Starting with iOS 14, Apple introduced an additional feature on iPhone devices to protect user privacy. Although this feature has been present on devices for some time, many do not know what the green or orange dot on the iPhone screen that appears at the top represents.c
With these two indicators, users can easily find out if an app on their iPhone is trying to spy using the device's camera or microphone, even if it's running in the background or the user accidentally opens it.
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What is the green dot on the iPhone screen
When a green dot appears at the top of the iPhone screen , means that an app is using the device's camera/video camera and microphone. Most of the time, this green dot when a photo capture app, video capture app or video calling app is open (FaceTime, WhatsApp).
What is the orange dot on the iPhone screen
The orange dot on the iPhone screen indicates that an app is using the device's microphone and can capture sound. This indicator appears whenever the user is on a voice call, when the recorder application or the dictation option is used.
So, when an app is using the camera and/or microphone, a green or orange indicator will appear at the top of the screen. If the green or orange dot is not present, it does not mean that the microphone and camera are completely turned off. Because the voice assistant Siri to work, iPhone devices' microphone constantly picks up ambient sound. In addition to the voice assistant Siri there are other iPhone functions that ask for the microphone or camera without the two indicators being present.
Related: How to Protect Your Eye Health with iPhone Screen Distance in iOS 17
In conclusion, if you fear that you are being tracked and spied on your own phone, you will have to disable several services of the device, even if Apple says that this data (sound and image) is not stored on the company's servers.