Checking an iPhone for spyware or suspicious control¶
iPhones are generally more locked down than Android devices, which makes them harder to tamper with — but not immune. If someone’s abuser had access to their phone, especially if it was unlocked at the time, it’s worth checking a few key areas.
1. Look for device management profiles¶
These profiles can silently give someone else control over the device — installing apps remotely, monitoring traffic, or tweaking settings.
Here’s how to check:
Open Settings.
Tap General.
Scroll down and tap VPN & Device Management (on older iPhones, it might say just “Device Management”).
What to look for:
If nothing appears here, that’s good.
If you see a profile listed and you (or the person you’re helping) didn’t knowingly install it, tap it and then tap Remove Profile.
These profiles are often used in schools or workplaces — but when misused in abuse cases, they allow remote control or silent tracking.
2. Review app permissions¶
Apple makes it fairly easy to see what apps have access to sensitive parts of the phone, like the microphone, camera, and location. Let’s use that to our advantage.
Steps:
Go to Settings.
Scroll to Privacy & Security.
Tap categories like Location Services, Microphone, Camera, Contacts, etc.
Go through each list and ask:
Does this app really need this access?
Is there anything listed here you don’t recognise?
Remove access by tapping the app and selecting Never or Ask Next Time.
If a shopping app has microphone access, that’s suspicious. If a game wants constant location access, that’s worth questioning.
3. Check battery usage¶
Spyware often runs quietly in the background, which can drain the battery — especially if it’s sending data out or constantly recording.
Open Settings.
Tap Battery.
Look at the list of apps under Battery Usage by App.
What to look for:
Apps you don’t recognise showing up near the top
High battery usage from something that shouldn’t be active (like a note-taking app or calculator)
Apps with generic or strange names
If something called “iMonitorService” or “SystemToolKit” is eating battery, that’s not normal.
This doesn’t confirm spyware on its own, but it’s a clue worth noting and investigating further.
Notes¶
iPhones are harder to infect than Android phones — particularly with spyware — but they’re not invincible. If the abuser had physical access to the phone (especially if they knew the passcode), they could have:
Installed a device profile
Configured app permissions while posing as “helpful”
Set up location sharing or Find My without the survivor’s knowledge
Always ask when the person last had full control of their phone. That can help build a picture of what’s possible.