This is my complete guide on using an app to spy on a spouse’s phone. The different apps you can use, how to install them as well as how (and if) you should use them.
Our lives are so entwined with our phones these days that spy apps that let you see your spouse’s text messages, social media and call logs can tell you everything you need to know. They can give you certainty when your spouse won’t tell you the truth themselves.
Note: I want to be clear that this is not my first point of call. I’ve written about infidelity many times here and there are a lot of different things you can do to combat cheating. The kind of access these spy apps give you to your spouse is absolutely a breach of trust and should only be used as a complete last resort if you know they’re cheating.
Phone Apps for Spying: Features
Features will vary a little between apps (I’ll go over some of the best ones in a moment) but in general:
- Allow you to see what’s on your spouse’s phone from your own phone, tablet or computer.
- View social media, Facebook messages and Instagram DMs.
- WhatsApp and Snapchat messages.
- Tinder messages.
- See text messages (sent and received).
- Call logs and recordings of calls.
- Real-time GPS positioning in real-time.
- Emails and contacts.
- Browser history
- Remote recording of the camera and mic.
- Plenty of others (Skype, Telegram, LINE etc…)
What is the Best App to Catch a Cheating Spouse?
There are a lot of spy app options out there but assuming you want to catch a cheating spouse I’m assuming you’re going to want something which gives you access without getting you caught.
#1: mSpy
My top pick for an app to spy on a spouse’s phone. The easiest to install, use and every feature you could need to catch a cheating spouse.
- Works with iPhone, Android phone and iPad. They have a compatibility checker but most common phones are covered.
- Access to every social media, dating profile and message you could need. Real-time data straight to you.
- Track everything you need and save it on your own phone if needed.
mSpy is easy to install especially for an iPhone where you don’t even need physical access to the phone. It’s reliable and doesn’t make itself visible.
The one downside to mSpy is that it only works for cell phones. The next app also supports the computer but the phone app isn’t as good. In my experience, anything your spouse wants to hide will be on a cell phone so if I had to choose that’s where I’d want spy software.
#2: FlexiSPY
FlexiSPY is a little more… well, flexible. It has an app for the major phones and supports monitoring of both Mac and PC so you can see what they’re doing on their laptop as well.
- FlexiSpy supports both PC and Mac if you want to watch a computer or laptop as well as the phone.
- They provide good customer support if you need technical help installing the app (which we’ll look at in a moment)
#3: Mobistealth
Mobistealth offers some extra compatibility if you need it for older phones.
- Windows PC
- BlackBerry
- Nokia Symbian
- Windows Phone
#4: Highster Mobile
This one doesn’t have the reputation the others do. It’s a cheaper payment model but lacks much of the features of mSpy or FlexiSPY and doesn’t hide well.
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative Highster isn’t a bad idea but it wouldn’t be my first suggestion if you need complete access to find out what your spouse is up to.
How Do You Install Spy Apps?
Some apps vary a little but mSpy wins out here in terms of ease of use during the install process. It only takes a few minutes and once you’ve set it up on the phone you won’t need to touch the phone itself again. Updates are all automatic and the app will automatically turn on when the phone does.
It doesn’t take a computer genius, just a couple of minutes and a USB cable. Even less if your spouse is on an iPhone.
Installing on iPhone or iPad
If your spouse uses an iPhone you have it easy. mSpy will let you use the iCloud sync to pull data without having physical access to the cell phone. All you need to do is enter the login credentials to your dashboard and wait for it to sync.
If you’d rather, you can also use an app like FlexiSPY and install it directly to the device. You’ll need to root the phone but they have guides and their customer support can talk you through that.
Installing on Android Phone
Android doesn’t have iCloud so we’re always going to need physical access to the phone itself. Depending on the features you want you might want to root the device (which is easily done and they have guides for it).
If you do decide to root the device it’s really as simple as connecting the phone to a computer and running a program. Whether you root it or not, installing the spy app after that just means navigating to the site with the phone’s browser and it’ll guide you through the rest of the install process.
Note: If you do decide to uninstall the app this can also be done remotely from your own device so you’ll not need your spouse’s phone again unless they completely get a new one.
How do You Use a Spy App?
Once the app is installed using it to actually track a cheating spouse is the easy bit. You can access your dashboard from your own smartphone, tablet or laptop browser. Simply sign in to your account and you’ll be greeted with your spouse’s location and phone activity.
What if You Don’t Find Evidence of Cheating?
If you don’t find evidence of them cheating when you have access to their phone there are three possibilities.
Your Spouse is Not cheating
I’m an optimist so let’s start with this possibility. They might not be cheating in which case you should remotely uninstall the app from all devices and talk to your spouse.
They Have Two Phones
It’s not that uncommon for a cheating spouse to have a separate phone or device they use for the affair. They might hide it somewhere in the car, home or the office. If you don’t know about the phone – you can’t see what’s going on with it.
They might be using a different device like a tablet or their laptop FlexiSPY will let you watch the laptop as well but it’s more common if they’re cheating they’ll be doing it on their phone unless they expect you to check. You’re generally far more likely to see their laptop than their phone.
They Know You’re Spying on Their Phone
If they know you’re spying on their phone they might start covering their tracks. If they delete the past messages and tell the other person not to message them on that phone you’re not going to see anything.
Why Apps for Spying on Phone Matter So Much
Our entire lives go through our phone these days. While it can (in some cases) be impossible to get someone to tell the truth about cheating – their phone is less likely to lie.
It’s incredibly unlikely that your spouse is going to have an affair and for it never to be mentioned on their cell phone. If you have remote access to their phone you’re going to find if they’re cheating and, if so, you’ll have the evidence to show them.
FAQ
Can I track my spouse’s phone without them knowing?
These monitoring apps are designed to let you monitor a phone without making themselves obvious on the phone itself. They’re not going to show up on the home screen or pop up on the notifications bar.
The phone itself will look entirely normal.
Is It Illegal to Spy on Your Spouse’s Cell Phone?
Obvious disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer. This is not legal advice. If you do break the law and your spouse drags you to court don’t point to me. If in doubt, speak to someone who knows your local laws.
This one really comes down to your local laws, what exactly you’re doing and whether or not your spouse knows you’re doing it.
In some countries, installing a spy app on the phone of a cheating spouse to gather evidence is a breach of privacy and the law. If there’s an agreement between you and your spouse, that’s a different story.
Originally I had an answer up for this but the site now gets too much traffic from all around the world I really have to shorten this to check your local laws. Make sure you’re not breaking the law.
What About Free Spy Apps?
If you go to the app store for any kind of phone, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of these. I’m not saying don’t use them but… you’ve heard the saying you get what you pay for I’m sure.
Aside from the lack of features, these apps are going to be a lot more obvious on the phone and unreliable in practice.
Can You Track a Phone If It’s Off?
Unless you’re the NSA or something then no, probably not. Not with live data anyway.
Your standard spy app is able to track a phone when it’s on and has a data connection. If the phone goes off or loses signal you won’t get anything from it – until it’s able to connect again and then it will sync with everything you’ve missed.
