5 Best Hidden Chat Apps and Ways to find them in your kid’s iPhone

Are you a parent who suspects your kid is using a secret chat app to keep their conversations away from prying eyes? If so, you’re not the only one.

Many parents are concerned about the safety of their children when it comes to online activities. With the rise of technology and social media, keeping track of your child’s online actions can be difficult and troublesome.

Hidden chat apps are messaging platforms and applications that are designed to keep conversations private and discreet. Hidden chat apps are particularly popular among teenagers for various reasons. Thus, as a parent, it’s very important to be aware of the malicious features of hidden chat apps on teenagers and young adults. 

In this article, we’ll uncover the 5 best-hidden chat apps and explore how to find them on your kid’s iPhone.

Top 5 Hidden Chat Apps in 2023

This blog has selected the top 5 hidden chat apps with distinctive characteristics and features which are famous among the young generation.

1.    Signal

Signal is an open-source encrypted messaging app that offers private and secure texting, voice calls, and video calls. Signal uses end-to-end encryption to protect conversations, which means only the sender and the receiver have access to the text messages. No other third parties or intermediaries, including Signal itself, can view the chat.

Signal is famous for its effective security and privacy features, which have caught the attention of young adults and teenagers worldwide. The signal app is mostly used by people who want to communicate without being monitored.

As of now, Signal has 40 million active users. You can download Signal for free on the Google Play Store and App store, as well as on desktop platforms such as Windows and Mac.

• Features of Signal:
• Signal offers disappearing messages, where users can schedule messages to delete automatically.

• Signal has a privacy feature called ‘screen security.’ Screen security prevents other parties from taking screenshots or screen-recording of your chat.

• Signal provides users the Face or Touch Id to secure their data and texts.

2.    Telegram

Telegram is a widely used cloud-based messaging app created in 2013. It stores all data like messages, files, links, and media on its cloud servers, allowing users to access their information from multiple devices.

Telegram is known for its secret-chat feature, which offers end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations. The secret chat messages are not stored in the Telegram servers and can be scheduled to self-demolish after some time.

• Key features of Telegram:
• It supports group chats with up to 200,000 members, making this app popular among large groups.

• Telegram allows media support up to 2 GB in size for different kinds of media like photos, videos, links, documents, and files.

• This app has Telegram channels, where organizations can connect and communicate with large audiences.

• Telegram supports bot platforms for various services like news, weather, productivity tools, and customer support.

3.    Snapchat

Snapchat is one of the most popular social messaging apps among children, teenagers, and the younger generation. Snapchat provides unique and fun filters, lenses, and interactive features, a major attraction for kids.

While Snapchat seems like just another social media, it actually offers disappearing photos and short videos of up to 60 seconds, also known as ‘Snaps,’ which are popular among teenagers to exchange explicit and inappropriate content.

• Features of Snapchat:
• Snapchat texts are automatically deleted after 24 hours if it isn’t saved.

• Snapchat offers a ‘Discover’ feature allowing users to view content from influencers and creators.

• The most famous feature of Snapchat is the ‘Snap Map,’ where users can see their friend’s real-time location.

It is important to note that Snapchat doesn’t offer robust privacy and security features and may not be the best-hidden chat app. However, Snapchat is a prominent tool for kids to send and receive intimate photos or videos, which can result in negative consequences. Thus, it’s important for parents to keep track of their kid’s Snapchat activity.

4.    Wickr Me

Wickr Me is a secure messaging app for anyone who wants to communicate securely and privately without compromising their convenience or user control. Wicker Me uses military-grade encryption to protect messages, files, and documents.

With Wickr Me’s advanced vetted end-to-end encryption, users don’t have to worry about being surveilled or monitored. It values user privacy, making it one of the best comprehensive, secure hidden chat apps.

• Features of Wickr Me:
• Wickr Me provides users with self-destructing messages, where users can set a timer for the deletion of texts.

• Wickr Me permits users to create anonymous accounts to communicate without revealing their real identities.

• Wickr Me provides password protection, where users can set passwords to access the app.

5.    Pryvate Now

Pryvate Now is one of the top-ranked hidden chat apps that offers a high level of communication encryption. Pryvate Now app uses AES 256-bit encryption to secure texts, calls, and file sharing.

Pryvate Now is also known for its unique messaging services compatible with Messenger, Skype, Whatsapp, and Viber apps. It is praised for its high security to protect users’ messages from unauthorized access and eavesdropping.

• Features of Pryvate Now:
• Pryvate Now uses anti-eavesdropping measures to protect against different forms of cyber attacks like hacking and cyberbullying.

• Users can block their geo-location from Pryvate Now to ensure their privacy.

• Pryvate Now does not store metadata, meaning there is no record of who you have contacted or when.

• Pryvate Now offers a multi-authentication service, an extra layer of protection added to the app.

 

Ways to find hidden chat apps on your kid’s iPhone

Now that we know the hidden chat apps that your child might be using on their iPhone, let’s learn how you can find them. Below we present you unique techniques to locate hidden chat apps on your kid’s iPhone:

1.    Check the App Store

The first way to find out if your kid has downloaded hidden chat apps on their iPhone is by checking the app store purchase history on your kid’s iPhone, which shows all the app purchases they have made.

Look for hidden chat apps on the purchase history to see if they’ve downloaded such texting platforms.

2.    Scan the Home Screen and App Folders:

You can browse your kid’s iPhone home screen to check for unfamiliar app icons. Most chat apps use generic names and icons to disguise themselves. Thus, you must review the app’s features and functions to know if it’s a hidden chat app.

3.    Check their Screen Time:

iPhone Screen Time feature allows you to monitor your kid’s phone usage and locate hidden chat apps.

Go to iPhone Settings and click on the ‘Screen Time’ section. There, you will find data regarding what apps your child’s been using and how much time they spend on them daily.

4.    Check the iPhone Storage:

From iPhone storage, you can gather information on what kind of apps are downloaded on your kid’s iPhone and how much storage each app occupies.

Go to the iPhone settings and scroll to the ‘General’ section. Now, click on ‘iPhone Storage’ and skim through it.

5.    Use third-party monitoring softwares like Fenced.ai:

Third-party monitoring services allow you to monitor your child’s online activities, like browsing history, downloaded apps, and location. You can monitor all the texts and calls on your kid’s iPhone with your own gadget.

Monitoring software like Fenced.ai is exquisitely designed for parents, where they can monitor their kid’s social media apps, calls, texts, photos, videos, location, and many more. With Fenced.ai, you can keep an eye on your child’s iPhone activities and avoid unwanted risks and consequences.

• Third-party Monitoring software features:
• App monitoring: Track your kid’s activity online and receive alerts of when you’re child installs a new app.

• Track browsing history and location: With Fenced.ai, you can track your child’s real-time location and their searches on the Internet.

• Screen time management: Set time limits for your kid’s screen usage by scheduling screen time breaks.

• Geofencing: Fenced.ai allows parents to set virtual boundaries around specific locations and areas. It alerts parents about when their child enters or leaves those areas.

6.    Communicate with your child:

Oftentimes, honest and open communication with your child is the best way to address your concerns. Let them know your feelings towards their online safety and let them express themselves as well. This way, both parent and child can make a shared decision regarding healthy iPhone etiquette the child should follow.

Conclusion

Hidden chat apps are messaging platforms and applications that allow users to communicate in a way that is not easily visible to others. While hidden chat apps are helpful in numerous ways, they pose several risks, particularly when used by children and teens.

Hidden chat apps can facilitate cyberbullying. The messages sent and received through hidden chat apps are encrypted, making them difficult to trace. This makes an easy getaway for the bullies to harass or intimidate their targets without the fear of being caught.

Another primary risk of hidden chat apps is that they are used to send and exchange sexually explicit photos or videos. With the secrecy features of hidden chat apps, teenagers can easily engage in risky behaviors.

Thus, parents are advised to stay vigilant and proactive when it comes to their child’s online safety. With the above-mentioned tactics about how to find hidden chat apps on your kid’s phone, you can avoid your kid from online predators and psychological harm.