Afraid Your Samsung Phone Is Full of Virus? Here’s How to Scan Your Phone for Malware!

Having a compromised Samsung phone is no laughing matter. Your data can become corrupted, losing a lot of precious photos and memories. You can also become vulnerable to hackers who can steal sensitive data such as bank details and account information from your smartphone.

How Can My Samsung Phone Get a Virus?

Malware can enter your phone in different and creative ways. From hidden apps to pandemic-related e-mails and messages with questionable links, a virus can easily enter into your phone if you take action on their prompts.

When you are downloading apps, make sure they are from Google Play Store and are from reputable app developers.

When you receive e-mails or messages from senders you don’t recognize, avoid clicking on any links or prompts. Avoid pop-up ads that prompt you to click them, as these could be malware or phishing attempts.

And if you find yourself in public, avoid using the unsecured public Wi-Fi for connection.

You can also switch on the embedded security feature in your Samsung phone by going to Apps > Settings > Lock Screen and Security > Unknown Sources and switch off Unknown Sources. You will receive notifications before an app is downloaded from an unknown source.

You can also run security checks by heading to Apps>Google Settings> Security>Verify apps>Scan device for security threats.

Also, avoid rooting your device, which can leave your device vulnerable.

Hackers and viruses normally cannot enter your smartphone unless they got help from your end. They need you to slip up and accidentally open the door so they can barge right in.

Does My Samsung Phone Have a Virus? Easy Tip On How to Scan for Malware

Samsung suggested using Smart Manager to check for malware or viruses in your device. You can run an ad hoc scan at any time and it’s really simple and easy to do.

First, enter Apps then select Smart Manager. Tap Security and tap SCAN NOW to run a scan.

You will also be able to check the last time you scanned your device, as it will be found on the top right of the screen. You can perform scans as often as you want to keep your phone security intact.

What to Do When My Samsung Phone Has a Virus

If you find your device really have a virus, you can uninstall the offending apps in Safe Mode.

AVG suggested uninstalling in Safe mode so you can safely remove any suspicious or problematic app.

Have your device enter Safe mode by turning it completely off, then powering the phone back on. When the Samsung logo appears, press and hold down the Volume Down key.

Safe Mode should display on the bottom left corner of the screen. If it does not appear, repeat the steps.

Open settings then tap Apps. Go ahead and check the list for the apps with black or random letters for the name you don’t recognize or apps that you have identified as problematic. Uninstall those apps.

If you have a problem uninstalling an app, remove administrator access by going back to Settings > Security > Device Administrators and check to see if any of the malicious apps have access. If there are, deactivate it and go ahead and uninstall the app.

To exit Safe mode, just restart your phone like normal and it will reboot normally.

If you are experiencing unusual behavior on your Samsung phone and have performed the appropriate at-home fixes but the problems still persist, it is best to take your phone to an expert.