Can My Phone Listen to Me?
Your phone can activate the microphone for voice assistants — this is documented in both Apple's and Google's privacy policies. Apple's policy states Siri processes voice requests and may send audio to Apple's servers. Google's policy states 'OK Google' activates the microphone and sends audio to Google. Neither policy claims continuous passive listening, but both describe microphone activation for voice features that can be triggered unintentionally.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can my phone listen to my conversations?
Apple's and Google's privacy policies do not claim the right to passively record ambient conversations. However, voice assistants (Siri, Google Assistant) are designed to listen for wake words, which means the microphone is technically active in a limited way. Apple's policy states Siri audio may be sent to Apple's servers for processing.
What does Apple's privacy policy say about Siri listening?
Apple's privacy policy states: 'When you use Siri, the things you say and dictate are sent to Apple to process your requests.' Apple also states that Siri uses on-device processing for many requests. The policy notes that audio is only sent to Apple when you actively invoke Siri.
What does Google's privacy policy say about microphone access?
Google's privacy policy states they collect 'voice and audio information when you use audio features' including Google Assistant. The policy states audio is sent to Google's servers for processing. Google also states they may retain audio recordings to improve their services, though you can delete these in your Google account.
How do I stop my phone listening to me?
On iPhone: Settings > Siri & Search — disable 'Listen for Hey Siri'. On Android: Settings > Google > Account Services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Voice — disable 'Hey Google'. You can also revoke microphone permission from specific apps in Settings > Privacy > Microphone.
Why do ads seem to know what I was talking about?
This is almost certainly not due to microphone access. Both Apple's and Google's policies describe extensive behavioural data collection — your searches, app usage, location, and browsing history — that is sufficient to explain highly relevant advertising without any audio collection.