Here’s the reality:
- There’s no magic “find and stop spy apps” button. Most modern spyware hides very well, and average users rarely notice anything obvious.
- Signs of surveillance (battery drain, weird background noise, random popups) are often just OS quirks or misbehaving apps—not proof of tapping.
- iOS is very locked down. Unless your device is jailbroken, full-blown “phone tapping” (as in classic spy movies) is almost impossible for regular attackers. Android is more open, so rogue apps or monitoring tools are more plausible.
- Actual government or sophisticated hacks leave almost no trace for consumers to find.
Sanity steps:
- Run a reputable antivirus/anti-malware scan (look for “Play Protect” on Android, not sketchy third party “antivirus”).
- Review your app list for anything you don’t recognize.
- Check your account security: enable 2FA, change your passwords.
- For the truly paranoid, back up photos, then factory reset the device. That’s as clean as you get.
Bottom line: Most “tapping” fears are overblown, but some targeted spyware is real. Factory reset trumps tinkering with random apps that promise miracles.