Frequently Asked Questions

DeTechtive checks your Android phone for signs that something isn't right — unusual apps, risky settings, or unsafe network behavior — and gives you a plain-language report. It's built for people who want to know their phone is safe without needing any technical knowledge.

DeTechtive supports Android phones running Android 8.0 (Oreo) or newer.

Yes. You sign in with an email and password, or with your Google account. This lets DeTechtive save your scan history and send you your report.

Yes, it's totally free to use.

1. Check your apps — DeTechtive looks at which apps are installed and how they behave.
2. Review your settings — it checks for phone settings that could put you at risk.
3. Send data securely — scan data is uploaded for a deeper check by our system.
4. Get your report — you'll get a notification when your report is ready.

Scan times vary based on your device's state. Typical automated scans complete within 1 hour, but can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours. The longer timeframe occurs when human intervention is needed — our team takes a deeper look to confirm findings and provide you with accurate results.

Yes. If you leave the app, your scan progress continues and is saved. If a scan gets interrupted (for example, by a lost connection or low storage), DeTechtive picks up where it left off — you don't need to start over unless the app specifically asks you to.

DeTechtive needs a small amount of free space and working memory to finish checking your phone and uploading results. Free up some space or close a few apps, then try again — your progress is saved either way.

No. Your scan is safe. Reconnect to the internet and try again from where you left off.

Your report will show one of these outcomes:

• All clear — nothing suspicious was found.
• Worth reviewing — one or more findings are worth a closer look, but nothing urgent.
• Settings to adjust — a phone setting should be changed to reduce risk.
• Needs immediate attention — a finding needs careful review as soon as possible.

Occasionally, our security team takes a closer look at a specific app before we can give you a final answer on it. You don't need to do anything — we'll update your report and send you a notification once the review is complete (typically within 24 hours).

Open the app and check your report. If something needs attention, you'll see clear next steps for that specific finding — no technical background needed to follow them.

Yes — we recommend scanning again periodically, especially after installing new apps or updates, since those can change your phone's risk over time.

The list of apps installed, the permissions those apps have, a handful of system settings, and your network connection status. If an app looks suspicious, we also pull a copy of that app's file so our team can examine it directly. See our full Privacy Policy for details.

Your messages, photos, contacts, call logs, browsing history, personal files, or passwords. That list stays short on purpose.

Raw scan data is stored securely for 4 days, then permanently deleted. You can export your data or delete your account at any time — you don't have to wait for us. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.

Yes, at any time, from your account settings in the app. Deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed.

If you're a journalist, human rights defender, or member of civil society and you're concerned about targeted surveillance, we offer a free, guided device check separate from the regular in-app scan. Visit our Check Your Device page to request one.

Yes — the app has a built-in confidential support option for journalists and activists (look for "Request confidential support" on your report or scan screen). You can choose whether to share your scan findings and technical details with our team when you reach out.

Email us at support@detechtive.io.