I Used AI to Tell If Your Android Device Has Been Hacked: 8 Settings to Check
Think your Android phone may have been hacked or accessed by someone else? In this video, I walk through eight Android settings that can help uncover suspicious apps, dangerous permissions, unknown connections, and other warning signs.
This video was inspired by a real situation involving unauthorized access to a bank account through a mobile device. A basic factory reset may not always solve the problem, especially if a compromised backup restores the same unwanted apps or settings.
ANDROID SECURITY SELF-CHECK
Android menus vary by phone manufacturer and software version. Use the search box inside Settings if you cannot find one of these options.
1. REVIEW INSTALLED APPS
Go to:
Settings → Apps → See all apps
Look for apps you don’t recognize, apps you don’t remember installing, or several ad-heavy games installed around the time the problems began.
Do not immediately remove an unfamiliar app. Some legitimate system apps have unfamiliar names. Take a screenshot and identify the app first.
2. REVIEW SMS AND PHONE PERMISSIONS
Go to:
Settings → Security and privacy or Privacy → Permission manager → SMS
Also review:
Permission manager → Phone
Look for unfamiliar apps with access to your text messages or calls. Messages, Phone, and certain manufacturer or system services may legitimately require these permissions.
3. CHECK ACCESSIBILITY AND DEVICE ADMINISTRATOR ACCESS
Search Settings for:
Accessibility → Installed apps or Downloaded apps
Also search for:
Device admin apps
Investigate any unfamiliar app with active access. If you confirm that an app is unauthorized, disable its Accessibility or administrator access before attempting to uninstall it.
4. CHECK LINK TO WINDOWS ON SAMSUNG DEVICES
Go to:
Settings → Connected devices → Link to Windows
If you never intentionally connected the phone to a Windows computer, review the connected account or computer. Turn off or unlink the feature if you do not recognize the connection.
5. REVIEW PRIVATE DNS AND VPN SETTINGS
Search Settings for:
Private DNS
A normal setting may be Automatic, Off, or a provider you intentionally configured.
Also search for:
VPN
Investigate any DNS provider or VPN profile you do not recognize. Antivirus, workplace, parental-control, and privacy services may legitimately create these settings.
6. CHECK YOUR WEB BROWSER
In Chrome, tap:
Three-dot menu → Settings
Review:
• Homepage
• Search engine
• Site settings → Notifications
• Site settings → Pop-ups and redirects
• Privacy and security → Safety check
Look for repeated redirects, fake security warnings, an altered search engine, or notification access granted to unfamiliar websites.
A large number of open tabs alone does not prove that your phone is infected, but unwanted warning pages, pop-ups, and repeated redirects deserve investigation.
7. VERIFY CALL FORWARDING
Open your Phone app and look under:
Phone → Settings → Calls or Supplementary services → Call forwarding
The exact menu and available dialing codes depend on your carrier.
Forwarding to your carrier’s voicemail when your phone is busy, unanswered, or unreachable can be completely normal. Investigate only a forwarding destination you do not recognize. Contact your carrier before changing anything if you are uncertain.
8. REVIEW GOOGLE ACCOUNT ACTIVITY
Using a trusted device, visit:
https://myaccount.google.com/security
Review:
• Recent security activity
• Your devices
• Third-party apps and services
• Recovery phone number and email
• Two-step verification
If you confirm an unfamiliar device or sign-in, sign it out and secure the account from a trusted device. Remember that Google’s displayed location may only be approximate.
BONUS CHECK: RUN GOOGLE PLAY PROTECT
Open:
Google Play Store → Profile picture → Play Protect → Scan
Keep “Scan apps with Play Protect” enabled.
IMPORTANT
These checks can uncover warning signs, but no single setting proves that your phone has been hacked. Take screenshots of anything suspicious before changing or removing it.
If banking or payment information may be affected, use a different trusted device to contact your bank through the official number printed on your card or statement.
Never give an unexpected caller your password or one-time verification code. Never install an app because an unexpected caller or text message instructs you to do so.
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#AndroidSecurity #PhoneSecurity #Cybersecurity