Understand what
you’re seeing.

What to try

1. In Spectra, open Settings. Under Privacy & storage, choose Measurement access to review permissions and sensor readiness. Tap Done to return; unused measurements do not need to be configured.
2. For Access not allowed, change Spectra’s access in iPhone Settings, then return to Spectra for a fresh access check. Retrying cannot add unsupported hardware or override an iOS restriction; follow its guidance or choose different measurements.
3. Return to Spectra, choose measurements, and review any readiness message before starting.

Supported iPhones

Spectra requires an iPhone running iOS 27 or later. Scanning, Bluetooth Proximity, saved results, and JSON export do not require Apple Intelligence or an in-app purchase. Each measurement still needs its hardware and permission; Spectra checks selected measurements before a scan and explains anything unavailable.

Start with access

Welcome explains the app. Get Started opens measurement setup. Tap a measurement to request its access; a readiness checkmark reflects the system response. You can continue without every permission. A prompt explains what remains unconfigured, and a later check requests only missing access.

Choose measurements for each check

Quick Check uses Bluetooth and optional Local network for 30 seconds. Area Sweep can use Bluetooth, Local network, and Motion and magnetic, together or independently, with an extendable 30-minute limit. Monitor is stationary and radio-only. Smart Glasses and Watches & Wearables keep Bluetooth fixed; their short preparation screen offers the same optional Tag location choice as other iPhone checks. Specialist results offer name search and a separate View observed activity route for Bluetooth identities that did not match. Device types are estimates, not selectable filters.

No local network available?

Local Network needs a joined Wi-Fi or supported wired local link and permission. Spectra offers Check again when readiness can be rechecked, or continuation without that measurement when others can run. Returning from Settings rechecks availability; it does not silently start a scan. An internet connection is not required for local discovery.

Read Coverage

A completed source ran for the available check window, not that every device was found. Partial means coverage was interrupted or quality-limited. Unavailable means the source could not run; Not selected means you excluded it. Read the accompanying reason before drawing conclusions. Observation handling counts are not physical-device counts or available disk space.

Remember where a check began

Before any iPhone check, optionally turn on Tag location. It is off for each new check and asks for Location access only when chosen. Approximate access is supported; scanning still works if permission is denied or a usable fix is unavailable. Spectra requests a single position near collection start and stops requesting it after a short window. Scan start location shows coordinates and estimated accuracy, not an address, route, room, or detected-device position. You can separately enable automatic map previews of saved areas through Apple Maps; this does not request your current location. Watch captures do not receive the phone’s location when imported. Location is not required for Bluetooth, local-network, or magnetic measurements.

Apple Intelligence is optional

Only on-device analysis requires an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone with Apple Intelligence enabled and ready in a supported language and region. If your iPhone does not support it, or the model is disabled or still downloading, you can still scan, review all measured evidence, and export JSON. No analysis runs automatically. Availability is checked separately when you use analysis.

Take your time, with a clear stopping point

The iPhone Area Sweep limit starts when collection begins, not while permissions or instructions are open. At 25 minutes, a quiet notice offers Extend 30 Minutes or Finish Area Sweep. Each extension adds 30 minutes to the deadline, with another notice five minutes before it. Elapsed time stays visible. At the deadline, Spectra finishes through its normal results flow and follows Save completed sessions; it does not override your saving preference. Confirm the saved status; Save Session, Retry Saving, or Export JSON may help when offered. Monitor and the Watch’s 30-second sweep are unchanged. Longer listening does not guarantee complete discovery or unlimited retained evidence.

Start from the Home Screen

Touch and hold Spectra’s app icon, then choose Quick Check, Smart Glasses, or Watches & Wearables. Quick Check opens measurement selection; the specialist shortcuts open their Bluetooth-only preparation screen. Location tagging stays optional and off until you choose it. On first use, finish Welcome and measurement setup, then explicitly start your requested check. Canceling clears that request. If a check is still open, including its completed results, or another task is presented over the app, Spectra preserves it instead of starting another scan; close it and choose the shortcut again. Shortcuts do not enable background scanning or completion sounds.

Choose an app icon

In Spectra, open Settings → App icon to choose Classic, Spectra Blue, Light, or Blue on White. Each uses Spectra’s original waveform. A checkmark identifies the icon confirmed by iOS; a spinner shows a change in progress. This changes the app icon, not the colors inside Spectra. Your iPhone’s icon appearance settings may adjust the colors. Reset Spectra erases local data and returns to Welcome first, then asks iOS to restore Classic. If iOS takes longer than expected, Spectra reports the unconfirmed change; iOS may still finish an earlier request. Review the icon in Settings after setup.

An optional touch when a check ends

In Spectra’s iPhone Settings → Preferences, turn on Completion haptic for a short touch when an iPhone check ends. It is off by default and separate from the Watch’s setting. iOS may suppress feedback or the device may not support it. Feedback does not confirm that the session was saved, that coverage was complete, or that an area is safe. Read the completed results and saved status.

What to try

1. Choose a 30-second radio Quick Check, a self-paced Area Sweep with an extendable 30-minute limit, or Monitor to watch one area.
2. Choose measurements; Quick Check records every supported category. Filter completed results by recorded measurement or search names, or use a Bluetooth-only specialist check. Keep Spectra visible while scanning.
3. Review what stood out, then open Coverage to see what was—and was not—measured.

Observe without connecting

Spectra reads broadcasts, advertised network services, and iPhone sensor measurements. It does not pair with or open sessions to discovered devices.

Built to keep getting better

We regularly improve Spectra’s device catalog and detection engine to help you make better sense of nearby signals. These improvements are included in app updates at no additional charge. Install updates through the App Store; there is no separate catalog download or subscription. Newer recognition can also help you revisit eligible saved sessions with Recheck session, without changing the original. An update does not guarantee a match or make every device detectable.

Put clues together

A supported name can be more useful when other advertised clues agree. Spectra can combine a transmitted Bluetooth name with company data or offered services from the same broadcast, or read model fields in a supported local-network service. These offline checks can suggest a Possible family or model while keeping the evidence and uncertainty visible.

Start with the summary

Summary surfaces named findings and supported possible device types, even when the manufacturer or model is unknown. Each result keeps its confidence or name-source label. Related observations stay together; other unnamed activity stays compact. Expand a result for its measurements and supporting evidence.

Recognize a network role without an exact device

Local-network discovery can reveal supported printing, scanning, file sharing, media, automation, and imaging or audio services. A service describes what an endpoint advertises, not necessarily a physical device: a computer can host a print queue, and an imaging service may also belong to audio hardware. Reviewed names and protocol-specific model fields can support a Possible product or family. Without those clues, Spectra keeps the service role and its uncertainty visible instead of inventing a model.

A useful clue without an exact model

A Possible smartwatch or Possible audio output can appear without a product name when reviewed broadcast evidence supports that category. A result shows up to three retained possible interpretations; Technical details holds the remaining retained interpretations and their sources. These possibilities are not an exhaustive list of products. The Conflicting identity claims label means Spectra has not selected a product. Multiple interpretations do not create extra devices or increase review priority. The same eligible finding stays available for Bluetooth Proximity and analysis; neither verifies its identity.

Check for glasses or wearables

Choose Smart Glasses or Watches & Wearables from Specialist checks for a 30-second Bluetooth observation. Watches & Wearables includes supported smartwatches, fitness bands and trackers, smart rings, and other wearables; glasses stay in their own check. Results include catalog matches, reviewed possible category evidence, and explicitly Possible indications from names such as Smart Watch, Smart Ring, Fitness Tracker, or Smart Frames. Names do not establish a manufacturer or model. Names without a supported type, accessories, generic services, and company codes alone do not qualify. Spectra cannot tell whether a microphone, camera, or conversation-summary feature is active.

A glasses family, not necessarily a model

Reviewed names and some manufacturer-documented Bluetooth services can suggest a smart-glasses family. The check also includes supported head-worn smart displays; not every result is ordinary eyewear. Shared pairing names or services may not distinguish its models or generations. Generic audio, battery, and input services do not identify glasses by themselves. Wired display glasses, devices already connected elsewhere, and powered-off or quiet devices may not expose a recognizable Bluetooth advertisement. No match does not rule out glasses nearby.

Understand the wearable overview

During a wearable check, the overview counts findings by type. Repeated broadcasts from the same retained Bluetooth identity count once; rotating identities can still represent one physical device. After completion, Search names finds a particular supported match without changing the type counts. Device types are estimates, not selectable filters. View observed activity opens every other retained Bluetooth identity, including names whose type could not be determined. This separate context is not a specialist match and is excluded from specialist export, analysis, and proximity choices. Export, on-device analysis choices, and Bluetooth Proximity still include every eligible finding in the check, regardless of the display filters. Older sessions without a recorded wearable subtype appear under Other wearables without changing their saved product interpretation.

Watch for radio changes

Monitor compares Bluetooth and local-network observations with a baseline while your iPhone stays in one place. New identities recorded counts identities first seen after that baseline, excluding identities seen earlier in this Monitor session. Open View activity & help for a fixed activity snapshot while Monitor continues; close and reopen for later activity. Stop Monitor opens the full retained inventory. Rotating or intermittent broadcasts can cause changes without a device arriving or leaving. Magnetic exploration belongs in Area Sweep.

What to try

1. Choose Quick Check for a radio snapshot or Area Sweep for deliberate exploration. Do not join an unfamiliar Wi-Fi network just to scan.
2. Review coverage, repeat observations from consistent positions, and consider ordinary explanations before escalating.
3. Check unclassified and out-of-filter results. Expected is your label for this check, not authenticated safety.
4. Confirm saving before closing; use Sessions to add your context. An earlier check does not describe the space now.

Hotels, rentals, and shared spaces

At a hotel, Airbnb or other vacation rental, or in student housing, start with a Quick Check to get oriented. Use Area Sweep for a closer, unhurried look at accessible areas you are allowed to inspect. In gyms and changing rooms, respect other people's privacy and facility rules; move to a private place to review findings. An unfamiliar broadcast is not evidence of covert recording, and a signal may come from outside the room.

Rideshares and busy public places

As a passenger, or while waiting in an airport, station, café, or other public space, a Quick Check can provide a snapshot of available signals. Specialist checks focus on recognizable glasses or wearables. Crowds contain many ordinary devices; names and signal strength cannot identify the person carrying one. Do not scan while driving or confront someone based on a result.

Check what was actually measured

Review partial or unavailable sources before interpreting results. A 30-second snapshot can miss intermittent broadcasts. Local Network reaches only visible services on your joined network.

Separate clues from conclusions

A product name can be changed or spoofed. Strong Bluetooth readings are not distance, and magnetic spikes can come from ordinary magnets or wiring. Neither identifies recording activity. Clear measurement filters and name search to include every retained result. In specialist checks, also open View observed activity; an unidentified device may not appear among supported matches.

Protect the connection, too

Confirm the intended Wi-Fi name with the venue using a trusted channel; a familiar name alone does not authenticate a network. Prefer cellular data when you do not trust the connection. Keep iOS and apps updated, protect accounts with multifactor authentication, and heed certificate warnings. HTTPS protects traffic to a site but does not prove that the site itself is trustworthy. Avoid exposing sensitive conversations or screens in shared spaces.

Where a VPN helps—and where it does not

If you use shared Wi-Fi, consider a reputable VPN you trust and can use under your organization's policy. It encrypts traffic routed through its tunnel between your phone and the VPN service; trust shifts to that provider. It does not prevent nearby cameras or microphones from recording, authenticate a hotspot, make you anonymous, or make a malicious website safe. Spectra does not provide a VPN. VPN settings can affect local-network discovery; do not turn off required protection just to find more devices.

Record the context

Rename a saved session and add notes about areas inspected, repeatable changes, alternative explanations, and unresolved questions. Notes are yours, not sensor evidence. Avoid sensitive itinerary or personal details.

What to try

1. Install the Watch companion and open Spectra on iPhone once. Set the Watch’s Wake Duration to 70 seconds.
2. Tap to wake the Watch fully, start a sweep, and keep Spectra active for the 30-second window.
3. Review completion or interruption status. New captures are saved and queued for your paired iPhone automatically.
4. Open Spectra on iPhone and review Sessions once processing finishes. Review findings and Coverage before drawing conclusions; use Settings → Experimental Watch if a transfer needs attention.

One check, a smaller screen

The optional Experimental Watch companion requires watchOS 27 or later and a paired iPhone running iOS 27 or later with Spectra. The iPhone app works without an Apple Watch. The companion offers only a 30-second Bluetooth Area Sweep. It does not measure local-network services or magnetic fields, run specialist checks, tag locations, or identify devices on the Watch. New captures queue for transfer to your paired iPhone, where Spectra identifies retained signals and saves the result in Sessions when active. Importing does not attach the phone’s current location.

Leave your iPhone behind, review later

After installing the companion and opening Spectra on your paired iPhone once to prepare transfer, you can collect without your iPhone nearby. The Watch uses its own Bluetooth radio and saves captures locally; collection does not need an internet connection or cellular plan. Keep Bluetooth available, allow access, and keep Spectra active with the display fully awake for each 30-second sweep. Check Saved sweeps before heading out: the Watch holds up to five captures in total, including earlier copies. When you reconnect, open Spectra on your paired iPhone to identify signals and review findings in Sessions. The Watch shows capture and transfer status, not identified results.

Keep the display fully awake

On Apple Watch, open Settings → Display & Brightness → Wake Duration and choose Wake for 70 Seconds. Tap to wake the display fully, start the sweep, and keep your wrist raised with Spectra active until it finishes. The first tap on Start Sweep after launching Spectra shows a setup reminder: Start Sweep continues; Not Now starts nothing. Acknowledging it does not verify or change your setting. Always On can leave Spectra visible while inactive; visibility alone does not keep Bluetooth collection running. Return to Clock is a different setting. Spectra cannot change these system settings or guarantee active time on every Watch.

An interruption keeps a partial capture

If Spectra becomes inactive or you leave it during collection, the sweep ends and preserves the evidence already retained as partial. It does not resume when you return. An early stop, Bluetooth loss, or a retention limit can also reduce coverage. Review the reason, adjust your setup, and start a new sweep when ready. A timer finishing does not prove every nearby device was observed.

Finish on Watch, review on iPhone

Open Spectra on your paired iPhone once to prepare transfer. After each new sweep, the Watch saves the capture before automatically queuing it for your paired iPhone. Queued means delivery is pending; Received on iPhone confirms local storage, not completed recognition. Open Spectra on iPhone to identify received signals and add them to Sessions automatically. A Watch sweep added cue in Sessions offers View after a new result is saved. It does not open results automatically or send a notification. The session keeps its original capture date, even if transfer happened later. No need to keep the Watch completion screen open. Choose New Sweep to collect again, or open Saved sweeps from the tray button to review transfer status and retry when needed. Transfers may wait for connectivity or Apple’s scheduling. Settings → Experimental Watch on iPhone provides processing and transfer help. Older captures sent before automatic handoff may still offer Add to Sessions.

Find your Watch sweep in Sessions

Look for the Watch-with-radio-waves icon and Apple Watch · Bluetooth-only sweep label. They identify where the evidence was collected, not a search for nearby watches. Your custom name never replaces this origin label, and rechecks keep it along with the original capture time. Experimental and partial-capture status stay visible. Blue icons identify original captures; violet icons and a Recheck number identify later interpretations. Review Coverage: even a complete 30-second capture cannot confirm that every nearby device was observed.

Room for the next sweep

Each device retains up to five capture copies, bounded to 4 MiB each. When space is needed, the Watch retires only copies confirmed received on iPhone; the phone retires only inbox copies already processed into Sessions. Unsent or unprocessed evidence is not automatically discarded. Saved Sessions are not automatically removed to make room. If session history is full, remove sessions you no longer need and retry phone processing; the unprocessed inbox copy remains. A full capture store with no eligible copies stops accepting new captures; review transfer or processing status before retrying. If capture storage cannot load, use Retry Loading before choosing erasure. It rechecks local storage without erasing copies; transfer or processing failures have their own retry actions. Watch sweeps save to Sessions independently of the Save completed sessions setting for iPhone checks.

Captured on Watch, reviewed on iPhone

Captures can contain advertised names, manufacturer and service bytes, signal strength, timestamps, and session-scoped identity tokens. These fields can identify devices or people. Spectra uses protected local storage marked for exclusion from backups and Apple’s paired-device transfer; it does not upload captures to Arc Signal or an identification service. Operating-system backup behavior remains under Apple’s control.

A focused start, help when you need it

The Watch start screen keeps Start Sweep as the main action. The tray button opens Saved sweeps for captures and transfer status. Open Settings below Start Sweep for Sweep guidance, Storage & transfer, Diagnostic reports, and About. About shows the version, release identifier, numeric build and watchOS version installed on your Watch; check these separately from iPhone when troubleshooting an update. Recognition uses the engine and catalog installed on iPhone, not a separate Watch catalog.

Choose completion feedback

Completion haptic in Spectra’s Watch Settings is on by default. Turn it off if you prefer visual feedback only. The system feedback follows your Watch sound and haptic settings; it is not a guarantee of silent operation. Read the completion or partial-capture status: feedback alone does not mean that every nearby device was observed or that transfer finished.

Confirm a reset on both devices

Reset Spectra on iPhone erases its sessions, received Watch data, and preferences, then requests erasure of captures, diagnostics, and preferences in the known paired Watch app. Watch reset pending means the Watch has not confirmed erasure; an offline Watch may still hold data. Keep the devices paired and open Spectra on Watch to finish. Watch reset confirmed appears only after the Watch reports completion. When the Watch receives a reset, it stops collection and discards any unfinished sweep. System permissions and files exported or shared elsewhere remain.

If the Watch reset is not ready

In Spectra on iPhone, open Settings and review the Apple Watch section. Watch reset not ready can mean the paired Watch app has not introduced itself or needs an update. Open or update Spectra on both devices, then explicitly choose Reset Watch and confirm. A newly paired or reinstalled Watch is not automatically erased by an earlier request. If Watch reset needs attention appears, follow the recovery guidance; do not assume erasure succeeded. No paired Watch means there is no Watch reset to request.

What to try

1. Choose Check Bluetooth Proximity in results, then select a found device. Its individual details can open it directly.
2. Start Signal Check to see live dBm readings. A saved result may require confirming a possible match; a name does not verify identity.
3. Mark a stable reference, move a little, then pause in a similar phone orientation. Compare the live reading and the change in dB from your reference.

Read the band, not a distance

Strong, Moderate, and Faint describe the signal received by the collecting iPhone or Watch. A fresh Bluetooth Proximity check measures on your iPhone. Walls, bodies, reflections, antenna orientation, and transmit power can change the reading—even when neither device moves.

Network presence is different

A device found only through your joined Wi-Fi network has no measurable physical proximity in Spectra. Its network presence cannot tell you which room it is in.

Briefly or repeatedly observed

Briefly observed means only one or two usable Bluetooth signal readings were retained. Repeatedly observed means at least three were retained. These labels describe observation, not an authenticated device model or continuous presence. A weak or intermittent advertiser may produce only a brief sighting.

Follow a signal from a saved check

Bluetooth Proximity starts a fresh, unsaved listen; it never reuses an old reading as a live measurement. New Bluetooth captures saved on this iPhone can retain a private reference so their framework identities can be recognized after reopening, including from a recheck. A changed identity or silent device may still be unavailable. Older sessions, imported files, and Watch captures may offer possible matches based on a broadcast name, a separately labeled System name, or supported payload evidence. Confirm a suggestion before following it; similar names or bytes do not prove it is the same physical device.

Recognize nearby item trackers

Use Quick Check or Area Sweep with Bluetooth selected, or Monitor while stationary. Recognizable names for AirTag, Tile, Chipolo, Pebblebee, Galaxy SmartTag, and eufy SmartTrack can appear as Possible item-tracker matches. Finding-network accessory and Finding-network broadcast describe recognized formats, not a specific tracker; phones, computers and headphones may also participate. Open a finding for its evidence or select it for Bluetooth Proximity. These results describe nearby signal presence, not ownership or movement with you. Trackers may change identifiers or omit recognizable names, so Spectra cannot identify every tracker or rule one out when no match appears.

What to try

1. Choose Motion and magnetic for an Area Sweep. Remove magnetic cases, mounts, or attached accessories if practical, then establish a reference away from obvious magnetic sources.
2. To get familiar with the response, use an ordinary speaker you own. Without touching it, slowly pass different parts of the phone over the same spot, holding the angle and gap steady. Repeat the path; do not press a strong magnet against the phone or open equipment. A flat response is inconclusive, not proof the sensor failed.
3. Switch between Actual Field and Δ Reference to make changes easier to see.
4. Review the event timeline for meaningful spikes, then revisit the area to see whether the change repeats.

Where to aim your iPhone

The magnetometer measures at one small sensor—not across the whole phone. Its location varies by iPhone model. Move slowly over the same spot, keeping the phone’s angle and gap consistent.

Example: iPhone 17 Pro Max

On iPhone 17 Pro Max, use the lower back near the USB-C end, not the camera area. Apple’s dimensional drawing marks the compass in this lower-back area. This is a model-specific location, not a universal iPhone scanning point. The camera and contactless-payment area are not a reliable guide to magnetometer placement.

Practice before an unfamiliar-space sweep

Try a practice sweep with an ordinary speaker you own before exploring an unfamiliar space. Keep a gap; do not press magnets against the phone. No change does not rule out a device. In the app, choose Practice with the magnetometer here or before beginning a magnetic Area Sweep, then tap Start Practice. Compare a familiar speaker with a spot away from electronics, repeat the same slow pass, and watch Actual Field and Δ Reference. Learn which phone positions produce a repeatable response without expecting a particular number. This is familiarization, not calibration or a pass/fail test of the phone. Practice uses live magnetic readings and motion context only: no Bluetooth, local-network discovery, device findings, exports, or saved session. Stop Practice, Done, or leaving the app clears the practice readings. Returning does not resume measurement; tap Start Practice to try again. Begin a separate Area Sweep with a fresh reference before reviewing a space.

Near a device, but no change?

Some devices produce little detectable magnetic change. Sensor position, distance, shielding, and magnetic accessories can also affect the response. No change does not rule out a device. A speaker’s magnet may cause a local change, but not every speaker or microphone produces a change the phone can resolve at your position. Watch Actual Field or Δ Reference, not just the saved event count. Confirm that live readings are arriving in Measurement Details; an unavailable or stale reading is not a quiet field.

Establish a comparison point

Pause away from obvious magnets or electronics so a stable display reference can form. Use Rebuild Reference to choose a fresh display comparison point. Automatic event detection has its own calibrated baseline.

Follow the calibration guidance

If prompted, make one gentle figure eight and then pause. If calibration stays limited, the actual-field trace can continue even though automatic spike marking is unavailable.

A fluctuation is not always an event

Automatic detection has its own baseline and adaptive threshold. A sustained change or an unusually strong spike can create an event. Ordinary small fluctuations should not.

Review the graph after finishing

Saved magnetic graph retains a downsampled, bounded view of display readings, independently of detector events. Choose Review graph in completed or saved results, switch Actual field or Δ Reference, and move the slider to inspect a reading. Reference changes and missing readings break the line. Older checks without graph data cannot recreate it.

What to try

1. Expand a Summary result to inspect its members and grouping explanation. Large groups offer Show all with their signal count: a searchable list of that group’s individual records, also available in specialist checks. Choose a signal to open its details. Matching results appear before related context; this list never merges similar signals into one device.
2. Choose All Signals above Results for the exact retained inventory, or Show signals to expand unclassified activity. If Summary and All Signals look alike, the check may contain only separate identities without supported relationships.

Likely network endpoints

Several local-network services may appear together when their advertised relationship suggests the same endpoint. Expand the group to see its services and why they were linked.

Similar is not the same

Signals with similar broadcasts can share a similarity set. Its members may be separate devices; Spectra keeps their individual records. Observed pattern describes the strongest relevant member’s evidence tier, not identity confidence or proof that the signals belong together. The separate match badge and amber Similarity only caution still apply. Signal and service-signal counts describe retained records, not physical-device totals.

One list, with context on each result

Summary puts named findings and related signal profiles in one list, even when a match is only Possible or its device type is unknown. Each card shows its confidence and whether it represents one identity, likely related network services, or similar broadcasts that may be separate devices. Higher-evidence findings come first; items you marked expected stay at the end. Monitor distinguishes Since baseline, Starting baseline, and Earlier observations retained from before the current comparison. These sections describe observation time, not trusted or untrusted devices. The same names and device-type icons appear in analysis and proximity choices. A manufacturer code alone is not a device name. Unnamed, low-evidence activity stays expandable; All Signals retains every source identity and area clue. Visibility does not increase confidence or mark a finding as dangerous.

Hardware icons, separate confidence

Device icons describe a possible hardware category, not activity. A reviewed MacBook match can use a laptop; an uncertain subtype uses its supported parent category. Known electronic identities without a suitable specific icon use a chip. Conflicting product claims never borrow one model's icon. The confidence badge and source evidence remain separate: a more specific icon does not make a match stronger. A type already stated in reviewed text need not repeat; its Possible qualifier and source context still apply. A known product can still have no reviewed capability evidence. Names and icons do not verify a manufacturer, owner, recording or playback.

Unknown type, observed source

An otherwise unclassified radio finding uses a neutral source icon: radio waves for Bluetooth, a network for local-network observations, or a dotted circle for mixed or unavailable radio-source information. The icon does not identify hardware or imply Wi-Fi-wide scanning. Supported hardware or capability icons stay blue, including in similarity sets. The amber Similarity only caution still means the identities may be separate devices; blue does not make their relationship or identity certain.

Filter what was found

Use Filters to narrow results by the measurement that recorded them: Bluetooth, Local network, or Magnetic. Choose any combination and Apply; leave all unchecked to include everything. The button is hidden when only one measurement is represented. Search names looks for the displayed or broadcast name, including names whose device type is undetermined. It does not guess categories from your search. Cancel keeps the current measurement filter; Clear filters restores all results and clears name search. Device-type labels are helpful estimates, not exclusion rules. Filters and search never change collection, saved reports, or export scope.

What to try

1. Choose Monitor and the radio measurements you need. Place the phone where it can stay.
2. Wait for the starting comparison, then read New identities recorded with its scope and Coverage. Open View activity & help without ending Monitor. Do not interpret a quiet screen as an all-clear.
3. Choose Stop Monitor to explore retained named/grouped results, repeat counts, change times, and any earlier comparisons.

Give the starting comparison time

Monitor starts establishing a baseline automatically. Keep the iPhone stationary: each available radio source needs 30 seconds of active observation. Permission waiting does not count. The countdown follows the slowest participating source. Add 30 seconds to baseline extends that comparison once to 60 seconds per source. When the baseline is ready, New identities recorded starts at zero and the panel shows its capture time and elapsed comparison time. No duration guarantees discovery of every device.

Initially observed does not mean trusted

Baseline signals remain in the retained inventory. A potentially concerning device already present is not cleared or hidden. New identities recorded requires a first sighting after this baseline and enough history to establish that the identity was not seen earlier in this Monitor session. A previously seen identity does not become new after a fresh baseline, a quiet period, or inventory eviction. Newly observed does not mean newly arrived, authenticated, or unsafe.

Read the recorded comparison count

New identities recorded counts recorded new source-identity lineages for this comparison, across all Monitor measurements regardless of result filters. It is independent of the latest 40 events and retained inventory: an older activity event or inventory row leaving its bounded history does not remove that recorded count. Later evidence or an explicit discovery-identity replacement can correct it. Incomplete history or a recording limit is disclosed; uncertain identities are not invented as new. Older or imported reports without a recorded count show Unavailable, not zero. The count is not a physical-device count, current-presence total, or all-clear.

Read activity without stopping Monitor

Open View activity & help for timestamped retained activity and these meanings while Monitor continues. The view freezes when opened, so incoming observations do not move its rows while you read. Close and reopen for later activity. Up to 40 raw events are retained, including baseline capture when present; repeated identity-and-kind events are combined. Older activity may no longer be available, and one identity can have several kinds of activity. Mark changes reviewed is a separate acknowledgement of the latest displayed change. Viewing activity or the Guide does not acknowledge changes, reset the count, start a baseline, or stop measurement.

What does Signal returned mean?

Signal returned means an already-known identity was observed again. It may be a baseline identity, an earlier session identity, or one already recorded as new. The retained timeline need not contain its earlier quiet period. This is a historical observation event, not proof that a physical device left and returned or is still present.

Why did an identity disappear or return?

The Not recently seen label in earlier dashboards, and Not recently observed in activity, mean that a previously observed identity stopped being observed. For Bluetooth, Spectra waits 45 seconds without an observation before showing it. For local-network services, it follows Bonjour announcements and removals. Sleep, identity rotation, interference, and changing broadcast behavior can produce changes without physical movement. A later return does not erase the earlier event; the timeline is not a current missing-device total. Matching names or vendors never justify combining separate identities.

Choose a fresh comparison

Tap New Baseline in the main Monitor panel when you want a fresh reference, such as after moving the phone or changing networks. The tap starts a new 30-second observation window immediately; it does not simply clear the numbers. When the new baseline is ready, its recorded count begins at zero, but identities known earlier in this Monitor session remain known. Earlier comparisons, their recorded counts when available, and retained events stay in the session after Stop Monitor. Wait for the current baseline to finish before starting another. Up to nine comparisons fit in one session; stop and start another Monitor when that limit is reached. Spectra does not automatically judge that you moved or silently replace your baseline.

What to try

1. Review Coverage to distinguish a source you did not select from one that was unavailable or only partially observed.
2. Compare repeatable observations and inspect the surroundings. Treat device names, reflections, and magnetic spikes as clues to investigate.

Wireless visibility is limited

Bluetooth sees devices currently advertising in a form available to the app. Local Network sees supported services on your joined network—not all nearby Wi-Fi radios.

Network discovery is not covert

Local Network browsing can send queries visible to other network participants. Guest isolation, blocked multicast, or a separate network can hide devices. Do not join an unfamiliar network merely to improve a scan.

Magnetic changes are not identities

Metal, magnets, wiring, and ordinary electronics can cause excursions. A quiet magnetic trace cannot rule out a microphone, camera, or other device.

What to try

1. Open Sessions, browse by date or use Search sessions, and choose a saved check. A blue dot marks an available recheck, not an unread session.
2. If Recheck session is available, tap it and wait for a separately saved result. Review the original Captured date, the Rechecked date, and any identification changes.
3. Review results and Coverage, rename or add notes, then export anything you need to keep outside bounded history.
4. Use individual or selected deletion for the scope you intend. For Largest Sessions or Erase All Sessions, open Storage. Read the confirmation before erasing.

Confirm a check was saved

Automatic saving of completed iPhone checks is on by default. Change Save completed sessions in Spectra Settings. Turning it off affects future iPhone checks, not existing history, deliberate imports, rechecks, or Watch sweeps. With automatic saving off, choose Save Session on completed results to keep just that check without changing your preference. The completed check tells you whether it was saved. If saving fails, keep the results open to review, use Export JSON, or choose Save Session or Retry Saving when offered. For a history limit, Manage Sessions lets you remove copies you no longer need before retrying. Managing history does not save or discard the open result. A forced close, crash, or shutdown before saving can lose it; there is no continuous autosaved draft. Confirm important checks were saved before closing.

Find a check by day

Sessions groups checks by their original capture day, newest first, with the newest capture times first inside each day. The most recent day starts open; tap any date heading to show or hide its sessions. Each heading counts all saved versions for that day, including rechecks. You can keep several days open, and your choices stay in place while moving between tabs or opening and returning from a session. These choices are not saved across app launches. A new most-recent day starts open; deleting all history or changing time zone can reset the day groups. Each row keeps its check-type or Watch-origin icon even after you rename it.

Find a saved session

Use Search sessions at the bottom of the screen to match saved session names, notes, scan types, and recorded source information. The filter menu narrows by type, collector, or Imported status. This searches the session list, not device names or raw evidence inside every capture. A matching recheck can show its original as Original capture · Context so the relationship stays clear; that context is not another match and cannot be selected. Clearing search and filters returns to the full library. Search Guide in the Guide tab searches help instead.

Read a session at a glance

Each row shows its name, scan type, original capture time and duration, collector, recorded measurement scope, and a results summary. The small icon beside the scan type is a visual cue; the text identifies the check. Partial coverage or Some measurements unavailable means the listed measurements did not all complete. Older sessions may show Source not recorded, Measurements not recorded, or Source and measurements not recorded. Spectra does not guess. If the list says Collection details in saved results, open the session to review its original metadata. Watch rows retain Experimental and any early or interrupted completion status.

Recognize a sweep collected on Watch

A Watch-with-radio-waves icon and Apple Watch · Bluetooth-only sweep label identify a session collected by the Experimental Watch companion. This is a general Bluetooth sweep from your Watch—not the Watches & Wearables specialist check on iPhone. The origin label stays visible after renaming and on rechecks. Experimental and any partial-capture status remain visible too. Original icons are blue; rechecks are violet and also say Recheck. Open Coverage to see collection limits before drawing conclusions.

Review the original capture

Open a session to see its original capture time, duration, collector, and recorded measurements. General radio results also show retained signal identities and how many have type undetermined. These totals do not change when you filter results; signal identities are not a count of physical devices. Coverage warnings remain visible. Scan breakdown contains app and recognition revisions, more detailed counts, and Session ID. Rechecks also show Original capture ID. Copy ID copies only the chosen reference on this iPhone for ten minutes; nothing is sent automatically. These IDs help reference a saved session, not authenticate its evidence. Choose Add notes to record your own context; saved notes are separate from sensor evidence.

Give a session a useful name

Open a session and tap the pencil beside its heading to rename it. You can also choose Rename session from its list-row menu. Names can be up to 80 characters. Clearing a custom name restores the check-type name. Notes hold up to 1,000 characters of your own context; they do not become detector evidence. A rename does not change the original scan time.

Keep rechecks with their capture

Tap the recheck count beneath an original session to show its saved interpretations, newest recheck first. Original icons are blue; recheck icons are violet and include a Recheck number. Renaming does not separate related copies. Each version opens, exports, and deletes independently. If the original was removed, the latest surviving recheck stays visible and says Original removed; any earlier rechecks remain expandable. Rechecks retain the original capture time and duration beside the scan type and show a separate evaluation date and time.

What does the blue dot mean?

A blue dot beside a session means newer recognition is available. Open it and choose Recheck session. A dot beside a collapsed recheck count means an eligible copy is inside; expand it to find that session. Spectra reinterprets compatible saved radio evidence using the engine and catalog bundled with your app update. It does not start Bluetooth or network discovery, collect new measurements, or upload your capture. Opening a session alone does not clear the dot.

Can I recheck after leaving the location?

Yes. A recheck uses saved evidence, so you do not need to return to the location, join its network, or enable Apple Intelligence. Newer recognition may explain a previously unclear signal, but better matches are not guaranteed. Rechecking cannot recover measurements that were never retained or tell you what is at that location now. Run a new check there for a new observation.

Your original stays unchanged

A successful recheck saves a separate session named from the original naming base plus Recheck 1, Recheck 2, and so on. Rechecking a recheck does not stack suffixes. Each saved copy can be renamed independently, but its original naming base remains in recheck lineage and technical exports. Rename is not an erase action. The new result separates newly identified records, changed identifications, and previous matches no longer supported. These are interpretation changes—not newly discovered devices. No identification changes is also a valid outcome. Captured shows the original measurement date; Rechecked shows when the new interpretation was created.

When is another recheck useful?

Once a current recheck is saved, the blue dot clears for that capture family; earlier copies link to the latest interpretation. A later app update can make the newest usable copy eligible again. Deleting the current interpretation can restore eligibility on a surviving older copy. A missing revision or insufficient retained evidence can prevent rechecking; Scan breakdown explains why. Some older network records lack the original discovery fields. Unsupported records and saved magnetic readings are preserved, not reconstructed or treated as fresh measurements.

Rechecks need room to save

A recheck keeps its own retained evidence, so it uses additional local storage and counts toward the session limit. It never removes an existing session to make room. Requesting a recheck explicitly saves a new copy even if automatic saving of completed scans is off. Deleting the original does not delete its independent rechecks. If saving fails, follow the recovery advice shown, then retry. Cancel or leave the screen to stop pending work; a copy already saved at the moment you cancel remains in Sessions. Erase All Sessions and Reset Spectra include rechecks.

Import a session or collection

Choose Import Sessions in Sessions and select a file in Files, or open a compatible file with Spectra. Choose one supported Technical archive JSON or a Spectra ZIP collection made with Export All Sessions or Export Selected; no unzipping is needed. Other ZIP files, Analysis JSON, and Reduced identifying information cannot restore sessions. Review the original capture time, recorded collector, compatibility, and integrity status for a single archive. For a collection, review how many sessions will be added and how many are already saved, then confirm the import. Cancel leaves history unchanged. Files providers may need a connection to supply your chosen file; validation and saving run on device. Imported remains separate from the original collector and capture date. Opening a file while a check or another task is in progress waits for a safe point to review it; it does not discard the open results.

A collection imports together

Import adds all eligible sessions together or adds none. Already-saved copies are left unchanged and use no additional slots. If a session has the same ID but different saved contents, Spectra reports a conflict instead of overwriting it. A damaged or unsupported archive, a conflict, or insufficient history capacity blocks the collection; Spectra never silently imports only part of it or deletes another session to make room. Original capture dates, collector details, and recheck relationships stay with the reports. Import restores recorded results, not fresh measurements, and does not rerun recognition. Importing an export without location does not remove a location from an already-saved copy.

Keep an external copy of saved sessions

Open Storage from Sessions, or Settings → Privacy & storage → Session storage, then choose Export All Sessions. Spectra prepares one ZIP collection containing a Technical archive for every session saved when preparation starts. Review the sharing options, then choose Save to Files or another destination in Apple’s share sheet. Location tags are excluded by default; enable Include scan locations only if you want to share the saved coordinates. This is not a full app backup: it excludes settings, generated AI explanations, private Bluetooth follow-up references, unsaved results, and Watch captures not yet added to Sessions. Exporting does not delete anything or free history space. Check that the external file was saved before deliberately deleting local copies.

Export only the sessions you choose

In Sessions, optionally search or filter first, then tap Select and choose the saved copies you want. Search and filters stay fixed while selecting. Export shows the selected count and opens Export Selected for privacy review before preparing a ZIP of Technical archives. Only selected sessions are included; selecting an original never automatically includes its rechecks, and original-capture context cannot be selected. Each selected recheck exports independently. Location tags are excluded by default. Review names, notes, and technical evidence before sharing; the same collection privacy limits apply as Export All Sessions. Exporting leaves history unchanged.

A checksum is not authentication

New technical archives include a checksum. A matching checksum checks the archived bytes, not the author, collector, device identity, or truth of the measurements. Supported older archives can say Checksum unavailable; this is different from a failed integrity check. A failed checksum, malformed archive, or unsupported format cannot be imported. Importing does not start analysis, scanning, a recheck, or a map, and does not change the source file. Private Bluetooth follow-up references are not included in archives, so a later proximity check may require confirming a possible match.

Review or remove a saved location

If you enabled Tag location and a usable fix arrived, Scan start location shows the iPhone’s recorded coordinates and estimated accuracy. On your first tagged result, choose Enable map previews to show saved areas automatically through Apple Maps, or Not now to keep coordinates only. Your choice is remembered. Change Automatic map previews in the Session maps section of Spectra Settings whenever you like. The marker describes the collecting iPhone; the shaded area represents its estimated accuracy, not where detected devices are. The preview does not request your current location or confirm a venue or room. Open in Maps is a separate choice for exploring the saved position in Maps. Maps opens only when you choose; previews load automatically only after you enable them. Rechecks inherit the selected copy’s original capture location, never your current position. A session without a tag cannot be assigned today’s location as though it were captured there. Watch sweeps remain untagged.

When a map cannot load

Saved coordinates and findings remain available if the optional preview fails or a connection is unavailable. Choose Retry map preview when offered, or Open in Maps to use Maps. Some regions near the poles cannot be represented by this preview; retry is not offered for an unsupported location. Spectra clears its temporary preview when you leave the results or switch away from the app; when you return, it can load again if Automatic map previews remains enabled. A failed preview does not continuously retry. Map requests are handled under Apple’s data practices. Clearing Spectra’s preview does not erase information or caches held by Apple Maps.

A tag belongs to each saved copy

Choose Session options → Remove location and confirm to remove the tag from this copy without deleting its findings. Other sessions, rechecks, and exported files stay unchanged; remove their tags separately if needed. Protected recovery history can still contain an earlier copy. Use Erase All Sessions or Reset Spectra to clear local session and recovery history. Neither action recalls files already shared.

Compare saved sizes

Each saved-session row includes Estimated size to help you compare larger saved sessions before deleting. Open Session Storage → Largest Sessions for a largest-first list of each saved copy, including rechecks and imports. An unavailable size appears after known estimates in this list. Open a row to review it, or swipe left and confirm deletion. Deletion in Largest Sessions cannot be undone and removes only the chosen session, not other saved versions. An estimate includes recorded capture data and that session’s saved list information, such as its name and notes. KiB and MiB use binary units. Shared history information, protected recovery copies, received Watch captures and exports are separate, so row estimates do not add up to the history total and deletion may free a different amount. A recheck or imported copy has its own size. An unavailable estimate is not shown in the main list; it does not mean the session is empty.

Make room without losing another session

Sessions shows the saved count and primary history-file usage. Tap the upper Storage section for details; Import Sessions below is a separate action. You can also choose Session storage under Privacy & storage in Spectra Settings. History keeps up to 500 sessions within 256 MiB, with originals, rechecks, and imported copies counted separately. These limits are independent: free bytes do not provide another session slot, and an available slot does not guarantee a report will fit. Saving or importing never removes another session to make room. Export important copies, then delete those you no longer need before retrying. Exporting alone does not free history space. On this iPhone separately measures local capture files, including protected recovery, pending history files, and received Watch captures; it is not total app storage or free device space. Local history is marked for exclusion from backups; iOS controls backup and restore behavior. Export destinations have their own storage and backup policies.

Swipe to rename or delete

In the main Sessions list, swipe right on a session to reveal Rename, or swipe fully to open the name editor. Nothing changes until you save. Swipe left to reveal Delete, or swipe fully to delete that session. Undo briefly restores the most recently deleted session, including its name, notes, location tag, and retained evidence. It is available for 10 seconds, or 30 seconds when VoiceOver is running at deletion. Another deletion replaces the previous Undo opportunity. Leaving Sessions, switching away from Spectra, or starting confirmed bulk erasure or reset ends Undo. Spectra removes the saved copy first and keeps only one temporary in-memory recovery copy; there is no Recently Deleted folder. Deletion in Largest Sessions has a confirmation instead of Undo.

Choose the right erase action

Use Select to delete several sessions with confirmation. Search and filters stay fixed while selecting. Hiding a day or collapsing rechecks does not deselect hidden sessions: the date heading and recheck disclosure keep their selected counts, and the Delete action shows the total. Expand the relevant group to change its selection. Deleting an original does not select or delete its rechecks. Open Storage → Session Storage for Erase All Sessions. It includes closed groups, recovery copies, and received Watch inbox captures, regardless of search or filters; it is disabled when there is nothing to erase. Watch copies remain; this action does not request a Watch reset. Use Settings → Experimental Watch → Erase Inbox Copies to clear that inbox separately without deleting imported sessions. Reset Spectra additionally clears received Watch diagnostics and preferences, returns to Welcome, and requests a reset of the known paired Watch app. Check its separate pending or confirmed status. Delete Selected, Erase All Sessions, and Reset Spectra clear pending Undo and cannot be undone.

What to try

1. To explain one finding, use Analyze on Device when available or Use Another App under Analyze a finding. The latter lets you review, then share or copy the prepared text. Both options are independent of JSON export.
2. To export a saved session, choose Export JSON from the top Session options menu. After a completed check, use the Export results section.
3. Select one format: Analysis JSON, Technical archive, or Reduced identifying information. Read what is included. Include scan location, when offered, is a separate choice and starts off.
4. Tap Export JSON and wait for preparation to finish. In the share sheet, choose Save to Files or a recipient you trust.

Explore first, then choose a tool

Completed checks and saved sessions put findings and measurements first. Below them, Bluetooth proximity lets you investigate an eligible recorded Bluetooth identity while nearby. Analyze a finding offers Analyze on Device and Use Another App. The latter prepares one finding for review before you choose Share or Copy. Export results saves or shares the scan. These are independent options, not required steps. A device’s details can open proximity or analysis with that finding already selected.

Scan type sets the scope—not screen filters

Scan type sets the export scope and available analysis choices—not the visible results filters. Smart Glasses and Watches & Wearables include supported catalog matches and explicitly Possible name-based device-type indications, with their associated evidence. The wearable check includes watches, fitness bands and trackers, smart rings, and other supported wearables; glasses remain separate. Unrelated activity is excluded. With no matches, exported results are empty; scan type, duration, and coverage remain available. Quick Check, Area Sweep, and Monitor exports include all retained data for their scan type. On-device analysis explains only the single finding you select. Acquisition counts are observations, not device counts.

Analysis JSON

The default export is a compact, model-friendly evidence document with scan-local citations, identity hypotheses, interpreted evidence, radio summaries, magnetic detector events, and Monitor changes. Coverage and user notes are separate context. It omits raw packet bytes, display-only graphs, and all generated AI explanations. This file is for your own external analysis workflow; the on-device feature uses a smaller, separate summary of just one finding.

Technical archive

Includes all retained results within the scan type, confidence, advertised names and payloads, coverage, catalog metadata, session name and notes, retained Monitor events and comparisons, and a saved magnetic graph when applicable. It ignores the visible results filter. Use this for detailed technical review or a supported Import Sessions restore. Export All Sessions packages these Technical archives in one Spectra ZIP collection; Export Selected includes only the saved copies you deliberately select, not their unselected rechecks. Both support collection import. New archives include a checksum; it does not authenticate the author or observations. The file may include personal information. Generated AI explanations are excluded, including any analysis retained by an earlier app version.

Reduced identifying information

Keeps device categories, typed confidence, signal measurements, relative timing, source-coverage states, and the collector platform when recorded. By default it omits location, collector hardware and OS version, original identifiers, absolute timestamps, names, notes, manufacturers, model labels, raw payloads, and free-text evidence/limitations. App and recognition versions remain, including the original capture build for rechecks. Choosing Include scan location adds the saved coordinates, accuracy, and absolute location timestamp to this otherwise reduced file. Measurement patterns can still reveal context, so reduced does not mean anonymous. The missing context can limit an analyst’s conclusions.

Choose whether to share the location

Location tags are excluded from every format by default—even Technical archive. If the session has a tag, Include scan location lets you explicitly add its coordinates, estimated accuracy, and fix timestamp to this export. The choice starts off when you reopen export and is separate from the format selection. It can reveal where you were, including in Reduced identifying information. This setting does not add the tag to the text prepared by Use Another App or on-device finding summaries.

Save or share

In a saved session, open the top Session options menu and choose Export JSON. The Export results section farther down opens the same options and is also available after a completed check. Under Information to include, choose one format—not multiple items to combine. Tap Export JSON to prepare that file locally. Preparing JSON and a spinner confirm that work is in progress; Cancel closes preparation without changing your session. Apple’s share sheet opens when the file is ready. Choose Save to Files or another destination. Cloud storage, email, or an AI service may transfer and retain the copy under that service’s policies. Erasing Spectra afterward cannot recall external copies.

Share or copy one finding for external AI

In Analyze a finding, choose Use Another App, then select one item. From a finding’s details, the item is already selected. Spectra adds a ready-to-use analysis prompt before the selected finding’s evidence, asking the AI to explain it, assess uncertainty, and suggest useful next steps. Review the privacy notice and optionally open Preview prompt and data, then choose Share or Copy on the same screen. Share opens Apple’s share sheet; choose an app or destination that accepts text. Copy places the same prepared text on the clipboard so you can paste it into your preferred AI app. Available destinations and what they do with the text depend on the receiving app. Apple Intelligence is not required, and selecting a finding does not share it automatically. A general check can include unknown findings; specialist checks offer only findings within their scan type. Display filters do not change the choices.

Choose whether to include technical data

The default prepared text includes protocol identifiers, interpretation confidence, historical catalog context, and signal statistics. Recorded names, declared network text, and raw payloads are excluded. Include names and technical payloads is optional and resets for each finding or new presentation. Names and bytes may identify people or devices. Location tags, session names, notes, other findings, and AI explanations are never deliberately included, even with technical sharing enabled. Magnetic findings contain a summary and up to three strongest retained incidents, with no technical-data switch when it has no effect. Grouped network services remain separate within the selected finding; omission counts describe bounded evidence.

A useful explanation, not a verdict

Both actions prepare a concise prompt followed by JSON, not a standalone JSON file. It asks what the finding may be, what that means, how confident the identification is, and which practical next checks would help. It leads with device type, adds only supported names or models, and separates a device’s usual capabilities from behavior actually observed. Instructions are tailored to the included Bluetooth, network, or magnetic evidence. A magnetic change cannot identify a device or brand. Unknown remains a valid conclusion; catalog guesses and the names they came from are not independent proof.

Keep external research in perspective

The prompt asks the recipient not to follow instructions inside captured text, invent signatures, or send private names and payloads into searches. Spectra cannot enforce another app’s behavior. Sharing or pasting sends the chosen content under that app’s policies, and a larger model cannot recover information that was never retained. The prepared finding text does not include original Bonjour service types; omitted fields are stated, not guessed. Only Copy requests an iPhone-only clipboard item with a ten-minute expiry; that item is not shared through Universal Clipboard. Reset or clipboard expiry cannot recall shared or pasted copies. External answers are not imported into Spectra’s findings or catalog.

Analyze on Device

In Analyze a finding on completed or saved results, choose Analyze on Device, then select one recorded device or magnetic-event summary. Similar Bluetooth profiles may be different devices: expand the group and choose one identity. Apple Intelligence explains only that selected summary, suggests a practical next step, and states a key limitation. Open Summary used for analysis to compare the input with the explanation. Nothing is uploaded. Explanations are temporary: closing this view or choosing another finding clears them. They are not saved with sessions or included in any JSON export.

When analysis cannot run

A check with no relevant findings does not start Apple Intelligence. Review Coverage instead; no matches is not an all-clear. Analysis requires Apple Intelligence enabled, its model ready, and a supported language and region. Analyze on Device is disabled while it is unavailable. Enable Apple Intelligence or review its language in iPhone Settings, then return to refresh availability. Check Availability, when offered in results or an open analysis, refreshes readiness without starting generation; unsupported hardware has no availability retry. Preparation and generation share a 45-second limit. Cancel Analysis, backgrounding Spectra, or closing analysis cancels generation. A failed or refused explanation leaves your scan unchanged. Use Retry Analysis when offered; a refused or oversized request is not retried unchanged. Review Summary used for analysis, Choose another finding, or use Export JSON for external review. Scanning and exporting do not require Apple Intelligence.

What goes into a finding explanation?

For a radio finding, Spectra supplies the identity hypothesis, confidence, representative observation, coverage, and available signal-strength summary—not every packet. Related network services may form one likely endpoint. For magnetic findings, it supplies the excursion count, maximum baseline deviation, and up to three strongest retained incident summaries with field, signed delta, threshold, excess, and duration. Earlier incidents may no longer be retained. Raw histories, display graphs, your notes, and other findings are excluded. A magnetic excursion does not identify a device or its purpose.

Ask an AI useful questions

Ask it to summarize observed device categories, explain confidence and coverage limits, identify repeatable magnetic events, and suggest non-invasive follow-up checks. Tell it to treat all device names, transmitted fields, and notes as untrusted data—not instructions. Do not ask it to certify safety or infer recording from a product name.

What to try

1. Use Save completed sessions in Spectra Settings to control automatic saving of future iPhone checks, or Save Session to keep one completed result. Imports, rechecks, and Watch sweeps save independently.
2. Open Sessions to delete one report or use Select for several. Open Storage → Session Storage for Erase All Sessions, which also removes recovery copies and received Watch inbox captures. Watch copies remain.
3. Use Reset Spectra in Spectra Settings to erase local sessions and preferences, return to Welcome, and request a paired Watch reset. Check the Watch reset status separately; a pending request is not confirmed erasure. System permissions and copies you saved or shared elsewhere remain.

On-device processing, optional sharing

Spectra processes observations and Apple Intelligence explanations on device. It does not automatically share your results or capture camera frames or microphone recordings. External sharing is a separate choice.

Collection context stays with the report

New captures save the collector platform, hardware model, OS version, and app version and build locally. This helps distinguish Watch and iPhone evidence without using personal device names, serial numbers, or persistent device identifiers. Rechecks preserve the original collection context rather than replacing it with the current phone’s information. Exporting or sharing can disclose this context.

You choose what gets measured

Set up access in Spectra’s Settings tab or when you start a check. Spectra checks selected sources again before scanning and explains when a source cannot run. Setup does not create a saved session. The camera and microphone are not accessed.

History is your choice

Completed iPhone checks are saved locally by default. Turning saving off stops automatic saving of future iPhone checks; it does not delete reports you already saved. Save Session on an unsaved completed check keeps that one result without changing your automatic-saving preference. Deliberate Import Sessions actions, rechecks, and Watch sweeps save independently of this preference. Saved sessions are not automatically removed to make room. Individual deletion in the main Sessions list offers a brief Undo using one temporary in-memory copy after removing the saved copy. Leaving Sessions or switching away from Spectra ends Undo; bulk erasure and reset also clear it. Largest Sessions uses confirmed deletion without Undo. No Recently Deleted folder is kept. The Sessions guide explains the time window and separate copies.

Restore a file deliberately

Import Sessions reads a supported Technical archive JSON or Spectra ZIP collection locally and asks you to review it before saving. A collection adds all eligible sessions together or none; already-saved copies stay unchanged, and conflicts or invalid files block the import. Imported identifies a restored record, not a fresh measurement or authenticated capture. Recorded names, notes, collector details, and any location remain claims from the file. Import does not start scanning, analysis, or a map, and does not alter the source file. Private Bluetooth follow-up references are never restored from archives. Review sensitive contents before choosing to import or share them.

Experimental Watch has separate copies

The Experimental Watch collector saves bounded Bluetooth evidence locally, including names and payloads that may identify people or devices. New sweeps automatically transfer to your paired iPhone and are identified and added to Sessions when Spectra is active, even if automatic iPhone scan saving is off. There is no cloud upload. Each device keeps up to five recent capture copies; only safely received Watch copies or processed phone inbox copies can make room automatically. Watch copies, the phone inbox, Sessions, and timing diagnostics have separate erase controls. Reset Spectra on iPhone clears received Watch data, rejects previously queued deliveries, and requests a reset of the known paired Watch app. An offline Watch may still hold data until it confirms erasure. The Experimental Watch guide explains pending resets, storage limits, and deletion. Exported or shared files remain.

Read the full privacy policy

Open Privacy policy from Welcome, or choose Settings → About Spectra → Privacy policy in Spectra for the public policy, including local observations, permissions, erasure, optional exports, support correspondence, and website hosting. The Privacy & storage guide in Settings opens this practical Guide, which stays available offline. Reading the public policy requires an internet connection.

Share only when you choose

Export JSON on completed or saved results lets you choose Analysis JSON, Technical archive, or Reduced identifying information. Analysis JSON includes meaningful retained evidence and your notes; the technical archive also includes raw retained data and saved graphs. All formats exclude generated AI explanations. Reduced omits identifying text and raw payloads but is not anonymous. All formats ignore visible results filters. Export All Sessions on Session Storage packages saved sessions as Technical archives in one ZIP; Export Selected packages only the saved copies you choose in Sessions. Neither is a full app backup. Location tags start excluded, and Include scan locations is a separate choice for the collection. Nothing is uploaded automatically.

Sharing a finding for another AI app

Use Another App prepares an analysis prompt followed by one selected finding’s evidence locally. Review the exact preview and privacy notice, then choose Share or Copy on the same screen. Names and optional technical data may identify devices or people; the default text is not anonymous either. Share opens Apple’s share sheet with that prepared text. Some destinations may send it immediately. The destination handles it under its policies; Spectra cannot verify its processing or retention. Available destinations depend on your installed apps and the text they accept. Only tapping Copy writes to Spectra’s on-device-only clipboard item, which expires after ten minutes. That expiry applies to this clipboard item, not shared text or a recipient’s copies. Pasting shares the text with the receiving app. Expiration, deleting a session, or Reset Spectra cannot recall information already shared or pasted. Selecting a finding or opening the preview does not share it automatically.

What to try

1. Open Coverage and read the reason for each partial or unavailable measurement.
2. Check iPhone Settings if access was denied, return to Spectra, and repeat the smallest affected check.
3. In Spectra Settings, open Support information and choose Copy support information. Return to Settings for Support site or Email support. The copy includes version, build, iOS, hardware model, detection-engine revision and catalog revision—not scan data.

My known device does not appear

The device may be silent, sleeping, already connected without recognizable advertisements, on another network, or outside current recognition coverage. Some watches expose more information only in discovery or workout modes. Use general Quick Check or Area Sweep to include unclassified activity; specialist checks show only supported matches. Longer listening may help an intermittent signal but cannot reveal fields the device or iOS does not supply. Do not connect to unknown equipment to force a result.

Why a nearby watch or ring can remain unknown

An Apple, Garmin, Samsung, or other company code alone does not identify a wearable. Generic heart-rate services can also come from chest straps. Distinctive names can support a possible product match; selected historical protocol patterns remain explicitly uncertain and may not appear on current firmware. Watches & Wearables includes supported watches, fitness bands, smart rings, and other wearables. A silent device or a generic service can remain unclassified; use a general check to inspect that activity. A wearable match cannot tell whether a microphone is active.

What do the live category counts mean?

iPhone scans use the same recognition rules for live counts and completed results. Counts refresh as observations are processed. Finishing organizes the retained evidence; it does not run a stronger scan. Watches & wearables counts supported wearable signal identities, not every nearby wearable. Other & unclassified may include wearables without a supported match. One physical device can broadcast several identities. Opening a saved session keeps its recorded interpretation. When available, Recheck session creates a separate copy using newer recognition without changing the original.

The name or type looks wrong

A broadcast name is self-reported and can be renamed or copied. Company identifiers sometimes identify a chip or protocol namespace, not the retail manufacturer. Possible and Probable are evidence labels, not numeric probabilities. Conflicting product claims stay ambiguous; details explain the supporting evidence. Catalog updates ship with app updates; Spectra does not download identification data during a scan.

The magnetic reading barely changes near a device

Some devices produce little detectable magnetic change. Sensor position, distance, shielding, and magnetic accessories can also affect the response. No change does not rule out a device. The sensor is a small point inside the phone, not its entire back. See Reading the magnetic meter for positioning and a safe comparison exercise. On iPhone 17 Pro Max, use the lower back near the USB-C end, not the camera area. Check that live readings are arriving before interpreting a flat graph.

The graph moves but no spike is saved

Actual field and display delta can work before the calibrated event detector is ready. A 0/25-style sample count describes accepted detector-baseline readings, not permission progress. Follow the current readiness instruction, pause away from obvious magnets, and check Measurement Details. Strong absolute field alone is not a qualifying relative excursion. Try removing a magnetic case or mount if practical.

Wi-Fi works but no devices appear

Internet access does not prove local discovery works. Guest isolation, blocked multicast, unadvertised service types, separate subnets, or a denied Local Network permission can prevent results. Check Coverage and the joined network. Spectra is not a scanner for all Wi-Fi radios and does not probe arbitrary ports.

A check stopped or looks incomplete

Keep Spectra visible. Locking, switching apps, permission changes, source loss, and ending early can limit a check. Check ended early marks a foreground interruption; returning does not resume the check. Check interrupted offers Review Coverage to inspect the problem and Review Results to finish reviewing available measurements, even if there are no signal findings. Confirm the separate saved status before closing. Restore access if needed, then start a fresh check from Scan. An incomplete check is not a no-match result. On a busy scan, wait until collection finishes to explore stable detailed results.

Does an observation notice mean storage is full?

Some observations were not retained does not by itself mean the result list or device storage is full. Read recorded reasons in Coverage. Repeated readings can be combined routinely; inventory and endpoint counts have different units. Result retention limit reached means some observations could not add a new result record at that limit. Result records retired means earlier records were removed from the bounded retained list. Retained results remain available; these notices alone do not require restarting or prove collection stopped. Older captures may not record a breakdown.

A file cannot be imported

Choose a supported Technical archive JSON or a Spectra ZIP collection, not an arbitrary ZIP, Analysis JSON, or Reduced identifying information. A collection with a conflict, invalid member, or insufficient capacity is not partially imported. Already-saved copies are left unchanged. A failed checksum or malformed file is different from an older archive with Checksum unavailable. Use the original exporter to create another technical archive when possible; a newer unsupported schema may require a Spectra update. If history is full, manage saved sessions before retrying; Spectra does not remove existing history for an import. If file or protected-storage access is unavailable, unlock the iPhone and retry the appropriate access step. Canceling file selection is not an import failure.