What to do if…
you notice your phone has new “device admin” or monitoring settings and you fear intimate data is exposed

What to do now

1. Move your next important step to a safer device if you can. A trusted friend’s phone, a work device, or a library computer is often safer than the phone you are worried about. Use that safer device for support, account recovery, and anything about intimate images, safety, or leaving.

2. Get specialist support before making big device changes. In the UK, Refuge’s 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline can help you think through phone monitoring, tech abuse, and safer next steps without pressuring you to report. If there is immediate danger, call 999.

3. Make a very short record somewhere safer. Write down the date, time, what new setting or message appeared, the name of any unknown app or “device admin,” and what access you think may be affected. Keep it factual and brief. If taking a screenshot on that phone feels risky, do not force it.

4. Treat the phone as possibly visible to the other person. For now, avoid using it for private calls, intimate disclosures, new secret email addresses, legal advice, safety planning, or conversations about leaving, reporting, or changing accounts.

5. Protect the accounts that matter most from a safer device. Start with the email account that resets other accounts, then cloud photo storage, messaging apps, your main phone account, banking, and any account holding intimate images or backups. Change passwords there, review signed-in devices, and sign out of devices you do not recognise.

6. Check whether location or sharing is still active. From a safer place and device where possible, review location sharing, cloud photo sharing, shared albums, family-sharing style features, linked tablets or watches, and backup settings. Turn off only what you can do safely without alerting someone in a way that puts you at more risk.

7. If you use an iPhone, review Apple Safety Check if your phone supports it. It can help review sharing and device or account access. Use it only when you have a safer pause to do so. If the phone itself feels unsafe to touch, leave this step and use support first.

8. If you use Android, check unfamiliar high-access settings only if it feels safe. Search Settings for terms such as “device admin,” “admin apps,” or “special access,” and note anything unfamiliar. The wording and menu names can vary by phone and Android version. You do not need to remove it right now to take this seriously.

9. Think beyond the phone. If someone had physical access to your device or knew your passcode, they may also know your email, cloud backups, photo library, or SIM or account details. Put your first energy into the accounts that unlock the rest.

10. If intimate images may be involved, get support without pressure. You do not need to decide right now whether to report, confront, or preserve every possible detail. A domestic abuse service can help you choose the least risky next step for your situation.

11. If you may want to report later, avoid altering the device more than necessary until you have spoken to specialist support. A brief note of what you saw and when is enough for now.