In today’s increasingly digital and high-tech world, I know “privacy” is the new catchword. But, unfortunately, it’s always remained elusive. Anyone with access to your phone, the IMEI, or Apple ID can monitor everything you do on your phone in real-time from another end. All you need is an app with keylogging and other monitoring features.
However, users (or spies) must install most of these tools on the target person’s phone. But you don’t need to be a hacker to install and use them. After installation, the app runs stealthily and is usually undetectable on the phone. You may want to get spooky on someone close to you (this is illegal in most countries, and I don’t support it). You may want to monitor the messages your children receive or send. Finally, you may want to protect your office from inside threats. Indeed, there’s always an app for everything!
So, today, I’ll show you step-by-step how to read text messages from another phone without them knowing for free. We’ll also see some of the best apps with this function (including those that work with subscriptions).
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. We will not be held responsible for what you do with the information therein. We also dissuade you from using the information in this article for illegal purposes.
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How to Read Text Messages from Another Phone Without Them Knowing for Free – Step-by-Step
The Hoverwatch tracker is one of the best tools to read text messages from another phone without them knowing for free. Here’s all you need to know to install and use the tracking service during the four-day free trial.
Note: This step-by-step process works for the Android version of Hoverwatch and the latest version as of 2022.
Step 1: First, sign up for the Hoverwatch free tracker.
Step 2: Then, on the target phone, select the phone type, i.e., Android, Windows, or macOS.
Step 3: Tap the download link under step 2, which is Download App.
Step 4: Once the app finishes downloading, install it on the phone.
Step 5: Open the app from the app list, and confirm that you’re going to use it properly (i.e., use it to monitor your kids, employees, or your device).
Step 6: After the agreement, toggle on Basic Permissions and allow access to the content on the phone.
Step 7: Activate the accessibility service by tapping on Sync Service on the next page.
Step 8: Toggle on Use Service and tap Allow on the next page.
Step 9: Go to the Hoverwatch app and tap Access to Usage. Toggle it on.
Step 10: Tap Sync Service and toggle on Permit Usage Access.
Step 11: Go back to the Hoverwatch app and tap Overlay Permission. Then toggle it on.
Step 12: Toggle on Allow display over other apps.
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Step 13: Next, go back to the Hoverwatch app and tap on Disable App Notifications
Step 14: Turn off Show notifications using the toggle button and return to the app.
Step 15: Tap on Disable Battery Optimization and Allow so the app can keep running and not be stopped during automatic battery optimization.
Step 16: Finally, tap on Next at the bottom of the page.
Step 17: Put in the email and password you used while signing up for Hoverwatch in Step 1. Do so now if you still need to sign up for a Hoverwatch account.
Step 18: After entering your login details, tap Activate at the bottom of the page.
Step 19: On the next page, tap on SMS/MMS since you want to read text messages from another phone without them knowing for free.
Tip: If you’re going to monitor everything on the phone asides from messages, tap All Activities and Next.
Step 20: Select Start Now on the next page and set a PIN for the app.
Step 21: Toggle on the Hide application icon to prevent the phone user from finding the spy app in the app list.
Tip: You can always use the PIN you set at Step 20 to call up the app by dialing *** PIN ### on the phone dialler.
Step 22: Review your selections on the next pages and finish the installation.
How to read text messages remotely
To read messages received and sent by the phone, log into your Hoverwatch account on any device. Then, go to the Reports section from the top, and you can see everything the target is doing on the phone below.
Note: The free trial offer from Hoverwatch lasts for 4 days, after which you’ll need to pay $9.99 monthly. But 4 days of monitoring is enough to confirm whatever your suspicion may be.
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Best Apps for Reading Text Messages on Another Phone
Straight to it, here is the definitive ranking of the best apps for reading text messages on another phone:
1. mSpy
Among the apps to spy on someone’s messages, there’s none other than mSpy.
You can install it on your child’s or an employee’s smartphone to monitor their messages, calls, location, activities on social messages (yes, you can also spy on WhatsApp), and much more.
The app runs in the background, so whoever you spy on will never notice. As a result, the consumption of data and battery is minimal, and there are no changes in the normal operation of the smartphone.
mSpy features: what can you do?
By installing mSpy, you will know exactly what your child is doing, their circle of friends, and all their movements.
However, unlike Hoverwatch, mSpy no longer has a free trial. The monthly plan costs $48, which is a lot compared to Hoverwatch’s $9.99 premium plan.
- Spying on conversations: You can read the messages sent and received, even if deleted from the smartphone.
- See all the call logs: You will be able to know every detail, including the numbers contacted, the duration of the calls, and the date.
- GPS tracking: You can spy on the person’s position in real-time. You will also have a history of the target’s movements available.
- Keyword alert: Every time words like “sex” and “drug” are mentioned, you will receive an email or a message.
- Invisible mode: mSpy is completely hidden on the monitored phone.
How to install mSpy
Now I’ll explain step by step how to start remotely controlling the smartphone you want to monitor:
- Buy the subscription, and you will receive an email with the access data and instructions to continue.
- From your PC, click on the link sent to you by email.
- From here, go to the mSpy control panel and follow the instructions.
- Download and install the app on the device to be monitored. Once inside, the software will start monitoring the device immediately.
Installing and configuring mSpy is not difficult, but you can contact support which is available 24 hours a day for any question. mSpy offers the possibility of a full refund within 14 days for the Premium mSpy subscription.
If you buy mSpy and then ask for a refund, you will not be able to ask for it for future purchases. I recommend you read all the terms of use on the site for more details.
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2. FlexiSpy
FlexiSpy is one of the world’s most used smartphone, tablet, and PC monitoring apps. It allows users to record calls and read SMS messages on Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social networks, without being discovered.
You need to know two things, though:
- it is not cheap, but the quality of the service justifies the expense;
- you must have rooted your phone if you have an Android or jailbreak it if it’s an iPhone.
I started this list of the best software to monitor smartphones from mSpy precisely for the last point. mSpy and Hoverwatch are only some of the few apps that allow you to spy without modifying the phone.
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FlexiSpy – how does the spy software work?
There are two versions of this program: the Premium and the Extreme.
The Premium is the same as what we have seen with other software. It can monitor all the call logs, SMS messages, direct on Instagram, messages on Whatsapp, and photos from the target phone.
The Extreme version adds powerful features, such as call recording, the ability to activate the webcam (perhaps to see where your child is), and the SMS Spoof, or the ability to send a message as if it were sent from the monitored phone.
FlexiSpy – Prices and Offers
The most affordable version is the Premium, which at an attractive price, allows you to do everything necessary to monitor your child or an employee.
FlexiSpy prices in Premium Version:
- 1 month: $ 68
- 3 months: $ 99
- 12 months: $ 149
FlexiSpy Prices in Extreme Version:
- 3 Months: $ 199
- 12 Months: $ 349
You will agree if I tell you that I would avoid buying a month when a little more is the 3-month version for $99.
However, if you need accurate control, you have to buy the Extreme version, even if few will need it so much.
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3. eyeZy
This app allows you to monitor smartphones remotely, even if they are turned off or out of range.
You can check text messages, emails, contacts, social networks, messaging apps, photos, and videos from the target’s phone. However, the app is not free.
The one-month plan costs $47. But you can get it at $27.99 monthly for the three-month plan, totaling $83.97.
You can track all calls made and received, text messages, social media posts, and IP addresses.
In addition, the application provides a complete dashboard for receiving all the collected data. This allows you to check in real-time what your children or employees are doing.
eyeZy is available for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. In addition, eyeZy also has a geo-tracking function, which allows you to track the phone’s location at any time.
4. Spyzie
Spyzie is one of the best Android phone spy apps. It offers all the features that competitors have. And in addition, it has an affordable plan that goes for just $9.99.
Meanwhile, I recommend the first app on this list to spy on an iPhone or an iOS (Apple) device: mSpy.
Features of Spyzie
This app’s functions monitoring an Android device catch your eye when you visit the official website.
In order not to go too far, I’ll tell you about the main ones:
- Check all sent and received messages (SMS messages, WhatsApp, Messenger)
- Access to social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
- Access to the log of calls made and received
- Automatically record all keyboard keys pressed (Passwords too)
- Sends you a notification if a certain thing happens
In a nutshell, you can decide on keywords such as (smoking, girl, boy, love, cigarettes, etc.). And every time this word is sent or received by the phone you are checking, you’ll get a notification. So you can immediately go and read the conversation.
How to install Spyzie?
These are the steps to follow to spy on an Android phone:
Step 1: Buy a license
Sign up for an account, purchase a plan, and download the app (spyzie.apk). Note: Plan starts from $9.99 a month.
Step 2: Enable the “Unknown Origin” option
Before installing the app, go to the mobile phone settings, particularly in the security section. Then, tick the option Install applications of unknown origin.
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Step 3: Install the spy app
To install the spy app, you must have the phone you want to monitor in your hands for a few minutes. Then, send the app via USB cable or with an email and install it. Remember to delete the email or the file, so it is not found.
Step 4: Configure the app
Once you have installed the app, log in with the data you used when registering on the website. Follow the setup instructions and enable the option Hide app once installed.
So as soon as you have finished installing the application, the app will disappear from the phone.
Step 5: Start monitoring
Go to the control panel by signing into Spyzie from any device. Then, tap on Messages in the control panel to read text messages from the phone.
You will access messages sent and received from the target’s phone and monitor everything in real-time.
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