How to tell if your phone is hacked (and what to do next)

Quick answer: Common signs your phone may be hacked: apps you didn't install, sudden battery drain or data use, pop-up ads everywhere, messages or calls you didn't make, alerts about logins you didn't do, and suddenly no signal (a possible SIM swap). To fix it: remove unknown apps, check app permissions and device admin / profiles, update the phone, run Google Play Protect (Android) or Safety Check (iPhone), change passwords from a safe device, and factory reset if problems continue.

Key takeaways

• Most "hacks" are malicious apps, phishing or stolen account passwords — not someone remotely breaking into the phone.
• Sideloaded APKs and apps a stranger asked you to install are the biggest risk on Android.
• Losing signal suddenly while others have it can mean a SIM swap — call your carrier at once.
• Factory reset removes almost all malware, but back up photos only — not apps — first.
• If you're worried someone you know is tracking you (stalkerware), plan for your safety before removing anything.

A slow or hot phone doesn't always mean it's hacked — but some signs are worth taking seriously. This guide helps you tell the difference, walks you through a 15-minute check on Android and iPhone, and shows how to clean up and lock things down.

", displaying 2026 realistic price spectrums, hardware versus labor allocation, step-by-step workflow, clean modern UI cards, high precision vector layout.")

#Warning signs, from most to least serious

#Step 1: Check for SIM swap first (if you lost signal)

1. Restart the phone. If you still have no service while others on your network do, call your carrier from another phone immediately.
2. Ask them to block any SIM change and add a port-out PIN / SIM lock.
3. Then secure your bank and email accounts — SIM swaps are used to receive your OTPs.

#Step 2: 15-minute check on Android

1. Update everything: Settings → System → Software update; and Play Store → update all apps.
2. Run Play Protect: Play Store → profile icon → Play Protect → Scan.
3. Review installed apps: Settings → Apps → See all. Uninstall anything you don't recognise. Look for generic names like "System Service", "Update" or "Wi-Fi".
4. Check device admin apps: Settings → Security & privacy → Device admin apps (or "Other security settings"). Turn off any you don't recognise, then uninstall them.
5. Check accessibility services: Settings → Accessibility → Installed apps / Downloaded apps. Malware often abuses accessibility to read your screen. Turn off unknown ones.
6. Check app permissions: Settings → Security & privacy → Privacy → Permission manager. Review which apps have SMS, location, microphone, camera and "Display over other apps".
7. Turn off "Install unknown apps" for browsers, file managers and messaging apps.

#Step 3: 15-minute check on iPhone

1. Update iOS: Settings → General → Software Update.
2. Run Safety Check: Settings → Privacy & Security → Safety Check. Review who you share location and data with, and which devices are signed in to your Apple Account.
3. Check profiles: Settings → General → VPN & Device Management. Remove any profile you didn't install (unless it's from your employer or school).
4. Check your Apple Account devices: Settings → your name → scroll to the device list. Remove unknown devices.
5. Review apps on the home screen and in the App Library; delete ones you don't recognise.
6. Review permissions: Settings → Privacy & Security — Location, Microphone, Camera, Photos.
7. Consider Lockdown Mode (Settings → Privacy & Security) if you think you're being targeted by advanced spyware — for example as a journalist or activist.

#Step 4: Secure your accounts — from a different, safe device

If any account might be compromised, change passwords from a computer or phone you trust:

1. Email first (Google, Outlook, Apple), then banking, social media, WhatsApp, cloud storage.
2. Sign out of all other sessions in each account's security settings.
3. Turn on two-step verification — preferably an authenticator app or passkey, not SMS. See what are passkeys.
4. On WhatsApp: Settings → Account → Two-step verification (set a PIN). Check Linked devices and log out of unknown ones.
5. Check your email forwarding rules — attackers often add one to secretly copy your mail.

A password manager makes it easy to change many passwords quickly.

#Step 5: Factory reset if problems continue

If strange behaviour continues after the steps above, a factory reset removes almost all malware.

1. Back up only what you need: photos, contacts, important documents. Don't restore apps from an old backup if you think they were the problem.
2. Android: Settings → System → Reset options → Erase all data (factory reset).
3. iPhone: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Set up as new, install apps fresh from the official store, and sign in with your new passwords.

Warning: stalkerware. If you think a partner, ex or family member installed tracking software, removing it may alert them. Consider your safety first — contact a local domestic-violence helpline for advice on a safety plan. Use a different device to look for help.

#How phones actually get hacked

#Keep your phone safe going forward

• Turn on automatic updates for the system and apps.
• Use a 6-digit PIN or longer plus fingerprint or face unlock.
• Keep Play Protect on (Android). Don't jailbreak or root your phone.
• Review app permissions every few months.
• Turn on Find My Device / Find My so you can locate or wipe a lost phone.
• In India, check numbers registered in your name on Sanchar Saathi and report fraud on 1930. See how to report cyber fraud.

#Frequently asked questions

Can someone hack my phone by calling me?

Just answering a call almost never hacks a phone. Calls are used to trick you into sharing codes, installing apps or tapping links.

Can my phone be hacked through a text message?

Clicking a link or installing something from a text can lead to problems. Very rare "zero-click" attacks exist but target high-profile people; updating your phone protects against known ones.

Does a factory reset remove hackers?

It removes almost all malware from the phone. You also need to change passwords, because attackers may have your account logins.

Is my iPhone safer than Android?

Both are secure when updated and when you install apps only from official stores. Most Android infections come from sideloaded apps.

Can someone see me through my phone camera?

Only if a malicious app has camera permission. Check permissions; modern phones show a green or orange dot when the camera or microphone is in use.

What does *#21# do?

On many networks it shows whether call forwarding is turned on. If calls are forwarded to an unknown number, turn it off with ##002# and contact your carrier.

Should I install an antivirus app?

On Android, Play Protect covers most people. Reputable security apps can add extra checks. On iPhone, security apps are limited; keep iOS updated and use Safety Check.

#Sources

• FTC — How to protect your phone and the data on it
• Apple Support — Safety Check for iPhone
• Google — Play Protect
• Apple Support — About Lockdown Mode
• CISA — Mobile device security tips