Can Someone Hack Your iPhone? Signs, Fixes, & Safety Tips

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Protect your iPhone from hackers with this handy guide

Co-authored by Surfshark and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: December 10, 2023 Fact Checked

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How iPhones Get Hacked

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Signs Your iPhone is Hacked

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Securing Your iPhone

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Preventing Hacking

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Tips

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While iPhones are generally secure, they aren't invincible. A skilled hacker can access your iPhone by intercepting your passwords on public Wi-Fi, exploiting vulnerabilities in iOS, and even injecting malware into the apps you download. In this article, we'll explain how iPhones can get hacked, cover signs your iPhone is compromised, and teach you how to keep your iPhone safe from hackers.

Things You Should Know

iPhones can be hacked and infected with viruses and malware.
If you're finding strange apps you didn't install, your battery dies quickly, or people get weird messages from you, your iPhone may be hacked.
To protect your iPhone from hackers, use a trusted security suite with a VPN like Surfshark One.

Section 1 of 4:

How iPhones Get Hacked

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If you connect your iPhone to a public Wi-Fi network without using a VPN, hackers can easily intercept your private data, including your passwords.
When Apple finds ways that hackers can exploit iPhones, they usually respond quickly by releasing a security update. If your iPhone doesn't have the latest security update, it's vulnerable to hacking.
While less so than Android phones, iPhones are vulnerable to viruses and malware. If you install an app or configuration profile that a hacker infected with a trojan, you may give a hacker unrestricted access to your iPhone.
If someone gets a hold of your iPhone and the screen isn't locked (or they figured out how to unlock it), they can access everything on it. They'll even be able to change your Apple ID password, which can be devastating.^{[1]
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Connecting your iPhone to a public charging station or any unknown device can compromise its security. While "juice jacking" isn't as common as once thought, hackers can replace normal charging cables with ones that expose your data as you charge.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source

Federal Communications Commission
Independent U.S. government agency responsible for regulating radio, television, and satellite, and phone communications

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Section 2 of 4:

Signs Your iPhone is Hacked

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If you see apps you didn't install on your Home screen or in your app library, someone may have access to your iPhone.
Open your iPhone's Settings and go to General > VPN & Device Management.^{[3]
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Research source} If you see a profile listed that you didn't install yourself, there's a good chance your iPhone is hacked.
You may see a colored dot in the notification bar, indicating that a hacker is watching you on camera or listening to you. A green dot means an app is accessing your camera, while an orange dot means an app is listening to your microphone.
Hackers may use your iPhone to send phishing texts and other scammy messages. If people suddenly ask you about weird messages you've supposedly sent, your iPhone may be hacked.
If someone has hacked your iPhone, they may have changed your Apple ID password, effectively locking you out of your Apple devices and iCloud. If you can't reset your password, chances are you've been hacked.
If your iPhone suddenly runs out of battery much faster or uses way more data than usual, malware may be running in the background.
Is your iPhone suddenly running slow and/or getting hot? While iPhone performance decreases over time, sudden drastic changes may indicate hacking and malware.
If you suddenly notice intrusive ads or changes to the number of ads you see when browsing the web, this might be an indication of malicious software installed on your phone.

Section 3 of 4:

What to Do If Your iPhone is Hacked

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If you think someone has hacked your iPhone, disconnecting from Wi-Fi and mobile internet should be your first step. A hacker can only access your iPhone remotely if it's connected to the internet.
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Delete apps and configuration profiles you don't recognize. Anything installed on your iPhone that you didn't install yourself (and wasn't installed by default) could be your hacker's route into your phone.^{[4]
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- To see all installed apps, swipe left until you're at the App Library screen, tap the searchbar, and scroll through the list. To delete an app, tap and hold the app's icon and select Delete app.
- To delete a configuration profile, go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management, tap the profile, and select Delete Profile.
Running a scan can identify and remove any malware that's allowing the hacker to access your iPhone. You can download a reputable antivirus app like Malwarebytes or Bitdefender from the App Store.
If you’ve added your credit or debit card to Apple Wallet or your iCloud account, contact your bank(s) to check for unauthorized transactions and cancel your cards.
If a hacker can access your iPhone, they can likely access your other accounts. Use a secure device to change all of your passwords as soon as possible.
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Do a Safety Check. Your iPhone has a tool that can tell you who you're sharing information with and what sort of data you're sharing. If you find something shady, you can use Safety Check to reset all permissions and change your passcode.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check.
- Tap Manage Sharing & Access and follow the on-screen instructions to see what you're sharing and lock down your iPhone.^{[5]
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- You can also tap Emergency Reset on the main Safety Check screen to instantly reset permissions for all apps and people who can access your iPhone.
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Reset your iPhone. The only real way to get rid of the hacker for good is to reset your iPhone completely. A factory reset deletes all of your iPhone's data, including any backdoors installed by the hacker.
- As long as you've backed up your data to iCloud in the past (and the hacker hasn't compromised your Apple ID), you can restore your personal data after the reset.

Section 4 of 4:

How to Prevent iPhone Hacking

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Surfshark is best known for its VPN, which keeps you secure while browsing the internet. Surfshark One includes not only a completely private VPN connection, but also antivirus and malware protection, tracking protection, ad-free search, and real-time alerts if your personal information or passwords appear in data breaches.^{[6]
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Whenever you connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network, enable your VPN before doing anything on the internet. This ensures that hackers can't capture your passwords and other sensitive data as you log in to websites, banking sites, and other apps.
If your iPhone is set to update automatically when Apple releases security fixes, your iPhone will be less vulnerable to zero-day exploits.
Enabling two-factor authentication for your Apple ID ensures hackers can't access your account—even if they figure out your password. You can turn on 2FA in Settings > your name > Sign-in & Security.^{[7]
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Don't be tempted to jailbreak your iPhone or install apps from unknown sources, as Apple doesn't vet these apps. Stick to apps that are available from the App Store to minimize your chance of installing a convenient backdoor for hackers.
Hackers may try to trick you into divulging passwords and personal data via text messages, emails, and pop-up messages. Avoid following links in emails, texts, and pop-up windows unless you trust the sender.
Experienced hackers may be able to exploit your iPhone via Bluetooth when nearby. If you're not actively using Bluetooth to connect to a device, tap the Bluetooth icon in the Control Center to disable it.
Using the same password for multiple accounts is risky—if a hacker finds your password for one service in a data breach, they'll be able to access all accounts on which you use that same password. Using a password manager lets you use unique passwords without worrying about remembering them all.

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Tips

If you've been hacked, take immediate action to prevent or minimize the effects of identity theft by filing a police report, reporting to the FTC, and freezing your credit.

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