This article will be rather helpful for beginners who never dealt with spyware earlier. Pay attention to its content as any mistake you make during the installation process will make a purchased app useless.
If you are preparing for your first installation, do not rush. Consider that an installation process takes several minutes. The time you need depends on spyware requirements and the target device characteristics.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about installing mobile phone spy software.
Also Read: How to spy on a cell phone without installing spyware
Table of Contents
Installing Mobile Phone Spy Software
In reality, you don’t need to be a hacker to install spy software. It’s actually so easy that all you need is a little time and patience to get it set up the right way and then you’re good to go.
In order to begin, you must first consider that each spy software out there has its own unique features and requirements even though they share the same principles.
Typically, all major spy software companies provide you with a detailed instruction manual once you purchase their software.
Spy App Installation Services
Major companies now include installation services to their clients for a small fee. For example, software like mSpy or FlexiSpy have “mAssistance” that you can avail when you purchase their software. The technician will help you Jailbreak the iPhone or Root your Android phone and then take you through the complete installation and configuration of the app.
These services make it a lot easier to hack into someone’s phone and monitor what they’re doing. The only thing to remember is that when you’re going to use one of these installation services, you will need to have the target phone in hand and a laptop or computer so the technician can work his magic.
Step 1 — Check the Basic Requirements before installing any Spy Software
Before you begin your journey, make sure you read the instruction articles listed on the website of the software you’re buying.
- See whether it’s feasible for you to do and if not then you decide whether you should opt for the installation services provided by them.
- You will need to have the targeted smartphone with you for around 10 – 15 minutes depending on how efficient you are.
- Another requirement is to have your laptop/computer around so you can access your emails and open the confirmation/welcome email that was sent when you purchased the software.
- Make sure there is stable internet connection for both your laptop/computer and the targeted phone. This is required when you install the software for the first time. It’s also good to note that in order for you to spy on the device successfully, the targeted smartphone will have to be connected to the internet at all times.
Step 2 — Pick the Right Spy Software License
The first thing you need to do before you download the software is to purchase a license to run the software. Software like mSpy, FlexiSpy, Highster and XNSPY have licenses that you can purchase straight from their website.
You will need to first select the kind of phone you’re going to target, whether it’s an iPhone or Android phone and then based on your selection you will be provided with a couple of licenses that are available to purchase.
Each license will have different capabilities and features and they would be available at different prices depending on the features it comes with. Normally a basic license to run a spy software for a month would be within the region of $20-25 and this goes up based on what features you’re looking for and the duration of the license.
Sites even provide you with a clubbed license, much like a promotional offer at a slightly discounted price. These can be found when you click on the Buy Now button on the spy software official website.
Step 3 — Install the Spy Software on the Targeted Phone
Installing Spy Apps on an iPhone
Before you buy any spy software, you must check whether it’s compatible with the iOS version that’s running on the iPhone you’re planning to target. Normally, these spy software sites have a compatibility section that lists out the supported operating systems and based on that list you can figure out whether you can spy on that iPhone or not.
Another thing to remember is that with the iPhone, there are two ways you can install spy software.
- The first way is by installing the spy app on an iPhone, and for this to work you will have to make sure that the iPhone is jailbroken. Many spy software require the targeted iPhone to be jailbroken before you can use their services.
- The second way is by accessing the iCloud account and there are certain spy software such as mSpy and XNSPY that do not require the iPhone to be jailbroken.
Make sure to always check the current iOS version and see whether the spy software supports it and also to check whether the device is jailbroken or not and based on that to pick the right software.
Installing Spy Apps on Android Devices
Installing spy software on an Android device is relatively easy to do and the only thing you will need to ask yourself is whether to Root the device or not. While it’s not mandatory to Root an Android phone, it’s required if you’re looking to utilize some special features like Keylogging.
Before you make any purchase, you would need to cross check whether the Android device meets the basic requirements. Check if the spy software is compatible with the Android version your phone is running and see whether the device needs to be rooted or not.
Also Read: How to spy on an Android phone
Remember that since the process is most likely similar with many of the spy software available today, there may be a few small changes with the following layout depending on which software you buy.
But, here’s what generally happens.
- You first buy the license of your choice from one of the reputed Spy Software websites.
- A Welcome email is then sent across to your registered email address. You will need to open this email on your computer.
- Once you open the link, you would be asked to register and create your online account.
- A download link will now be shared with you, you will have to open the same link on the targeted device and install the application.
- Open the app and enter the Activation code to link the accounts.
- Now, you will have to hide the application on the targeted smartphone and restart the device.
- When all this is done, you must head back to the app settings and configure them according to your requirements.
Normally, when you install the spy software on the targeted smartphone, you will need to follow the instructions to the letter. Even a slight deviation from what was sent will result in lack of data captured and multiple errors.
Note: It’s a good idea to delete the target users browser history after downloading and installing the software. Also make sure to hide the application from their Home Screen so they don’t suspect a thing.
- Once you have successfully configured the software, you must head back to your Online Dashboard and login using your registered email and password.
- The spy software that was installed on the targeted phone will now begin to relay information to an online server that syncs the information with your online dashboard so you can view and monitor their movements on a daily basis.
Normally this works in real-time, but there is some software that would take around 30-40 minutes to start relaying information to your dashboard.
If you still have the targeted phone with you, send a text or two as a test to see whether the dashboard receives the messages and is working. Consider this a final test before you leave the phone back from where you got it.
As long as you succeed to follow all the instructions there is no need to obtain physical access to the target device anymore. Just read my article about “How Does Cell Phone Spy Software Work” to get further information.
Step 4 — Use the Online Dashboard
Once you have set up the software on the targeted phone, give it roughly half an hour and then login to the online dashboard via your laptop/computer. The online dashboard is considered to be the heart and soul of the spy software and acts as a hub that collects and displays all the information you want spied on.
You will need to login to the dashboard via the company’s website. Use the login link, enter the username and password to access the main section of the dashboard.
Point to Remember: Store the username and password in a save area so you don’t forget them. Preferably create a new email and save the username and password in the drafts folder.
Now, there is not much difference between the online dashboards of different spy software as they all essentially display the same information. However, depending on the license you bought, there may be limited features available to you.
For example, If the license specifies Keylogging, then you will have a section dedicated to Keylogging only. Whereas, if the license is a basic one that does not include Keylogging functionality, then you wouldn’t be able to view a Keylogging section in your Dashboard.
Since the online dashboard acts like the central hub of the spy software, you can do a lot from within the dashboard and never have to touch the targeted phone again. The dashboard even gives you access to your account details and from here you can set up billing and even view your plan details.
Use the Demo of the Online Dashboard
The best way to understand the capabilities of the dashboard is to actually play around with it. A good way to do this is by making use of the Demo site that some of these companies provide. The demo page will give you access to every feature that the software supports and you can use this to get familiar with the dashboard.
Check out the FlexiSpy Demo here
Takeaway
Remember, every spy software out there may have different names, a couple of different features and even one or two discounts running, but they all are the same in terms of functionality and the way they collect and relay information.
The main difference to consider is whether the software requires the device to be jailbroken or rooted and whether the smartphone operating system is compatible with the spy software.
Remember– All legit spy software would require hands-on access to the targeted smartphone. Anything that claims it can hack a smartphone without access is probably fake and could be a scam.
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