Review iPhone App Privacy Report after a strange sensor alert

An orange or green indicator shows current microphone or camera use, but one flash does not identify malicious activity. App Privacy Report helps review recent access patterns on the phone. Turn it on before you need history; it cannot reconstruct activity from before it was enabled.

Find the app and decide​

1. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → App Privacy Report and enable it if needed. Return after ordinary use to inspect sensor access and network activity. Check the date and app name, not just the count.
2. If the camera indicator appears, open Control Center to see recent camera or microphone use. Compare it with the app you were using, such as a video call, recorder or camera preview.
3. For an app that does not need the access, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera or Microphone and turn that app's permission off. Test the app afterward; you can grant it again if an intended feature fails.
4. If an unfamiliar app repeatedly accesses a sensor, inspect its developer and installed date, remove it if not needed and update iOS. Check account security separately if the device was physically accessed by someone else.

Read the signal correctly​

Apple says green means camera use, possibly with microphone; orange means microphone without camera. The indicator shows use, not who saw the content or whether data was sent. Apple's sharing and privacy guide describes App Privacy Report, and its indicator guide explains the colors. If you are concerned about another person's access to the phone, review Apple Account devices too.