Guides: is someone using your device?
Plain, step-by-step answers for iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows: how to tell if someone has been on your device, signs of hacking, and what to do if it’s stolen.
Has someone been on my phone?
- Can someone unlock your phone while you sleep?How Face ID, fingerprints and Android face unlock behave while you sleep, the settings that help, and how to remove faces or fingerprints you didn't add.
- How to know who unlocked your phoneWhat iPhone and Android record about unlocks and failed attempts, what they don't, and the steps to take if someone has been getting into your phone.
- How to tell if someone has been on your phoneCheck Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing, recent apps, notification history, deleted photos and signed-in devices on iPhone and Android.
- Intruder selfie app: what it is and how it worksWhat an intruder selfie is, what iPhone, Android and Xiaomi phones offer built in, why iPhone apps can't use the Lock Screen camera, and what to expect.
Has someone used my computer?
- Can someone see your computer screen remotely?How remote screen access works on Windows and Mac, the settings to check, what a tech support scam looks like, and what to do if you let someone in.
- How to see who logged into your computerUse Event Viewer to find Windows sign-in events 4624, 4625, 4800 and 4801, read what they mean, and see the options Apple documents for a Mac.
- How to tell if someone used your laptopCheck recent files, browser history and account sign-ins on Windows and Mac to see if someone used your laptop, and what to change next.
- Think someone went through your laptop at work?What to check, who to tell and how to lock your work laptop on Windows or Mac if you think a colleague used it while you were away from your desk.
Hacking, accounts and messages
- Can someone access your phone without you knowing?Answers from Apple, Google and the FTC on remote access, Wi-Fi, your camera and passcodes, plus the signs of stalkerware and where to get help.
- How to check if your iPhone is hackedUse Safety Check, your Apple Account device list, VPN & Device Management and Software Update to check an iPhone, and know when Lockdown Mode is worth it.
- How to tell if your Android is hackedThe signs Google and Samsung list for a hacked Android phone, and how to check with Play Protect, your Google Account devices and app permissions.
- How to tell if your laptop is hackedThe signs the NCSC lists, how to scan with Windows Security, what Apple advises for a Mac, and how to check your Microsoft and Apple accounts.
- How to tell if your phone has been hackedThe signs official bodies list for a hacked phone or account, how to check an iPhone or Android, and what the NCSC says to do next.
- Is someone reading your messages?Check WhatsApp linked devices, iMessage and Messages in iCloud, Google Messages device pairing and your account's device list, and remove what isn't yours.
- Is someone tracking your phone's location?See who you're sharing your location with in Find My, Google Maps and Find Hub, use Safety Check, and what to do about an unknown tracker alert.
- Is someone using your phone camera?What the green and orange dots mean on iPhone and Android, how to see which apps used your camera, and how to turn off access you didn't intend.
- Is someone else signed in to your account?Check the devices and sign-ins on your Apple, Google and Microsoft accounts, what an unknown device means, and how to remove it and secure the account.
Theft and passcodes
- What to check after you gave your unlocked phone to a strangerA stranger borrowed your phone for a call. What to check afterwards, from your bank and call log to your accounts, and how to lend it safely next time.
- How to protect your phone from theftThe iPhone and Android settings to switch on before a phone is snatched, plus Met Police advice for using your phone safely on the street.
- Phone stolen with your passcode? What to doUK steps for a stolen iPhone or Android: mark it as lost, change your account password, block the SIM and IMEI, report to police and get a crime number.
- What to do if someone knows your iPhone passcodeWhat someone with your iPhone passcode can do, how Stolen Device Protection helps, and the steps to change your passcode and secure your Apple Account.
- What to do if someone watched you type your passcodeWhat someone who saw your passcode could do, how to change it so the old one stops working, and the iPhone and Android settings that limit the damage.