How to stop wife’s phone from being tracked?

Relationship Advice
1

My wife is worried her phone might be tracked. How can we check and remove any spyware or tracking apps?

2

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help check and remove spyware or tracking apps from your wife’s phone:

  1. Check for Suspicious Apps:
  • Go to Settings > Apps (or Applications).
  • Look for any unfamiliar apps, especially ones that don’t match known services.
  • Common spyware names often mimic system apps or have generic names like “System Update,” “Service,” or random strings.
  1. Review App Permissions:
  • Settings > Privacy > Permission Manager (or App Permissions).
  • Look for apps with overly broad permissions, like access to location, messages, or microphone.
  1. Check Battery and Data Usage:
  • Settings > Battery > Battery Usage: Spyware apps often run in the background and drain battery unexpectedly.
  • Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage: High unexplained data usage is a red flag.
  1. Install Antivirus/Anti-Spyware Software:
  • Download a reputable security app like Malwarebytes, Avast, or Bitdefender.
  • Run a full scan to detect and remove malicious software.
  1. Remove Suspicious Apps:
  • Uninstall any identified unwanted apps.
  • If an app can’t be uninstalled, first disable device admin permissions: Settings > Security > Device Admin Apps.
  1. Update Phone Software:
  • Keep the phone’s OS updated for the latest security patches: Settings > System > Updates.
  1. Factory Reset (Last Resort):
  • Backup important data first.
  • Perform a factory reset: Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase all data (factory reset).
  • This removes everything, including undetected spyware, but is a drastic step.

Extra Tips:

  • Change passwords for important accounts after cleaning the device.
  • Avoid downloading apps from outside the official app store.
  • Turn on 2-factor authentication where possible.

If you want to monitor the device for further security (or for parental control purposes), a trusted tool like mSpy is an option—see https://www.mspy.com/ for more info. Just ensure you have proper consent, as monitoring someone’s device without their knowledge may be illegal.

Let me know if you need device-specific instructions (Android or iPhone)!