How To Spy On A Cell Phone Without Installing Any Software On The Target Phone

Katya Seryabkina on March 30, 2024

There are many reasons for wanting, or needing, to find ways to spy on someone's cell phone without installing software onto the target phone. Maybe you want to monitor your kids' activities, think an employee is stealing, or suspect that your spouse may be cheating on you.

If you're not careful, the need to spy may get in the way of being able to effectively do it, as you may have too much emotional involvement. In this article, you'll learn how to safely accomplish the task.

7 Spy Apps That Let You Spy On A Cell Phone Without Installing Software On It

A spy app, also known as "spyware", is a program that can monitor a smartphone and the activities of a person. Employers use these apps for employees for workplace surveillance and parents use them to track their children's activities. With the help of these apps, it's possible to spy on and control a smartphone from anywhere in the world, meaning that someone can still see what you're doing even if they aren't physically present.

It's easy to assume that you would need physical access to a phone to be able to spy effectively, but this is not true. Although the information available to you will be more limited, it is possible to to do without putting anything on the phone.

1. uMobix

2. mSpy

3. EyeZy

4. FlexiSpy

5. KidsGuard Pro iCloud Monitoring

KidsGuard Pro iCloud Monitoring is designed more for parental control, but that makes it perfect for spying on a phone without them knowing or having to use a phone spy app on the target device. While this option will require that you have the phone's account information, it can be used on an iPhone to get into the person's contact list and pictures as well as videos without being detected.

This is not nearly as powerful as the other methods mentioned here, but it's a dependable solution you can use when you are not able to download anything to the phone.

6. Spyic

With many of the most popular spy app features on the market, Spyic lacks the user-friendliness of other methods. Those that are sure they will not need help with the app can check the call logs for incoming and outgoing calls, track messages, and view the picture gallery. You can also use the app to monitor their social media activities. It does, however, lack access to the phone's microphone and camera.

7. Minspy

Minspy is one of the most well-known and older names in the spying, hacking, and phone monitoring market. This handy tool comes with tons of useful features for both home and business users. Minspy does like to claim to be one of the best monitoring solutions ever created. While that may have been true once, we found the spy app to be lacking.

It does well when trying to discover things about someone and you can easily read email and message contents with timestamps, web browser search logs, SMS text messages, and more. But, it lacks the ability to let you spy on the security password and misses some Facebook activity.

Free Alternatives For Android

p>An Android phone gives users a sense of security, while someone can listen to every word said near the cell phone of someone you want to spy on without having to download and install anything on the target device relatively easily. In this instance, that's a good thing!

Device Manager

Few users have explored their settings deeply enough to learn how to spy on a cell phone information using an app for Android, like Android Device Manager, which is pre-installed. However, this service is always active by default. The great thing is you can map where the device has been, and with accuracy to within 60 feet. However, this is all it can do and it requires their account information so you will need it before attempting to use this method.

You can spy on cell phone activities using this dashboard, which can be accessed from any computer, or any other device, by following these steps:

• Visit Find My Device
• Then enter the phone number and Google Account credentials
• Track where they are going or ring, lock, or remotely erase the device

One important step is getting the password for the device, which is an obvious problem. Figuring out how you will know the password may be harder than just borrowing someone's phone and loading a spy application.

Google Timeline

Although it still requires you to know their password, Google Maps timeline is one interesting option.

The way to spy on the phone is:

• Step 1: Open Google Maps
• Step 2: Log in with the target's Account
• Step 3: Click on “Menu”
• Step 4: Go to “Your Timeline”

After these steps, your screen should now show a timeline to monitor the physical movements of the target phone. Alternatively, you can click on Menu -> Your Places -> Visited to view location history.

You can follow the instructions above if you need to know how to spy on a cell phone without having access to the target phone. Interestingly, you can remotely view the GPS location of the target at any time and the user will not be aware their phone is being watched.

Free Alternatives For iPhone

Apple has never really hidden that it listens to its customers, or that iOS records all online activities. In fact, they seem to think it's a feature to upload all of your activity to their servers. In this case, they are right.

There are two free methods and both of these ways provide a secure way to monitor someone, track them, and spy on a phone without installing software on target devices.

Directly Accessing iCloud

Many people don't know you can connect to iCloud accounts directly to monitor mobile devices. Though not as easy to perform or as simple as using an app, this method is another way you can view data from an iPhone without installing software on the target phone.

This method can get the following:

• Current Location
• Contacts
• iCloud Drive
• E-Mail
• Erase All Data
• Photos

Find My iPhone

Find My iPhone is a built-in app that you can use to track a cell phone, monitor their activities and find their devices if they are misplaced or stolen. It doesn't have advanced abilities like seeing files, but it is still a good solution if you aim to spy on a phone without installing software and do not need more than the basic ability to track the target.

FAQ

What are the minimum requirements for the spy apps to work effectively?

Each app is differen, so be sure to find out if the app is compatible with your device before purchase. For instance, some apps require iOS 8.0 or later, and others need Android 6.0 or later.

Can these apps be used globally or are there geographical restrictions?

Most of the recommended apps function across different regions. However, due to digital privacy laws varying by country, applicable restrictions might apply. Always check the service's details on their official website for specifics.

Are these apps detectable?

A key attribute of these apps is their ability to remain hidden on your phone. They usually don't show up in the active app list and operate stealthily in the background. All you need to do is use such stealthy apps.

How is the data obtained from the spy apps protected?

High-quality spy apps prioritize user data security. Once you install a spy app, they typically employ advanced encryption algorithms to protect the data from unauthorized access. Always review the company's privacy policy and data handling procedures before purchasing to make sure they will be without access to target phone data.

Do I need to jailbreak iPhone?

iPhones can only install Apple-approved apps from their store. This is why you have to jailbreak the target device to get cell phone spy software installed, as well as to bypass other security limitations.. Many people have this done, but you should not have to jailbreak the phone if you are doing cell phone monitoring without installing any software. Each application we recommended in this article can provide robust ways to spy on someone while not requiring jailbreaking.

Are there free options?

No, there are no free applications being produced that allow you to do this and it is unlikely anyone will create one. The reason for this is the technology needed to accomplish this is quite complex and no one is giving that away.

Beware of scammers claiming to know about how to do so for too little money to be believable.

Legal Concerns

Laws around using a spy app on Android and iPhone, like mSpy, for phone monitoring vary widely and what can be perfectly legal in one state may be a serious felony in another, depending on who is doing the monitoring and how. As a general rule, it is legal to watch the activities of your children or a device that you own. However, it is not safe to assume that this will be the case where you live and it can also make a difference where the phone is located, so you must consult with a lawyer before proceeding.

Conclusion

I have shown several ways you can spy on a cell phone without installing software, but these methods are somewhat limited because you need to know the Google Account or Apple ID credentials of the device. Fortunately, much better options exist.

If you can't get physical access to the target device to install an app on the target phone, purchasing a new phone and downloading a monitoring app before presenting it as a gift works well. If you want to watch what your kids are doing on their phone, giving them a brand new iPhone or Android will just seem like a really nice gesture. Your gift also allows you to have an unlimited amount of time to get the needed app set up and thoroughly check that it is undetectable.

While you can figure out round-about ways to spy on your child, it can actually be more difficult to accomplish than devising a way you can borrow it for long enough to install an app.

If it's absolutely not possible for you to have access to the device, consider purchasing a new smartphone as a gift for the individual. Before presenting it to the person, you can install the best spy app for your needs without worrying about having time to ensure it is set up correctly. This method can help you effectively spy without arousing suspicion.