Think Someone Is Tracking Your iPhone? Here Are 4 Warning Signs To Look Out For

If your iPhone has suddenly slowed down, its battery life has degraded considerably, or you're seeing apps that you never downloaded, these might be signs that someone is tracking your iPhone. While Apple's iOS system is fairly secure, it's not uncommon for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities such as clicking a malicious link, downloading a fake document, or opening an unknown message.

That said, it's also important to highlight that direct attacks usually target high-level personalities, such as politicians, journalists, and celebrities. After all, carrying out these attacks can be quite expensive and may require physical proximity to the user's iPhone. Still, if you think someone might be tracking your iPhone, it's better to be safe than sorry and to look for the warning signs. These warnings can range from seemingly benign signs such as overheating and battery drain to more serious ones like your iPhone rebooting out of nowhere. That said, experiencing these warnings doesn't necessarily mean you are being tracked and could stem from an overused or aging device too. Let's discover more about some common warning signs and what you can do to protect yourself.

Let's say your iPhone has always worked perfectly. Now, the battery life has been draining faster than normal, and you can't understand why. Well, spyware apps that frequently ping your location to malicious actors might be responsible for the faster battery drain.

You can check the Battery section under the Settings app to understand which apps are consuming more battery life than usual. If you see something suspicious, you should delete the application. More importantly, Apple's Secure Indicator Light is a recent privacy upgrade that can also help you understand the underlying issue. If you notice random lights on top of your screen, it could indicate your camera (green), microphone (orange), or location (blue) are being used without your permission. That said, unusual battery drain can also be related to poor 5G signal, background apps, or a recent iOS update that contains a bug. Checking if there was a recent surge in your usage or a new update might explain this issue.

Malware or hidden apps running in the background could cause persistent heat, even when your iPhone is idle. Since advanced spyware uses "persistence modules" that run constantly, they might keep your device in this semi-active state all the time. Just like the first issue, checking the Battery section under the Settings app could help you understand if there's an unusual app consuming your battery life. Here, the most important part is the "Background Activity" information under each app, which can help you discover why the iPhone is overheating even when you're not doing anything.

Again, iPhones can overheat due to charging, gaming, streaming content, maps usage in the background, or a demanding social media app. Apple's background processes such as Photos app indexing or an iCloud backup are other common activities that could overheat your device. Users should also be careful about the ambient heat while charging their devices with a case, as it can sometimes overheat the device.

If you see weird pop-ups while using your iPhone (not the ones you see on some websites while browsing the web), this might be a warning sign. Attackers can trick victims into installing malicious configuration profiles via fake websites, malicious QR codes, or sophisticated phishing attacks tailored for iPhone users. With an unwanted profile installed on your iPhone, it's very likely that you're being tracked. After all, these profiles can install certificates and enroll your device into Mobile Device Management, which could let the attacker remotely install apps, track your device, and steal your data.

To protect yourself, go to the Settings app, General, and search for VPN & Device Management. In case you find something other than your work profile or a familiar VPN, make sure to delete it immediately. Still, before panicking, make sure it's not a legitimate business or school profile used to manage your iPhone in a specific location, as is usually the case, you may have something in the VPN & Device Management tab.

Advanced spyware could cause iOS to crash and make your device reboot randomly. Zero-click exploits, such as a message via iMessage or WhatsApp, can cause that. While these attackers are the rarest ones, if you think you might be a possible target, then you should be careful about that. In this case, the best way to completely remove any spyware from your device is to perform a factory reset on your iPhone. By deleting everything from your device, you can ensure that the exploit is removed. For a factory reset, you need to go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, and tap "Erase all Contents and Settings."

However, before you do that, you should be aware that these issues can also be related to poor battery health, especially if you are running an older model. Additionally, running a beta of iOS or, more seriously, hardware issues like bad logic board connections or liquid damage can cause iPhones to reboot randomly. In case of hardware damage, you may want to contact Apple Support.

While iPhone exploitation and tracking are very serious situations, most attacks can be prevented by using your device cautiously. Additionally, it's always smart to install apps only from the App Store, watch out for unknown profiles or certificates, and periodically check which apps might be draining your battery.

If you're part of a risk group, such as journalists and politicians, Apple offers its Lockdown Mode for protection against spyware, available under Privacy & Security. With this feature on, apps, websites, and certain functionalities will be limited and some experiences may be completely unavailable. However, this extreme protection can help if you think you're being targeted in a cyberattack. Additionally, don't forget to keep an eye on your settings and downloaded apps, while always keeping your iPhone updated. Besides that, upgrading to newer models of iPhones can get you the latest security features and keep you a notch safer against unwanted tracking.