can see if an app has used them recently.”
Of course, this tool will alter you anytime an app is using the microphone or camera.
