One of the biggest concerns many smartphone and iPhone owners have is having their privacy invaded, specifically their microphones listening to them when not in use.
Over the last few years, iPhone users have become increasingly worried that their phones are ‘listening’ to them, as more information has come out about tailored advertisements, hackers, and more. While there are some things that feel out of our control, there are things very much in our control, including our iPhone’s settings. Using information from tech experts, we’re listening to the iPhone settings you need to adjust to prevent your phone or hackers from ‘listening’ to you.
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How To Stop Unnecessary Apps & Your Device From 'Listening' To You
Over the years, there have been tech companies and major apps trying to defend themselves against rumors that they're 'listening' to you via your iPhone's microphone.
While that might be true in most cases, it's still nice to double-check who and what has access to something as valuable as your device's microphone. If you have an iPhone for the first time or have been using one for years, there's one part of your Settings app that you should never ignore, which is your Privacy & Security section. Within it, there are all sorts of options for keeping yourself and your data safe. There's also a section where you can take some more control over your microphone.
In 2025, tech expert Kurt 'CyberGuy' Knutsson did a special for FOX to share how some concerned iPhone users can prevent apps or potential hackers from listening to them, or have their microphone turn off unnecessarily.
"Go to Settings, you're gonna scroll way on down to Privacy & Security, then scroll a bit more down, and you're gonna find microphone," he said. "Now green [toggles] means that they have access to your mic. If it's gray, no access."
This "easy" procedure can help you evaluate which apps absolutely need your microphone from time to time, and which ones don't. Taking a moment to look this over can ensure some extra safety and peace of mind.
