What Do Orange and Green Dots on Your iPhone Mean?

Have you ever wondered what do the orange and green dots next to the notch on your iPhone mean? No worries, you are not alone to have found their existence perplexing. First introduced in iOS 14, there is a reason why these indicators show up in the iPhone status bar or Dynamic Island. In this article, I will help you decode these simple privacy symbols and why you should pay close attention to them whenever they pop up in the status bar.

What Does the Orange Dot in iPhone Status Bar Mean?

When an orange indicator in the iPhone status bar means an app is currently using the microphone on your device. You will see an orange dot next to the notch on your iPhone while making calls or using the Voice Memo app, Siri voice commands, recording notes, and when you are in a Clubhouse audio room, among other things. If you’ve got an iPhone 14 Pro or a later model, you’ll see the orange and green dots inside the Dynamic Island.

It’s worth pointing out that this indicator appears as an orange square if you have enabled the Differentiate Without Color feature on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and enable/disable the Different Without Color toggle, as per your need.

Now, it is safe to assume that almost all apps on your iPhone respect your privacy and will only access the microphone when required. But if you ever notice the orange dot on your device when it shouldn’t be there, it simply means some app is misusing the mic permission and eavesdropping on your conversations. We have explained how to fix such a privacy loophole in the sections below.

What Does the Green Dot in iPhone Status Bar Mean?

If you see a green dot in the iPhone status bar, that means an app is actively using the camera on your device. Also, the green indicator can signify when an app is using a camera and microphone together. So, you will not see a separate orange dot for microphone access here, even though it is usable along with the camera.

For instance, as you can see in the screenshot above, I’m using the FaceTime app on my iPhone and only see the green indicator next to the notch. It represents that the app is using both the camera and microphone at the moment.

Now, if you randomly see the green dot on your iPhone, it means some app is invading your privacy by accessing the camera and recording you without your permission. Follow the steps in the section below to find out which app it was and get it under control.

How to Disable Camera and Microphone Permissions for Apps

The green and orange dots are like alarms, designed to alert you about the usage of the camera and microphone on your iPhone. If an app is using them unnecessarily, you can take the needed action right away and disable the access.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and then tap on Privacy & Security

3. Here, you can access Camera and Microphone permissions individually.
4. First, tap on the Microphone and then turn off the toggle next to the app for which you want to disable the microphone (orange dot) on your iPhone.
5. Now, go back to the previous screen, tap on Camera and turn off the desired toggles.

How to Tell Which App Is Using Your Camera and Microphone

Apple has made it easy to know what app had recent access to your camera and microphone. Here’s how to determine which app is using a camera or microphone on your iOS device:

1. Swipe down from the top right corner to open the Control Center.
2. At the top of the Control Center, you will see the permission type indicator (green for camera or orange for microphone) along with an app name, as shown in the screenshot below.

This allows you to keep an eye on which apps are using a camera or microphone on your iPhone. If an app is accessing your camera or microphone in the background without your knowledge, you can revoke the permissions to ensure they aren’t recording conversations or videos.

Does green and orange dots mean someone is keeping an eye on you?

It might be possible in some rare cases. First and foremost, you must check if any known apps running in the background are using your camera or microphone. In case you don’t find any apps, a hacker might be using malicious third-party apps to keep an eye on your iPhone. If this ever happens, you must turn off your iPhone, change your Wi-Fi name and password, and reach out to your network provider.

Hopefully, you have now got a good hang of what the orange and green dots mean and the sole purpose behind their existence. So, next time you see these recording indicators on your iPhone, you shouldn’t panic. You can always check which apps are using the camera and microphone on your device. If you find some shady, make sure to disable access in the Settings app.