Think Your Phone Was Hacked? Signs to Look For and What to Do

Your phone starts acting strange. There's an app you don't remember installing, friends say they got odd messages from you, or your battery is suddenly draining fast. It's natural to wonder whether someone has gotten into your phone.

True phone hacking is less common than most people fear, and many of these symptoms have ordinary explanations. But some signs do deserve attention. Here's how we at We Fix Phones N More help customers figure out what's going on and lock things down.

Warning Signs Worth Checking

On the phone itself

• Apps you don't recognize, especially ones without a clear name or icon.
• Pop-ups or ads appearing outside of apps, or your browser opening pages by itself.
• A sudden jump in data use or battery drain that doesn't match how you use the phone.
• Settings that changed without you touching them.

On your accounts

• Emails about sign-ins, password changes or new devices that you didn't make.
• Messages or posts sent from your accounts that you didn't write.
• Purchases or charges you don't recognize.
• Your phone suddenly losing cell service and showing "SOS" or "no service" while others nearby are fine. This can be a sign someone tried to move your number to another SIM, so call your carrier right away.

Keep in mind that battery drain and heat are often caused by an aging battery or a misbehaving app. Our posts on signs your battery needs replacing and why phones get hot cover those causes.

Most "Hacks" Are Really Account Problems

In many cases, nobody broke into the phone itself. Instead, someone got the password to an email, social media or cloud account, often from a phishing text, a fake sign-in page or a password reused on a site that was breached. That's why the steps below focus as much on accounts as on the device. If the trouble started after you tapped a link in a text, our guide to spotting fake delivery texts explains what to do next.

Check Your Phone Step by Step

Review your apps

Scroll through your full app list and delete anything you don't recognize or no longer use. On Android, only install apps from the Google Play Store, and turn off the option to install unknown apps if it's on.

Look at special permissions

• On Android: Check which apps have accessibility access and device admin rights in your security settings. These powerful permissions are a favorite of bad apps. Remove any you don't recognize.
• On iPhone: Go to Settings, then General, then VPN and Device Management. If you see a profile you didn't install and it isn't from your work or school, remove it.

Run the built-in safety tools

On iPhone, Safety Check under Privacy and Security shows who has access to your location and accounts and lets you reset it. On Android, Google Play Protect scans your apps, and Google's Security Checkup reviews your account.

Update everything

Install the latest iOS or Android update and update your apps. Updates close the security holes that attackers rely on.

Lock Down Your Accounts

• Change your email password first. Your email can reset almost everything else. Do this from a device you trust.
• Change your Apple ID or Google password and review the list of devices signed in to it. Remove any you don't recognize.
• Use a different password for every account. A password manager makes this easy.
• Turn on two-step verification for email, banking and social media.
• Add a carrier PIN or port-out protection to your phone account so no one can move your number without it.
• Call your bank if you see charges you don't recognize.

When to Consider a Full Reset

If problems continue after removing suspicious apps and securing your accounts, erasing the phone and setting it up again is the most thorough fix. Back up your photos, contacts and messages first, and be careful about restoring apps you suspect. Our guide on erasing a phone the right way walks through the process.

Keep It From Happening Again

• Use a six-digit or longer passcode and don't share it.
• Never tap links or share codes from unexpected texts, emails or calls.
• Keep automatic updates turned on.
• Don't leave your phone unlocked where others can pick it up.
• Turn on Find My or Find My Device in case your phone is ever lost or stolen.

Want a Second Set of Eyes?

If your phone is acting strangely and you'd like help checking apps and settings, backing up before a reset or setting things back up afterward, stop by We Fix Phones N More at 801 County Line Rd in Horsham. We help customers across Bucks and Montgomery counties with phone repair and troubleshooting of every kind. Call us at 215-323-4750.