How to Remove Virus on your Android Phone

You’ve come to the correct site if you want to learn how to clear your phone of virus and malware infestations. With Malwarebytes’ tutorial, you can learn all there is to know about malware eradication for Android. If you use iOS, you should also read the tutorial on how to remove an iPhone infection.

Technically, the chances of your Android smartphone being infected with an old-fashioned self-replicating virus are slim. Viruses are long-standing dangers that primarily attack PCs and multiply themselves by infecting valid files and damaging data. Because of the operating system’s security protections and data management mechanisms, it is difficult for a self-replicating virus to infect an Android device.

How to Remove a Virus from an Android Phone: Step-by-Step

If you wish to remove malware from your Android device and increase its security, you must do the following steps:

Clear your cache and download first.

Your device’s cache is a reserved data storage space that keeps temporary files. Clearing it might help your device run faster, especially if the cache is overly large or contains infected files. Here’s how to clean Android’s cache.

1. Go to the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to Apps and Notifications.
3. Choose Chrome.
4. In the Storage & Cache menu, select Clear Cache.

Step 2: Restart your computer in safe mode.

Rebooting your Android smartphone in safe mode allows you to use the operating system without being interrupted by harmful apps. Android safe mode is also useful if your smartphone keeps rebooting, crashing, freezing, or running slowly.

To restart your Android smartphone in safe mode, follow these steps:

1. Press and hold the actual power button, which is usually located on the side of your device.
2. Wait for the Power off symbol to show on the screen.
3. Hold down the power button on the phone’s side and the Power off icon on the screen until the Safe mode icon displays.
4. Select Safe mode to restart your Android smartphone in safe mode.

Step 3: Change your connection method or connect to a new network.

A threat actor might attack your device by exploiting a weak or faked network. Check your WiFi settings and your connection. If you are linked to an unprotected public WiFi network or if the WiFi network seems suspect, disconnect immediately. For example, if there are two identical-looking Starbucks hotspots nearby, you may be linked to a fake one meant to assist a hacker in attacking your data or dropping software such as a Trojan or adware.

Change your Google password in step four.

Anyone who suspects an Android device security issue should follow these procedures to update their Google password:

1. Create a Google Account.
2. Sign in with Google under Security.
3. Navigate to Password.
4. Modify your password.

Step 5: Modify your passwords

If you suspect a security compromise, please change any passwords to your important accounts in addition to your Google password. A hacker can perform major cybercrimes by using a stolen password to an email, bank account, or cryptocurrency page.

Here are some password-setting guidelines:

It should be complicated, including capital and lowercase characters, numerals, and symbols.

A decent password contains no alpha or numeric patterns, such as frequent phrases or dates.

Step 6: Locate and remove any suspicious applications.

Remove any potentially harmful software from your Android device. These applications might be malicious, allowing threat actors to spy on you, access your private information, or steal your credit card information.

1. Go to the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to Apps and Notifications.
3. Select See All Apps.

Look for suspicious programs in the list of installed apps from the drop-down option. Remove any unfamiliar or hardly used programs. Please also uninstall any program that requests for rights that are not required. Uninstall your nephew’s nursery rhymes app, for example, if it has access to your camera, microphone, and GPS. Such programs are occasionally disguised as stalkerware or Trojan password-stealers.

Step 7: Enable 2-Step Verification.

Using multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a fantastic cybersecurity solution. Even if a hacker steals your login credentials from your Android device, they must confirm their identity in another method while attempting to access your Android account.

Allowing 2-Step Verification on Android is as simple as this:

1. Create a Google Account.
2. In the navigation menu, click Security.
3. Search for Signing in to Google.
4. Choose 2-Step Verification.
5. Determine Begin now.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to protect your account with 2-step verification.

Step 8: Turn on Google Play Protect.

Open the Play Store app on your Android device and hit the drop-down menu icon in the top-right corner. Tap Play Protect to enable the function.

To check if Play Protect is turned on, go to Settings in the Play Store and look under About.

Here are some of the benefits of activating Play Protect:

Before downloading apps from the Google Play Store, be sure they are safe.

Android devices are scanned for viruses and spyware.

App warnings for potentially harmful or misleading apps.

Deactivation or uninstallation of malicious apps.

 Read Also: 7 Signs That Your Telegram Account Has Been Hacked

Step 9: Install an Android antivirus.

Malware may be removed and stopped using an app like Antivirus for Android. It protects Android against malware and viruses using a sophisticated security system that detects viruses, spyware, ransomware, and other malicious attack vectors.

Step 10: Setup and activation

1. Type Malwarebytes into the search bar.
2. Locate Malwarebytes Mobile Security.
3. Select Install.
4. Select Open.
5. Select Get Started.
6. Grant Malwarebytes security access.

To allow Malwarebytes to scan and protect your system, turn on Allow access to all files.

On the Premium page, tap Start your 30-day trial to begin a trial with your Google Play membership. If you already have a license key, choose Already have a subscription.