Many iPhone users are noticing a small orange dot appearing at the top of their screen after updating to the most recent version of iOS.
The orange dot has been added as a way to quickly tell if the microphone on your iPhone has been activated.
Many apps, such as virtual assistants or recording software, will need access to your iPhone microphone in order to work. Apple seemingly understands that many users simply grant permissions to apps without actually checking what they’re gaining access to.
As well as providing an orange dot when the microphone is active, the new iOS 14 software will also display a small green dot if the front-facing camera has been activated by an app. This is similar to most laptops which turn on a small light to indicate the webcam is in use.
‘An indicator appears at the top of your screen whenever an app is using your microphone or camera. And in Control Centre, you can see if an app has used them recently,’ wrote Apple.
In order to gain access to the feature, you’ll need to upgrade to iOS 14. To do so, tap Settings, then General and, finally, Software Update for your iPhone to prompt you to install the new software.
Here’s the complete list of iPhone models compatible with the new iOS software:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPod touch (7th generation)
