Have you ever glanced at your iPhone and noticed an orange dot in the top right corner? This seemingly innocuous detail could be more significant than you think.
According to a recent TikTok posted by Nick Jackson (@niickjackson), the dot can be a sign someone has successfully hacked into your phone and is listening in on you using your device’s microphone.
Jackson’s video, posted on March 19, starts with him saying, “Yet again, another urgent warning was just issued to literally anybody that owns an iPhone, so if you have one, you need to watch this. Basically, iPhone users are being warned over a little orange dot that shows up at the top of your screen.”
The TikToker goes on to say that the orange and green dots at the top of the screen indicate microphone and camera usage, respectively. However, he says the appearance of an orange dot could be a cause for concern. “This has been all over the news, and in fact, the orange dot is a warning sign from Apple that someone is using your microphone without your permission,” Jackson states, citing a quote from a LadBible article.
So, when should you be worried? The orange dot should ideally appear only when you’re using an app that requires access to your microphone. If you notice it’s still there when you’re not actively using your phone, it could indicate that a third party is accessing your microphone without your permission.
Since its posting, the video has racked up over 1.3 million views. In response to the video, some viewers expressed fear and concern over seeing the orange dot on their devices.
@niickjackson warning issued for iphone users! #news #niickjackson #greenscreen #iphone ♬ original sound – Nick Jackson
One commenter said, “Ahhh rip, cause I’ve definitely seen an orange dot,” while another added, “it’s on every phone and the thing is spyware.”
A third viewer wrote, “um I’ve seen that for a long time now even on just my home screen.. am I cooked?”
However, others offered alternative explanations for why an iPhone user may constantly see the orange dot. “Orange dot means you are currently using the microphone or has RECENTLY USED an app that uses it (I.e camera, Snapchat, tt, ig),” one viewer said.
A USA Today article confirms that the dots may appear if the camera or microphone has “recently” been in use. But, the article also notes that in instances where both the camera and microphone have been in use, users will see the green camera dot rather than the orange microphone one.
Another added, “if you swipe down to the control center you can see what apps are using the camera or mic,” which an Asurian article corroborates.
Recently, videos discussing iPhones have been gaining significant traction on TikTok, with users discovering and sharing lesser-known features. In one such video, a TikToker went viral after sharing that the Apple logo can be used as an actual button—a feature that was implemented with the release of iOS 14.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Nick Jackson and Apple via email for comment.
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