How to Tell if Someone is Accessing Your iPhone Remotely? – Signs to Consider, Ways to Check, and Stop iPhone Hack

| Updated on July 22, 2024
how to tell if someone accessing

An iPhone is no less than that special friend of ours with whom we could never even imagine growing apart – especially after its latest tracking notification feature.

As we share this great bond with our device, it will be a nightmare if someone else gains access to it.

If you are wondering how to tell if someone is accessing your iPhone remotely, you have come to the right place.

In this blog, I will help you understand how to stop someone from accessing your phone remotely, iPhone data prevention measures, and other ways to protect your device.

Remote Access Into iPhone: What Does it Mean?

Gaining access to a phone simply means controlling the phone without physical contact. If a hacker has gained remote access into iPhone, they will be able to do any of the following:

  • Monitor all activities on the phone.
  • Look into personal data, like photos, videos, notes, and messages. 
  • Gain access to financial apps and their data on the phone.
  • Download all of the phone information with a single click.

How to Tell if Someone is Accessing Your iPhone Remotely?: 10 Signs to Consider

If you wonder how to tell if someone is accessing your iPhone remotely, there are some signs to consider. These signs might not mean that your phone is hacked, but they definitely indicate the possibility of third-party access. 

how-to-tell-if-someone-is-accessing-your-iPhone-remotely

If you witness any of the indicators below, you must become alert and start a deeper investigation.

  1. Unprompted password changes: If, without your initiation, your iPhone is showing notifications for a password change, it might mean that it is being hacked.
  2. Unexpected alerts and notifications: In the event of unauthorized activities by someone else, your device might show unexpected alerts and notifications from the phone’s apps.
  3. Battery drainage: If your phone’s battery is getting unusually hot and drained, it might be due to someone else’s increased power consumption via remote access.
  4. Performance issues: The irregularities in the device’s performance, like lower speed, freezes, and crashes, might indicate remote access. However, you can try the iPhone tips to keep working at peak performance to resolve these issues. However, if they don’t work, then your phone might be hacked.
  5. Changes in settings: Uninitiated changes in the phone’s settings might indicate remote access by a third party.
  6. Unfamiliar apps: If you still need to figure out how to tell if someone is accessing your mobile, look for any unfamiliar app that you were not downloading.
  7. Suspicious network activity: Any suspicious network activity, like unauthorized network communication or data transfer, indicates that your device is remotely accessed.
  8. Faster data usage: If your data plan is getting exhausted unusually fast, consider it a sign as well.
  9. Strange calls and messages: Calls and messages that you do not expect might indicate a compromised device.
  10. Access denial: If you are being denied access to important sites and apps, then it is a sure sign that your iPhone is being hacked.

Therefore, to answer your question, “How do I find out if someone is remotely accessing my phone?” Simply look for any irregularities in different activities of your phone and its apps. 

Sure Ways to Check an iPhone Hack

If you worry about how to tell if someone has access to your iPhone, there are specific ways to check it. There are several phone features and settings that can help you identify third-party access. 

how to tell if someone has access to your iPhone

Some of the ways to check remote access to your phone are listed below:

  • Check for the signed-in devices: If your Apple ID account is signed in to unrecognized devices, it might be compromised. To check for unrecognized devices, follow the steps below.
Open Settings >> Type your Name >> Scroll down >> Check the List of Devices
  • Check the details on your Apple ID: Hackers are likely to change the security details on your phone, like your username, password, and contact information. To check your details, follow the steps below. 
Open Settings >> Sign in to Your ID >> Select Review Your ID Details >> Check all of your Details.
  • Look into the remote access of apps: Sometimes, an app might be accessing your iPhone remotely. To check if this is the case, perform the following functions:
Open Settings >> Tap on Privacy & Security >> Select App Privacy Report >> Click Turn on App Privacy Report

Upon report generation, you can check if the apps collect any sensitive information.

  • Check recent activity: Checking for your phone’s recent uninitiated activities might also help you see if it’s been hacked. 
Open Settings >> Select General >> Click on Usage >> Select Battery Usage
  • Install the anti-malware app: If malicious software is present on your device, you can check it with an anti-malware app installed through the App Store.

Thus, for those wondering how to tell if someone is accessing your iPhone, you can use the above-mentioned methods to be certain.

How to Stop Someone from Accessing Your Phone Remotely?

Are you wondering what are the steps to take if you suspect remote access to your phone? The iPhone has ways to protect against unauthorized remote access. You may use the following measures to prevent such access:

  • Disconnect the Wi-Fi and cellular data on your phone. 
  • Check and uninstall any app that is unnamed or not installed by you.
  • Contact the Official Apple Support services to gain assistance with the issue.
  • Change the password for your Apple account and all other associated accounts.
  • Factory resetting the phone could also help to remove third-party access.
  • If all other methods fail, enter the iPhone lockdown mode to prevent any further breaches.

Protecting Your iPhone from Remote Access

Once you know how to tell if someone is accessing your phone remotely, you must also know how to prevent your iPhone from getting hacked. 

Some of the methods to prevent your phone from being attacked by hackers are:

  • Ensure that your device’s operating system and apps are always updated to prevent malware attacks.
  • Passwords that are unique, complex to guess, and use a mixture of signs and symbols are less prone to attacks.
  • Biometric security features of the iPhone provide an extra layer of protection for sensitive data on your phone.
  • The two-factor authentication, when enabled on iOS, prevents unauthorized access by sending a verification code to a trusted device. 
  • Review and remove unnecessary app permissions
  • Do a regular check of the connected devices accurately through the Find My iPhone feature or the iCloud website. Remove any unidentified device and change your password.

Therefore, for those of you questioning how to stop someone from accessing your iPhone remotely, you will need to follow the above steps to prevent a breach immediately.

How Can Someone Hack into Your iPhone?

Once we’ve delved into “how do I find out if someone is remotely accessing my iPhone?” there’s a need to understand the ways hackers can gain access to your device. 

how-do-I-find-out-if-someone-is-remotely-accessing-my-iPhone

The following are some ways hackers can gain access to your Apple phone:

  • If a hacker gains physical access to your phone and its password, it is easy to steal data from it. 
  • Malicious apps downloaded from a browser or even the App Store can gain unauthorized access to your phone. 
  • The iCloud account and Apple ID, when compromised, could provide an entry point to your phone.
  • Phishing attacks through messages or emails are also a way to hack iOS. These attacks will ask you to click on a link or download a file.
  • If you have engaged in iOS jailbreaking on your phone, it could also lead to severe security threats.
  • Installing bogus configuration profiles could also make your phone vulnerable to attack by hackers.
  • Connecting your phone to public Wi-Fi could also lead to interception and monitoring by cybercriminals.

Therefore, you will not even need to ask the question, “Can you tell if someone has remote access to your phone?” if you have taken the above precautions well in advance. 

Final Verdict 

If you wonder how to tell if someone is accessing your iPhone remotely, you will first need to monitor your phone for signs of being hacked. Then, you will need to use the phone and app settings to be sure about the unauthorized access. 

Once you become sure, you must immediately adopt the measures to prevent further access to your phone’s data. 

Further, biometric security, strong passwords, and two-factor authentication could also help you prevent third-party access to your phone. 

FAQs

Ans: By logging in to your Apple ID account, you can see all the connected devices.  

Ans: Check for apps not installed by you. Alternatively, install a spyware protection app from the App Store. 

Ans: Yes, if you have enabled two-factor authentication, you will get a notification on the trusted device if someone logs into your Apple ID.   

Ans: You may stop your iPhone from sharing data with another iPhone through iCloud settings or turning it off altogether.  

Sources:

Official Apple Support – Apple Services

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