In an age where technology and privacy concerns intersect, it's vital to be aware of covert surveillance. Hidden cameras are increasingly common in places like rental properties and public areas, posing significant privacy and security challenges. A 2025 survey found that 47% of Americans reported discovering a camera in a vacation rental, and 64% of Americans don't know how to check for hidden cameras.
In this blog, we'll delve deep into the world of covert surveillance, helping you understand what these discreet devices look like, how to find hidden cameras effectively, and what steps to take if you find one.
What Do Hidden Cameras Look Like?
You might be surprised (and maybe a little creeped out) by how well hidden cameras can blend in these days. They’re small, cheap, and often disguised as regular household items—anything from a phone charger to a smoke detector.
Common Disguises
Some of the most common places hidden cameras are concealed include:
- Digital alarm clocks or weather stations
- Smoke detectors, especially ones on walls rather than ceilings
- USB wall chargers or power bricks
- Picture frames or wall décor
- Air purifiers, light bulbs, or even stuffed animals
If something seems out of place—like a charger plugged in with no cables nearby or a smoke detector oddly angled toward the bed—it’s worth a second look.
How to Detect Hidden Cameras - 6 Methods
Whether you're a frequent traveler wanting to learn how to check for hidden cameras in Airbnbs or hotel rooms, a concerned tenant, or simply someone looking to protect your personal space, here are six effective methods to find hidden cameras:
1. Physical Inspection
The easiest way to find hidden cameras is to carefully scan the room. Before conducting an inch-by-inch inspection, try to think like the individuals who might be spying on others and consider where cameras are usually hidden.
Common Rooms and areas to hide spy cameras:
- Bedroom
- Bathroom
- Showering area
- Restroom
According to security consultants, living rooms and kitchens are less likely to have hidden cameras, as these criminals typically aim to extort or sell videos to porn sites. However, this is not always the case, so it's important to check other rooms if you have concerns.
Electric devices are one of the main spots you should focus on. Small hidden cameras typically do not have long-lasting batteries and usually need a power source to operate. Also, do not overlook wires.
Any items in your private spaces—such as bedrooms and bathrooms—should be examined carefully. You may be shocked, but in early 2025, a man in Lynnwood was charged with voyeurism after installing spy cameras under a toilet.
It can be challenging for regular people to check for all hidden cameras in an Airbnb or hotel room. A simple tip is to unplug any suspicious devices and cover anything that faces you directly with a towel.
2. Use a Flashlight
Some hidden cameras are so small that they can be concealed inside a hole in an alarm clock or a computer mouse, making them easy to miss even with a careful manual inspection.
A flashlight is another practical approach to finding hidden cameras. Although subtle, spy camera lenses can reflect light — just a tiny glimmer, but enough to catch if you’re paying attention.
Follow these steps to check for hidden cameras using a flashlight:
- Close the curtains and turn off all the lights.
- Slowly shine your flashlight across objects, shelves, vents, and suspicious corners.
- Watch for any glint or shine—a small flash of reflection might be a hidden lens.
- Also keep an eye out for tiny red or green lights; some cameras have LEDs that stay on in the dark.
Move at different angles and take your time. It’s low-tech, but surprisingly effective.
3. Wi-Fi Network Scanning
Many hidden cameras rely on Wi-Fi to stream footage, which makes the local network a good place to start your search. If you're at home, log into your router’s admin panel and scan for unfamiliar devices—especially ones with odd names like “IP\_CAM” or “ESP32.”
In hotels or short-term rentals, you won’t have router access, but you can still use a hidden camera app. Fing is one of the best hidden camera detector app—it gives you a quick list of all connected devices and reveals details like MAC addresses and device types. That said, some features are locked behind a subscription.
If you’d rather not pay, try a free hidden camera detector app like Net Analyzer or WiFiman. While they’re more basic, they still give you a decent snapshot of what’s on the network—and sometimes, that’s all you need.
Keep in mind that this method is not foolproof. Not all hidden cameras need Wi-Fi. Some spy cameras available on Amazon and BestBuy come with SD cards, so they do not rely on the Internet to transmit video; instead, they record footage locally. Additionally, some devices like printers may also appear as unknown devices.
4. Check with Your Mobile Phones
Besides downloading network scanning apps, there are other ways you can use your mobile phone to find hidden cameras:
Signal Interference Test: Make a phone call and walk around the room. Notice if there is any interference in the call signal, which might indicate the presence of a hidden camera using wireless transmission.
Front Camera Inspection: Use your smartphone’s front camera in a dark room to look for infrared lights, often used in hidden cameras for night vision. These IR lights can appear as tiny, bright dots on your camera screen.
5. Use Radio Frequency Detector
If you’re looking for a more serious tool than just your phone and a flashlight, an RF (radio frequency) detector is worth having. These small handheld devices are designed to pick up wireless signals that hidden cameras (and other surveillance gear) often emit.
Follow these steps to spot hidden cameras using an RF detector:
- Choose a Quality Detector: Opt for an RF detector with adjustable sensitivity and a visual display. Models with dual detection modes (RF + magnetic field for wired cameras) are more effective.
- Power Down Unrelated Devices: Before you start scanning, turn off Wi-Fi routers, smart speakers, TVs, and other wireless gear in the room. These can create false positives and make the detector light up for no good reason.
- Scan Slowly and Systematically: Hold the detector a few inches from the surface and scan slowly across:
Smoke detectors
Wall clocks
Power outlets
Picture frames
Air vents
Think like a camera installer: where would you put a device to see the whole room?
- Watch (Or Listen) for Alerts: When the detector picks up a signal, it will either beep, vibrate, or light up (or all three). If you get consistent alerts in one area—say, near a plug or inside a fake-looking alarm clock—it’s worth a closer look.
- Use the Lens-Finder Mode(if available): Some detectors come with a small red LED viewer. Look through it while shining the built-in light toward suspicious objects. A hidden camera lens will reflect that light back at you like a pinprick.
6. Test for Two-Way Mirrors
Mirrors are supposed to reflect you—not watch you. But in some rare cases, especially in shady motels or sketchy short-term rentals, people have rigged up two-way mirrors to hide tiny cameras. Creepy, right?
So, how to find hidden camera in mirror situations like this? The trick is old-school and surprisingly effective.
Place your fingertip directly against the mirror’s surface. In a normal mirror, there’s a tiny gap between your finger and its reflection—caused by the backing on the glass. But on a two-way mirror, that gap disappears. Your fingertip looks like it’s touching itself.
Now, does that automatically mean there’s a camera back there? Not necessarily. But if that mirror’s facing the bed or bathroom and feels out of place—say, it's mounted oddly low, or doesn’t match the décor—it’s worth a second look.
You can also shine your phone flashlight against it. If it lights up like a window rather than bouncing light back, that’s another red flag.
This isn’t about being paranoid. It’s about noticing the little things most people overlook. Because when someone goes through the trouble of hiding a lens behind glass, they’re counting on you not checking.
What to Do Next When You Find Hidden Cameras
If you discover a hidden camera in your home, Airbnb, or any accommodation, it's essential to handle the situation carefully and legally. Here's a structured approach to follow:
Do Not Move Anything: Avoid touching or moving the hidden camera. This is crucial, law enforcement may use fingerprints or other forensic evidence to identify the perpetrator.
Document the Scene: Take clear photographs or videos of the camera, its location, and the surrounding area. Note down any details about the camera's placement and type.
Notify Authorities: Report the discovery to local law enforcement immediately. They can guide you through the legal process and investigate the matter.
Inform the Accommodation Provider: If you're in a rental or Airbnb, notify the host and the platform promptly. They are responsible for addressing such privacy violations.
Protect Your Privacy: Review and enhance your personal security measures. This could involve upgrading your home security systems like installing security cameras, and smart locks and being more vigilant about privacy in different settings. For example, a system like the eufy PoE Bullet-PTZ Cam S4 offers wide-angle and zoomed-in tracking, so you can monitor every corner in real time. With AI that filters out false alerts and auto-framing for human movement, you’ll know instantly if anything suspicious happens again—without needing to second-guess.
Conclusion
Let’s be real: the idea that someone might be secretly watching you is creepy. But unfortunately, it’s not far-fetched. Whether you’re crashing at an Airbnb or settling into a new apartment, taking a few minutes to find hidden cameras is just smart.
The good news? You don’t need to be an expert—or buy expensive gear—to do it. Most people already have what they need: a phone, a flashlight, and a bit of patience. And for those who want more peace of mind, affordable RF detectors or scanner apps can go a long way in finding hidden cameras before they ever become a problem.
Hidden cameras are designed to be subtle, but they’re rarely invisible. A little vigilance goes a long way. Learn what to look for, trust your gut, and don’t hesitate to speak up if something feels off. Your privacy is worth protecting—everywhere, every time.
FAQs
Can a cell phone detect a hidden camera?
Yes—smartphones can detect infrared light, often used in hidden cameras. Just open your front-facing camera, turn off the lights, and scan the room. If you see a glowing purple or white light on-screen, it could be an active IR emitter from a hidden camera lens.
How do you detect if there is a hidden camera?
You can detect a hidden camera by using a flashlight, smartphone camera, RF detector, or Wi-Fi scanner app. Look for reflections from lenses, suspicious objects facing private areas, or unknown devices connected to local networks. Each method offers a different layer of detection.
Where are hidden cameras commonly found?
Common hiding spots include smoke detectors, alarm clocks, picture frames, USB chargers, mirrors, and air vents. They're usually aimed at beds, showers, or seating areas. Hidden cameras are often placed where people expect the least privacy invasion.
Can a cell phone detect a trail camera?
A cell phone can sometimes help detect a trail camera, but it’s not foolproof. You can scan nearby Wi-Fi or Bluetooth networks for unknown devices, or use your phone’s camera to spot infrared light from night-vision models. However, many trail cameras don’t broadcast signals, so a dedicated RF detector is usually more reliable.
