What do the orange and green dots mean on my iPhone?
An orange dot at the top of your iPhone screen means an app is using the microphone. A green dot means an app is using the camera, or the camera and microphone together. To see which app it was, open Control Center.
These indicators arrived in iOS 14. Your iPhone shows them whenever an app uses the microphone or camera, so a dot is normal during a call, a voice memo or a video. If you've turned on Differentiate Without Color in accessibility settings, the orange dot appears as an orange square instead.
To check which app it was, open Control Center. A note at the top tells you when an app has recently used the microphone or camera. If you don't recognize the app, or it has no reason to listen or watch, you can take the permission away in Settings. The app keeps working, minus that feature.
- Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner, or up from the bottom on iPhones with a Home button) and read the note at the top
- Go to Settings, Privacy & Security, then Microphone or Camera to switch off access for any app
- For a 7-day history, turn on App Privacy Report in Settings, Privacy & Security (iOS 15.2 or later)
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App Privacy Report & Indicators
From the iPhone Privacy Controls course. Catch apps in the act with the dots and App Privacy Report, then guard your inbox.
Try it on the simulated phone Read the full lesson
The reading is free. The hands-on lab is part of Pro.