What does the orange dot on your iPhone mean — and while we’re at it, how about the green dot? These mysterious dots can appear in the Dynamic Island of newer iPhones, or in the upper right corner of older models, near the battery icon.
The dots are part of Apple’s vast system of privacy and security features built into the iPhone. Of course, these privacy features only work if you know what they mean and how to use them — so keep reading for the answer below.
Orange dot on iPhone? What’s the deal?
In spite of all the conspiracy theories, Apple takes device security seriously. Amid long-standing rumors that smartphones listen to you for targeting ads or that the FBI watches you through your webcam, Apple built a feature that always shows a green or orange light when your mic or camera is on. (Besides, it’s not your phone that’s listening to you, it’s actually your smart TV.)
The orange dot on your iPhone … explained!
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
An orange dot at the top of your iPhone means that an app is using your microphone. The dot appears every time your iPhone’s microphone is in use, whether you’re making a phone call, talking to Siri, recording a Voice Memo or doing something similar.
If your iPhone’s camera is being used, a green dot appears instead — even if the microphone is being used as well.
Also: The green dot on your iPhone
The green dot, very similar to the orange dot, indicates when your camera is being used.
Both of these privacy indicators are controlled by a deep level of the iPhone’s software. That means that a malicious spam app that’s trying to spy on you won’t be able to use your microphone or camera without either light appearing.
See which apps are using the camera and microphone
The orange dot on your iPhone alone may not seem super-informative. If you’re not sure what app is using the camera or microphone, there’s an easy way to check.
If you swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to bring up Control Center, you’ll see a privacy report at the top of the screen. You can see which apps are recording you (or have recently asked for your location).
You can tap on the camera or microphone controls to change settings like background noise reduction, camera effects, reactions and more.
Note: If you’re color-blind, you might have the “Differentiate Without Color” setting enabled on your iPhone. If so, the orange dot appears as a square instead of a circle. This setting, intended for people with color blindness, uses different shapes to represent things instead of colors.
How do I get rid of the green dot on my iPhone?
To get rid of the orange or green dot on your iPhone, you need to stop recording or close the app. You also can disable the app’s access to the camera or microphone in Settings.
To do that, go to Settings > Apps and choose the app you want to limit. If the app has access to your iPhone’s camera or microphone, you’ll see them listed at the top of the “access” list. Just toggle them off.
More Apple privacy and security features
Now that you know what the orange dot on your iPhone means, check out some other essential iPhone security features:
