Smartphone users have been left staggered after discovering the meaning behind an orange dot appearing at the top of their Apple iPhone screen.
The mysterious orange dot sometimes shows up alongside a green dot at apparently random intervals, but they do serve a purpose, one that hasn’t sat well with everyone. This issue was highlighted on social media when a user inquired: “How to get rid of this orange thingy? ” attaching a photo of the peculiar dot.
Responses flooded in attempting to solve the indicator; however, the path to removing it remained elusive. One individual responded: “That means your microphone is in use on your device.”
Although many thought this information to be widespread, there were those who were completely unaware. Flabbergasted, one person commented: “WTF!? Who is listening to me? Mine is always on. I never even noticed it before.”
Apple has clarified that these colour codes are designed as alerts for users whenever their microphone or camera gets activated, a feature introduced in the iPhone with the rollout of iOS 14 in 2020. Typically, by accessing the Control Centre, it is possible to check which app is using your microphone and/or camera.
Even after verifying that no apps requiring microphone access were in use and having scoured through her settings, one user’s confusion echoed others who had also embarked on a journey to unravel the conundrum.
One user chimed in with their thoughts: “Tens of millions of us have been asking ourselves the same question.” Another offered a solution: “If you aren’t using your mic actively then you may wish to do a true reset of your phone; it seems a system process got stuck using it.”
Adding to the discussion, another individual suggested: “Close all your apps, one of them is actively using the mic. You can actually pull up your quick control center and see which app is using it at the top of your screen.”
Several reasons might explain why an app could need to use your camera or microphone not all implications are sinister in nature. For example, Instagram requires your camera for snapping pics within the app, and WhatsApp needs to access the microphone if you’re recording a voice note.
The likelihood of any app misusing the microphone is low, considering Apple’s security measures, including strict vetting processes before apps appear on the App Store. Nonetheless, if you’re suspicious about an app’s activities, its advisable to review its permissions in your phone’s Settings.
This area allows users to restrict certain apps from accessing the microphone or camera. And for those still feeling uneasy, the simplest solution might be to delete the questionable app.
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