Start with Google Play Protect, then review and remove apps you do not trust, install available Android security updates, and check your Google Account if anything looks suspicious. Pop-ups, slow performance, or browser redirects can be warning signs, but none proves by itself that your phone has malware.
What are the signs of malware on an Android phone?
Google describes malware as “unsafe or unwanted software that can steal your info or harm your device” in its Android malware guidance. Possible signs include:
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- Persistent pop-up ads or virus warnings you did not expect.
- The phone becoming unusually slow, losing storage unexpectedly, or malfunctioning.
- Browser redirects, or browser settings changing without your input.
- Messages sent from your contacts that you did not send.
These symptoms can have other causes, so treat them as clues to investigate rather than a diagnosis. Google uses the term “Potentially Harmful Applications” because “malware” does not have a universally accepted taxonomy, as explained in its Android Ecosystem Security FAQs.
How to scan your Android phone with Play Protect
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your profile icon, then tap Play Protect.
- Review the scan result and start a scan if prompted or if you want to check now.
- In Play Protect settings, make sure Scan apps with Play Protect is on. If you install apps from outside Google Play, also turn on Improve harmful app detection.
Play Protect checks apps from Google Play before download and scans installed apps from other sources. Google says it may warn you about an app, disable it, or remove it if it identifies it as potentially harmful. It performs a lightweight automatic scan daily, and you can request a full scan. A clean result is useful, but it is not a guarantee that every possible threat or phone problem has been ruled out.
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How to find and remove suspicious apps
Review apps you recently installed, apps you do not recognize, and apps you no longer need. If Play Protect flags an app, follow its removal prompt when available. Otherwise, Google’s general path is:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps or, on some phones, Apps & notifications.
- Tap See all apps, then select the app.
- Tap Uninstall and follow the prompts.
Menu names vary by Android version and manufacturer. Some preinstalled system apps cannot be uninstalled; if Android offers Disable instead, do not assume that means the app was identified as malware. If an app cannot be removed or the phone behaves unusually afterward, continue with the checks below or contact the phone maker.
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Update Android and check your Google Account
Install available phone and security updates
In Settings, check for Android software updates, security updates, and Google Play system updates. The exact menu names and locations differ across phones. Google lists device-specific examples in its malware and unsafe-software instructions; if an update does not appear, follow the phone’s prompts and restart when asked.
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If contacts report messages from you that you did not send, or you notice unfamiliar account activity, check the account as well as the device. Open Google’s Security Checkup and resolve the issues it lists. A phone scan does not substitute for reviewing account access and security.
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How to use Safe Mode if problems continue
Safe Mode temporarily turns off downloaded apps. If the problem stops in Safe Mode, Google says a downloaded app is likely causing it. The way to enter Safe Mode differs by manufacturer, so use the instructions from your phone maker rather than relying on a universal button sequence. Google’s Android Safe Mode guidance explains the diagnostic approach.
- Enter Safe Mode using the phone maker’s instructions.
- Check whether the symptom continues while downloaded apps are turned off.
- Restart the phone normally.
- Remove recently downloaded apps one at a time, checking after each removal to see whether the problem stops.
When to consider a factory reset or manufacturer help
If warning signs persist after scanning, removing suspect apps, updating, and checking account security, Google says you may need to reset the phone or ask the manufacturer for help. A factory data reset erases phone data and removes apps and their associated data, so back up important information first. Do not automatically restore an app you suspect caused the problem: restoring it can bring the issue back. Follow Google’s reset and recovery guidance and your manufacturer’s device-specific instructions.
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If the phone is rooted or otherwise running a modified Android version, Google warns that security protections may be compromised. Its guidance on modified Android versions recommends reinstalling the original Android operating system to restore those protections; the correct steps depend on how the device was modified.
Reduce the chance of installing an unsafe app
Google recommends getting apps from Google Play and checking ratings, download information, and reviews before installing. Apps from unknown sources carry added risk. Keep Play Protect enabled, especially if you install apps from outside the Play Store, and be cautious about installing an app just because a pop-up or message urges you to do so. See Google’s Android app download guidance for its advice on app sources.
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