Did you leave your phone open, doze off, or leave and subsequently return worried that someone has accessed it? Whether so, this post will explain how to determine if someone has accessed your phone. Let us Learn ‘Whether Your Phone Has Been Unlocked?’.
How to determine whether your phone has been unlocked?
To find out if your phone has been unlocked, look at the most recent activity in the open applications. Additionally, you can also verify your notification bar to see if there have been any failed password attempts.
Even so, there are times when it’s hard to tell if someone else unlocked your phone. It is advised that you enable the new security function on your phone that takes a picture of the person trying to unlock it.
Ten methods to tell whether your phone was used
1.Check Previously Used Apps
You may examine the applications that were recently used on your phone to see whether someone has looked through it.
The app may have been used by someone else if you don’t recall doing so.
To display recently used applications, various phones have different options.
Holding down the home button on some smartphones displays the open applications.
Others could have a different button to press.
With a simple touch, the intrusive party can erase the history of recently used applications.
A transparent past can be a warning sign in and of itself, but you can use the steps below to locate more evidence:
Viewing previously launched apps Using Android-based devices
- Launch Settings.
- Go to Parental Controls and Digital Wellbeing.
- To get a list of the applications recently used and for how long, touch the wide horizontal bar.
Viewing previously launched apps Using an iPhone:
- Launch Settings.
- Toggle Screen Time
- To get a list of the Most Used applications for the day and the week, choose See All Activity. You may tap each program to view its use history as well.
Even if the history has been deleted, certain Android devices provide a different option to see recently used apps:
Activate the dial pad.
You may access a secret testing screen by dialing *#*#4636#*#.
Under the Testing screen, choose Usage Data. A list of applications will appear.
Sort the data according to usage time.
You can now check which applications on your phone have been open and for how long.
However, only handsets with Snapdragon chipsets and a few Mediatek models support this technique.
Each software also lets you keep track of recent actions to look for signs of an unwanted guest.
You may access the most recent content that has been viewed on your account by using applications like Netflix and YouTube, for instance.
2. Check for any new Apps downloaded
Your phone may have had undesirable applications installed if someone snooped through it.
Look through the list of applications on your phone for any that you don’t recall installing.
You can quickly view installed programs on Android and iOS using the Settings dashboard.
On the iPhone, the App Archive also displays the list of apps that have recently been installed.
Check out the instructions for finding hidden applications on Android and iPhone if you think your phone could have them.
These programs can occasionally be completely safe, but they can also contain malware.
If you discover any strange applications on your phone and you don’t have antivirus installed, get in touch with a specialist.
3. Check Call records
Even though it’s improbable, there’s a chance the burglar used your phone to make calls.
Search your call history for contacts or unknown numbers that you don’t recall dialing.
You may also search the contacts on your phone for unfamiliar names.
Ask them if they’ve gotten any weird calls from you if you know of anybody the intruder may have phoned.
4.Check in Messages
Look through social media and your phone for any opened messages that you don’t recall seeing.
Your messages may have been erased or sent using your phone by the intruder.
They occasionally attempt to use their own phone to sign into your messaging applications. In such a situation, your mailbox may contain activation codes.
Those texts may be a hint that someone accessed your phone if the trespasser hasn’t removed them.
You may get your phone’s texts back if you think someone erased them by following these steps for both iPhone and Android.
5. Check Emails
Check your sent box and read emails to see if there are any messages you didn’t send or open when you opened your email client. Also, check the drafts folder.
Perhaps the intrusion occurred when the intruder was sending an email.
6. Check your Gallery
To view recent pictures, launch the gallery app on your phone.
You could come upon pictures you didn’t take.
As an alternative, you can come across pictures that someone else has erased.
The latter circumstance is more frequent when you have someone’s images without their consent.
Based on which photos have been erased, you may determine who has access to your phone.
7. Browse your Social Networks
Examine your social media accounts for any unauthorized activity.
Check your feed to see if there are any updates you haven’t made or messages that have been sent without your awareness.
Through your social media, an invader may occasionally contact your network and request confidential data or even money.
Therefore, it’s crucial to keep an eye out for any unusual activities.
8. Check for Most recently viewed websites
Additionally, the history of your browser might reveal whether or not someone has accessed your phone.
Look through the history of your browser to see if you have opened any pages that are no longer available.
To display the most recent web pages visited on Chrome for Android:
- Launch Chrome.
- On the browser, click the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select History.
To display the most recent web sites you’ve visited on your iPhone:
- Launch Safari.
- Toggle the address bar inside.
- Select the “book” icon.
- Under the clock-like symbol, select the History tab.
Check any additional mobile browsers you may have.
For instance, the default browser that Samsung smartphones ship with is seldom ever used. Someone may use it as an excellent tool to tinker with your phone.
9. Review the Notification Log on Android.
Your Android phone’s Notification History is another helpful area to look for hints.
There are probably still remnants of what the unwanted guest accomplished.
To examine the history of your notifications:
- Go to the settings on your phone.
- Click on Notifications.
Or
- Go to the Settings on your phone.
- Go to Parental Controls and Digital Wellbeing.
- Check how much time you spend using your phone (on top of the page).
- Verify Notifications received.
- Tap on each app to see details.
10. Review whether the Biometrics settings have been changes
Someone may have altered the biometrics on your phone if they have been routinely accessing it or plan to do so in the future.
Check your Android phone for new or modified fingerprint or facial recognition features:
- Go to the Settings on your phone.
- Go to Security and Biometrics.
- Verify face and fingerprint recognition.
The following steps will show you how to determine whether someone has installed an alternate appearance to your iPhone:
- Launch Settings.
- Go to Passcode and Face ID.
- key in your passphrase.
Make sure the “Set up an Alternate Appearance” option is available. If not, a backup appearance to open your phone has been introduced.
How To Prevent Snooping On Your Phone
If you don’t secure the data on your phone, others may violate your privacy or even take sensitive data from it.
We’ll go through five strategies for protecting your phone below:
- Select a Secure Password
The simplest approach to safeguard your data from unwanted visitors is to choose a difficult-to-guess password.
Avoid using passwords that are simple for anyone to guess, such as your birthday or phone number.
Instead, use a password you can remember because forgetting it might lead to further issues.
Additionally, avoid entering your password in public.
2. Never leave your cellphone unlocked.
If you leave your phone in an accessible location with an unlocked screen, your strong password will be useless.
Never leave the room without locking your phone.
Better yet, bring your phone along.
3. Don’t Give Others Access To Your Phone
You invite someone you don’t trust to go through all of your information when you give them access to your phone.
Sometimes, even when you trust someone, you don’t want them to view the private information on your phone.
When they have access to your cell phone, be there in the room.
Additionally, disable your alerts to prevent them from unintentionally viewing your private chats.
4. Use security Apps
Install security applications that record images of anyone attempting to unlock your phone secretly.
Some of these applications can ring if someone tries to unlock your phone with the wrong password, which might deter them from trying again.
Helpful choices to think about are Hidden Eye, WTMP, and Lookout.
Conclusion
To find out if your phone has been unlocked, look at the most recent activity in the open applications. Additionally, you can also verify your notification bar to see if there have been any failed password attempts. It is advised that you enable the new security function on your phone so as to prevent unauthorized people from using your cellphone. Also, never leave your phone unlocked.
