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Where hidden cameras are usually placed: a 29-point room checklist

A hidden camera needs a view of the bed, the shower or the toilet, plus an excuse to already be plugged in or mounted somewhere high: a smoke detector, a USB charger, a clock, an air freshener, a hook, a vent, a mirror. Room Inspection turns that short list of logic into 29 checkpoints, each with a tip on what actually gives a camera away.

4 min read · Updated 2026-09-16

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What makes a good hiding spot

Three things have to line up: a view, a power source or battery, and a disguise nobody questions twice. That short list is why cameras cluster in objects facing the bed or shower, sitting high or at chest height, looking completely ordinary — a smoke detector on the ceiling, a charger in the socket by the bed, a clock on the shelf nobody looks at twice.

The 29 spots, in five groups

PrivacyScan's Room Inspection checklist (items marked high risk in the app)
GroupItemsHigh-risk items
Electronics & Fixtures8Smoke Detector, Alarm Clock / Radio, USB Charger / Adapter, Air Freshener, Motion Sensor
Decor & Furniture8Picture Frame / Art, Mirror, Tissue Box, Hooks (coat, robe)
Bathroom5Showerhead, Bathroom Mirror, Ventilation Grille
Ceiling & Walls5Ceiling Corners, Air Vent / Duct
Entry & Common Areas3Door Peephole, Entry Area Hooks

The remaining 13 sit at medium risk: power strip, TV box, smart bulb, books, artificial plants, shelves, wall decorations, bath accessories, bathroom clock, ceiling light, sprinkler head, wall outlet, curtain rods. Worth knowing before you start: the item names and tips stay in English regardless of your phone's language.

How to check a smoke detector for a hidden camera

A genuine smoke detector has vents and a test button — never a lens. Look for a small glassy dot, a pinhole, a stray USB port, or a unit that just looks newer than its neighbours down the hall. Angling the torch shallow across the surface rather than straight on makes a lens jump out more.

How to check the bathroom for hidden cameras

Five of its own checkpoints in the bathroom: the showerhead, the mirror, soap dispensers and other accessories, the ventilation grille, any clock on the shelf. Look specifically for forward-facing holes, components or wires that have no business being there, and anything inside a vent pointed out into the room rather than up into the duct.

The two-way mirror finger test

The app's tip for both mirrors is the fingertip test: press a fingernail against the glass. A visible gap between your nail and its reflection means an ordinary mirror, silvered on the back as usual. No gap at all, nail seemingly touching reflection directly, and it is worth a much closer look.

This test is not final — some perfectly ordinary mirrors are silvered on the front instead, which fails the same test. Cup your hands against the glass with the lights off, or light it with the torch to check for a gap behind it, before deciding anything.

How to know if something is a hidden camera

  • A pinhole or a small glassy dot on an object that has no reason to have one.
  • A charger, clock or air freshener pointing at the bed or shower rather than sitting naturally.
  • A cable or USB power where there should be none, for example on a smoke detector.
  • A bright, steady dot when you sweep it with a torch in the dark.
  • A device on the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that the app marks High or SUSPICIOUS and that you can match to the object.

Steps: run the checklist in the app

  1. Open Inspect and tap New Inspection (or the + button).
  2. Enter a location name and tap Start.
  3. Tap a group to open it; each group shows how many items you have ticked out of its total.
  4. Read the tip under each item, check the object, and tap to tick it.
  5. For lenses, open Camera Tools and sweep the high-risk items with Lens Finder.

There is no way to attach a photo or a note to an item, so keep the regular Camera app open for anything you want to document.

Questions and answers

Where are hidden cameras usually found in a hotel room?
Most often in smoke detectors, alarm clocks, USB chargers, air fresheners, picture frames, hooks and vents — specifically ones facing the bed or the bathroom.
Is the finger test on a mirror reliable?
As a quick hint, fine. A gap between your fingertip and its reflection points to an ordinary mirror; no gap at all is worth following up with the lights off and a torch, not treating as final.
Why 29 points and not 30?
Because 8 + 8 + 5 + 5 + 3 adds up to 29. One line of in-app text rounds that to 30-plus, but 29 is what you actually tick through.
Can I use the checklist in my own language?
The item names and tips stay in English regardless; only the buttons around them follow your phone's language.

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