--- title: "Is there an app that can detect hidden cameras?" url: https://isthereathing.com/an-app-that-can-detect-hidden-cameras/ answer: "partly" summary: "Partly. Fing's network scan can only find hidden cameras connected to the same network you scan. Lens finders and RF detectors cover cameras on other networks or offline, but they are separate gadgets." category: "Safety & privacy" published: 2026-10-02 updated: 2026-10-02 author: "Jack Stovell" publisher: "Adapt Progress Evolve Limited" language: en-GB --- # Is there an app that can detect hidden cameras? **Answer: partly.** Partly. Fing's network scan can only find hidden cameras connected to the same network you scan. Lens finders and RF detectors cover cameras on other networks or offline, but they are separate gadgets. (Source: [Fing: How to Find Hidden Cameras in an Airbnb or Hotel](https://www.fing.com/news/how-to-find-hidden-cameras-in-your-airbnb/)) Partly, and the "partly" matters. Fing's network scan can only find hidden cameras connected to the same network you scan, so a camera on another network or offline needs a physical check: a torch, or a lens finder, which is a separate gadget. You're really choosing between a few different things, depending on where you are and what you're worried about. ## The shortlist ### Fing (Find hidden cameras) A network scanner app whose Premium 'Find hidden cameras' tool scans the Wi-Fi you are on for IP cameras. - Link: https://www.fing.com/ - Free tier: no. Free plan: up to 3 scans a day, speed tests, network reporting and troubleshooting tools. The hidden cameras detector starts at Premium (Fing pricing page). - Paid from: $7.99 per month (Premium, USD) (checked 2026-10-02; or $69.99 a year; prices shown in USD) - Best at: Quickly checking a rental's Wi-Fi for connected cameras, and showing the brand and model of devices it finds. - The catch: Fing's own guide says it can only detect hidden cameras connected to the network you are scanning. The camera feature needs Premium, not the free plan. Fing's guide also says hotel Wi-Fi networks often use client isolation, which means a network scan may not reveal other connected devices. - Platforms: ios, android - Source: [Fing pricing](https://www.fing.com/pricing) ### KJB DD1206 Pro (RF detector and lens finder kit) A counter-surveillance kit with an RF detector and a lens finder, sold by US maker KJB Security Products. - Link: https://www.kjbsecurity.com/shop/dd1206-pro - Free tier: no. No free tier; a hardware kit. - Paid from: $799.99 (MSRP, USD) (checked 2026-10-02; KJB page lists dealer-only purchase; UK availability not stated) - Best at: Detecting wireless cameras by radio signal and finding lenses by LED reflection, which KJB says works whether devices are on or off. - The catch: KJB lists an MSRP of $799.99, with purchase through a dealer log-in and counter-surveillance sales final. Nothing on the page covers UK shipping. Fing notes RF detectors can give false positives from routers and Bluetooth speakers. - Platforms: hardware - Source: [KJB Security Products: DD1206 Pro RF Detector and Spy Finder](https://www.kjbsecurity.com/shop/dd1206-pro) ### LAPD (research app prototype) A 2021 research system, recorded by Yonsei University, that uses a phone's time-of-flight sensor to find lens reflections. - Link: https://yonsei.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/lapd-hidden-spy-camera-detection-using-smartphone-time-of-flight-/ - Free tier: not verified. Not a product; no pricing. - Paid from: not checked (research paper; no price) - Best at: In the researchers' test with 379 participants it reached an 88.9% detection rate, against 46.0% using just the naked eye. - The catch: It is a research paper, not a product we could link to for download, and it relies on a time-of-flight sensor on the phone. - Platforms: research prototype - Source: [Yonsei University: LAPD: Hidden Spy Camera Detection using Smartphone Time-of-Flight Sensors (SenSys 2021)](https://yonsei.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/lapd-hidden-spy-camera-detection-using-smartphone-time-of-flight-/) ### Manual check with a torch and your phone camera Fing's guide describes shining a torch to catch lens reflections and using the front camera to spot infrared LEDs. - Link: https://www.fing.com/news/how-to-find-hidden-cameras-in-your-airbnb/ - Free tier: yes. Free: uses a torch and your phone's camera. - Paid from: Free (checked 2026-10-02) - Best at: A free way to catch lens reflections and some infrared LEDs, with no extra equipment. - The catch: Not all phone cameras show infrared equally, per Fing's guide. - Platforms: any phone - Source: [Fing: How to Find Hidden Cameras in an Airbnb or Hotel](https://www.fing.com/news/how-to-find-hidden-cameras-in-your-airbnb/) ## How they compare ### If you want it free The manual check is just a torch and your phone camera. It costs nothing and needs no extra kit. It's the method Fing's own guide describes: shine a torch around a dark room to catch lens reflections, and use the front camera to look for infrared LEDs. The cost is reliability. Not all phone cameras show infrared equally, per Fing's guide, so a camera that one phone reveals might slip past another. You're also relying on your own eyes and patience. ### If you are checking a rental's Wi-Fi Fing's Premium "Find hidden cameras" tool scans the Wi-Fi you're on for IP cameras, and it shows the brand and model of any devices it finds. That's a quick first look when you've just arrived somewhere, before you unpack. It's on iOS and Android. What you give up is range. Fing's own guide says it can only detect hidden cameras connected to the network you are scanning, so a camera on another network, or one that isn't online at all, is outside what it can find. Fing's guide also says hotel Wi-Fi networks often use client isolation, which means a network scan may not reveal other connected devices. And the camera tool needs Premium, not the free plan. ### If you want to detect wireless cameras by radio signal The KJB DD1206 Pro is a hardware kit with an RF detector and a lens finder, sold by US maker KJB Security Products. It detects wireless cameras by radio signal and finds lenses by LED reflection, and KJB says it works whether devices are on or off. That covers ground a network scan can't, because it doesn't depend on which Wi-Fi anything is on. The catches are real, though. KJB lists an MSRP of $799.99. Fing notes that RF detectors can give false positives from routers and Bluetooth speakers, so you might spend time chasing signals that turn out to be harmless. It's also a separate gadget to carry, which is a different thing from an app. ### If you are curious how phone sensors might help in future That's the LAPD research prototype, from a 2021 paper recorded by Yonsei University. It uses a phone's time-of-flight sensor to find lens reflections. In the researchers' test with 379 participants it reached an 88.9% detection rate, against 46.0% using just the naked eye. But you can't use it. It's a research paper, not a product we could link to for download, and it relies on a time-of-flight sensor on the phone. Interesting, then, rather than useful today. ### When paying is worth it Every option leaves something uncovered. Fing misses anything off its network, and RF detectors like the one in the KJB kit can raise false alarms, Fing says. The manual check leans on your phone and your eyes, and LAPD isn't available as a product. Paying makes most sense if you want to check Wi-Fi networks for connected cameras. Fing's detector starts at Premium, at $7.99 per month or $69.99 a year (USD), while the free plan allows up to 3 scans a day without it. The KJB kit lists an MSRP of $799.99, a different level of spend altogether, and the manual check costs nothing. ## What to watch for KJB's page lists dealer-only purchase with sales final, and nothing on it covers UK shipping. If you're in the UK, check that before you set your heart on it. On the rules side, Airbnb says hidden cameras have always been prohibited, and since 30 April 2024 hosts cannot have cameras or recording devices monitoring indoor spaces, even if switched off. That's useful to know if you're staying somewhere booked through the platform. Section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 sets out voyeurism offences in England and Wales, so contact the police if you think a crime has happened. An app can help you look, but it isn't a substitute for them. ## How we checked On 2026-10-02 we read Fing's hidden camera guide, its pricing page, and its App Store and Google Play listings. We also read the KJB Security Products DD1206 Pro page, the Yonsei University record of the LAPD paper, Airbnb's Help Centre page on security cameras, and the UK government's published text of section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. We didn't test any app or detector. Fing is the source of several statements about its own limits and about other detection methods. ## If none of these fit The nearest alternative is a physical sweep. Fing's guide suggests checking smoke detectors, clock radios and items facing the bed, using a torch in a dark room to catch lens reflections, and using the front phone camera to look for infrared LEDs. If you do find a camera, Fing's guide suggests reporting it to the platform (such as Airbnb), documenting it with photos or video, and contacting local authorities. ## Also typed as - is there a device that can detect hidden cameras - is there a device that can find hidden cameras - is there a device that can scan for hidden cameras - is there a device that detects hidden cameras - is there a device that scans for hidden cameras - is there a device that can detect hidden cameras and microphones - is there an app that can find hidden cameras - is there something that can detect hidden cameras ## Related questions - [Is there a website that can check if a link is safe?](https://isthereathing.com/a-website-that-can-check-if-a-link-is-safe/) - [Is there an app that blocks spam calls?](https://isthereathing.com/an-app-that-blocks-spam-calls/) ## Sources - [Fing: How to Find Hidden Cameras in an Airbnb or Hotel](https://www.fing.com/news/how-to-find-hidden-cameras-in-your-airbnb/) (checked 2026-10-02) - [Fing pricing](https://www.fing.com/pricing) (checked 2026-10-02) - [Fing on the App Store (UK)](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/fing-network-scanner/id430921107) (checked 2026-10-02) - [KJB Security Products: DD1206 Pro RF Detector and Spy Finder](https://www.kjbsecurity.com/shop/dd1206-pro) (checked 2026-10-02) - [Yonsei University: LAPD: Hidden Spy Camera Detection using Smartphone Time-of-Flight Sensors (SenSys 2021)](https://yonsei.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/lapd-hidden-spy-camera-detection-using-smartphone-time-of-flight-/) (checked 2026-10-02) - [Airbnb Help Centre: Restrictions on security cameras and other devices in homes](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3061) (checked 2026-10-02) - [legislation.gov.uk: Sexual Offences Act 2003, section 67](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/67) (checked 2026-10-02) - [Fing on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.overlook.android.fing&hl=en_GB) (checked 2026-10-02) ## Questions people ask ### Can a phone app find a hidden camera? Only some kinds. Fing's network scan can find cameras connected to the Wi-Fi you are scanning, and Fing says it cannot detect cameras on other networks. A lens finder or RF detector is a separate gadget. ### Does Fing's hidden camera finder cost money? Yes. Fing's pricing page lists the hidden cameras detector from the Premium tier, at $7.99 a month or $69.99 a year (USD). The free plan allows up to 3 scans a day but does not include it. ### Are hidden cameras allowed in Airbnb rentals? No. Airbnb says hidden cameras have always been prohibited, and since 30 April 2024 hosts cannot have cameras or recording devices monitoring indoor spaces, even if switched off. ### Is it illegal to put a hidden camera in someone's bedroom or bathroom? Section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 makes it an offence in England and Wales to observe, record or install equipment to enable observation of someone doing a private act without consent, for sexual gratification. Take legal advice for your situation. ### What should I do if I find a hidden camera? Fing's guide suggests reporting it to the platform, photographing or filming the device and its location, and contacting local authorities. Airbnb has a Help Centre route for safety issues.