The green dot on the iPhone indicates use of the camera and the orange dot indicates use of the microphone. These are for your privacy, which tell whether any app is listening or watching you. These security prompts cannot be turned off.
iPhone Green and Orange Dots Explained: If you’ve used a recently launched iPhone, you may have noticed blinking green or orange dots near the dynamic island at the top of the screen while you’re on a call or using an app. Many new users may be confused as to why this light appears. Many people may even think that these dots in the iPhone are a defect. If you’re an iPhone user and don’t know why these dots appear, here’s everything you need to know.
The real meaning of green and orange lights
These dot lights are a special feature in your iPhone for your safety and privacy. The green dot lights up whenever your iPhone’s camera is in use, whether it’s a video call, the Camera app, or any other app that accesses the camera. The orange dot indicates that your microphone is active and an app is recording your voice. These dots are provided so that users can quickly find out if any app is secretly accessing their camera or microphone. This makes it easier to detect malware or any suspicious app installed on the phone.
If you’re not using the camera or mic and you still see the green or orange dot, open Control Center. This will clearly show which apps are accessing these features. If you find anything suspicious about an app, close it immediately or turn off its permissions.
Can these dots be turned off?
You can’t turn off these green and orange dot lights on your iPhone. These small dots strengthen your privacy and help in detecting unwanted activities. The black background of your iPhone makes these indicators more visible, making them easier to pay attention to. Apple first introduced these alerts in iOS 14. But the iOS 18 OS update shifted them to Dynamic Island, making it look even cleaner.