
beacons: surveillance scanner
See the devices watching you
About
Detects and maps surveillance devices broadcasting over WiFi and Bluetooth. It identifies cameras, trackers, and drones, offering a live view of nearby recording gear. Explore its features with sample data even without hardware.
What's New in beacons
2.2.0
October 10, 2026
New in v2.2.0: Wi-Fi detections now show their channel and band. A detection's details gain a "Wi-Fi channel" row ("6 · 2.4 GHz", "149 · 5 GHz"), and Log CSV exports add wifi_channel and wifi_band_ghz as their last two columns, so an existing parser keeps working. The row appears with beacon firmware 2.2.0; older firmware does not send the channel. ESP32 C5 5GHz board is now supported: when the connected board has a 5 GHz radio, Beacon > Scan radios shows a "5 GHz Wi-Fi" switch with a note on what it costs the 2.4 GHz band. Today's boards listen on 2.4 GHz only, so they never show it. Your lists survive a locked-phone launch: starting the app from a lock-screen control while the phone was still locked could, in rare cases, open it with empty watch and ignore lists and an empty history, and the next save kept them empty. The app now waits for the phone to unlock before it reads them. Counts private on the wrist too: with counts set to private, the Live Mode view on Apple Watch and in CarPlay shows a lock instead of the number, like the lock-screen card. The Dynamic Island keeps showing counts. Beacon firmware 2.2.0 is available from the Beacon tab. It stamps every Wi-Fi detection with its channel; its drone address-block fallback now needs an access-point style broadcast, follows the drone detector switch, and is no longer forced on by desert mode, so probing phones and handheld cameras stop showing as drones; it adds DJI, SkyBell and Canary address blocks; and it closes a defect that could reopen the new-phone pairing window about 25 days after it closed. Update recommended. FAQ/Help answers updated to match. Nothing is uploaded automatically, as always.
MoreFAQ
What devices can beacons detect?
beacons can detect devices broadcasting over WiFi and Bluetooth, including automated license-plate readers, networked cameras, Bluetooth trackers like AirTags, drones broadcasting Remote ID, body-worn cameras, and recording glasses. It can also be taught to identify custom devices.
Does beacons require the hardware to work?
Yes, beacons requires the companion beacons hardware for live detection. However, you can explore the full app functionality using sample data without any hardware or permissions by tapping 'See how it works' on the first screen.
Is beacons free to use?
Yes, beacons is a free application. The app itself does not have any associated costs, and it is also open-source, allowing users to inspect its code.
How does beacons protect user privacy?
beacons is designed with privacy in mind. It only listens for signals and does not jam, spoof, track, or affect other devices. All detection data stays on your device unless you explicitly export it, and there is no account, cloud, or telemetry collection.
How often is beacons updated?
The latest version of beacons is 2.0.9, and it was last updated on 2026-09-22. Firmware updates are delivered over Bluetooth, ensuring the device keeps recognizing new gear.
What are the limitations of beacons?
beacons can only detect devices that announce themselves over WiFi and Bluetooth. It cannot detect wired or purely optical systems, nor can it detect gear that reports home over its own cellular link. A quiet screen means no device broadcasted, not necessarily that you are unwatched.
What is the age rating for beacons?
beacons has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for a wide range of users, including children, with no significant content concerns.
Does beacons have ads?
No, beacons does not contain advertisements. As a free and open-source application, it focuses on providing its core functionality without interruption from ads.





