You’ve seen the TikTok videos. Someone walks into a rental, turns off the lights, and starts sweeping a weird little flashing stick around the room. Suddenly—beep!—they’ve found a camera lens inside a smoke detector. It’s terrifying. It makes for great content. But honestly? Most of those "spy detectors" you buy for $40 on Amazon are basically junk that scream at every Wi-Fi signal in the building.
Finding hidden cameras is less about owning a James Bond suitcase and more about understanding how light reflects off glass. You’re looking for a lens. That’s the physical reality of the situation. Whether it's a high-end Airbnb or a suspicious dressing room, the tech inside the camera doesn't matter as much as the fact that every camera needs a "clear eye" to see you. If that eye is blocked, the footage is useless. This means the camera has to be visible to you if you know exactly what to look for.
The Flashlight Trick is Still King
Forget the apps. Seriously. Most "hidden camera detector" apps claim they can find magnetic fields or use your phone's camera to spot infrared. They sort of work, but they’re prone to false positives.
Here is what actually works: The Flashlight Test. Turn off every single light in the room. Every one. It needs to be pitch black. Take a bright flashlight—or even your phone light—and hold it right next to your eye, like you’re aiming a rifle. Slowly scan the room. What you’re looking for is a tiny, pinprick reflection that looks blue or purple. This is the optical reflection from a camera lens. Because lenses are made of treated glass, they reflect light differently than a plastic button or a mirror. It’s a distinct, sharp glint.
I’ve seen people find cameras in the weirdest spots. Think clock radios. Think USB wall chargers. There’s a specific model of USB charger that is literally just a camera; it doesn't even charge phones well. If you see a "hole" in a piece of electronics that doesn't seem to serve a purpose—like a cooling vent that's only in one spot—stick your light on it.
Your Wi-Fi is Snitching on the Spy
Most modern hidden cameras aren't recording to a local SD card anymore. That’s too much work for the person spying; they don't want to come back and swap cards. They want to stream it. This means the camera has to be on the Wi-Fi network.
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If you have access to the router, or if you can join the guest Wi-Fi, download an app like Fing. It’s a network scanner. It’ll list every device connected to that router.
Look for anything labeled "IP Camera," "Cam," "VVC," or even just a brand name you don't recognize like "Tuya" or "Wyze" when there are no visible smart devices in the house. Sometimes, creepy hosts or bad actors will hide the device name, so it shows up as "Generic Device" or just a string of MAC address numbers. If you see 15 devices connected in a studio apartment and you only own a phone and a laptop, something is wrong.
However, don't panic immediately. Sometimes those extra devices are just smart lightbulbs or a smart fridge. Context is everything.
How to Find Hidden Cameras in Common Objects
Cameras have shrunk. They are tiny now. We are talking about a lens the size of a grain of rice.
You need to check the "hot zones."
- Smoke Detectors: This is the classic. Look for a tiny black dot on the side of the casing. Real smoke detectors have sensors, but they usually look like mesh or vents, not a solid glass circle.
- Power Bricks: If there’s a plug-in air freshener or a USB charger pointed directly at the bed or the shower, unplug it. If it’s a camera, the person on the other end just lost their feed.
- Alarm Clocks: These are the easiest to hide cameras in because they have a translucent plastic face. You can hide a lens behind that plastic, and it’s almost invisible to the naked eye until you shine a light directly through it.
- Small Holes in Walls: Look for "disturbed" drywall. If there’s a tiny hole that looks like a nail was there, but it’s pointed at a sensitive area, investigate it.
The Infrared (IR) Red Flag
Most cameras want to see in the dark. To do that, they use IR LEDs. These are invisible to the human eye, but your phone’s front-facing camera can often see them.
Try this: take a TV remote, point it at your selfie camera, and press a button. See that purple flickering light? That’s IR. Now, turn off the lights in your room and use that selfie camera to look around. If you see a ring of glowing purple lights coming from a "dead" electronic device, you’ve found an infrared array for a hidden camera. Note that many newer iPhones have IR filters on the main rear camera, which is why the selfie camera is usually a better bet for this trick.
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Let’s Talk About the Law and Limitations
It’s important to remember that not all cameras are illegal. In many regions, property owners are allowed to have cameras in "common areas" like living rooms or kitchens (though Airbnb recently banned all indoor cameras regardless of the room).
However, cameras in bathrooms, bedrooms, or any "private" space are almost universally illegal and constitute a crime. If you find one, do not touch it. If you find a camera, your first instinct might be to smash it or take it. Don't. If you move it, you’re potentially contaminating fingerprints or DNA evidence. Take a photo of it. Take a video of the room showing where it is located. Then, call the local police. If you’re in a hotel, call the front desk after you’ve documented it, but honestly, the police are a better first call because hotel management might try to "handle it internally" to avoid a lawsuit.
Advanced "Pro" Tools (And Why You Probably Don't Need Them)
If you’re genuinely worried—maybe you’re a high-profile traveler or dealing with a stalking situation—you might look into RF (Radio Frequency) detectors.
Devices like those from KJB Security or Spy Guy are legitimate. They don't just beep; they show you the strength of the signal. A cheap detector will beep near a microwave, a cell phone, or a Bluetooth speaker. A professional-grade RF detector allows you to "zero in" on the source. When you get closer to the camera, the signal peaks.
But even these have a weakness: "Store and Forward" cameras. These devices record to an internal memory and only "burst" the data to the internet once an hour. If you’re sweeping the room while the camera is silent, an RF detector won't find a thing. This brings us back to the most important tool you have: your eyes and a flashlight.
Practical Steps for Your Next Check-In
Don't let paranoia ruin your vacation, but a five-minute sweep is just good digital hygiene these days.
- Walk the perimeter. Look for anything that "aims." A clock, a mirror, or a lamp that is positioned weirdly is a candidate.
- The Mirror Test. The old "finger on the mirror" trick (looking for a gap between your finger and the reflection) is mostly a myth for modern thin-glass mirrors, but it doesn't hurt. A better way? Put your face against the glass and cup your hands around your eyes to block out all light. If it's a two-way mirror, you might be able to see the room on the other side.
- Unplug the junk. You don't need that weird "ionizing air purifier" or the 1990s alarm clock next to the bed. If you don't need it, unplug it and throw a towel over it.
- Check the vents. Use your phone’s flash to look into the slats of the AC vents. Cameras love vents because they provide an elevated wide-angle view and have built-in power lines.
Ultimately, finding hidden cameras is about spotting the "unnecessary." Why does that picture frame have a wire coming out of the back? Why is there a smoke detector directly above the bed instead of in the center of the room? Trust your gut. If a piece of tech looks out of place or is pointed somewhere it shouldn't be, it's worth a closer look.
Once you’ve done your sweep, relax. If you’ve checked the Wi-Fi, scanned for IR, and done the flashlight glint test, you’ve eliminated 99% of the DIY "spy" setups out there. Most people aren't using military-grade tech; they're using $20 gadgets from the internet that are remarkably easy to spot if you just stop to look.