If you are an iPhone user, you may have noticed that an orange dot and a green dot now occasionally appear in the upper corner of the screen.
These points are called indicator lights and alert users when an application uses the camera or microphone. This new feature is part of Apple’s broader effort to protect the privacy of its users.
The orange light dot on the iPhone means that an application is using your microphone
When an orange dot appears in the upper right corner of the screen – just above the bars on your phone – it means that an application is using your iPhone’s microphone.
For example, if you are recording a reminder using the Voice Memo application, the orange dot will appear. The orange dot also appears when making calls or using the Siri function.
The orange dot appears when an application is using your microphone, such as when you are making a call.
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The green dot on the iPhone means that an application is using your camera or your camera and microphone simultaneously
When the green dot appears in the upper right corner of the screen – also just above the cell phone bars – it is an indication that an application is using your iPhone’s camera, or the camera and microphone.
For example, if you open Instagram and use the Stories feature to make a video with sound, the green light will appear to indicate that the application is using your iPhone’s camera and microphone. It will also appear when you make a FaceTime call.
The green dot appears when your camera is being used, such as when you are in FaceTiming.
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How to know which application is using your iPhone’s camera and / or microphone
Apple makes it easy to find out which application is using your iPhone’s microphone or camera.
When a green or orange dot appears, simply swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to access the Control Center. At the top, the name of the application will appear, along with whether it used your phone’s camera or microphone.
For example, if you used Instagram, you should read “Instagram, recently” with a camera or microphone icon.
Your iPhone’s Control Center will tell you which applications were using your microphone and / or camera.
Grace Eliza Goodwin / Insider
Why indicator lights are important
With the iOS 14 update, Apple introduced a number of new tools to help users protect their privacy and force apps to be more transparent in the way they use their phone.
Indicator lights are part of this, alerting users if third-party apps use their microphone or camera without consent. If you discover that an application is accessing your microphone or camera without warning, you must delete it and report it.