Device security
Secure Your Own Phone From Spyware and Monitoring
A device-first checklist you run on your OWN phone: update the OS, remove sideloaded apps, tighten screen lock and biometrics, audit permissions and accessibility abuse, and run a reputable scan. No passwords, no tricks, nothing done to anyone else's device.
Start the hardening checklistOwner-only
Everything here runs on your own phone, never on someone else's device.
No passwords
We never ask for, find, or bypass any password, 2FA or OTP.
Official tools
Only your phone's built-in settings and reputable app-store scanners.
No guarantees
No tool detects every threat or reveals who is behind it — we won't pretend otherwise.
If you share a phone or fear for your safety, get help from a trusted person or a local support line before making changes.
Harden your phone in 6 steps
1
Update the OS
Install the latest iOS or Android update to close known exploits spyware relies on.
2
Audit installed apps
Remove anything you didn't install yourself, especially sideloaded or unknown-source apps.
3
Lock the screen
Set a strong passcode plus Face ID or fingerprint so no one can open your phone unattended.
4
Review permissions
Check which apps hold camera, mic, location and Accessibility access; revoke what looks wrong.
5
Run a trusted scan
Use a reputable, app-store security scanner to flag known stalkerware and risky profiles.
6
Tighten WhatsApp privacy
Turn on two-step verification; if a linked WhatsApp Web session is the worry, use the session-hijacking guide.
What to have ready: your phone unlocked, your WhatsApp two-step PIN, and 15 quiet minutes.
What device-first defense actually covers
Patched OS
Current updates close the holes most phone spyware needs to get in.
Store-only apps
Installing only from official stores blocks the sideloaded stalkerware route.
Strong screen lock
A passcode plus biometrics stops hands-on tampering while you're away.
Permission control
Revoking stray mic, camera and Accessibility grants cuts silent data capture.
Accessibility-service abuse is a common trick: legitimate-looking apps ask for it, then read your screen. Grant it only to apps that truly need it.
📷 Permissions Manager
Spot Accessibility and permission abuse
Where hidden monitoring usually hides on Android and iOS.
- Open Settings and list every app holding Accessibility, Device Admin or a configuration profile
- Remove any grant you don't recognize or can't explain
- Re-check camera, microphone and location after each app update
📷 Linked Devices
Rule out a linked WhatsApp Web session
The other way in isn't an app on your phone — it's a session opened on someone else's screen.
- If the on-device checks come back clean, the second path to rule out is a linked WhatsApp Web session
- The steps for reviewing and logging out those sessions live on our "Someone linked my WhatsApp Web" guide
- Handle that risk there; this page stays focused on hardening the device itself
📷 Security Scan
Run a reputable security scan
A trusted, app-store scanner flags known stalkerware — it does not identify a person.
- Choose a well-reviewed scanner from the official store only
- Act on flagged apps; remove and then change your WhatsApp two-step PIN
- Scanning cannot reveal who installed anything, and no tool can promise 100% detection
FAQ
Can securing my phone tell me who spied on me?
No. Hardening your device and running a scan can find and remove risky apps, but no honest tool can name the person who installed them. Anyone promising to reveal an intruder's identity is misleading you.
Is checking Accessibility settings enough to catch spyware?
It's one of the most important checks, because a lot of monitoring apps abuse the Accessibility service to read your screen. But combine it with an OS update, an app audit, a permission review and a reputable scan — no single step catches everything.
Do I need to factory reset my phone?
Often you don't. Start by updating the OS, removing unknown apps, revoking odd permissions and running a scan. A reset is a last resort if problems persist — and only on your own device, after backing up what you need.
Will this let me check someone else's phone for spyware?
No, and we won't help with that. This is strictly for the phone you own and use. Running these steps on another person's device without their knowledge is not what this page is for.
Can someone read my WhatsApp without touching my phone after I do this?
Most remote reading depends on either a compromised phone or a linked WhatsApp Web session. Hardening the device closes the first path; reviewing your linked devices closes the second. See our session-hijacking page for that specific risk.