How to Get Rid of Viruses on Android Smartphones

Viruses on Android smartphones can be a nightmare, whether they steal your data, exploit your smartphone to mine cryptocurrency without your consent, or drain money from your bank account. Technically speaking, the term “virus” refers to a particular class of malware that spreads via infected files. However, since the majority of people use the term “virus” to refer to malware in general, we’ll use both terms interchangeably in this guide.

Fortunately, removing a virus from an Android smartphone is not too difficult. You will learn all there is to know about malware in this post, including how it gets onto Android devices, what it does, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it in the future. If you’re using an iPhone, you should take a look at this guide to get rid of viruses.

Can Android Smartphones Get Viruses?

Malicious apps occasionally find their way onto the Google Play store, despite the fact that Android viruses are rather rare. Since Google does not review apps on third-party websites, they are more likely to be a security issue.

When they do get on your Android device, infected apps slow down your phone and expose your personal information, including passwords and credit card numbers. If your phone has a virus, it could suddenly become slow or use a lot more data than usual. Alternately, you can come across unlawful in-app purchases. Your phone will typically not warn you about the situation or offer assistance if it contains a virus.

It’s therefore a good idea to occasionally check your device for viruses using an antivirus scanner, especially if your phone exhibits some of the signs we’ve described above.

How to Remove Viruses from Your Android Smartphone

You may get rid of mobile malware from your Android smartphone in a variety of ways. The techniques for virus removal largely depend on the kind of virus that has infected your smartphone.

You may remove certain harmful programs by simply deleting the application. Some malicious programs pose as common apps, like a flashlight. Because these malicious apps have the potential to jeopardize both the security of your device and your Google and other accounts, it’s crucial to act right away.

If you’ve run an antivirus check and are still experiencing symptoms similar to malware, you’ll need to follow one or more of these sets of instructions to manually remove viruses from your phone:

Delete any Unrecognized Apps

There’s a good risk that a program you recently discovered—but didn’t install—might be malicious software. Your phone needs to be cleaned so that there are no remaining unidentified or potentially dangerous apps.

Go to Settings >> Applications >> Manage apps >> Uninstall on your device to get rid of the unidentified program. Locate the suspicious app, pick it, and remove it.

Reboot your Device in Safe Mode

Another way to get rid of viruses on Android smartphones is to restart the phone in safe mode after turning it off. Restarting in Safe Mode is an option on the majority of Android devices. Google explains how even though Safe Mode tends to vary depending on the phone.

The following instructions will help you to get it done:

• To access the Power Off options, hit the power button on your phone.
• Press and hold the volume-down button on your phone as the animation begins.
• Hold it down until your phone restarts and the animation is finished.
• “Safe mode” will be displayed in your screen’s bottom area at this point.

Reset your Android Smartphone

If none of the procedures indicated above were successful in removing malware from your phone, you might need to erase your Android device and reset it to factory settings. Any specific changes that malicious apps could have made to the device’s settings will be undone.

Here is a guide for wiping your Android device:

• First, you need to back up your data onto a reliable computer. In case Google is likewise compromised, don’t rely on its backup capabilities. Use a USB cable to connect your gadget to your PC. Choose File transfer/Android Auto from the pop-up menu to start transferring files from your computer to Android. Thoughtfully consider any other files you have on your phone that you would like to keep. The most crucial items to transfer would be the images and movies found in the DCIM folder.
• Next, put your phone through a factory reset. Depending on your Android smartphone, these options may be located in different places, but the most basic procedure would be to open the Settings app and select System > Reset Options > Erase all data (factory reset).

How to Prevent Future Recurrence of Android Viruses

After getting rid of viruses on your Android smartphone, it’s a good idea to take some steps to ensure that they never resurface on your device.

Below are seven essential actions you can take to mitigate the risk of getting an Android virus in the future:

• To safeguard your Android device, get and use reliable security software.
• Update all software and operating systems to the most recent versions.
• Avoid clicking on unfamiliar or shady links in emails and texts.
• Use a password manager or strong, complex passwords. It’s likely that malware was employed by hackers to access your Google account and further jeopardize your security. As such, you must go to Settings > Google > Manage Google Account to reset the account password. Select Password > Change Password from the Security menu after opening it.

Make sure your password is totally original. For that, you can make strong passwords containing symbols, capital letters, and digits using a password generator.

• Never connect to an unsecured Wi-Fi network. When connecting to public Wi-Fi, always use a VPN.
• Use solid cyber security measures on any devices that are connected to the internet.
• Install software only from reputable stores, like the Google Play Store. To determine how much access you are providing the app creators, read the fine print and permissions on the apps.

It’s wise to take action before your gadget becomes infected. Give emphasis to securing your Android device. It may be possible to stop malware from spreading from device to device if your PCs, tablets, and other Android devices are all protected by reliable antivirus software.

Also consider using reputable security software to safeguard your devices and online privacy if malware is a worry.

Summarily, having malware on your Android smartphone can be quite a menace, however, it’s also pretty easy to get rid of it if this ever occurs on your device. Follow the instructions we’ve provided in this guide to remove viruses on your Android. Also take note of our suggestions to prevent further recurrence of malware on your Android smartphone.

We hope you’ve found this article helpful, and so we encourage you to recommend it to anyone you know who might also need it.

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