How to remove a virus from your Android device
Due to the sheer amount of apps that are released for Android, chances are at least one might be made with the intent of putting a virus or malware on your Android device. The good news is this is extremely rare and if you only ever install apps from the Google Play Store then it’s never going to happen. If you’re convinced your Android device has a virus then don’t worry too much, it’s relatively easy to remove them although what is more common is adverts that try to make you think your Android device is infected when in reality it’s healthy and operating fine.
The first thing to do is install some kind of anti-virus or mobile security app. There are loads of free tools available that can notify you if your Android device has a virus or some form of malware and then you can go from there with the help of your software. The only downside is that some apps will flag as being bad for your Android even if you have been using it for a year and you know that there is nothing wrong with it at all. In these instances you can safely ignore your anti-virus apps. One option to point out is you can do a factory reset of your device although you will lose everything that isn’t backed up, but your virus problems will be solved.
Right then, let’s get into the fun stuff. You are 100% sure your Android device is infected and you’ve tried uninstalling the app that gave it you but you’re not having much luck. Keep reading to discover a rather simple method to rescuing your pride and joy.
Safe Mode:
First, you’ll want to put your Android device into safe mode. Generally, this can be done by holding down your power button until you get the option to ‘Power Off’ onscreen. If you tap and hold down for a couple of seconds on the power off option then you should get a dialog box appear that asks if you are sure you want to restart your device in safe mode. Tap restart. If this doesn’t work for you then it’s worth asking Google how to put your specific Android device into safe mode.
Uninstall The App:
Find the app that has brought upon you this wrath of malware and viruses and tap uninstall. Normally this will be all you need to do and your problems will be solved, however occasionally you won’t be able to tap the uninstall button due to the app taking on ‘Device Administrator’ privileges.
Administrator Status:
If the app won’t let you remove it then you’ll want to go into ‘Settings’ —> ‘Security’ —> ‘Device Administrators’. The app that you are trying to uninstall should be in this list so simply un-tick the option giving it this honor and go back and try to uninstall it. It should let you with no problems and now when you restart your device as normal you’ll find it working as good as new.
Now that everything seems fine with your Android device you should back everything up just in case next time your only option is a factory reset. It’s also the perfect time to add some anti-virus protection on to try and stop the viruses unloading onto your device in the first place.
