Malware on your smartphone? How to detect it and tips to fix it

Smartphones are susceptible to malware which can impact performance and compromise data. Learn how to identify and remove malware from your device for free.

Our everyday lives would not be the same without smartphones, and we are confident that over 60% of you are reading this news only on your device. You may easily complete a plethora of jobs with this gadget.

However, using the internet all the time exposes you to viruses and spyware, some of which have the potential to damage your device. If these risks are not dealt with right once, they might compromise your device and worsen its performance and personal data. Here's how to identify malware, what to check for, and how to get rid of it for free.

4 signs that your smartphone is infected: 

Malware may be identified by certain changes you observe on your devices, particularly in the way they behave. The signs are as follows:
1. Slow performance: A virus usually causes a smartphone to lag or freeze by slowing down its processing speed.
2. Rapid battery drain: The unexpected energy depletion is another obvious alteration. Malware operating in the background may be the cause of rapid battery loss.
3. Regular pop-ups and advertisements: Unwanted advertisements or persistent pop-up notifications on your screen are further signs that your device is infected with malware.
4. Spikes in data consumption: Malware may be the cause if your data is being used more quickly than normal even though you aren't using it much.

4 steps to remove malware from your smartphone

The good news is that you can get rid of any virus from your phone without having to pay to visit a service center. Here are four actions to take:

1. Safe Mode: To identify and separate harmful apps, start your smartphone in safe mode.
2. Remove any suspicious programs: Look for any apps that you did not install yourself and remove them right away.
3. Rely only on reliable sources: To reduce malware risk, only download apps from authorized sources, such as the Google Play Store.
4. Do a factory reset: Return your phone to its original settings if the issue continues. Since this procedure would remove everything from your device, make sure you first backup your data.