How to clean your phone from viruses for free: a comprehensive guide

With the development of technologies, it might seem that the era of phone viruses has passed. However, many people still encounter annoying pop-ups, quick battery drain, or unfamiliar apps that they don’t remember downloading. All of these might be signs that you have a virus on your phone, and it is important to know how to get rid of a phone virus.

In this guide, I help you recognize when your phone is infected, and most importantly, I provide methods on how to clean your phone from a virus for free. You’ll find practical tips on how to remove viruses from Android for free (including Samsung phones) and how to get rid of a virus on your phone without paying for expensive tools.

Understanding phone viruses

A phone virus is any malicious software that infects your smartphone and causes it to perform actions you didn’t authorize. To understand how to clear a phone of viruses, it is important to know what a phone virus is and its types. While most people say virus, the correct way to call it is malware, as it is a broader term that includes all types of harmful software. Malware includes things such as:

• Trojans: malicious apps that pretend to be legit
• Spyware or stalkerware: apps that monitor you
• Adware: apps that spam and track your behaviour online
• Ransomware: malware that locks your phone or certain files
• Keyloggers: tools that track all types of text

These are the most common types of malware, but hackers keep getting creative and creating new ones. This is why it is important to know how to recognize the signs that your phone has a virus. The most common symptoms include battery drain, slow performance, frequent crashes, and unusual pop-ups. Also, any actions that look strange or suspicious because they have been done without your knowledge are signs of an infected phone. These threats can affect both Android and iPhone devices, including popular Samsung phones.

Step-by-step guide to remove viruses for free

In this section, I provide a detailed guide on how to remove viruses for free. I present several methods, so you can find the most convenient one or try another one, in case the initial method didn’t work. These steps cover how to remove a virus from your phone for free, including how to remove a virus from a Samsung phone for free.

Method 1: use built-in security features

In case you are an Android user, you can:

• Open the Google Play Store, tap on your profile icon, and click on Play Protect, then click Scan. In this way, Google scans all your installed apps and alerts if something looks suspicious.
• Go to Settings and open Privacy, then go to Permission Manager. Review apps that have access to sensitive features, like the camera, location, or microphone. Revoke permissions if apps do not need them.
• Go to Settings and open Security. Make sure the Install unknown apps function is turned off. This prevents malicious apps from being installed outside of the Google Play Store.
• Open Settings, go to System, and specifically System Update. Install the latest update if available, as this will help to fix vulnerabilities that malware exploits.

In case you are an iPhone user, this is what you can do:

• Go to Settings, open General, and access Software Updates. Install the latest available version, as it helps to fix security vulnerabilities.
• Open Settings and go to Privacy & Security, review sensitive categories, such as camera, location, contacts, and others that have your personal information, and revoke permissions from apps that don’t need them.

Method 2: download free antivirus apps

Another method of how to clean your phone from a virus for free is to download a free antivirus app. This app can perform a deeper scan and detect threats that built-in tools might miss. Here’s a table of reputable antivirus apps:

My advice is to stick to well-known antivirus apps, rather than downloading random ones – some of them can actually be malware in disguise. In order to download an antivirus app, use the Google Play Store on Android and App Store on iPhone, and avoid downloading apps from random websites on Google or Safari.

To start using an antivirus app on your phone, open it and click Scan or Run a Scan, depending on the app, wait for the scan to complete, and review the results. In case it detects threats, follow the app’s instructions to remove or quarantine them. Also, you can enable real-time protection if it is available, so the app monitors your phone for threats by itself.

Method 3: manual virus removal

Another way to get rid of a phone virus is to manually clear the cache and cookies. To do that on Android, go to Settings and open Apps, review the list, and tap on any that looks suspicious or has been acting weird. Click on Storage & Cache, then Clear Cache first, and after Clear Storage next. The app will be reset to its original state, as if freshly installed.

In case you are an iPhone user, it doesn’t let you clear the individual cache of each app, but what you can do instead is try to reinstall the app, meaning delete it and download it again from the App Store. Alternatively, you can clear Safari's cache. To do that, go to Settings, click on Apps, and find Safari. There, click on Clear History and Website Data. If the malware is hidden in your browser, it will help to remove it.

Another way to delete a virus on Android or iPhone is simply to delete a suspicious app. To do that on Android, go to Settings, tap Apps, select a relevant app, then tap Uninstall and confirm. To delete an app on iPhone, press and hold the suspicious app on your home screen or app library, tap Remove App, then choose Delete App in the pop-up menu to confirm.

Method 4: resetting your phone (last resort)

If none of the previous steps worked, a factory reset is your most powerful option. It wipes everything off your phone, removing malware along with everything else. This should be done as the last step because it erases all your data. But it doesn’t mean that everything will be lost because before resetting your phone, make sure to back it up first.

The steps of Android will be to open Settings, click on Google, and choose Backup. Make sure Backup to Google Drive is turned on. After that, find in Settings, General Management, or System. Tap on Reset and choose Factory Data Reset. After reading the warning and clicking Reset again, enter your password or PIN code. Tap Delete All to confirm, and your phone will turn off to start the reset process.

For iPhone users, go to Settings, click on your name at the top, press iCloud, choose iCloud Backup, then click on Back Up Now. After the backup is done, go to Settings, find General, tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone, and click on Erase all Content and Settings. Enter your password or Apple ID, and click on Continue to confirm. Your phone will turn off and start resetting.

Best practices for phone security

Removing viruses from your phone is one thing – making sure they don’t return is another. The good news is that the majority of phone malware can be avoided with a few simple steps. Here’s what you can do to keep your phone safe from viruses:

• Only download apps from official stores. Platforms like Google Play Store and Apple Store scan apps for malware before publishing them. Avoid downloading apps from rundown websites and never use links sent to you via text, even if they look legitimate.
• Keep your phone’s software updated. Updates are not just about new features; they also fix security vulnerabilities that viruses might exploit. The recent incident with DarkStorm's attack on iPhones was only possible on older versions of IOS.
• Be careful with what you click on. Don’t click on links in texts from unknown users. If you see a pop-up message saying that your phone is infected and urging you to tap, it is almost always a scam. Also, if you see a deal that looks too good to be true, it probably is.
• Review app permissions regularly. Make it a habit to review app permissions once in a while. Even if you don’t remember giving any permissions recently, review them, as you might be surprised.
• Install a trusted free antivirus app. Downloading an app that scans your phone by itself for viruses is extremely convenient. What is important is to trust only well-known antivirus software.

Final word

Getting your phone infected with a virus seems almost impossible nowadays. However, scammers keep finding new ways to infect people’s phones. Viruses nowadays can take many forms, including spyware, trojans, and more. What is important is to know how to recognize that your phone has been affected. Any suspicious or unfamiliar behaviour on your phone may indicate a virus.

The good news is that there are ways to clean your phone from viruses for free. Downloading a reputable antivirus like Avast or Bitdefender for free will help you scan your phone more deeply and find any hidden malware. There are also other methods to clear a phone of viruses using built-in features or manually removing them.

FAQ