Is my phone listening to me? Here’s how to stop it

Yes, your phone could be listening to you without your knowledge. Most modern phones have virtual assistant functionality that has listening capabilities to carry out your commands. Your phone can also be listening to serve you advertisements that are related to a conversation you just had.

Jump to…
Why is my phone listening to me?
How to know if your phone is listening to you
Should you cover your phone camera and microphone?
Is listening to me without my knowledge legal?
How to stop my phone from listening to me (iOS and Android)
Useful tips to protect your privacy on a smartphone

Why your phone might be listening—and why it matters

When you activate a virtual assistant like Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa, it needs to listen for your voice to work properly. This “always-on” listening is similar to how search engines collect data to tailor search results and make interactions more intuitive. But just like a search engine, these features come with a catch—they also use your data to serve you more relevant ads.

If a phone could capture casual conversations, the data it gathers becomes even more valuable for creating highly targeted advertisements. This kind of data collection raises serious privacy concerns, especially when apps request broad access to your microphone, often for reasons that aren’t clearly justified.

Permissions matter

Apps frequently seek access to your microphone, location, and even messages, sometimes for seemingly minimal features. Being mindful of these permissions is important; otherwise, you might be sharing more data than intended.

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How to tell If your phone is listening

While it may sound like something out of a spy thriller, many people wonder if their phones are secretly eavesdropping on conversations. Here are some steps you can take to find out if your phone might be listening:

1. Create a test conversation topic

Pick a topic that you’ve never shown interest in—something completely unrelated to your everyday activities or searches. This helps eliminate the possibility of targeted ads based on your prior browsing history. For instance, if you’re not a pet owner, “cat grooming tips” could be a good topic.

2. Talk about it within earshot of your phone

Over the next few days, bring up this topic out loud while your phone is nearby. Use relevant phrases naturally, as though you’re having a genuine conversation with a friend. The key is to be consistent without searching for anything online.

3. Monitor the ads you see

After discussing your chosen topic, observe any changes in the ads you encounter on social media, search engines, or other websites. If you notice targeted ads related to your test topic, it could be a sign that your phone might be “listening” or tracking data more closely than you realized.

Should you cover your phone camera and microphone?

It’s possible that someone has hacked your phone camera. That said, it is much more likely that an app on your device has permission to access it without you realizing it. The question is whether the app maker uses this permission and the data it receives in an ethical manner. Of course, whenever possible, don’t give apps such permissions.

Either way, there is no downside to covering your phone camera lens, except the inconvenience of removing the cover whenever you want to take a picture or video. For your privacy’s sake, go for it. As for microphones, you can cover them with tape, too, but it’s even more of a hassle if you use your phone for calls.

Is listening to me without my knowledge legal?

It is legal for your phone to listen to you if you have given your consent to your apps or services which use your voice in carrying out their functions. For example, if you’re a user of the Amazon Echo, Alexa has your permission to listen to you and respond to your requests. It only becomes illegal if an app or service listens to you without your permission.

That’s why it’s important to notice the permissions you provide to an app and understand how it handles your recordings. You should notice little things such as when an app asks to access your microphone. Ask yourself if it really needs that permission.

How to stop my phone from listening to me (iOS and Android)

1. Disable your phone’s voice assistant

Most phones have a built-in voice assistant which lets you control your phone with just your voice. If you’re wary of your phone listening to you, it’s wise to disable the voice assistant feature.

Turn off Siri (only on iOS)

The default voice assistant in iOS is Siri. To turn off Siri, follow the steps below:

1. On iOS, go to Settings.
2. Tap Siri & Search.
3. Toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri” and Press Side Button for Siri.
4. When you see a prompt, tap Turn Off Siri.

Turn off Google Assistant (on iOS and Android)

Google Assistant is Google’s voice assistant, which is available on both Android and iOS devices.

Android

Google Assistant is bundled with the pre-installed Google app on most Android phones. Follow these steps to turn off Google Assistant on Android:

1. Open the Google app.
2. Tap your profile picture.
3. Tap Settings > Google Assistant.
4. Tap General.
5. Toggle Google Assistant off.
6. Tap TURN OFF.

iOS

Google Assistant on iOS is a standalone app available on Apple’s App Store. If you’re using Google Assistant on iOS, follow these steps to turn it off.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Google Assistant.
3. Toggle Microphone off.
4. Alternatively, you can remove the Google Assistant app from your iOS device.

2. Turn off the microphone on your phone

You can turn off microphone access for the apps on your iOS or Android phone.

Android

1. Go to the Settings app.
2. Tap Security and privacy > Privacy > Permission manager.
3. Tap Microphone.
4. Look through the apps and choose which ones you want to stop giving microphone access to.
5. Tap the app, then tap Don’t allow.

iOS

1. Go to the Settings app.
2. Tap Privacy > Microphone.
3. Look through the apps and choose which ones you want to stop giving microphone access to.
4. Toggle the switch off.

Useful tips to protect your privacy on a smartphone

1. Use only trustworthy virtual assistant apps

Granted, virtual assistant apps can do many cool things for us, like checking the weather and making phone calls. They can be vulnerable to hackers looking to exploit voice commands.

When considering using a virtual assistant app, find out whether your phone is already installed with one. For example, Samsung has its own virtual assistant called Bixby which comes pre-installed on almost every new Samsung device. If you want to use a third-party virtual assistant app, make sure to download it through your phone’s app store.

2. Review app permissions

A study that looked at the frequency at which iOS apps sought various permissions showed that 55% of iOS apps requested camera access—second only to requests for access to users’ photo libraries. Often, the requests help users take and upload profile pictures but are not otherwise needed, and yet users don’t remove the permission afterward. At the very least, it’s wise to get a sense of what permissions you’re giving to an app you’re downloading.

3. Update your apps and phone regularly

Attackers are constantly finding vulnerabilities in apps or devices to exploit. Voice assistants have various underlooked vulnerabilities. Attackers can take control of devices by impersonating the voice of a device owner or triggering voice commands using methods like sending radio waves. As such vulnerabilities can put your data and device at risk, it’s wise to regularly perform updates on your software and phones, which mitigate these vulnerabilities.

4. Use a VPN to strengthen your privacy

While managing app permissions and turning off microphone access help protect against unwanted listening, a VPN adds another essential layer of privacy. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, preventing data from being intercepted or tracked by advertisers, ISPs, and other third parties. This makes it harder for companies to build detailed profiles based on your online activity or conversations.

ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager goes further by blocking apps and websites from sending data to known trackers and malicious servers. This helps prevent hidden data-sharing practices, giving you more control over what information is exposed.

By combining a VPN with smart app management, you can stay private and secure wherever you use your phone.

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