What is the red dot on iPhone screen?

Thanks for asking this. I was wondering as well. What I have learned from your question after sorting through the answers is that

• The light indicates that the mic is in use. It does not mean your activity is being recorded, though....
• The light is helpful for security purposes. If the light is on when using an app that shouldn't have access to the mic, it could be for malicious intent, but most likely because at some point you gave the app access to use your mic. I suggest either revoking the app access to the mic or deleting the app altogether. https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/control-access-to-hardware-features-iph168c4bbd5/ios
• Providing a link to the answer in Apple resources is helpful. Saying ”look it up” is not.
• Some people are just plain rude rather than helpful. People come to a help forum for answers, not to be belittled. This has been going on for too long and people are finally being called out on it.
• Some people see the app as red and others as orange or even yellow. It is still unknown whether that is a difference in theme or background or other settings. (It is likely not due to user perception given some people compare and see the same differences)
• Set aside at least 30 minutes to go down the rabbit hole the next time a dot suddenly appears in an iOs update.
• 
  

Although I agree with you on redirecting to the Apple documentation, when I read comments like this it’s exactly what keeps me from typically posting here. Arrogance is just something I can’t tolerate. It wouldn’t have taken you more than 60 seconds to copy and paste a link to send documentation for that person in your reply instead of simply telling them what to do and saying goodbye in a very manner of fact way.

There are those who are technical wizards almost naturally and then those who didn’t have the benefit of growing up with computers (using that as the most generic term I can for modern IT technology…for instance people born before 1970). The former must understand that the latter – those who don’t have that knowledge, not necessarily by any fault of their own or any lack of action on their part, on the contrary by making a post here they have performed an action seeking help – need to be treated kindly and gently ... yet not like a child and not just giving answers to the obviously lazy people for free. However, this was a legitimate question with very scant legitimate documentation and, if you know where the documentation is, a link would help everyone because I’m having trouble finding (authoritative, Apple sourced and consistent amongst the same point release documents) it even now. (Hence, including the link without making mention to the fact that you did so).

In regard to the link provided at the top, here is a screenshot from it that shows or demonstrates what several people are asking. What is a red dot? Do you see that on the screenshot or that webpage?

According to this support article from Apple,

An orange indicator means the microphone is being used by an app on your iPhone.

A green indicator means either the camera or the camera and the microphone are being used by an app on your iPhone.

There is no mention of a red indicator. I have not been able to find any documentation from Apple about a red dot. Some sites have argued that the red dot is actually an orange dot that appears to be red to the user for one reason or another. But after doing a screenshot of the dot, it's clear sometimes is orange and sometimes it's red.

So the question remains: what is the significance of the red dot?

stedman1 wrote:

Well, it was posted previously in this discussion, but I guess i could post it again.

Status icons and symbols on your iPhone - Apple Support

Yes, by activating dark mode, one can see that the dot is no longer red, but orange. And one can infer from observation that the orange dot and the red dot denote the same thing. That is a reasonable assumption, and an assumption I will go by unless I hear otherwise.

The discrepancy is that nowhere in Apple's own documentation does it say anything about a red dot. At all. And nowhere in Apple's own documentation does is say that one of the dots may be a different color depending on the display theme chosen. That is the raison d'être of this thread. So when you point to Apple's documentation as having the answer to the question raised in this thread, you are either not understanding the impetus of this thread or you're trolling.

This article from DailyMail.co.uk is interesting :

New iOS 14 feature warns you if someone is spying on you through your iPhone: Look out for the orange dot at the top of your screen

• Dot pops on an iPhone display as a warning that apps are watching and listening
• It's orange when microphone is in use and turns green when camera is in use too 
• iOS 14 users can also seen if an app has used the microphone or camera recently
• Apple is focused on strengthening iPhone user privacy with the new OS update

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8744423/iOS-14-update-displays-orange-dot-warn-listening-in.html

No, it simply indicates that your microphone is in use.

There is also a green light that appears if the camera is in use.

marsannam wrote:

Myself as well. I’d like to know why. Is the call being recorded?

I was in a conversation with my friend. I have an iPhone 8. (That's the smaller screenshot with the red dot.) He has an iPhone 8 plus. (His is the larger screenshot with the orange dot.) We were both speaking to each other on a regular phone call. We both took screenshots of our phones and texted them to each other to compare the color of the dots and to see if they were really different colors or if we were just perceiving them to be different. We both agreed that his was orange and mine was red.

Thats is an assumption that thats is in fact what the color mean. Although what is the objective, its purpose, what is the point of having those tiny red or green lights? What purpose do they serve to the iPhone users. Obliviously if a cam or mic dont work you will physically find out or be told by another person when making calls, or taking pictures.

Mauriciolzp10 wrote:

Thats is an assumption that thats is in fact what the color mean.

No, it really isn't an assumption. If you were to read the Apple issued documentation, you would see what it means.

Veronicawht wrote:

I It only goes away when my call is over. So someone other then me is using my mic.

Correct. No, there is nobody using the microphone other you by way of a phone call.

I really don’t understand how people anticipate making any phone call without a microphone. A microphone has been required since the phone was invented. Nothing has changed to alter that fact.

I was wondering the same thing but on my 11Pro, and now I know.

But, here is a strange thing with the red dot. When the dot appears and I put my finger over the camera or just in front of the camera, the screen goes black and I can’t hear the call. This happens when I am on a FaceTime audio call. If I am on a regular call and the red light is on, when I cover the camera or just hold a finger up in front of it, the screen again goes black, but I can still hear the call. What the heck is deal with that? Very weird.

I spoke with Apple, here is what they said. "The red light is to let you know that you are using your microphone. " I said he been using cell phones for years and never needed any indication that we were using our mic. before. " it is just part of the software upside". I said no y'all are most likely listening in on our conversation. She said " I guarantee you we are not listening to many one conversation ". Me" I don't believe that. All of a sudden we have to be reminded we are using our microphone.

I agree 1,000,000%! Why the **** do "I" need a notification dot to let ME know that I'm using MY microphone on a call??? We have always used our microphones on a call... hence that's how it carrys sound. How is this an "upside" to the software update? Who is benefiting from it.... well, clearly Apple is because they added it. My conclusion is.... it's sketchy!

Malkoro3 wrote:

Red dot appears above phone signal when on a call how do I remove it I have just updated my IOS 14

As it is an indicator of the microphone in use, you would remove it by not using any app that utilizes the microphone. As to how you make or receive a phone call without using the microphone, we couldn’t say.

I too totally agree on what was indicated in last response. I understand why someone will send a person off looking for more information instead of just answering the question so it makes better sense. But I also don’t understand when someone clearly knows the answer to the question and instead of trying to write a short response they actually ANSWER the question or add the EXACT link that will help. I wouldn’t have gone on the site to request more help if I could find the answer myself. Additionally by sending me off to keep looking just so you can have a quick answer, it doesn’t mean I won’t spend the next hour still trying to find what you referenced. In that case your original quick answer was no help at all.

So I respectfully ask people who really know the answers to our questions to answer them. Help us learn, the same way we helped you over the years on things not computer related. Thank you.