How to remove malware from an iPhone or iPad

Can iPhones get malware? Generally speaking, yes – but they're typically less vulnerable to malware than platforms like Windows. However, if your iPhone is acting up, there’s a chance it could be infected with a virus, potentially unwanted app, or other types of malware.

To clean your phone, you can use an antivirus app or remove the threat manually. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to remove malware from an iPhone or iPad, how to identify if your device is infected, and the steps you can take to protect your iPhone from future threats.

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How to get rid of a malware/threat on your iPhone or iPad

If your iPhone has been hit by malware, our guide can help you remove it — whether you choose to do it manually or use an antivirus app.

1. Update your iPhone's iOS/iPad's iPadOS

By updating your iPhone’s operating system, you can both potentially remove malware from your device and prevent future threats. Here’s how to update your iPhone or iPad:

1. Go to Settings. Tap on General
2. Find and tap on Software Update. Choose Download and Install

2. Delete suspicious apps from your iPhone

An unfamiliar app on your device could be a sign of various issues, including spyware. Removing such apps can help protect your iPhone from potential threats, including viruses.

If you find such an app, remove it by tapping and holding it, and then select Delete.

3. Restore your iPhone or iPad from iCloud backup

If the steps above didn’t work, you can also restore your device from iCloud backup. Make sure to restore the backup from before your device got infected with malware, otherwise you will end up installing the malware again.

To restore your iPhone or iPad, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings. Tap on General
2. Find and choose Reset
3. Tap on Erase All Content and Settings. Be careful to not create a new iCloud backup. Select Erase iPhone
4. When your device is finished erasing, choose to Restore from iCloud Backup. Plug your device in, and let it do the restoring

4. Install an antivirus app

Getting reliable antivirus software, like top-rated TotalAV, is one of the best ways to clean your iPhone from malware. TotalAV offers real-time protection, excellent malware detection, and an ad blocker to prevent malicious pop-ups and trackers from targeting your device.

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How to check if an iPhone or iPad has malware?

If you suspect that your iPhone or iPad has malware but aren’t completely sure, follow these steps below to check:

1. Performa a virus scan with an antivirus, such as TotalAV. If the antivirus didn’t find any dangerous files or vulnerabilities, you can relax. Your phone is alright.
2. Check for the most common signs of malware on your phone. Take a look at the signs of malware on your phone and see if any are true for your situation.
3. Check for unfamiliar and suspicious apps. Look through your phone and downloads for any apps that you don’t recognize or apps that are using a little too much of your iPhone’s resources. If you find any, remove them and restart your phone.

How can I tell if my iPhone is infected with malware?

Generally, you’ll probably be able to tell if your iPhone is infected or not. However, if you’re not completely sure, it’s always a good idea to check.

Below are the most common signs that your iPhone or iPad has a virus:

• Overheating. Some malware is designed to use your device to click on ads or perform other intensive tasks in the background. This causes overheating of your device, as it is being used non-stop.
• Quick battery drain. Same as overheating, some malicious apps that are using your phone’s resources to do ugly things will drain the battery a lot more quickly than usual.
• Extreme data usage. Some types of malware, such as spyware, use a lot of data to transfer information from your phone. In case of higher data usage than normal, it is likely that your iPhone or iPad has been infected.
• Unfamiliar, suspicious apps. If you found an app that you don’t recognize, don’t remember installing, or don’t know what it’s for, it’s a clear indication that your phone has been infected with malware.
• Crashing. While phones tend to crash from time to time, unusually frequent and unexpected crashes, especially of specific apps, might indicate that your phone has malware.
• Random ads, pop-ups, and redirects. These are usually the result of adware, or Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA). They most commonly get installed through your browser or can be the result of a browser hijacking, such as Search Marquis on Mac. This symptom is quite rare on iOS, so if it happens, you will definitely know that your iPhone or iPad has adware.
• Jailbroken device. Jailbreaking is removing Apple’s security software on your iPhone or iPad to install third-party applications. Such applications that were not approved by Apple as secure can contain malicious software.

Can iPhones get malware?

Yes, iPhones can be infected by malware or other threats, including spyware, adware, and other malicious apps. Even though iPhones and iPads have built-in security measures, they can still be targeted by various online malware threats.

Some simple ways to identify that your iPhone has been infected are if the performance has declined, you see random pop-up ads, or you find apps saved on your phone that you didn’t download yourself.

Other signs can be randomly crashing apps, rapidly draining phone batteries, and high mobile data use.

However, you can easily remove the malware from your iPhone using an antivirus. In addition, a robust antivirus will prevent future malware threats as well.

Safeguard your iOS device against future threats

Now that you’ve removed all malware from your iOS device, it’s time to make sure it never happens again. Below are the steps I recommend taking to protect your iPhone or iPad against malware:

• Install antivirus software on your iPhone or iPad. Based on our tests, TotalAV antivirus effectively detects and removes all types of malware.
• Only install apps from the App Store. Third-party apps that require jailbreaking your device always have a much higher risk of instilling your device with malware.
• Don’t jailbreak your device. Jailbreaking your device removes all default Apple security restrictions from your phone and makes it vulnerable to malware and attacks.
• Keep your iPhone or iPad updated. Regular or automatic software updates will ensure that your device has all the latest security patches and updates installed at all times.
• Use a VPN for iPhone to protect yourself online. Some threats and malware can come from the web while browsing. A quality VPN, such as NordVPN, will have a blocker for ads, and malicious websites, as well as redirects, and it will encrypt your internet traffic and protect your device from cyberattacks.

Final thoughts

iPhones and iPads are less vulnerable to viruses and malware as any other devices. But if your device gets infected, there is no need to worry too much, because all the malicious apps can be removed from your iPhone. It may require resetting your phone to factory settings and restoring your iCloud backup.

You should also take all the necessary precautions to avoid malware infections in the future. The things you can do include using a trustworthy antivirus, such as TotalAV, updating your iPhone or iPad often, and avoiding jailbreaking your phone or installing third-party applications.

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