Is My Phone Listening To Me? Yes, and Here’s What To Do About It

Your phone isn't necessarily recording every conversation, but voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Gemini can listen for activation phrases such as "Hey Siri" or "Hey Google." You can limit this activity by turning off voice activation and reviewing which apps have permission to use your microphone.

To stop your phone from listening, start with these settings:

• Android: Turn off "Hey Google" in your Gemini or Google Assistant settings, then review microphone permissions under Settings.
• iPhone: Turn off voice activation in Siri settings, then go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone to manage app access.

These changes can reduce unwanted microphone access, but they won't disable every feature that uses audio, such as phone calls or voice recording apps. Below, we'll explain why your phone may appear to be listening, how to change the relevant settings, and what happens to voice recordings.

Is my phone always listening to me?

Your phone may listen for a voice assistant's activation phrase, but that doesn't mean it's continuously recording and uploading everything you say. In fact, 70% of people surveyed say they've been served a targeted ad for something they talked about out loud but did not search for online.

Voice assistants generally use wake-word detection to recognize phrases such as "Hey Siri" or "Hey Google." Here's how the process typically works:

• Standby mode: Your device monitors for an activation phrase, often processing the audio locally rather than continuously sending conversations to company servers.
• Activation: When the assistant recognizes its wake word or you activate it manually, it processes your request. Depending on the service and feature, some information may be sent to company servers.
• Activity storage: Some interactions or related activity may be saved, depending on the assistant and your privacy settings. Audio recordings aren't necessarily stored with every request.

Voice assistants can also activate accidentally when they mistake another sound or phrase for a wake word. You could be having a conversation with a friend about some obscure fun fact. One of you doesn't believe the other and says, "OK, Google it!" Your virtual assistant could mistake that or another similar-sounding phrase for its wake word and start listening, potentially capturing details you didn't intend to share.

This doesn't mean everything you say is saved. But requests you make after activating your assistant, such as "Who is the president of Mexico?" or "How old is Emma Watson?", may be processed or stored depending on your device and privacy settings. That doesn't necessarily mean an audio recording of the request is saved.

Google, for example, says its Assistant doesn't send what you say to Google while waiting in standby mode. Its separate setting for saving audio recordings with Web & App Activity is optional and off unless you enable it.

But what about ads that seem to reflect your conversations? Seeing an ad for something you recently discussed isn't proof that your phone recorded the conversation. Advertisers can use other information to predict your interests, including:

• Search history
• App usage
• Browsing activity
• Location data
• Purchase behavior

These signals can make targeted ads feel surprisingly personal without requiring access to private conversations. Still, reviewing your microphone permissions and voice assistant settings is a sensible way to limit unnecessary data collection.

How to stop your Android phone from listening to you

On Android, start by disabling voice activation and reviewing which apps can use your microphone. You don't need to remove malware or reset your phone just to change these settings.

Turn off "Hey Google" for Gemini or Google Assistant

Many Android phones now use Gemini as their digital assistant, although some devices still use Google Assistant. The steps depend on which assistant you have.

If you use Gemini:

1. Open the Gemini app.

2. Tap your profile picture or initial and select Settings.

3. Select Talk to Gemini hands-free.

4. Turn off Hey Google.

If you use Google Assistant:

1. Open Google Assistant settings. On supported devices, you can say, "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."

2. Under All settings, select General. You may need to select View all settings or See all Assistant Settings first.

3. Turn off Google Assistant.

Turning off voice activation prevents the assistant from responding to its wake phrase, but it doesn't necessarily remove the assistant or prevent you from opening it manually.

Review Android microphone permissions

Even with voice activation disabled, other apps may have permission to use your microphone. You can review and restrict that access individually.

1. Open your phone's Settings app.

2. Select Security & privacy or Privacy, depending on your device.

3. Open Privacy dashboard and select Microphone to review recent access, if available.

4. Select an app to review its permissions, or open Settings > Apps and choose the app.

5. Select Permissions > Microphone and change the setting as needed.

On supported Android devices, you can also turn off microphone access more broadly through Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Privacy controls. This affects apps and features that need the microphone, including some calling and recording functions.

Android settings vary by manufacturer and software version, so the exact menu names may differ.

If you suspect your phone is infected with malware, removing suspicious apps is an important step. You can do this by opening Settings > Apps, selecting an unfamiliar or suspicious app, and tapping Uninstall.

You can also revoke app admin permissions in your phone's security settings. In addition, you could put your Android in safe mode, which temporarily disables downloaded apps and can help you identify problematic software. The steps to enter safe mode vary by device.

Other troubleshooting options include clearing suspicious downloads or, as a last resort, resetting your device to factory settings. Overall, your best bet is to take proactive measures before your phone gets infected, such as installing anti-malware apps or enabling Android's Google Play Protect in your app store settings.

How to turn off Google Assistant on Google Maps and Android Auto

Another way Google can listen for voice commands is through Google Assistant or Gemini in Google Maps and Android Auto. You can limit hands-free voice activation by turning off "Hey Google" in your Google Assistant or Gemini settings.

First, go to the settings app on your Android phone or tablet or say, "Hey Google, open Assistant settings." From there, you can follow the prompts to turn off Google Assistant:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings" or open your Google Assistant settings.

2. Under All settings, tap General. If you don't find General, first tap View all Settings or See all Assistant Settings.

3. Toggle off Google Assistant.

If you use Gemini instead, open the Gemini app, go to Settings > Talk to Gemini hands-free, and turn off Hey Google.

You can also review navigation audio settings in Google Maps. Open the app, tap your profile picture or initials, and select Settings > Navigation. These settings primarily control spoken directions and other navigation audio, not whether the microphone listens for "Hey Google."

Android Auto supports voice commands through Gemini or Google Assistant. Turning off hands-free activation can limit wake-word responses, but you may still be able to activate the assistant manually using the microphone button.

How to stop your Apple iPhone from listening to you

The best way to limit unwanted voice activation on your Apple iPhone is by turning off Siri's listening features and reviewing microphone permissions.

1. Go to Settings and select Siri or Apple Intelligence & Siri, depending on your iOS version.

2. Select Requests, Talk to Siri, or Talk & Type to Siri, depending on your iOS version.

3. Select Off to stop Siri from responding to "Siri" or "Hey Siri."

4. If you also want to prevent manual activation, turn off Press Side Button for Siri, where available.

Next, review which apps have permission to use your microphone:

1. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.

2. Review the apps that have requested microphone access.

3. Turn off access for apps that don't need it.

Apple requires apps to request permission before using the microphone. An orange indicator appears when an app uses the microphone without the camera, while a green indicator appears when the camera is in use.

If you're worried about iPhone malware, you can also restart your phone, clear your browsing data and history, or back up your iPhone and restore it to factory settings if necessary.

Is it legal for my phone to listen to me?

Generally, voice assistants can legally process audio when they comply with applicable privacy laws and their disclosed practices. However, agreeing to a device's terms of service doesn't automatically give a company unlimited permission to record or use your conversations.

When you enable a voice assistant, you may agree to certain types of processing, including:

• Voice assistant processing
• Data collection for service improvement
• Limited storage of voice interactions, depending on your settings

Privacy laws like the GDPR (Europe), CCPA (California), and various state biometric privacy laws can impose requirements on how companies collect, disclose, store, and use personal information. The specific protections and deletion rights depend on the law and circumstances.

Recent lawsuits have also raised questions about whether users clearly understood how voice recordings could be reviewed, stored, or used to improve voice assistant systems.

Smartphone privacy tips

There are a lot of other steps you can take to protect your privacy while using a smartphone. The best way to avoid malware and unwanted monitoring of your activity is to take a proactive approach to your privacy. Here are a few helpful tips to help keep you secure.

1. Only download verified apps: Download apps from trusted sources and review their permissions and privacy practices. Even apps from official stores aren't guaranteed to be free of security or privacy risks.

2. Update your phone's software: Keeping your phone's software updated increases your chances of preventing spyware and malware from infecting your phone. Phone makers often issue patches that address security issues with each new software update.

3. Delete unused apps: Not using that puzzle game app you downloaded a few years ago? Delete it. It's best to keep possible sources for malware and monitoring to a minimum.

4. Check app permissions: You can control what your app sees and hears. In your device's settings, you should have the option to block certain apps from accessing your pictures, contacts, location, and microphone.

5. Delete your voice request history: You can delete saved voice activity through your Google Account or applicable Siri privacy settings. Deleting your phone's call history won't remove voice assistant recordings.

6. Use a VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) is useful for protecting your internet connection by encrypting traffic between your device and the VPN server. However, it doesn't prevent apps or voice assistants from accessing your microphone.

7. Update your privacy settings: It's always a good idea to check your device's privacy settings to see which apps you're giving permissions to. This can help you regain some control over your data sharing.

8. Turn off voice assistants: A major tip is to turn off your phone's voice assistant, whether that's Siri, Gemini, or Google Assistant. While voice assistants can be helpful, hands-free activation requires your phone to monitor for voice commands.

Bottom line

You don't have to give up your smartphone to limit unwanted listening. Start by turning off voice activation for Siri, Gemini, or Google Assistant, then review which apps have access to your microphone.

These settings won't prevent every form of data collection, but they can reduce accidental voice assistant activations and unnecessary microphone access. You can take your privacy a step further by reviewing saved voice activity, limiting app tracking, and keeping your device updated.

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