【occult eroticism】

Every now and occult eroticismagain, I see a tiny dot-shaped light appear at the top of my iPhone screen. Sometimes it's orange. Sometimes it's green.

I never really questioned it, until one day I was like, Hmm, what if it's important? I should probably figure this out.

A quick Google search later, I was on the Apple Support page, and I had my answer.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

---

You May Also Like

---

---

SEE ALSO: Best headphones for iPhone

Apple Support's explanation of the orange and green iPhone dots Credit: Apple

Orange dot

The orange dot is telling you that your iPhone microphone is being used by an app. It'll appear when you use voice memos, maybe briefly after you close out of your camera, or if you're using any app that exclusively records your voice.

Green dot

The green dot is telling you that your iPhone camera is being used by an app. You'll see it when opening your camera, or taking pictures on Instagram, Snapchat, or any social media app that allows you to take pictures and post them.

That's pretty much it. Neither the orange or the green indicate anything particularly concerning. You can exhale now. Check out the Apple Support page for further details, if you want.

Topics iPhone

• Science
• Digital Culture
• Deals
• Life
• Shopping
• Games
• Entertainment
• Tech

• Apple's newest ad makes a haunting plea to take climate change seriously
• VW partners with Silent
• Amazon has a new iOS app icon design
• Pitbull lends his private plane to help cancer patients in Puerto Rico get treatment they need
• Best free gift card deal: Get $10 Best Buy gift card with $100 Apple gift card
• Looks like Trump hasn't gotten upgraded to 280 characters on Twitter yet. Bless.
• Facebook claims it won't recommend political groups globally
• Lightning bolt eyebrows are here to make you long for the end of absurd beauty trends
• The Steam Machine: What Went Wrong
• Everything 'The Office' fans want to know about Dwight's bed and breakfast

• 'Once Upon a Time' and '1917' win Best Picture at Golden Globes
• The GOP is terrible at playing 'Dungeons & Dragons,' if you believe the internet
• U.S. to collect and store DNA from teenagers detained at the border
• Here's a simple trick for getting over someone
• Royole puts its flexible display tech into an Alexa
• The #CupBlowingChallenge is about to blow up your timeline
• Special toilet paper is how one fashion blogger handled all her potty
• Amazon's Alexa will do your bidding from a Lamborghini sports car
• First look at Fisker Ocean, the electric SUV taking on Tesla for under $40,000
• Once again, Trump makes one of his old tweets 'fake news'

• A hedgehog blown up 'like a beach ball' was popped in life
• Stop with the 'sleeping selfie' Instagram pose. We know you're not actually asleep.
• Sony's new Xperia Pro is a $2,500 phone that doubles as an external camera monitor
• Google Maps adds EV route planning feature that’ll be familiar to Tesla drivers
• Blockchain Explained: How It Works, Who Cares and What Its Future May Hold
• VW partners with Silent
• Somehow, Hugh Hefner's death has brought back together Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton
• Amazon has a new iOS app icon design
• Best MacBook deal: Save $200 on 2024 M3 MacBook Air
• Bumble bans fatphobic messages and body shaming

• Did Elon Musk push former FAA leader out? Trump admin responds after deadly plane crash
• What is Cash app? The easy way Redditors trade stocks
• Drive.ai is the hot new company on the self
• Meet the McElroys: How podcasting's 'first family' can help you find your voice
• Best AirPods deal: Apple AirPods 4 for $99.99 at Amazon
• Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets breaks all
• Freakish ice cube shows the scale of Earth's vanishing ice sheets
• Lightning bolt eyebrows are here to make you long for the end of absurd beauty trends
• E3 2017 Trailer Roundup: Upcoming PC Games
• Apple's next iOS update will make apps ask permission to track you