How to Check for Hidden Cameras & Microphones: Complete Guide

Are you worried that someone has installed recording devices in your home, hotel room, Airbnb, or car? There's nothing more anxiety-inducing than the feeling of being watched, so we've put together these simple yet helpful tricks for detecting and identifying spy equipment. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to thoroughly search your space for hidden cameras, microphones, and other recording and listening devices by doing a physical search and by detecting signals. We'll also list common hidden camera locations and show you what what hidden spy devices look like.

How to Detect Hidden Cameras and Microphones

Most cameras and listening devices can be easily hidden in common objects like smoke detectors, clocks, outlets, hooks, lighting fixtures, and small holes in shelves and walls.
Detect hidden cameras and devices that transmit RF using your smartphone's camera, a strobe app, a flashlight, or a physical RF detector.
Because spy devices often use Wi-Fi to broadcast to a third party, check your space for unusual Wi-Fi activity.

Section 1 of 4:

Doing a Physical Search

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1
Carefully inspect smoke detectors and other electronics. Surveillance devices can be hidden inside other devices that require electricity, such as smoke or fire detectors. Take your smoke detector down from the ceiling and look for a microphone or camera inside. Check your speakers, lamps, and other electronics for signs of tampering that may indicate someone added a microphone.^{[1]
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- For more common hidden camera and mic locations, jump to Where to Look for Hidden Cameras and Microphones.
- Smoke detectors are a perfect place for microphones to be hidden, as they have built-in power and are normally centralized in a room.
- Look for anything that doesn't seem to be attached to the rest of the device, or anything that looks like a microphone or camera.
- To get an idea of what a hidden device might look like, jump to What Hidden Cameras and Microphones Look Like.
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Look for decorations that seem strange or out of place. One of the most common ways of hiding a microphone or camera in a room is by hiding it in something inconspicuous, such as a teddy bear or a vase of flowers. Look around the room for any decorations that seem like they don’t fit with the rest of the space, or that are angled in peculiar ways.^{[2]
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- While most of a camera can be hidden inside something else, the lens will almost always need to be completely visible for the camera to work. Check your suspicious decorations for glassy surfaces or visible lenses that might indicate a hidden camera.
- The most effective cameras will be positioned so that they can see as much of the room as possible. Look for decorations on the edges of the room that are angled awkwardly to face into the room.
- Hidden microphones will work best when they’re in the center of a room, so they can hear everything equally. Look for decorations positioned on a table in the middle of your room to find hidden microphones.
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3
Check for peculiar wires or wires that don’t lead anywhere. While some short-term surveillance devices might be battery-powered, most hidden cameras and microphones will need some sort of power supply. Look around your electronics and power outlets for wires leading into anything that doesn’t need power, or wires that you don’t recognize.^{[3]
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- If you find an unfamiliar wire and can’t work out what it is powering, you should unplug it immediately.
4
Listen for a quiet buzzing or clicking noise to detect a recording device. Hidden cameras are designed to be as discreet as possible, but many will still emit a slight sound when they are working. When the area of suspected surveillance is as quiet as possible, walk around slowly to listen out for any buzzing or slight clicking noises that might be coming from a hidden camera.
- Try searching a room late at night to reduce the ambient sound in the room. This will make isolating and locating any noises much easier.
- There are plenty of different mechanical and electrical devices that can make quiet buzzing and clicking noises. Combine this method with other ways of identifying hidden cameras and microphones to differentiate between malicious and ordinary items.
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Look around the light fixtures and the battery in your vehicle. Cameras and microphones can be hidden in your car to record or track you. Check inside any light fixtures or around your vehicle's battery for any unfamiliar wires or devices. Use a flashlight to look under your car, checking for anything that seems to be stuck onto the vehicle rather than part of it.^{[4]
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- It's rare for there to be wires coming off the contact points on your battery. Carefully investigate any strange wires, avoiding coming in contact with the battery where you can.
- The only device in your light fixture should be the lightbulb itself. It may also help to take a look inside and around the lightbulb to see if the bulb itself is bugged.
- All of the methods used for detecting hidden cameras and microphones in your home will also work when looking for them in your car.
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Use a flashlight to check for two-way mirrors. Two-way mirrors look like a mirror on one side and a window on the other, which makes them perfect for hiding cameras. If you suspect a mirror is two-way, turn off the lights in the room and press a flashlight against the glass. If it’s a two-way mirror, you’ll be able to see the room on the other side.^{[5]
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- Try lifting the mirror off the wall. Two-way mirrors have to be installed in the wall or bolted to it, where regular mirrors might just be hung on a hook.
- Tap on the mirror. A regular mirror will produce a dull, flat sound, whereas a two-way mirror will sound sharper, open, or hollow due to the room behind it.
- If you suspect you have a two-way mirror, the easiest way to deal with it is to cover it up with a sheet, some paper, or even by hanging another mirror over it.
7
Build a hidden camera detector to find well-hidden devices. A hidden camera detector will make it easier to detect pinhole cameras hidden in walls or objects. Place an empty toilet paper tube over one eye and hold a flashlight in front of the other. Turn off the lights, turn on the flashlight, and look around the room slowly for small glimmers of light.^{[6]
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- The light will reflect off the charge-coupled device or lens on the camera, making it easier to notice.
- Once you identify a glimmer, take a closer look at the object to see if it might be a camera. Some reflective objects will let off a glimmer without it meaning they’re hiding a camera.
- Some cameras might also have small LED lights that will activate in the dark. These should also be easily visible through a hidden camera detector.

Section 2 of 4:

Detecting Electrical Signals

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1
Sweep the area with an RF detector. RF detectors allow you to scan for radio frequencies used to transmit from hidden cameras, microphones, and GPS devices.^{[7]
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Research source} You can buy an RF detector online or from a local electronics store and wave it around the area you think is bugged. The detector will give off a small beeping or crackling sound when pointed at an item giving off radio frequencies.^{[8]
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- Other devices, including microwaves, also emit RF. It's best to turn off any other devices that broadcast radio signals for the RF detector to work.
- When the RF detector beeps or crackles, look around the area to find the hidden surveillance device.
2
Listen for interference when making a call. Many hidden cameras and microphones will make a small electromagnetic field as they transmit data. Make a call on your cellphone and walk around the room while you talk. If you hear any crackling, clicking, or buzzing on the phone, it might be a sign that you’re entering the field of a surveillance device.^{[9]
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- Move your phone around the area where you think the hidden camera or microphone is to get a better sense of its exact location. The buzzing, clicking, and crackling should get louder on the phone as you get closer to the device.
- Other devices, like speakers, TVs, and radios, create small electromagnetic fields. Turn these off when searching for hidden devices.
- You can perform a similar check with an AM/FM radio. Place the radio near the location where the microphone is hidden and turn the dial, listening for any strange interference or static.
3
Use a digital or smartphone camera to look for infrared lights. Most smartphones and digital cameras can see infrared light that isn’t visible to the human eye, and which can be used by hidden cameras. Scan your camera around the room and look through the display for any unexpected light sources or flashes, which might point to a hidden camera.^{[10]
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- It's best to use the selfie camera instead of the front-facing camera for this method, as most front-facing phone cameras filter out infrared light.^{[11]
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Use a strobe app on a smartphone to detect hidden cameras. Download a free strobe app to your phone, then open the app and turn it to a red-colored strobe. Then, borrow a friend's phone and turn on the camera. Turn the strobing phone so it's facing away from you, and slowly scan up and down the wall while you're looking into the camera on the other phone. If there's a hidden camera in the wall, the red strobe will reflect off the lens, and you'll see that reflection back in the camera.
- Some free strobe apps are Strobe (Android) and Color Lights Flashing (iPhone).
- Some Android and iPhone apps can help you detect RF and hidden cameras, but most don't work as well as advertised.^{[12]
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Look for strange Wi-Fi signals on your phone or computer. Some modern cameras and microphones will transmit data over the internet, meaning they can be accessed from almost anywhere. However, they’ll often also have Wi-Fi signals. Search for available Wi-Fi signals on your phone or laptop and look for any that seem unexpected or suspicious.^{[14]
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- Use an app like Fing (Android / iPhone) to find out which devices are connected to your Wi-Fi. Fing also has a hidden camera detector built in.^{[15]
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- The default Wi-Fi name for a lot of hidden cameras will be the product code for the device. Search for any unknown Wi-Fi names online to see what kind of device they belong to.
- When you open your phone's Wi-Fi settings to scan for a network to connect to, the network with the strongest signal (the most "bars") tends to be the one closest to you. If you see a different Wi-Fi network with a stronger signal, it might be being used to broadcast a hidden camera or other spy device.
- If you are able to log in to your router, you can see which devices are connected to the Wi-Fi network.

Section 3 of 4:

Where to Look for Hidden Cameras & Microphones

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Objects used to hide cameras and microphones If you're looking for hidden spy devices in your home, a hotel room, or other physical location, check these common spots:^{[16]
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- Smoke and fire detectors
- Overhead light fixtures
- Inside electrical outlets and light switches
- Picture frames
- Clocks, alarm clocks, and clock radios
- Mirrors
- USB charging blocks
- Speakers
- Bluetooth devices
- Power cords
- Clothing hooks (especially in changing areas)
- Hotel door peepholes
- Shower heads
- Sink and faucet fixtures
- Holes in walls and shelves
- Air fresheners^{[17]
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- Toothbrush holders
- Lamps^{[18]
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- Air vents
- Wi-Fi routers
- Remote controls
- Power strips/outlet extenders

Section 4 of 4:

What Hidden Cameras & Microphones Look Like

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Identify a hidden camera Hidden cameras are becoming increasingly more advanced, smaller, and easier to hide. They'll usually be dark in color and small (only a few centimeters wide and tall) to make it easy to blend into their surroundings. Modern hidden cameras won't have any lights to make them easy to identify, but they'll usually have a glass or plastic camera lens on the front. However, while many hidden cameras look like cameras, others are disguised as everyday objects. The best way to get an idea of what you're looking for is to see what's available for purchase:
- Amazon's list of hidden spy cameras
  - In addition to miniature cameras that are easy to hide, Amazon also sells cameras disguised to look like everyday objects, like power outlet extenders, wireless phone chargers, USB charging blocks, pens, and more.
- Lawmate's covert cameras
  - This brand sells hidden cameras disguised as Bluetooth speakers, car key fobs, USB power banks, power cables, car smartphone holders, coffee cups, and remote controls.
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Identify a hidden microphone Like hidden cameras, hidden recording devices tend to be very small and easy to hide in other objects. In general, they'll typically look like a small black box, sometimes no longer than a safety pin. They can even be implanted into other objects, including those you'd never expect to be a hidden microphone.
- Lawmate's hidden voice recorders
  - On this site, you'll see examples of hidden microphones built into car key fobs, USB thumb drives, car keys, and watches.
- Spygadgets4u's spy microphones
  - Here you'll find microphones disguised as pens, USB drives, magnets, power adapters, jewelry, and even cassette tapes.
1. And if the steps above have been helpful, be sure to download this article as a PDF so you can print, read, or reference it any time.

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Is it possible for people to watch me from their phones?

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Yes, they could be watching/recording you from the camera app in their phone.

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My landlord at random times insists on changing the air filter. I have told him I can do it; he says he just likes doing it. Also, every phone conversation I have on my cell phone is interrupted by a strange loud sound. He's also been caught snooping a few times. What can I do?

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Most landlords are required to give you 24 hours notice before entering your premises, unless it's an emergency (check your lease). You have the right to privacy against snooping; contact the authorities when this happens. For a list of tenant rights, check your city government's website.

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Is it possible to have a hidden microphone/camera hidden in a couch?

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Yes, hidden cameras and microphones are available in such small sizes that they are able to be planted just about anywhere.

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If you find any hidden surveillance devices on your private property that are watching and/or listening to you without your consent, call the authorities immediately.

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