Linking your devices seems like a reasonable thing to do, on the surface. It makes sense for everything you have on your phone to be readily accessed on your laptop. But it can mean if one device gets hacked, the other one can be too – allowing the hackers to have a good old rummage through your personal information. So, how can you know if someone untrusted is linked to your device? (Picture: Getty)

1. Check for linked devices

People who have linked to your device will normally show up in your Bluetooth connection or in your account settings. To do this, go to the Bluetooth section in your phone’s settings, then check the list of connected devices. Be wary of unfamiliar devices or names. If you see an account you don’t recognise, you can disconnect the device by tapping on it and selecting ‘Forget Device' (Picture: Getty)

However, it is also worth looking at your phone settings. For Android, go into your settings app, and tap on Connected Devices. Alternatively, you can visit google.com/device-activity, sign into your Google Account and visit My Account. From here, you should be able to see all the devices linked to your device. If you see one that is unusual, you can tap on a device to see information such as location and when it first signed in. If you see anything you don’t recognise, tap sign out to remove the linked account to your device (Picture: Getty)

For Apple users, look at your Apple ID. Simply open the settings app, then tap right at the top where it says Apple ID and your name. Then scroll down where you should be able to see a list of linked devices to your phone. Then tap on its name and remove from the account if required (Picture: Getty)

2. Check the apps on your device

If someone is remotely accessing your device, they could be using spyware through an app. So, it's worth looking for apps that are unfamiliar to you. It is also worth looking at the permissions you have on your phone by going to your phone's Settings app and navigating to the 'Privacy' or 'Security and Privacy' section. From there, you can access your phone's permission dashboard (Picture: Getty)

3. Battery drainage

If your battery seems to be draining quicker than usual, it may because it is working overtime with another device watching what you do. However, have a look at the other signs as this could also be a sign your phone is dying due to old age. Looking at the battery in settings will tell you the apps using the most power (Picture: Getty)

4. Your phone is hot

As your phone works overtime, it use more energy and you may find yourself with a hotter phone than usual. This could be a subtle indication that your phone has another device linked to it. It could also be a sign that someone is tracking your phone, too, so take a look for any other signs of unusual activity (Picture: Getty)

5. Notifications and data usage

What can you do about spyware?

If you discover spyware, be cautious as removing it could alert the hacker, so only take this step if you are confident it would be safe to do so. If not, use a different device to seek help from a charity organisation such as Action Fraud or a domestic abuse hotline, and they can help develop a safe plan to preserve evidence, secure your accounts and safely remove the spyware. To remove spyware, the most effective method would be to do a factory reset, which will delete everything on the device and restore it to its original settings. However, you will lose all your data and apps on the device in the process, so you may want to back up your data (including photos) first (Picture: Getty)

It’s important you don't reinstall all the same apps or software after the reset, though, as you might reinstall the spyware too. If you have an older backup that predates the spyware, you might be able to restore your phone from that. Equally, you could use a remove spyware tool on your phone, or delete the apps manually. Then you can protect your phone by getting a VPN (Picture: Getty)