I’m worried that my kid might be secretly talking to someone I don’t trust, and I’m considering using a call recorder to monitor their conversations, but I’ve heard some of these apps can be hidden so the user doesn’t know they’re being monitored - can someone who’s tech-savvy still detect it?
Yeah, a tech-savvy person can sometimes spot a hidden app - things like unusual battery drain, background data usage, or checking Settings > Privacy > Microphone access on iPhone will often give it away.
But honestly, if this is your kid we’re talking about, you’ve got way easier built-in tools - Screen Time on iPhone lets you see call logs and app usage without any sneaky third-party stuff, and it’s way more reliable.
Most of those “hidden recorder” apps are also either sketchy malware bait or just don’t work as advertised on modern iOS, so you’d probably be better off having a direct conversation or using Apple Family Sharing to keep tabs on things. 