How to use your phone to find hidden cameras

For those of us who travel often, staying somewhere new comes with a worrying risk: Airbnbs, hotels and other accommodations may have hidden cameras to spy on visitors. Short-term rentals and private rentals are of particular concern. Although the extent of the problem is unknown, a 2024 report from CNN found that Airbnb had handled 35,000 support tickets related to “monitoring devices” over the previous decade. While doorbells and outdoor security cameras have become increasingly common and are permitted under Airbnb’s rules, any indoor recording devices are prohibited in properties hosted on the platform.

The problem remains relatively rare. Airbnb said at the time of CNN reports that fewer than 0.1 percent of its properties have been the subject of security complaints, including those related to security cameras. However, 51% of visitors said they don’t trust short-term rentals, and these fears are not unfounded. Cameras are increasingly difficult to spot, often disguised as common household items like smoke detectors, chargers or picture frames. It can therefore sometimes be useful to check that there is no surveillance device in your home to reassure yourself. But how to find hidden cameras?

Your cell phone is a great tool for searching for hidden cameras. Start with a simple scan with a flashlight: Close the curtains, turn off the lights, then scan the device with a flashlight to check for any flickering signs of electronics – the glint of a lens or LED light. Common places to hide cameras include smoke detectors, air purifiers, televisions, shower heads, or lights. Be especially careful to check sensitive areas like near the bed or shower. It is also important to check the mirrors. If you shine a flashlight at a mirror, it should bounce off rather than pass through like a window. You can also place your finger directly on a mirror. A real mirror will have a gap between your finger and its reflection, while a two-way mirror will make it appear as if they are directly touching.

You can also use your phone camera to search for night vision cameras in the room. These cameras emit infrared light, which on your camera app should appear as purple or white dots. To check that your phone can detect infrared light, point it at a TV remote, press the buttons and see if the light from the remote can be detected. It’s more likely that your front or selfie camera has this capability, but try using both to take a look. Once confirmed, you can scan the room with your phone to find IR emissions.

Many hidden cameras broadcast over Wi-Fi, and some mobile apps allow you to search the network for unknown devices. Options include Fing, Net Analyzer, and WiFiman. Download a scanner app, connect to Wi-Fi, and look for names you don’t recognize – which often include “camera” or “camera” to refer to a recording device. Other names may correspond to common camera brands, such as Wyze, Blink or TP-Link. Apps like Fing will display MAC addresses and device types, allowing you to further investigate the names that appear in a scan. However, this method is not always simple. Certain devices like printers, TVs, or other innocuous connected devices are also likely to appear in these scans.

Additionally, other devices may run their own networks, so check the list of available Wi-Fi networks on your phone for similar camera-related titles. Other cameras may use Bluetooth to connect, so a Bluetooth scan may also be helpful. To do this, you don’t necessarily need a scanner app. You can simply open your Bluetooth connections on the device and see what appears.

These methods are not foolproof. Many cameras record to local memory cards, which means they won’t show up during any type of scanning. However, combining this method with flashlight scanning and infrared light checking is the most thorough way to verify surveillance.

If you think you have found a surveillance device in your home, be sure to check using both the physical scanning method and the digital scan. Once you have confirmed, do not touch the device: take a photo of it, contact the police and notify the customer service of the platform you are using. Airbnb has clear policies against indoor cameras, even those that are not connected, and has, in several reported cases, permanently removed hosts from the platform and fully refunded guests who reported such devices.

Vrbo also bans recording devices outright and suggests guests who discover one report the incident to the platform immediately. Vrbo’s policy states that affected customers may be eligible for a refund. THE CNN A report regarding hidden cameras at Airbnb found that there is no strict policy requiring employees to contact law enforcement during such incidents. It is therefore best to contact the police yourself if you do not feel safe. Ultimately, a scan with your phone’s flashlight, an infrared check with a camera, and a swipe with a dedicated app can give you added peace of mind when staying in an unfamiliar location.