To know if a phone has a virus, look for these common signs:
- Sudden increase in data usage or unexplained charges on your phone bill.
- Rapid battery drain and the phone overheating quickly.
- Unexpected pop-up ads or new apps that you did not install.
- Slow or lagging phone performance, apps crashing or freezing.
- Random messages sent from your phone to contacts without your consent.
- Unfamiliar or suspicious apps installed on your device.
- Device running suspicious background processes that affect system functioning.
To confirm if your phone is infected, install a trusted antivirus app from the official app store (such as McAfee Mobile Security) and run a full system scan. The security app will check your installed apps, files, and system for malware and provide options to quarantine or remove threats. You can also use built-in tools like Google Play Protect on Android or run security scans in device settings. For further safety, rebooting your phone in Safe Mode disables third-party apps, allowing you to identify and uninstall suspicious apps.
