Do Smartphones Spy on You Even When Turned Off?

Privacy has become one of the biggest concerns of our time. With smartphones in our pockets every day, many people wonder if these devices could still be listening or tracking us even when powered off. It sounds like something straight out of a spy movie, but the question keeps coming up: do phones actually spy on you when they’re switched off?

The short answer is no at least not in the way most people imagine. A fully powered-off phone is not secretly recording conversations or uploading your data. But the longer answer is more complicated. Modern smartphones are designed in a way where “off” doesn’t always mean completely inactive. Some features remain alive in the background, and that’s where the confusion and concern comes in.

The Myth of a Total Shutdown

When you hold the power button and turn off your phone, you expect it to stop everything: no calls, no apps, no location tracking. For older devices, this was generally true. But today’s smartphones are more advanced, and researchers have shown that a complete shutdown is often more like a “deep sleep” than actual death.

A 2022 study from the University of California, San Diego, looked at low-power modes inside phones. They found that even when a phone appears to be off, certain hardware components like the baseband processor, which manages mobile connections can still be partially active. This allows a device to handle things like emergency alerts or quick network pings. While this isn’t active spying, it does mean your general location could still be logged through nearby cell towers.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) highlighted something similar in 2023. They explained that both iPhones and Androids use shutdown states that aren’t truly inert. For example, Apple’s “Find My” feature can continue broadcasting a Bluetooth signal even after the phone is switched off, so a lost iPhone can still be located. A 2021 Dartmouth College study confirmed that iPhones emit tiny, encrypted beacons detectable by nearby Apple devices. Google’s “Find My Device” works in a similar way, according to a 2024 report by Kaspersky. These features are helpful if your phone is lost or stolen, but they also mean the device isn’t ever completely silent.

Do Phones Listen When They’re Off?

Another common fear is that smartphones might secretly record conversations. Thankfully, there’s no evidence that a fully powered-off phone can do this. A 2019 study from Northeastern University examined over 17,000 Android apps and found no cases where the microphone was secretly activated when the device was off. That said, voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant are “always listening” in a standby mode so they can hear their wake words. Some users mistake this for the phone spying when it isn’t. There are also more advanced concerns, such as ultrasonic tracking—where apps use high-frequency sounds to track your behavior. A 2023 University of Washington paper showed how this could work, but again, it only applies when the phone is in a low-power state, not when it’s truly off.

Government spyware is another matter. Tools like Pegasus have been shown to hijack phones and listen in without user interaction. But even these advanced systems usually need the device to be on or connected to a network.

Malware and Hardware Risks

In very rare cases, hackers can install malware that hijacks a phone’s firmware, allowing it to continue certain functions even after “shutdown.” A 2020 report from Check Point Research showed that this is possible, but it mostly targets politicians, journalists, or high-profile figures. Everyday users are unlikely to face this. Hardware backdoors have also been rumored, especially after a 2018 Bloomberg article suggested hidden chips were being placed in consumer electronics. Later investigations found no hard evidence of this in smartphones. Still, the idea adds fuel to public suspicion.

Protecting Your Privacy

So where does that leave the average user? The reality is that while full spying when off is improbable, phones are designed to stay partially connected for convenience. This makes them easier to recover if lost, but it also means they’re never completely inert. Experts suggest a few steps if you’re serious about privacy:

• Use Faraday bags or cases to block signals when not using your phone.
• Regularly update software to patch vulnerabilities.
• Turn off unnecessary permissions and location services.

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 81% of Americans worry about how their data is being collected. That number reflects a growing demand for more transparency in how phones are designed.

Smartphones aren’t actively spying on you when they’re fully off. But thanks to low-power features like Find My networks and emergency connectivity, they don’t completely shut down either. For most people, this isn’t something to panic about. Still, it’s worth understanding the trade-off: your device’s design prioritizes convenience and security over absolute privacy. As technology continues to evolve, it’s important to stay informed. Knowing how your phone behaves whether it’s awake, asleep, or somewhere in between helps you make better decisions about your digital privacy. In the end, your smartphone isn’t a villain, but your digital shadow might be longer than you realize.