
iPhones are not on the high risk list for viruses, but they might get infected now and then. If your phone behaves strangely, it might be because you have clicked on a malicious link or downloaded applications from untrustworthy sources. The issues will be revealed after a quick malware check. If any virus or malware is detected, the next obvious step is to clean iPhone of viruses.
How to Check for Viruses?
- There are apps on your phone you don’t recognize
If you see unknown applications on your phone that you don’t remember installing, it might be that your phone has a virus.
- Your phone is jailbroken
Although there are millions of applications available on the App Store, there might be instances when you want to install an app from a third-party source. Unfortunately, for this, you have to jailbreak your phone.
Most users are aware of this, and they jailbreak their phones to install applications from elsewhere. It might be pertinent to do so. But when you do this, you increase the chances of your iPhone getting infected with malware or virus. In addition, malicious software might be invited to reside on your phone, which may risk your phone’s security.
You can be sure of the presence of malicious software if your phone is behaving strangely. For instance, your apps are unwittingly redirecting you to web pages that are irrelevant to you. If this happens, you must remove the applications you suspect. If it is a recently downloaded application, uninstall and see if the issue is solved.
Alternatively, you can restore your phone from an earlier safe backup. Or click factory settings to go back to the default settings of your phone.
- Phone is overheating
iPhones may overheat if you multitask and several apps and programs run simultaneously. But if your phone is overheating more than usual, it might be a sign of malware.
- You are bombarded with irrelevant ads
Ads can follow you around the web, and they can cause a great deal of annoyance. But if you see ads more than usual and feel frustrated, you must check if your device has a virus. Too many invasive pop-ups are a sign that there’s malware.
- There’s an increase in cellular data usage
If you suspect your phone has a virus, check for a sudden increase in cellular data use. If the data usage cannot be explained, you can speak to a technician and get your phone checked.
- The battery is draining faster than usual
The battery may drain quickly if you do too many things like playing online games, checking and sending emails, shopping, etc. But if the battery drains quicker than usual, you have a problem.
There might be malware working in the background without your knowledge, causing your iPhone’s battery to drain faster.
Besides these, you can install antivirus software and run thorough scans. These programs are designed to detect unusual activities and quickly identify viruses and malware. They also offer recommendations and steps to remove them so your phone’s security is intact and you can use it without fear.
Things to do if you Find a Virus
- Restart your phone by pressing the power button. Then, switch on your phone by pressing the power button. Once your phone has restarted, go to Safari > tap Clear History and Website Data. Clear all the files so you can start fresh. This will help you get rid of any virus.
- Uninstall malicious apps on your device that you might have downloaded from unreliable sources.
iPhone users and all smartphone users must take caution, so their phone doesn’t get infected with viruses. Prevention means beefing up the phone’s security and also staying alert. Some of the things you can do to protect your private information are:
- Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi networks. If you urgently need to use a public network, you must use a reliable VPN service so your IP address is masked and third parties cannot monitor your online activities.
- Never click on suspicious links, whether you have received them via messages or emails. If you don’t know the sender of the email, ignore it and move past it.
- You must never download apps from websites you don’t trust. You might be downloading more than apps, and once the malicious software is in your device, it can alter your iPhone-using experience and even steal your data.
The Bottom Line
iPhones are one of the best smartphones you can use. Apple offers yearly updates to fix bugs and improve performance. You must never forget to install the iOS updates so your phone has a substantial wall against viruses and malware.
So the next time you find your phone behaving weirdly, keep in mind the tips mentioned above to check and remove the virus.