Now that the iOS 14 update is here, people want to know more about the changes that are being made. There are numerous differences now and we have been trying our best to figure them all out ourselves.

The ability to customize our home screens is pretty awesome, that much is for sure. We’ve already spent a fair amount of time playing with these new features.

iPhone
Photo: Pixabay/Jan Vašek

There are others who may not have spent the same amount of time on their home screens. These folks may have noticed that there are orange and green dots that they are having a tough time figuring out. We can relate to that because the same thing has happened to us. So what are these dots all about and how can we learn more?

We have taken notice of the dots while we are in the midst of using certain apps. That’s because the dots are a part of the enhanced privacy features that were provided as a key part of this update. Apple wants to provide its users with a greater level of control over the data that they are currently sharing. They also want to create a greater level of transparency with users themselves.

Apple Phone
Photo: PIXNIO

These dots are designed to let us know when our microphone or camera is being used. If the dot is green, that means that the phone’s camera is currently in use. If the dot is orange, that means that the microphone is being used. Fortunately, there is a very simple way to find out which app is using the microphone or camera.

In order to learn more about which app is utilizing the camera or microphone, take a moment to swipe down from the top right corner once the dot is visible. From there, the app’s name, in addition to an orange microphone symbol or green camera symbol, appears at the top of your phone’s Control Center.

Smart phone
Photo: Pexels/cottonbro

Looking to disable these features? We thought that you would never ask. Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera when you’re ready to get started. You should be able to easily switch off any apps that have unwanted access to your camera.

iPhone users can do the same with their microphone by heading to Settings > Privacy > Microphone. We hope that these tips find you well. Kudos to Apple for being willing to provide us with a much greater level of transparency going forward.