How to tell if someone has been on your phone

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You can often tell if someone has been on your phone by checking what it already records: usage reports in Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android, your recent apps, notification history, recently deleted photos and the devices signed in to your account. None of these names the person, but together they show activity you don't recognise.

Quick answer

On iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time to see app use and how often the phone was picked up. On Android, open Settings > Digital Wellbeing to see screen time, times opened and notifications. Then check your recent apps, recently deleted photos and the devices signed in to your Apple or Google account for anything you didn't do.

Can you check if someone has been on your iPhone?

Yes, if Screen Time is turned on. Apple says the report shows the time you spend on your devices, your most used apps, how often you pick up your iPhone and how many notifications you received. Look for use at times you weren't holding the phone, or apps you didn't open.

On iOS 27:

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
  2. If it isn't on yet, tap Manage Screen Time, then tap Turn On App & Website Activity. Reports are available once it's on.
  3. Tap Daily Average, then tap Day or Week.
  4. Scroll down to Pickups and Notifications to see how many times the phone was picked up.
  5. Swipe left and right to look back through earlier days.

On iOS 18 and iOS 26, go to Settings > Screen Time, tap See All App & Website Activity, then tap Devices to choose this iPhone and Day or Week for the summary.

How do you check on an Android phone?

Use Digital Wellbeing. Google says its dashboard shows screen time for each app, how many times you unlocked the device and opened apps, and how many notifications you received. A spike in unlocks or an app you rarely use appearing near the top are worth a closer look. Steps vary a little between phone makers.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Digital Wellbeing. The first time, you may need to set up your profile.
  3. Look at the chart for today, then tap it for details.
  4. Check Screen time, Times opened and Notifications received.
  5. Tap any app in the list to see more about it.

What do your recent apps show?

The list of open apps shows what was used recently and hasn't been closed. On iPhone, Apple calls it the App Switcher. On Android, Google calls it recent apps.

  1. iPhone with Face ID: swipe up from the bottom of the screen, pause in the centre, then lift your finger.
  2. iPhone with a Home button: double-click the Home button.
  3. Android: swipe up from the bottom, hold, then let go. On Android Go with 3-button navigation, tap Recent apps.
  4. Swipe through the list and note any app you don't remember opening.

Can notifications show that someone used your phone?

On many Android phones, yes. Notification history keeps recently dismissed notifications and the last 24 hours of notifications, so you may find messages you never saw because someone else cleared them. Google says some devices don't have notification history, and the settings vary between devices.

  1. Open Settings, then tap Notifications.
  2. Look for Notification history. If it's there, open it.
  3. Check the recently dismissed list for anything you didn't dismiss yourself.

How do you check for deleted photos?

Deleted photos usually aren't gone straight away. Apple keeps them in Recently Deleted for 30 days. Google Photos keeps deleted items in the Trash for 30 days, including items that weren't backed up on Android 11 and up. If photos are there that you didn't delete, someone else may have.

  1. iPhone: open Photos, swipe up, tap Recently Deleted in the Utilities section, then tap View Album and unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID.
  2. Android with Google Photos: open Google Photos, tap Collections at the bottom, then tap Trash.
  3. On iPhone, to keep an item, open it and tap Recover.

How do you see which devices are signed in to your account?

Your Apple Account and Google Account each keep a list of signed-in devices. This matters because someone could have used your phone to sign in elsewhere. Google says to look for a device you don't recognise, a location you weren't in or a time you don't remember.

  1. iPhone: open Settings, tap your name, then scroll down to the device list. Tap a device for details, or tap Remove from Account.
  2. Android or any browser: go to myaccount.google.com, open Security & sign-in, then Manage all devices under Your devices. Select a device and choose Sign out if you don't recognise it.
  3. Apple on the web: sign in at account.apple.com and select Devices.

What if you're worried a partner or someone close is checking your phone?

If someone you live with may have installed stalkerware, put your safety first. The FTC lists warning signs such as a battery draining faster than usual, unexpected data use, overheating, or the person knowing where you are or what you've said privately. Any one of these on its own is weak evidence, because ordinary faults cause them too. The FTC warns that removing stalkerware can escalate abuse, so speak to an adviser first, from a phone that isn't yours.

In the UK, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, is free on 0808 2000 247. If you're in immediate danger, contact the police. On iPhone with iOS 16 or later, Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check lets you review and stop sharing with people and apps.

Where Failshot fits

The checks above show that something happened. They don't show who. Failshot photographs whoever unlocks your phone while Failshot is on, and the camera light shows whenever it takes a photo.

On iPhone, Apple doesn't let any app see the Lock Screen or use the camera in the background. So you turn Failshot on and lock the phone, and whoever unlocks it lands in Failshot and is photographed. It doesn't photograph a wrong passcode at the iPhone Lock Screen. On Android, it also photographs a wrong PIN, pattern or password at the real lock screen.

Switching Failshot off needs Face ID, your fingerprint or face on Android, or your own Failshot PIN plus your answer, never the phone's passcode. Photos stay on your phone, and you can choose email alerts with the photo and the time. Failshot is for your own device only, and it's coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Questions people also ask

Can you tell if someone has been on your phone?

Partly. Screen Time on iPhone and Digital Wellbeing on Android record app use, pickups or unlocks, and notifications, so you can spot activity at times you weren't using the phone. Neither records who was holding it, and Screen Time needs App & Website Activity turned on first.

How do I know if someone went through my iPhone?

Check Settings > Screen Time for app use and pickups at times you weren't on the phone. Then look at the App Switcher, the Recently Deleted album in Photos and the device list under Settings > your name.

Does Android show how many times my phone was unlocked?

Yes. Google says Digital Wellbeing's Times opened view shows how often you unlocked the device and opened certain apps. Open Settings > Digital Wellbeing and tap the chart. It's a count, not a log of who unlocked it.

Can someone delete their activity after using my phone?

Some of it. Anyone can close apps from the recent apps list, so an empty list proves little. Deleted photos only stay in Recently Deleted or the Google Photos Trash for 30 days, so check those soon.

What should I do if I think someone has been on my phone?

Change your passcode, check the devices signed in to your Apple or Google account, and remove any you don't recognise. On iPhone with iOS 17.3 or later, turn on Stolen Device Protection. If you feel unsafe, call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or contact the police.

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