The orange dot at the top of your iPhone screen indicates that an app is currently using your microphone. This privacy feature was introduced in iOS 14 to alert you whenever the microphone is active, such as when you are making a call, recording a voice memo, using Siri, or using voice features in apps like Instagram or WhatsApp
. If you want to see which app is using your microphone:
- Open the Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner on Face ID iPhones, or swipe up from the bottom on iPhones with a Home button).
- At the top of the Control Center, you will see the app name next to an orange microphone icon
You can manage microphone access by going to:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone
and toggle permissions for apps as needed
. In summary, the orange dot is a normal privacy indicator showing microphone use and is not a sign of spying or hacking unless you notice it unexpectedly without any app using the mic, in which case you may want to check running apps or restart your phone
