Sonda

Sonda Support

Updated September 25, 2026

Answers to common questions about Sonda, the hidden-camera and tracker detector for iPhone and iPad. Can't find what you need? Email support@apphunt.app.

Getting started

Join the Wi-Fi network of the room you want to check, open the Scan tab and tap Check this room. iOS asks once for Local Network access (the Wi-Fi scan) and Bluetooth (the tracker scan); allow both. A check takes about 20–40 seconds; keep Sonda open in the room. You then get a summary: camera-like devices on the Wi-Fi, unknown trackers nearby, and the checklist to continue with.

Wi-Fi scan

The Wi-Fi tab lists every device on the network you're connected to, with its name and kind: router, phone, computer, TV, speaker, printer, smart-home accessory, camera. Tap a device to see why Sonda thinks so, its open services and its web page title, and to mark it as mine so it is never flagged again.

Camera means the device streams video or announces itself as a camera. Possibly a camera means it listens on ports cameras typically use or runs software common in cameras, without saying its name; many of these turn out to be recorders, smart plugs or other gadgets, so walk over and look. Unknown device with “answers, but shows nothing about itself” is what most phones and laptops look like.

Sonda can only see the network you're on. A camera on the host's separate network, on mobile data, wired without Wi-Fi, or switched off won't appear. Some hotel and guest networks isolate devices from each other; then Sonda lists only your own phone and says so.

Bluetooth and trackers

The Bluetooth tab listens while it is open and sorts what it hears: unknown trackers near you, trackers, then everything else with signal strength and a distance estimate. A tracker (Tile, Samsung SmartTag, Chipolo and similar) is flagged when it has stayed near you for more than 5 minutes. For your own trackers and earbuds, open them once and mark them as mine.

AirTags: iOS doesn't share Apple's own Bluetooth signals with apps, so AirTags, Find My accessories and other Apple devices appear in the list as unnamed devices. iOS itself warns you when an unknown AirTag travels with you; the Find My app (Items › Identify Found Item) shows its serial number and can make it play a sound.

If an unknown tracker is following you: don't go home with it, get somewhere public, and use Find it to locate it. Tile and Samsung have “unknown tracker” features in their own apps. To stop any tracker, remove its battery.

iOS gives Bluetooth devices a new random identifier now and then, so a device you marked as yours may need to be marked again after a few days.

Finder radar

Open any device in the Bluetooth tab and tap Find it (Premium). Walk slowly: the ring grows, the pulses come faster and the screen says warmer or colder. Bluetooth signals bounce off walls and bodies, so hold still for a moment when the reading jumps, then try another direction. “Signal lost” means the device hasn't been heard for a few seconds; go back a few steps.

Lens finder, infrared and magnet

Lens finder: darken the room, hold the phone at eye level with the torch on and sweep slowly across everything that faces the bed, the shower and the desk. A lens throws back a small bright dot that stays put as you move; a screw or a shiny sticker gives a smear that changes with the angle. With Premium, Auto detect circles reflections that survive several frames.

Infrared check: night-vision cameras light the room with infrared you can't see, but the front camera usually shows it as a faint purple-white glow. Test your phone first: in the dark, point a TV remote at the camera and press a button; if it blinks on screen, the phone can see infrared. Then scan the room slowly.

Magnet check: hold the phone away from metal for two seconds to set the baseline, then move it slowly along walls, outlets and objects. A hidden device's power supply or magnet mount pushes the needle when the phone is a few centimetres away. Normal electronics do the same, so use it to see what's inside a suspicious object, not to prove a room is clean.

Checklist and report

The Room checklist lists the 14 spots where cameras are actually found — smoke detectors, clocks, chargers, outlets, mirrors, picture frames, plants, bathroom hooks — with what to look for. Tick each spot after looking with the torch. The Report (Premium) is a shareable text summary of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scans and your checklist, for the host, the platform's support or the police.

Add the Room check widget to the Home Screen or the Lock Screen and tap it to start a check; the medium widget also opens the tracker scan and the lens finder. Or ask Siri: “Check this room with Sonda”, “Look for trackers with Sonda” or “Open the lens finder in Sonda”.

Sonda Premium

Sonda is free to download. The Wi-Fi scan, the Bluetooth scan with tracker alerts, the lens finder, the infrared and magnet checks and the room checklist are free with no limits. Sonda Premium adds the Finder radar, automatic lens detection and the report.

Restore a purchase

On a new device or after reinstalling Sonda, tap Restore purchases in Settings or on the Premium screen, using the Apple Account you bought Premium with.

Cancel a subscription

Apple manages subscriptions. On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions › Sonda, and tap Cancel Subscription. Cancel at least a day before your subscription renews or your free trial ends to avoid being charged. Deleting the app doesn't cancel a subscription. For a refund, contact Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

Troubleshooting

“Nobody answered” on the Wi-Fi tab: Local Network access was declined (allow it in Settings › Sonda › Local Network), or the network isolates guests from each other. Try the check again after switching networks.

No Wi-Fi connection: the scan needs Wi-Fi, not mobile data. Join the room's network first.

Bluetooth is off or not allowed: turn it on in Control Center, and allow Bluetooth for Sonda in Settings.

The camera tools show a black screen: allow the camera in Settings › Sonda. Nothing is recorded.

Everything is “Unknown device”: that is normal for phones and laptops. Only camera-like devices are flagged.

Contact

Email support@apphunt.app. Please include your device model and iOS version.