5 Signs That Your Partner Has Installed a Spy App on Your Phone

It’s easy to hide your tracks when you know that you’re being followed, which is why a person trying to do their surveillance on you usually does the best job of hiding their tracks. Still, this is not an easy thing to do for someone who is not a professional spy or a P.I.

So, what does one do when they suspect that their partner is doing something they shouldn’t? They can come up with a myriad of theories, but there’s just one way to know for sure.

The only way to find out for sure is to install a spy app on their phone; however, this might not be exactly legal.

Unless it’s your child or an adult who gave you their consent (an aging parent that you’re taking care of or a partner who believes that this is a good idea), such a thing is illegal to do. Does this mean that people are not doing it? Of course not!

You Recognize a Spy App

Let’s just get this right off the bat. The most direct way of knowing that you have a spy app on your phone is actually seeing it installed. If you notice a strange app activity, look it up and learn that it’s a spy app; this is the only 100% reliable way to know.

Every other method we’ll describe could be due to something else. They could spy on you in other ways without installing a spy app. They can read your messages on another device that you’re logged into (without you knowing about it), or they could know your password. Sometimes, they could follow you or make a lucky guess.

Now, the number of people using these spy apps is growing at alarming rates, which is why you need to do your best to learn how to recognize them. If you’ve never heard of these apps, their name won’t mean much to you. Also, they won’t have an icon, which is why you have to look at the processes instead.

Once again, even if the app is installed, you have to apply circumstantial evidence to your deduction process. Sure, the partner is your first suspect, but it’s still not 100% proven that it’s them.

Battery Drain, Slow Performance, and Overheating

Your device could be slow for a number of reasons, from dust in your cooling system to a virus. However, a spy app is an application that is always running in the background, which means that it’s a constant drain on your phone’s resources.

Not only that but unless your device has an incredibly strong processor, chances are that you are handling approximate app management. In other words, you don’t run apps that are too powerful at the same time. With a spy app, this is more difficult to do, seeing as how it’s a drain on your resources that you’re not really aware of.

Because of this, it’s really not uncommon for your device to start being a lot slower than it was during the same tasks. It could also overheat more quickly. Moreover, your battery will drain faster. After all, you’re using more apps and more computing power than before, and it’s only natural to have all these side effects.

Again, there are a lot of reasons why your phone is slow, or your computer is slow, and a spy app is definitely not the first thing that crosses your mind. Still, if this happens during a particularly tumultuous time in your relationship and your partner gets acting strange around you (and your devices), you might just have a well-grounded suspicion. Speaking of which...

Strange Partner Behavior

Installing a spy app means that they don’t have to be around in order to know what you’re doing. It means that they have the safest possible way to track your activity and location, but the majority of people instinctively still act suspiciously around you. It’s counterintuitive, but it’s also human psychology.

It’s also your best way to catch them in the act.

Some people assume that just because they’re not cheating, there’s nothing to be afraid of; however, jealousy doesn’t always have a basis. Moreover, while they suspect you of cheating, which is the main reason why most people install spy apps, this is not the only reason.

Maybe they’re suspecting you of another bad habit, like returning to an old addiction. They want to see if you’re drinking again.

Maybe they dislike the way you spend your mutual funds. They might suspect you are sending more money to your family than you’re reporting, or they might suspect you are enjoying luck-based games at Bitcoin casinos. They might see this as the only way to check it out and be certain of it.

Either way, they have no right to do so, and the fact that they don’t trust you is a huge problem. Moreover, even if you are betting, drinking, or using your private funds alternatively, this is hardly illegal. What they are doing just might be.

Strange Text Messages

Another thing you should watch out for is strange text messages. First of all, a person with a spy app sometimes gets a back channel to your messaging apps. This is, however, very rare now that all the big IM apps have encryption.

At the same time, a spy app may interfere with the messaging, which will turn the messages into gibberish or corrupt them so that they contain strange letters and symbols. If your messages seem corrupted, an installed spy app could be the reason for it.

Keep in mind that an unread text has a specific type of notification. So, if you notice that some texts are “seen” without you actually reading them, this could be a sign of something more sinister at play. It could be a sign that someone else has read your text messages.

At the same time, don’t jump to conclusions. Sometimes, you just forget that you’ve tapped a chat and quickly backtracked.

Security Software Alerts and Strange Account Activity

Don’t just assume that your system won’t put up a fight against these malicious tools. Chances are that you’ll get security software alerts.

If you install an antivirus program, chances are that it will recognize a spy app as something from its list. As these types of software become more common, more and more antiviruses will install capabilities to help you recognize them and fend them off.

It’s also likely that, if you have a spy app installed, your accounts may report login attempts from other devices (the device of your partner). This can be quite difficult to understand since you share the same location and it’s even harder if you have a similar/same model of phone. Still, a new login is always suspicious.

Be Careful But Don’t Jump to Conclusions

Over time, your battery will get weaker. Your partner might start behaving oddly for some completely other reason, and you could open a text and forget about doing so. Moreover, security software is all but infallible, and a quick login and logout due to an update is possible. Only when you see that you have a spy app installed should you draw a conclusion. Still, being careful never hurts.