Airbnb Hidden Cameras: Your Rights and How to Check Your Rental

Surveilex Guides · Updated November 2026

Airbnb bans indoor security cameras in listings, but that rule only protects you if you know what to look for. Here is what is allowed, what isn't, and how to check your rental in about 10 minutes.

What Airbnb allows and what it doesn't

Since 2024, Airbnb's policy bans indoor security cameras in all listings, whatever the room and whatever the host discloses. Outdoor cameras and doorbell cameras are allowed only if the host discloses them in the listing, and they may never point into the home or cover private areas such as an outdoor shower or sauna. Noise monitors and other recording devices must also be disclosed. Policies can change, so check Airbnb's current rules before you travel.

In short: if you find a camera inside the rental, it breaks the rules.

Before you book

• Read the "Safety & property" section of the listing for disclosed outdoor cameras and noise monitors.
• Read recent reviews for any mention of cameras or devices.
• If anything is unclear, message the host through Airbnb so there is a written record.

Where hidden cameras turn up in rentals

• Smoke detectors, especially extra ones in bedrooms
• Alarm clocks, digital photo frames and Bluetooth speakers
• USB wall chargers and power strips
• TV boxes, routers and streaming sticks
• Air purifiers, vents and plants on shelves facing the bed or shower

The 10-minute arrival check

1. Look at the Wi-Fi. Join the rental's Wi-Fi and scroll the list of nearby networks. Unusual network names or devices called "camera" or "IPC" are worth noting.
2. Visual sweep. Check every object that faces a bed, shower, toilet or changing area. Look for small holes or glints of glass.
3. Lens check. Darken the room. With the K19+, press IR and look through the red viewing lens. A camera lens shows as a bright red sparkle that stays put when you move. This finds wired cameras too.
4. Signal sweep. Switch off your phone, attach the antenna, set sensitivity to level 1 and move slowly past outlets, smoke detectors, clocks and electronics. A signal that keeps returning to the same spot needs a closer look.

If you find a camera

• Don't touch it. Photograph it in place.
• Leave the listing if you feel unsafe.
• Report it to Airbnb right away through the app's Help Center or safety line, and ask about rebooking or a refund.
• Contact local police if you believe you were recorded in a private space.

For the full room-by-room routine, see our hotel room camera guide.