Let’s be honest. A lot of us have wanted to spy on our loved ones for one reason or another but have no idea how to do it discreetly. While it’s not necessarily a good thing, there are some ways to keep an eye on your partner’s cellphone activity without actually having to grab their phone. Before we show you some of those ways, you should remember that snooping without permission is both legally and morally wrong. We’re not condoning this kind of behavior.
Syncing iCloud Accounts
If you and your partner share an Apple ecosystem at home, then syncing up with their iCloud account might just be the easiest way to keep tabs on each other. Once you’ve got access to their account, you’ll be able to check their texts and photos remotely. You can even look at their location data if they’ve shared it.
Using Google Family Link
Google Family Link was originally meant for parents, but it works for partners, too. It allows you to see all kinds of details, like what apps they’re using and their screen time. Like iCloud, you can also check out where the device and, presumably, the device owner is. And with Google Timeline, you’ll get a whole history of where they’ve been.
Checking Phone Bills
Looking at their phone bills is pretty old-school, yet it’s still effective. If you’ve got access to the household accounts, take a look at the monthly phone bill to see who’s been calling whom. Of course, it’s not exactly the most detailed information, although it can give you a rough idea about the other person’s phone activity.
Utilizing a Shared Tablet
Most people have a shared tablet for the whole family or at least a device that more than one person uses. Usually, they’ll sync up with phones and show messages or app alerts, which will allow you to keep an eye on things without making it a big deal. Naturally, though, you’ll have to be careful about it.
Employing Wi-Fi Logs
Anyone who’s particularly good with technology may want to use the home Wi-Fi to spy on their loved ones. You can use the router’s logs to show which websites people have visited, although it is pretty difficult to do. Even so, it’ll let you look at people’s online habits without directly accessing their phones, as long as you know what you’re doing.
Reviewing Browser Sync Data
Speaking of the internet, syncing accounts and web browsers is a relatively straightforward way to know what they’re doing. With Chrome or Firefox, for example, you can check their browsing history across different devices to see their bookmarks. You can even see their open tabs, but only if you’re both logged into a shared device.
Using Smart Home Devices
Any smart speakers you might have at home can sometimes record what people are saying around them if you’re using voice commands. You can check these recordings through your linked account, which might include bits of phone conversations. Most of the time, it’s pretty harmless.
Reviewing Backup Files
Does your partner back up their phone data on a shared computer? If they do, then these files might be accessible, which could give you a whole range of data from their phone, like where they’ve been and any photos they’ve taken. Just remember these backup files can contain pretty personal information, and it may be a breach of their privacy if you read this data.
Utilizing Desktop Messaging Apps
The majority of messaging apps, like WhatsApp or Messenger, have desktop versions. Even if they don’t use them all the time, as long as they’re logged into a shared computer, you’ll be able to catch messages popping up. You’ll have to be careful, though, as you might accidentally read new messages before they do.
Monitoring Through Carrier Apps
There are plenty of cellular plans out there that include apps that give specific details about all the phones on the account. As long as you’re the admin of the account, you should be able to use this app to check out data usage and call logs, among others. That information is all there waiting for you in black and white.
Using Find My Device
Apps like Apple’s Find My or Google’s Find My Device are pretty useful when your devices go missing, but they can also let you check where your partner’s device is. Of course, you’ll need to make sure you don’t press the “play sound” button because that’ll tell them you’re spying. Instead, just look at where they are.
Checking Linked Accounts
Some apps connect to a main email or social account, and with the right permissions, you can see these connections. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to see the activity logs. This data will give you a look into which apps they’re using without actually having their phone in your hands.
Using Data Recovery Tools
Then there are data recovery tools, which can pull up any deleted data from devices that sync to your shared tech. You’ll have to be careful when using these tools because they’re not something to be messed with, especially since they might cause issues in your relationship. After all, you never know what you might find.
Checking Through Vehicle Sync Systems
Modern cars connect with phones to manage calls and music, along with other data like contacts. If you share a car, then your vehicle might store some of their information on it or at least show you incoming calls and messages on the dash. These days, your car isn’t somewhere you can keep secrets anymore.
Analyzing Social Media Activity
Since social media is public, being connected there allows you to see each other’s likes and comments. For whatever reason you feel like spying on your partner, you can use their social media to see who they’re talking to, for example. Even so, some platforms do keep that information private, like X.
Tracking Calendar Syncs
Sharing a digital calendar can “accidentally” keep you updated on your partner’s appointments and plans. The only downside is that you’ll need to have the same software and actively share the details with each other, like an Apple Family account. Once you’ve done that, you can see anything they add to their calendar.
Using Smartwatch Notifications
Most smartwatches need to be synced to a phone, and that works in your favor because it means they’ll put any phone notifications directly on the watch. This way, you can see any incoming texts or app notifications without them realizing it. If they’re getting lots of messages or notifications throughout the day, you’ll know.
Monitoring Through Shared Ride Apps
Ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft have a lot more data than most people realize. As long as you use the same account, you can see their travel history on your phone, and you won’t need to access their phone directly. This includes details like pick-up and drop-off locations and the times they traveled.
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