What to Know

iPhone symbols on top of the screen each have their own specific meaning.
Some symbols on an iPhone relay information about privacy, such as whether an app is using your camera or microphone.
Other symbols can tell you general information about your phone, like the battery level or connection status.

If you've ever wondered what the iPhone symbols on top of the screen (in the status bar) or in the iOS Control Center are trying to tell you, then you've come to the right spot. Apple uses iPad and iPhone status icons and symbols to show a lot of information in a very small space. Here are the symbols on an iPhone and their meanings explained.

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How to See iPhone Icons at Top of Screen
Symbols on an iPhone Explained
iPhone Control Center Icons
FAQ

How to See iPhone Icons at Top of the Screen

Let’s start with the iPhone symbols at the top of the screen, in the status bar. These top of iPhone screen symbols can also be seen within apps, and, depending on the color of the app, they may appear white or black. Keep in mind that if you have an iPhone X or a newer model, not all these icons will appear at the top of your display the way they do on earlier iPhones. To see the symbols at the top of your iPhone screen on all models of the iPhone X and later:

Touch and drag slightly down on the spot just underneath the three icons at the top-right corner of your display.
This will reveal hidden icons, as well as the battery-charge percentage.
If you continue pulling down, you'll open the Control Center as well.

Now you know how to see these icons, but what are the symbols on an iPhone, and what do they mean? Let's go over all of the iPhone icons meaning.

Symbols on an iPhone Explained

Some symbols on an iPhone are more commonly known, such as the Wi-Fi icon and Bluetooth icon, but some, like the Orientation Lock icon, mystify many. What does the person icon on my iPhone mean? What is Focus status on iPhone? What are the iPhone symbols on top of the screen? Later in this article, we will teach you the meanings of symbols on an iOS Control Center, but first, here are the meanings of the iPhone screen top icons:

iPhone Icons Meaning: Colored Bubbles

If you own an iPhone X or later, you may have noticed that sometimes there's a colored bubble behind the time on your Home screen. The bubble can be displayed in four colors: blue, green, red, and purple. This chart will explain what each of those colors means.

Symbol	Meaning
Blue	Your iPhone is Screen Mirroring or is currently using your location.
Green	You're currently on a call or your iPhone is providing a Personal Hotspot.
Red	Your iPhone is recording sound or is recording your screen.
Purple	Your iPhone is using SharePlay to share content.

Recording Indicator: The Orange & Green Dots

For models running iOS 14 and later, you'll sometimes see a small green or orange dot in the upper-right corner of your display. But what do these symbols on an iPhone mean?

Symbol

Meaning

Orange

The microphone is being used by an app on your iPhone or was recently used.

Green

The camera or the camera and microphone are being used by an app on your iPhone or was recently used.

Other iPhone Icons Meaning

Here are other symbols at the top of the iPhone screen that you will see in the Status Bar. Some of these iPhone symbols are on the top left of the screen by the time, while others appear next to the battery when you pull down the Control Center.

Symbol	Meaning
	3G network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network.
	4G or LTE network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network.
	LTE network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network. Note: Works with iPhone 5 and later models. Not available in all areas.
	5G network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network. Note: Works with iPhone SE (3rd generation), and iPhone 12 and newer models. Not available in all areas.
	5G E network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network. Note: Works with iPhone 8 and later models. Not available in all areas.
	5G network with higher frequency is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network. Note: Works with iPhone SE (3rd generation), and iPhone 12 and newer models. Not available in all areas.
	GPRS (GSM) network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network.
	EDGE (GSM) network is available through your carrier, and your iPhone can connect to the internet over that network.
	You're in range of your cellular network and can make in receive calls. "No service" will appear whenever there's no signal.
	With Dual SIM capability, you're in range of your cellular network and can make and receive calls."No service" will appear whenever there's no signal.
	Wi-Fi Calling is available for you to use. Your carrier also appears next to the icon.
	Your iPhone is connected to the internet over Wi-Fi.
	You're connected to a VPN network.
	The VPN network you're using is disconnected.
	Location Services is currently being used by an app or a website.
	An item may receive your location under certain conditions.
	An app you're using is requesting your location.
	Network Activity is present.
	Call forwarding is enabled.
	Airplane Mode is enabled.
	Teletype (TTY) is enabled.
	Orientation Lock is on, and your screen won't rotate until the setting is disabled.
	Focus (formerly Do Not Disturb) is on. Note: The appearance of this icon will differ depending on which Focus mode you have enabled. You may see a person icon for Personal, a bed for Sleep, a car for Driving, etc.
	iPhone is syncing with iTunes.
	iPhone is locked.
	iPhone is paired with a wireless headset, headphones, or earbuds.
	An alarm is set.
	Your iPhone's battery level. It will turn red when the level is less than 20%.
	Your iPhone is charging.
	Low Power Mode is enabled.
	Battery level of your paired Bluetooth device.
	iPhone is connected to the internet through the Personal Hotspot of another iOS device. Note: For iOS 15 and later, the symbol is replaced with the green bubble behind the time.
	iPhone is connected to CarPlay.
	You're sharing your screen with SharePlay.
	SharePlay is active.

Now you know what the iPhone symbols at the top of the screen mean. For more tutorials on how to navigate your iPhone and iPad, check out our free Tip of the Day.

iPhone Control Center Icons

You can access the iPhone Control Center by swiping down from the upper right corner of your screen if you have an iPhone without a Home button, like most newer models. If you have an iPhone 8 or earlier, you will need to swipe up from the bottom of your screen. Some of the iPhone Control Center icons will always stay the same, but the icons at the bottom of the Control Center are determined by how you choose to customize your Control Center.

Pro Tip

The iOS 18 update introduced an ultra-customizable iOS Control Center that has many of the icons you see below, but also many new ones. The new way to customize your Control Center is via the Control Gallery, where you can see all the new icons and what they are called. You can even use the search bar to find what you are looking for.

What Are the Original iPhone Control Center Icons

Let's cover the meaning of some of the most popular iPhone Control Center icons.

Symbols	Meanings
	Airplane Mode
	Bluetooth
	Cellular Data
	Hotspot
	AirDrop
	Focus Note: The appearance of this icon will differ depending on which Focus mode you have enabled. You may see a person icon for Personal, a bed for Sleep, a car for Driving, etc.
	Accessibility: quickly enable accessibility features.
	Alarm: create an alarm to wake up or adjust your Sleep Focus settings.
	Calculator: quickly do calculations. You can also rotate the device to use the scientific calculator for advanced problems.
	Brightness: adjust brightness by dragging the brightness control up or down.
	Camera: take photos or record videos.
	Driving Focus: silence calls, messages, and notifications while driving.
	Do Not Disturb: silence notifications for an hour, until the end of the day, for an event, or while at a location.
	Flashlight: turns the LED flash on the camera into a flashlight.
	Home: control accessories that are set up in the Home app.
	Low Power Mode: switch on when iPhone battery is low or doesn't have access to electrical power.
	Magnifier: turns iPhone into a magnifying glass.
	Night Shift: adjust colors in display to warmer tones at night.
	Portrait Orientation Lock: prevents screen from rotating when you move your device.
	Screen Recording: records your screen with just a tap or captures sound while recording with tapping and holding.
	Silent Mode: silences alerts and notifications on your device.
	Stopwatch: measures duration of an event and tracks lap times.
	Text Size: adjust the size of text by dragging the slider up or down.
	Timer: set the duration of time by dragging slider up or down and pressing Start.
	True Tone: automatically adjusts the color and intensity of your display to match the light in your environment.
	Voice Memos: creates a voice memo with your device's microphone.
	Volume: adjusts the volume by dragging the control up or down.
	Wallet: access cards for Apple Pay or boarding passes, movie tickets, etc.
	Screen Mirroring: streams music, photos, and video wirelessly to Apple TV and other AirPlay-enabled devices.
	Dark Mode: great for viewing iPhone or iPad in low-light environments.
	Guided Access: limit device-use to a single app and control which app features are available.
	Hearing: pair hearing devices with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
	Code Scanner: use camera to scan QR codes to quickly access websites.
	Music Recognition: find out what you're listening to with a single tap and see the results at the top of your screen.
	Noise Control: detects external sounds which your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max can block or cancel. Transparency mode allows you to hear outside noises around you.
	Sleep Focus: Choose which apps and people you want to receive notifications from while sleeping or getting ready for bed.
	Spatial Audio: Use Spatial Audio with AirPods Pro or AirPods Pro Max.
	Announce Notifications: Siri will announce your incoming messages when wearing your AirPods or compatible Beats headphones.
	Notes: quickly jot down an idea, create a checklist, sketch, etc.
	Personal Focus: Choose which apps and people you want to receive notifications from during your personal time.
	Apple TV Remote: use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for the remote control for Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD.
	Sound Recognition: iPhone will listen to certain sounds and notify you when sounds are recognized. Examples: sirens, fire alarms, doorbells, etc.
	Work Focus: Choose which apps and people you want to receive notifications from during work. This symbol appears as a person icon next to time on your iPhone.

Now you know what some of the iPhone symbols on the top of the screen mean. If you ever come across symbols on an iPhone that you don't recognize, you can come back here to find out its meaning. Next, learn how to organize your iPhone's Home Screen, and check out our guide for understanding what your Apple Watch's icons mean.

FAQ

Why does my iPhone say SOS in the top right corner? If your iPhone cannot connect to your cellular network or a nearby Wi-Fi network, your iPhone may say SOS in the top right corner. This simply means your device can only make emergency calls.
What does 5GUC mean? 5GUC stands for 5G Ultra Capacity. This is T-Mobile's higher frequency 5G network. Other cellular providers have similar higher frequency networks with different names. Find out more about what 5GUC means.
What are the icons on top right of iPhone screen? At the top of your iPhone, you will usually see your cellular network strength (bars). To the right of that, you will either see 4G, LTE, 5G, or a related symbol. If you are connected to Wi-Fi, you will see a Wi-Fi symbol instead. Lastly, you'll see your iPhone battery indicator.
What do the iPhone signal symbols mean? The signal symbols simply indicate whether you are using cellular data or Wi-Fi and the strength of the wireless connection.

Top image credit: Amguy13 / Shutterstock.com

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