Someone might be monitoring your WhatsApp calls and reading your texts without installing a spy app. Yes, that’s true. WhatsApp has introduced some new features, including companion mode, which makes it easy to monitor WhatsApp calls and read texts without installing a spy app.
Unfortunately, if someone monitors your WhatsApp calls or reads your texts using companion mode, you will only notice if you check for linked devices on WhatsApp. However, you can turn off companion mode on your WhatsApp if someone has activated it without your knowledge.
What’s Companion Mode on WhatsApp
Companion mode on WhatsApp allows you to use your account on multiple phones. It also means someone can link your WhatsApp to their phone without your knowledge. Interestingly, chat history is automatically synced between all the linked devices when connected to the Internet.
WhatsApp introduced Companion Mode to allow a seamless experience using the app. It’s now possible to have the same account on two phones without losing your data, unlike before when you had to log out of your account before you log it into another device.
How to check for linked devices on WhatsApp
- Launch the WhatsApp app to check if someone has linked your WhatsApp account to their phone.
- Click on the three dots at the top right and select Linked Devices.
- You will see all the devices with access to your WhatsApp, including when they were last active.
- To log out of the device, tap on it and log out if you have unauthorized access.
- Once you have successfully logged out of the device, they won’t be able to see your messages or your calls again.
Meanwhile, someone can monitor your WhatsApp calls and read your messages with a Spy app. Unfortunately, it won’t show on linked devices, and you might be unable to detect the app.
How to know if someone is monitoring your WhatsApp calls or reading your texts
Unusual Activity: When someone monitors your WhatsApp, you will see messages marked read when you haven’t opened them. Also, you might see “call answered on another device” or calls getting disconnected.
Unusual Noise: Some Spy apps have streaming features that remotely trigger your microphone or camera. If you experience any noise or notifications without any reason, someone may have installed a spy app on your phone.
Overheating and battery drain: Spy apps continuously run in the background, which causes your device to heat up and drain its battery.
Laggy performance: If you start experiencing lag when using WhatsApp on your device, we recommend updating the app. However, if the issue continues after that, you might have a spy app installed.
To enable these extra security features on your WhatsApp account, head to WhatsApp, click the three dots at the top right. Select account, and from the list of options, choose Passkey and Two-step verification. Then, follow the screen instructions to complete the process.
How to check for spy apps on your Android phone
- To check if someone has installed a spy app on your device, head to the Play Store on your Android phone. Tap on your profile picture and click Play Protect.
- Click on the gear icon at the top right to reveal the two options: Scan app with play protection and improve harmful app detection.
- If both are disabled, someone likely installed a spy app on your device. We recommend you enable it and scan for harmful apps.
How to scan for Harmful apps on Android phones
- Head to Play Store and tap on your profile picture.
- Click on Play Protect and Tap scan.
- It will take some seconds to scan your device, and if someone has installed a spy app on your phone, it will detect it and ask you to uninstall it.
Alternatively, you can go to Settings and click on apps. Tap on All Apps to see both system and third-party apps. Check for any strange app and uninstall it.
How to scan for Harmful apps on iPhone
It is always hard to differentiate between malicious and original apps, so you must be careful while following these steps.
- Check your screen for apps that you don’t remember installing.
- If you find an app that is familiar but cannot remember installing it, it is better to install the app as it could be a spy app.
- Head to the App Store and tap the App icon at the bottom of the Store. Tap your profile picture, then click Purchased to see the app you have installed from the App Store.
- If an app on your device is not on the list, it is likely a spy app; we recommend uninstalling it.
How to stop someone from monitoring or spying on your WhatsApp
WhatsApp has security features that make it nearly impossible for someone to spy on you when enabled.
- Enable Passkey: a simple way to sign into your account using your face, fingerprint, or screen look to verify it’s you with Passkey.
- Enable two-step verification: Create a 6-digit PIN that you must enter when registering your phone number on WhatsApp again.
Conclusion
It is possible for someone to spy on your WhatsApp, monitor your calls, and read your messages without your knowledge. This is possible with the new Companion Mode on WhatsApp. However, with extra security features enabled, it would be nearly impossible for someone to monitor your WhatsApp activities.
