How Can I Spy on a Cell Phone Without Installing Software on the Target Phone?
There are all sorts of reasons why you might want to spy on someone’s device. Maybe you’re curious about what your partner is up to when they’re not with you. Or maybe you’re concerned that they’re cheating on you. Whatever the reason, it’s possible to do so without installing any software on the target phone. In this blog post, we’ll outline both free and paid methods, all of which are easily accessible for all levels of tech-savviness. Keep reading to learn more!
Legal Disclaimer:
This article is for educational purposes only. Spying on anyone’s phone without their official permission might be punishable by law in certain countries. Make sure to research information that’s pertinent to your country of residence to avoid getting fined or arrested.
Can You Spy On a Cell Phone Without Access To It?
iPhones and IOS systems in general are definitely more convenient for remote spying than Andoirds. That’s because many apps that integrate with Apple only require your iCloud credentials to work. Also, Apple devices are known to be very well-synced and frequently backed up, which is another plus in our books. This article discusses two ways in which you can spy on a cell phone without installing software on it.
Here we can see key solution to spy on a cell phone:
Apps | Features |
🥇 mSpy | Keylogger; monitoring of deleted texts; calls restriction; GPS tracking; Wi-Fi monitoring; no jailbreak |
🥈 SpyBubble | Read all text messages; SIM card alerts; recording browser activity; spy on photos and videos; no jailbreak |
🥉 eyeZy | Track social media; monitoring of deleted text messages; screen recorder; geofencing; Wi-Fi monitoring; no jailbreak |
Using Spy Apps to Spy on Someone’s Cell Phone
mSpy
You can not install spying software remotely, you’ll need physical access for at least 5 minutes.
mSpy is on top of the list of the best spy apps. This free application is compatible with Android and iOS and doesn’t require any jailbreaking or rooting.

Installing this application on an Android device requires you to access the device, while you can install the software remotely on iOS devices using the target’s iCloud credentials. mSpy allows you to monitor every app on the device using its many tracking features. Here’s what the list includes:
- Monitoring incoming and outgoing phone calls
- Monitoring text messages and MMS files shared
- Monitoring messages and media shared on social media apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, and more
- Web browser history monitoring
- Tracking media files stored on the device (images, videos, and audio files)
- The ability to remotely block apps
- Real-time location tracking and geofencing
- Wi Fi monitoring
To use mSpy on a phone without installing software, you’ll require the target’s iCloud details. The step to set up the app are given below:
Step 1: Sign up for mSpy on the company website.
Step 2: Select the target device to be monitored and follow the installation instructions received via email.
Step 3: Monitor their cell phone remotely from your mSpy spy app dashboard.
For more detailed instructions, check out our step-by-step mSpy installation guide.
- Installation without access possible on iOS
- Gain access to virtually all phone data
- Easy to set up
- Invisible on the phone
- High accuracy
- You can test the demo for free
- If the user resets their phone or changes the iCloud password, your access will be gone
- You have to pay an affordable fee to spy on cell phone without access to phone
eyeZy

Third on the list of the best apps to spy on a phone without installing software is eyeZy. This feature-packed monitoring app is compatible with Android and iPhones, and doesn’t require jailbreaking or rooting.
It offers a host of unique features that you can use to spy on cell phones invisibly, so the target never knows they’re being monitored. This monitoring software is compatible with both Android devices and iPhone devices, and installing it on the former will require you to access to the device for a few minutes.
The features that this app offers include:
- Screenshot capturing to see what the target is doing on the target phone
- Social spotlight, which allows you to monitor social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, and more
- Keystroke capturing to track all the keystrokes entered on the phone
- Web browser monitoring to track the target’s activities on the internet
- GPS location tracking to monitor the target’s location in real time
- Monitoring the target’s incoming and outgoing phone calls and text messages
All this information can easily be accessed from the app’s online dashboard.
- The app is fully undetectable
- Easy-to-use control panel
- Offered at an affordable price
- Monitors all major social media platforms
- Doesn’t offer a free trial
- Installing eyeZy on Android requires physical access
uMobix

uMobix is another fantastic app that you can use to spy on a target cell phone without installing software on the device. This is possible with iOS devices with the targets’s iCloud login details. The app doesn’t require jailbreaking or rooting to access the basic features.
However, using the app on Android will require physical access just like the other spy application mentioned on this list. The uMobix app has an intuitive control panel with which you can get a comprehensive view of all the activities on the target phone.
Some of the key features of this app include:
- Monitor incoming and outgoing calls and the contact list
- Monitor app activity on all apps on the device
- GPS tracking to take parental control to the next level
- Monitor all keystrokes with the built-in keylogger
- Get dashboard alerts whenever uMobix records screenshots of app activity
- Track all text messages and media files shared
- Monitor social media apps like Facebook Messenger and Snapchat on all target cell phones
- uMobix offers full access to Facebook and Instagram on iOS
- The interface is simple to use
- Fully invisible cell phone tracking
- Rooting and jailbreaking aren’t compulsory
- Doesn’t offer a free trial
- Physically accessing target device is necessary to monitor Android
- Doesn’t offer geofencing
Cocospy

Next on the list of the best spying apps is Cocospy. This spy application can be put on an iOS cell phone without installing it on the target cell phone. All you need are the target user’s Apple ID credentials, and you can do so remotely, provided two-factor authentication is disabled.
While monitoring Android requires physical installation, the installation process is quick and simple to implement. This app offers a whole host of features that you can use to monitor the online activities on the device, and you can easily access all the recorded data from the online dashboard. The app also has a data export option so you can save the data to go back to it later.
Some of the major features this app has to offer include:
- Monitor the target’s call logs and incoming and outgoing calls.
- Hidden mode to ensure invisible spying
- Monitoring texts and MMS files
- Monitoring media files stored on the device like images, videos, and audio files
- Accurate location tracking abilities
- SIM Card location tracking
- Monitoring web browser activity
- Rooting/jailbreaking isn’t compulsory to spy on a cell
- Comes with an easy-to-use dashboard
- Quick and easy installation process to start monitoring
- Highly accurate and offers near real-time data syncing
- iOS and Android support a few different features
- Can be expensive for iOS users
- Advanced features require rooting/jailbreaking to spy on a cell
FlexiSpy

FlexiSpy is on this list because it’s among the most advanced spying software that you can use to spy on an Android device or iOS smartphone. It offers several advanced features that other apps miss out on. You can use Flexispy to spy on an Android phone, iOS device, or even a Windows or macOS computer.
Other than its vast compatibility, FlexiSpy also gives you access to features such as call recording, SpyCall, and other remote operations. You can use this app on an iOS target phone without installing the software on the device.
The key features of this app are given below:
- Monitoring incoming and outgoing calls and call recording and monitoring
- Monitoring texts sent and received from the device
- Ability to send spoof messages as it from the target phone
- Monitoring social media apps
- Accurate location tracking and geofencing
- Monitoring media files stored on the device
- Keylogger to track all keystrokes entered on the device
- Monitoring apps installed on the device
Once the target device is connected to the internet or a Wi Fi network, you can easily get access to all this information on your dashboard.
- Feature-packed app
- Offers advanced remote tools
- Highly secure and invisible
- Installing software on the target phone not required on iPhones
- Offers phones with FlexiSpy pre-installed
- Can be expensive
- Rooting and jailbreaking are needed for advanced features
- The UI is a little outdated in its design
Free Methods to Spy on Someone’s Cell Phone
iCloud
If you want to spy on someone’s iOS device, one of the best ways to do it is through iCloud. iCloud is a cloud storage service from Apple that allows users to store data like photos, videos, documents, and more. It also syncs this data across all of a user’s devices, so if you have access to a person’s iCloud account, you can see everything that they’ve stored there.
To spy on someone using iCloud, you’ll need to have their Apple account credentials. Once you have those, you can sign in to their iCloud account and view their data. Here’s how to spy on someone’s phone without installing software:
- Go to icloud.com and sign in with the person’s Apple ID and password.
- Click on the “Photos” icon.
- You’ll see all of the photos that the person has stored in iCloud. You can view them one by one or download them all at once.
- To view other types of data, like videos, documents, and more, click on the corresponding icons.

Now that you know how to spy on someone using iCloud, you can use this information for whatever purpose you see fit. Just remember to be ethical and responsible.
- It’s free
- You can do it from your pc or any other device
- It’s super easy
- You need to know the Apple ID password and username
- When the password changes, you will be kicked out until you enter the new password
Find My iPhone
Find My iPhone is inbuilt software that is found on all iOS devices. It allows iPhone users to locate their phone when it’s misplaced or stolen. But, not many people know that you can also use this method to spy on someone’s phone location. It works as long as the location services are enabled on their phone. Here’s how you can how to spy on iPhone without access to phone:
Step 1: Launch the Find My iPhone app on your Apple device or visit iCloud.com/find on your web browser.

Step 2: Enter your target’scredentials and password and select All Devices.

Step 3: Click on “Find iPhone.” Wait for your target’s location to pop up.

- It’s free
- You can do it from your pc or any other device
- It shares a very accurate location and offers remote control features like resetting data
- You need to know the Apple ID password and username
- If the location services are disabled, you won’t be able to use this method
Google Timeline
Similar to the app we mentioned above, Google Timeline helps you to track the target’s location as long as it is connected to the Internet. What’s cool about this feature is that it also lets you access street view, showing you the exact location where the person is.
Here’s how to spy on your spouse’s phone without them knowing with the Google Timeline method:
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Tap the target’s profile picture and then Your Timeline
- Tap More and then Settings and Privacy.
- Under “Location settings,” check that it says “Location is on.” If it isn’t, toggle it on.

- It’s free
- It’s completely remote
- Shows you a street view of the target phone’s location
- You need to know target’s Google Account details
- If the location services are disabled, you won’t be able to use this method
Find My Device
Find My Device is a system app found on all Android devices and it allows users to track their phones when they are stolen or misplaced. But, you can also use this tool to spy on someone without touching their phone as long as you know their Google Account credentials or have access to their computer where they are automatically signed in.
Here’s how to spy on someone’s phone without them knowing for free:
Step 1: Log in to google.com/android/find on your browser.

Step 2: Enter your target’s Google Account credentials.
Step 3: You’ll be shown your target’s location.

- It’s free
- You can do it from your pc or any other device
- You need to know the target’s Google Account credentials
- Location services need to be enabled
Phishing
Phishing is a practice of sending emails that entice people into clicking on malicious or dangerous attachments or links. They usually imitate legitimate organizations or people so they would entice you into opening the said link. Upon clicking these malicious links, they will be caused to provide personal and sensitive information like passwords, bank account numbers, and credit cards. On the other side of the link is a setup that will grab the typed credentials and deliver them to you.
The one major downside to phishing is that it is very technical and may not be suitable if you do not have advanced computer skills. Here are some rough instructions on how to track phone activity without them knowing:
- The first step is to create a fake login page that looks identical to the login page of the phone monitoring service you want to use. You can do this by using a web page creation tool or by manually coding the page yourself.
- Once you have created the fake login page, you need to host it on a web server. You can either use a free web hosting service or set up your own web server.
- The next step is to send an email to the person whose phone you want to spy on, containing a link to the fake login page. Make sure that the email looks like it comes from a legitimate source, such as the phone monitoring service itself.
- When the person clicks on the link in the email and attempts to log in, their username and password will be sent to you. You can then use these credentials to log in to the real phone monitoring service and spy on the person’s activities.
Plus, this is the best way to spy on iPhone by sending a link because Apple devices are very secure, so other third-party apps can’t be installed without physical access.
- It’s free
- You can use it to access a wide array of accounts
- It’s not difficult if you’re a novice
- It takes a long time to set up
- Your email might end up in spam, and thus be ignored
- It’s illegal
Conclusion
This article has listed several methods with which you can spy on a phone without installing software on the target phone. We listed six of the best spy apps that you can use, each of which offers key features like call and text monitoring, location history tracking, geofencing, media file access, social media monitoring, and much more.
Other than these, this guide has also listed several free methods that you can use to spy on a device without installing software on the target phone. While these have several downsides, such as not being complete discreet or being complex to implement (phishing), they can be used if you don’t want to spend money on a spy app.
How to Mirror a Phone Without Them Knowing?
There are two main ways you can go about secretly mirroring someone’s phone without them knowing. The first method is using Google Play or App Store cloning applications. They are usually free, but the target can easily find them on their phone. The second and the most reliable option is mSpy. The best thing about mSpy is that it runs in the background completely undetectable, so the target will never know that you cloned their phone. It’s also very affordable and has a great money-back guarantee policy.
Is There a Free App to Spy on Someone’s Phone Without Touching It?
Although there are some free methods to spy on someone’s phone without touching it, they are not very effective and come with many limitations. The most reliable way to spy on someone’s phone is by using a remote cell phone spying app.
These apps provide advanced features for monitoring activities on the target phone, such as call logs, texts, social media activity, location tracking, and more. They are also secure and reliable, so you can be sure that your spying will remain invisible.
What’s the Best Spy App for Android Without Access to Target Phone Free?
Users often wonder is there a free app to spy on someones phone without touching it – the answer is not really. You can use free services to try to spy on a phone, but they’re very limited.
mSpy is the best affordable option for a spy app on Android without access to the target phone. It has powerful features and functionality which allow you to track activity remotely, monitor messages, and view photos & videos taken with the device. With mSpy, you can also take advantage of its keylogging feature which records all keystrokes made on the target device, including passwords
What’s the Best Cell Phone Spy Software without Target Phone?
The best, easiest, and the most reliable app is definitely mSpy. It offers the most comprehensive set of features and has basically no restrictions. You can access everything conveniently from your dashboard and the information is updated in real-time. Other methods are more suitable for tracking their location, but they won’t give you access to other interesting information like social media messages, calls, and deleted texts.
How to Install Spy Software on Cell Phone Remotely?
Installing spy software on a cell phone remotely is not as difficult as you may think. With the right tools and instructions, it can be done quickly and easily from any location.
Before starting, make sure that you have purchased the appropriate spy software for your target’s device. Once you have the necessary software, follow these steps to install it remotely:
1. Create an account with the spy software provider’s website. Make sure to use a secure password and keep it confidential.
2. Download and install the software onto your target’s cell phone using the instructions provided by the provider.
3. Once installed, activate it using your account information from Step 1.
4. Log into the provider’s website to access your target’s data. This data may include texts, call logs, browser history, and more.
Can You Spy on a Phone Without Access To It?
Yes, you can spy on someone’s phone without access to it. To do that, you can either try to hack a phone or use a spy app. Hacking requires more experience, so spy apps might be more convenient.
How can I monitor my daughter’s Android phone? I have only her mobile number.
Hey Pradeep, you’ll need access to your daughter’s phone just once and you’ll need to set up parental controls on Android, or you could use any of the software mentioned here: https://celltrackingapps.com/parental-control-android/ (I recommend Kidsguard)
Hi Anjelica,
How can I check my husbands messages, activities and else in social media when he has a code and fingerprint in his phone, I can’t touch it, he sleeps with his phone under the pillow. lol. How can I spy him without touching his phone? Thanks.
Hey Sarah, that’s a tough one! You’ll at least need to know his iCloud credentials if you want to install it 100% remotely.
Hi Anjelica,
I need to track and record phonecalls, Social media calls and messages of my sister’s husband. We know he is cheating, but dont have any proof. I have phone number but dont have access to his phone. My Sister is not educated and cannot handle cell phones . Will you be able to install recommended a spy app on his phone to track him? I have only phone number. Kindly help me with the details.
Hello Naresh, we do not provide any services, we only review software.
Since Apple has 2 factor authentication that can’t be turned off can I still locate an iPhone? Also on the email that is sent how does it install the app on the phone?
Have you tried reading our reviews? We’ve included a step-by-step installation with screenshots in each guide.
Hi! Is there a tracking device that has a free trial and I can pay monthly one at a time instead of 12? And no installation on target phone. I have tried Google maps and it doesn’t work.
Hey Violet, maybe Localize.mobi is what you’re after? They offer a $1 trial. All the software that we have reviewed offer a monthly subscription where you don’t need to pay for 12 months.
Hi Anjelica
I have a question for you please. I am trying to track down a Canadian Cell Phone number, this individual has taken 30K from myself and has left the country. Now the only thing I am looking for is a GPS location of where this individual might be, I am not interested in any social gossip or pictures, I would just like to know where she is in the world so that I can get the authorities on her.
She has an iphone and I have her number, but I don’t have her apple ID or any passwords and as mentioned have no idea where she is. Can you recommend a program/website/app or something that can help me track this person down? I have tried the “send a link” (text) with a tracking app on it, but she isn’t clicking on it or accepting and text from other numbers.
Thank You
if he clicks the link, what happens next? will the link be automatically installed on his phone without him knowing it? just one click and that’s it?
Check out this guide: https://celltrackingapps.com/mspy/#mspy-installation-mspy-login-and-setup
I’m suppose to be getting married but I have my suspicions that my boyfriend is communicating with another women. How do I monitor who he’s communicating with remotely. He has an Android phone
Hey Sue, install one of the monitoring apps listed above on his phone and you can monitor whatever he’s doing.
How would I know if it is on my phone?
What does the link look like for them and what does it do on their end when they click it? I’m trying to get access to my husbands phone, and tablet too if I can.
It’s a regular link to an apk file (if installing on an Android). It’s better to install it yourself, the chances that someone will install unknown software is slim.
How can I turned off 2 factor authentication on my facebook account that someone put after I put my password then it asks for the 6 digit authentication that I did not put but a hacker put it
Good afternoon
Can I remotely access in my boyfriend Samsung phone? Can I use any app that works if you have access in Google account or gmail account or any other app.
Thank you
My boyfriend has a password on his phone.He has cheated on my at least a few times.He said I’m being crazy for thinking that.He has been on many sights looking for people I can tell just can’t get into the sights to see.So I need to find out if he has through text messages or calling.His email account was set up though my phone so I can see that way of were he has been just not what is said.We both have a android and I’m not phone technology at all..I need help
Where do you get the link to send to the targets android device so they will download it themselves?
You get it sent to your mailbox once you’ve bought the app.
Can I install monitoring app on Android remotely?
Yes, you sure can! uMobix works great if you have other person’s iCloud credentials.
I have caught my man times before but I need to spy on his phone without him doing anything on it or touching the device at all can I do that?
Hey, you can install a spy app like mSpy remotely if you know his iCloud credentials.
Hi Anjelica
Am from Kenya Africa I have 2 girlfriends who both I believe a cheating on me I wish to track their phone activities without installing software in their target android phones..how do I do this
If I only have a phone number and cannot get access to the phone I want to monitor is there a way to monitor it? I have android and target is an iphone
What steps do I take to monitor and track my wife’s every move she does in her phone . Without me having any type of access to her phone . Please help . Thank you
My boyfriend changed his number on me Again. So I don’t have his number. But I bought him the phone (android) so I have the IMEI#. is there anyway I can see his location? He has cheated and if he is where I think he is really need to know.
I’ve explained all about IMEI tracking before, but the short answer is that you’ll need physical access to his phone at least once to track him. You can’t do it remotely, I’m afraid.
Good articles, apps and service deserves all the accolades, that’s why I’ll forever applaud the efforts of the most reliable tech gal who helped me spy through my husband’s cellphone within the shortest possible time. Sometimes hiring a professional to take care of things like snooping into tech devices, might be frustrating, but believe me the frustration is not as much as finding out the truth that your loved one has been a cheat behind you, so I’d rather say it’s a relief finding a portal of tech savvy people like you guys.