What the green and orange dots mean on an iPhone
By Saadat Rafiq · 2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 5 October 2026
A green dot at the top of the iPhone screen means an app is using the camera, or the camera and microphone. An orange dot means an app is using the microphone. Open Control Centre to see which app it is.
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 14 Pro)
- App
- Camera
- Real screenshots
- 2 of 4 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
Step by step
Green dot: the camera is on
With the camera in use, a green dot appears at the top of the screen, here inside the Dynamic Island. It stays as long as the app uses the camera.
Open Control Centre to see which app
Swipe down from the top right corner. At the top, the app's name appears next to camera and microphone symbols: Camera on our phone.
Orange dot: the microphone is on
An orange dot means an app is using the microphone, for example during a call or a voice memo. If you switch on Differentiate Without Colour under Accessibility, Display & Text Size, it appears as an orange square.
Do not recognise the app?
Close the app, then take away its access: Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera or Microphone, and switch the app off.
If you do not see this option
- Your iPhone may run a different version. The screenshots here show iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 14 Pro). On another version a setting can have a different name or sit in a different place. See your version under Settings, General, About. Update under Settings, General, Software Update; back up first, plug in and use Wi-Fi. Source: Find the software version on your iPhone Source: Update your iPhone or iPad
- Search for it. Open Settings, tap the search field, type the name of the setting and tap the result. Apple notes that the sections in Settings depend on the iPhone model. Source: Find settings on iPhone
- It is greyed out. Screen Time restrictions can lock settings; Apple gives this as the reason when the Apple Account row is greyed out. Check Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions. Source: If you can't sign out due to restrictions, or your Apple Account is grayed out in Settings
About this guide
The dots are a privacy feature: the iPhone always shows them while the camera or microphone is in use, so an app cannot record you secretly.
The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 27.0.1. We opened the Camera app and then Control Centre.
Good to know
A dot during a phone or FaceTime call, or while you dictate, is normal.
In short: Green dot: camera. Orange dot: microphone. Control Centre shows which app.
Links checked on 4 October 2026. Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.