Whether you’re staying in an Airbnb, a hotel, or just a friend’s place, the idea of hidden cameras can give anyone the creeps. However, the good news is that you have a pretty nifty tool in your pocket to help you uncover them. In this article, I’ll teach you how to find hidden cameras using your iPhone.

Electromagnetic field detection using phone call

While working, any electronic device emits an invisible energy called an electromagnetic field (also called electromagnetic radiation). This phenomenon also works on those sneaky spy cameras you’re looking for.

Even though they’re small and their energy waves aren’t huge, they could still be strong enough to mess with phone signals. As you’re looking for hidden cameras in the room, here’s a simple trick to help you. Simply make a call and stroll around while chatting. Try to cover the whole room and pay attention to any odd stuff happening during the call, like noises or glitches.

However, just don’t jump to a conclusion yet, as the interference you’re facing may result from your call signals dropping. Yet, if a certain spot keeps causing trouble, something fishy might be going on.

Note: Ensure to turn off all the other electronic devices while performing this.

You’ve got this extra option in the bag for downloading the DontSpy 2 app onto your iPhone. This little app is pretty nifty because it’s all about helping you determine if any sneaky electromagnetic radiation is hanging around a certain spot.

Finding cameras with infrared (IR) technology or light reflecting from the lens

Other than EM radiation, some spy cameras also rely on infrared lights, which are normally invisible to the naked human eye. However, the technique to detect them doesn’t need fancy gadgets or tech know-how, just a keen eye and your iPhone.

In order to detect them, first find a spot where you suspect a hidden camera might be lurking. Look around for small, unusual holes, crevices, or objects that seem out of place. Hidden cameras often try to blend in, but sometimes, they give themselves away by being a bit too inconspicuous.

Next, turn off all the lights in the room and make sure it’s dark. Yep, we’re going all ninja here. Grab your iPhone and open the camera app. Ensure you don’t use the flash; we’re hunting for reflections here.

Slowly pan your iPhone around the room, focusing on the areas you suspect might be hiding a camera. Keep an eagle eye out for any sudden, tiny flashes of light. These sneaky reflections might indicate a hidden camera’s lens staring right back at you.

Finally, investigate further if you spot something that twinkles or reflects when your iPhone’s light hits it. Remember that hidden cameras have lenses, which can give off little glimmers when they catch light, so be attentive to the smallest details.

Locate and recognize Bluetooth cameras

If you suspect hidden Bluetooth cameras might be around and want to use your iPhone to spot them, here’s how you can do it. Simply head to the Control Center on your iPhone → Tap on the Bluetooth icon to enable it. In case you’re facing issues with your Bluetooth not working, try these quick fixes.

Now that you’ve enabled Bluetooth, your iPhone will start sniffing around for any nearby Bluetooth devices, including those sneaky cameras. Keep an eye on the list that pops up. If you see some oddly named or unfamiliar devices, they might just be what you’re looking for.

When your iPhone finds these devices, it’ll show their names on the list. This is where your intuition comes in. Unlike regular devices like headphones or speakers, hidden cameras usually have vague or seemingly random names. If you spot a device named something like “X9F34” instead of “Bhaskar’s AirPods,” you might want to investigate further.

While in Bluetooth settings, pay attention to the signal strength of these suspicious devices. Usually, Bluetooth cameras have a limited range, so if you notice a device with a strong signal, but it’s nowhere to be seen, that’s a red flag. It could be hiding nearby.

Use Wi-Fi to locate networked cameras

Finding hidden Wi-Fi cameras can be easy and requires no special apps. Just go to your iPhone’s Control Center → Turn on Wi-Fi. Now, your iPhone will search for nearby Wi-Fi devices.

Look at the list of networks available. Be watchful for any strange networks you don’t recognize. These could be hidden cameras or devices pretending to be Wi-Fi routers. Pay attention to weird-sounding network names.

Walk around where you think hidden cameras might be. While walking, watch how strong the signals of those suspicious networks are. The signal might get stronger if you get closer to a hidden camera. This can tell you how close the camera is.

Hidden cameras might act like normal Wi-Fi networks with common names. But they might not be very secure. Something suspicious might happen if you find a network without a password or weak security. Hackers often don’t secure networks to see through the camera easily.

You can also use apps from the App Store, like Hidden Spy Camera Detectors. Such apps can tell you more about nearby networks, like how strong their signals are, which channels they use, and even the unique addresses of devices. Using one of these apps can help you find strange devices pretending to be real Wi-Fi networks.

Manually check these prime locations where spy cams can be hiding

These tiny, concealed cameras may imitate the size of simple shirt buttons when woven into our environment’s fabric, making it difficult to identify them visually.

Despite this difficulty, several typical spots where people frequently decide to place these covert devices arise, making it more difficult to detect them with the naked eye. The following list lists some popular locations for covert camera placement if you want to search manually after trying to find hidden surveillance cameras using your iPhone.

• Smoke detectors
• Electrical outlets
• Power strips
• Night lights
• Books, DVD cases, or video game cases
• Shelves
• Laptops
• Desktops
• Computer mice
• Small holes in the wall
• Pictures or other decorations
• Stuffed animals
• Lava lamps

What to do when you find a hidden camera

Your privacy matters, and you should do everything to protect it. If you spot a spy camera, you could report it to someone in charge and file an official complaint against the place’s owner. I hope the above article has helped you find hidden surveillance cameras using your iPhone. Are there any methods I’ve not mentioned? Please let me know in the comments section, and I’ll add it.

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