All You Want to Know about Green Dot on Android Phone [Must Read]

If you have noticed a green dot next to battery on Android, you must be curious as to what it is and how it appeared. In this article, we have discussed everything you need to know about green dot on Android, complete with tips and tricks on how to turn it off.

Author Avatar Joy Taylor Last Updated: Nov. 16, 2023

The launch of Android 12 has added some new and improved features to Android devices. One such feature is a green dot or light that appears next to the battery. If you’ve used an iPhone before, you must know that this green dot indicates that your device’s camera or microphone is in use. Similarly, in Android devices, the green light denotes the same meaning. However, this is a new feature for many users, which worries them.

Therefore, to help you better understand the meaning behind the green dot on Android, we have compiled a detailed guide covering the reason for your device displaying the green light, identifying which app is using the camera and mic, and how to turn it off. So, let’s get started with the million-dollar question about green dot next to battery.

Bonus Tip: Here are some other tips to help you solve Android problems.

Why Is There a Green Dot on My Phone

One primary concern for smartphone users is their privacy. When iOS 14 was launched, it included a green and orange dot indicator that meant the phone’s camera or mic was in use. Android soon followed suit and launched the same feature in the Android 12 update.

The green light on Android phone indicator enables the user to know when their Android device’s camera and microphone are in use by an app running in the background or upfront. While it helps users know if the camera or microphone is in use, the main reason for introducing this feature is security!

If someone has hacked your device and is using the camera or microphone, the green dot on phone screen will light up, indicating unauthorized use so that you can take immediate action.

However, many users need help figuring out which app is using the camera or microphone. In the following section, we will tell you how to find it out.

How to Find out Which App Is Using Camera/Mic Android

If you suddenly start seeing the green dot next to battery, the first question that comes to mind is which app is using the camera or microphone. However, it’s pretty easy to identify the apps using it in the background. Here’s how:

Step 1. As soon as the green dot appears next to the battery sign, open the notification bar.

Step 2. Click on the green sign to view the app using your camera or microphone.

Click on the Green Dot

Click on the Green Dot

How to Turn off Green Dot on Android Phone

How to disable green dot on Android 12? While there is no official way to turn off Android green dot next to battery permanently, you can temporarily get rid of it by using the following methods:

1. Close the App Accessing the Camera and Microphone

One way to turn off the green dot on Android is by closing the app using your camera and microphone. However, if any app reaccesses it, the green dot will reappear. Here’s how to turn off green light on Android phone:

  1. When you see the green light next to the battery, swipe down to access the notification panel and see which app is using the camera or microphone.
  2. Close the app to turn off the green dot.

2. Restrict App Permissions

Similarly, you can also turn off green dot next to battery by restricting the apps that can access your camera and microphone. We have discussed the steps for it in the next section.

Check and Manage Apps Permission

As mentioned earlier, the green light next to battery Samsung/Android indicates that your camera and microphone are currently in use. However, giving or restricting camera and mic access to apps is in your hands. If you want to check which apps can use your camera and microphone and want to manage the access, here’s what to do:

Step 1. Go to “Settings > Privacy > Permission Manager.”

Go to Permission Manager

Go to Permission Manager

Step 2. Tap on “Camera” or “Microphone.”

Step 3. You’ll see a list of apps that can access your camera and microphone.

Step 4. Tap the app you want to restrict from using the camera and microphone and select the “Deny” option.

Tap the App You Want to Restrict

Tap the App You Want to Restrict

Using this method, you can check and manage the apps with access to your camera and microphone.

Something New in Android 12 Privacy

The new Android 12 update has introduced several new security and privacy features. This means that Android security has now leveled up from the basic features to several advanced ones.

Below are some new privacy upgrades in Android devices so that users can have more control over the apps installed on their devices:

  • Privacy Dashboard

The Privacy Dashboard/Privacy Manager feature enables you to see the apps that have accessed your camera, microphone, data, and location in the last 24 hours. This lets you manage permission access to certain apps.

  • Camera and Microphone Toggles

Tired of apps spying on you via your smartphone camera and microphone? The Android 12 update has introduced a new feature where you can turn the toggle off for various apps and put an end to them accessing your camera and mic for good!

  • Clipboard Read Notifications

When using our smartphones, we copy many things from online resources. However, some apps can read the copied content from our clipboards. Android 12 has introduced a new feature to notify which app has read the clipboard data.

All these new features in Android 12 focus on user privacy to help us distinguish between benign apps and the ones that are snooping around!

Bonus Tip. How to Fix Android Black Screen with Simple Clicks

In addition to the green dot, some Android users may also face the black screen issue, which is quite troublesome. DroidKit – Android Phone Toolkit is a one-stop Android solution that solves almost all Android problems, including the Android black screen issue.

With DroidKit, you can easily fix the black screen issue by following the on-screen instructions. And there is no technical difficulty and it does not require you to root your device. Only a few minutes are needed to fix this issue, so you no longer need to send your phone to a technician and wait days for it to be fixed. Best of all, the ROM downloaded to your device while repairing is official and guaranteed to be 100% safe and clean.

Besides black screen, DroidKit can also fix other Android system issues like frozen screen, stuck on logo, white screen, boot loop, and more. Furthermore, this all-round Android tool can also help you unlock Android screen lock, get back data, bypass FRP lock, and more.

Here are the simple steps to help you fix Android black screen in minutes:

Step 1. Free download and install DroidKit on your PC/Mac, and select System Fix from the interface.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Click System Fix Function

Click System Fix Function

Step 2. Connect your Android device to the PC using a USB cable and click Start to continue.

Start to Repair Samsung Phone

Start to Repair Samsung Phone

Step 3. DroidKit will detect your device and get the PDA code automatically. Just click Download Now to get the firmware.

PDA Code Matched

PDA Code Matched

Step 4. Once the firmware is downloaded, click Fix Now to fix the system issues.

Firmware Downloaded and Click Fix Now

Firmware Downloaded and Click Fix Now

Step 5. Then you need to put your Android device in Download Mode. Follow the on-screen instructions to do so and click Next.

Put Samsung into Download Mode

Put Samsung into Download Mode

Step 6. DroidKit will start fixing the system issue. Remain patient during the process.

Completing the Repair Process

Completing the Repair Process

Once DroidKit has fixed the system issue, your Android device will restart, and you can use it like normal without encountering the black screen issue.

The Bottom Line

If you have updated your device to Android 12, you will most definitely see a green dot on Android. It is one of the privacy features introduced in the new update. In this article, we have gone over everything you need to know about the green dot next to battery, and as a bonus, we also recommend you DroidKit to fix the Android system screen issue. Have you faced a similar issue? Let us know how you fixed it.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Author Avatar
Joy Taylor Twitter Share Facebook Share

Senior writer of the iMobie team as well as an Apple fan, love to help more users solve various types of iOS & Android-related issues.

Back to Top Icon