One of the best-selling features of iPhones is their security measures. Compared to Android phones, iPhones are rarely infected with viruses and malware.
However, this does not mean they are 100% immune to malware attacks. If you jailbreak your phone or download apps from third-party sites, there is a high chance of getting a virus or malware into your device.
Often hackers use such malware to get access to your personal information, including financial data, and this could cause damage to you. It is advisable not to modify your phone through jailbreaking. Also, ensure that all your apps are downloaded from the Apple App Store only.
If you are looking for advice about iPhone viruses and malware, you are probably concerned about the possibility of an infection. How do you check your iPhone for viruses and malware?
Read on to find detailed answers to this question below.
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Check Your iPhone for Viruses and Malware
1. Check Your Data Usage
Have you noticed that your data usage has increased more than in previous months? This could be due to a virus or malware on your iPhone.
Viruses and malware run in the background and use data to communicate with the internet. As a result, they use more data, and you will notice that your data usage is higher than in previous months.
Here is how to check your data usage:
- Go to settings on your iPhone.
- Select Cellular or mobile data, depending on your iOS version.
- Check how much mobile data you have used in the current period. Is it higher than in previous periods?
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- Scroll down to see which apps use a lot of data. However, viruses and malware may not be among the apps that use the most data.
- Also, check to see if there is an app you do not recognize. You can then delete the app because it could be a virus or malware.
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2. Check Battery Performance
Viruses and malware run in the background, which may go unnoticed for a long time. However, they use many of your phone’s resources, affecting your iPhone’s battery performance.
Thus, you may notice that your battery drains faster than usual. You may even find that your battery drains at a high rate even when not used.
Here is how to check which app is consuming a lot of power on your iPhone:
- Go to settings on your app library, then select battery.
- Scroll down, then select last 24 hours or last seven days to check battery performance. You will see a graph showing battery usage across hours or days. You will also see each app’s battery usage.
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- Scroll down to see if there is an app you do not recognize, then delete it.
3. Check for Strange Apps
Not all viruses and malware consume too much of your battery and data; some do not. Therefore, the first two methods may not always detect malicious apps on your device.
You have to check through all your installed apps to see if there is a strange app. To do this, swipe to your left from your home screen. Scroll to check all the apps on your device and delete the app that looks strange.
If you have had your iPhone for a while, you may have installed an app and forgotten all about it. It is best if you delete it.
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But you can check if it is listed among the apps you installed from the App Store. Here is how you can check.
- Go to the App Store on your app library.
- Tap on your profile photo.
- Then tap on purchase to see all the apps on your phone.
- See if the strange app is listed here.
The strange app could be a virus or malware if not listed here. You can then delete it from your device.
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4. Check Your Storage Space
Check your iPhone storage to see if any app or file takes up too much storage. Apps, photos, videos, and other files may take up a lot of storage space on your device.
However, when you realize that the remaining storage is significantly smaller, malware or a virus may take up that space.
5. Check for Strange Pop-Ups
You may find that you are constantly getting pop-ups on your device. Too many invasive pop-ups could indicate malware or viruses on your iPhone.
Also, if you are experiencing a lot of pop-ups when browsing on your phone, it could indicate malicious apps on your iPhone. This is especially after you have blocked pop-ups on your device.
We are bound to receive ads because of third-party cookies unless you use a VPN on your iOS. However, if you see too many of them, you probably have a virus or malware.
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6. Check Whether Your iPhone Is Jailbroken
The iPhone has built-in restrictions preventing installing unapproved apps. Some iPhones are jailbroken, and because of this, the inbuilt restriction is removed.
People jailbreak their iPhones mainly to install apps that are not on the App Store. As a result, you remove all restrictions that Apple implemented. As a result, you can customize your device, and at the same time, you risk the stability and security of your device.
Jailbreaking leaves your iPhone vulnerable to malicious apps. When you buy your iPhone from a reputable shop, it is probably not jailbroken. However, if you buy it from someone else, you must check to see if it is jailbroken.
Here is how to check
- Open the search bar on your iPhone.
- Type Cydia on the search bar.
- If the app appears, then your phone is jailbroken.
You will have to reverse the process to protect your iPhone.
7. Check for Crashing Apps
It is very rare to find apps crashing on iPhones. Still, you may find that some do crash, but this is not an indication of malware or virus on your device.
However, if an app keeps crashing repeatedly, check to see if there is a new update, then install it. Here is how to do it:
- Open App Store on your iPhone.
- Then, click on your profile photo.
- Check to see if any app needs updating, then update it. If there is more than one app, click on update all.
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If this does not work, delete the app from your iPhone and reinstall it.
If, after following the above steps, you realize that the app continues to crash, it could indicate that you have a virus or malware on your device. Also, you may notice that more than one app keeps crashing.
8. Check to See if Your iPhone Is Overheating
Overheating could be a sign that your iPhone has a virus or malware. This is because viruses and malware use many resources on your device.
But there are so many reasons why your iPhone is overheating. A faulty battery could also be the cause.
9. Run a Malware Scan
You can download antivirus software on your iPhone and scan for viruses or malware. Go to the App Store and search for an antivirus. There are many different types, and each works differently. Some have free versions, and others have paid versions.
Select one, download it, and install it on your device.
Use it to scan for any potential malware, then delete it.
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How to Get Rid of Viruses on Your iPhone?
If you have found a virus or malware on your iPhone, you need to get rid of it, and this is because it could land you in big trouble. You may encounter problems like draining your battery and mobile data. Also, you can face many serious problems like identity theft.
Here is what you need to do
1. Restart Your iPhone
Sometimes, all you need to do is to restart your phone to get rid of the malware.
You can restart your phone by pressing the home button. Hold the home button and the off/on button until it turns off, then turn it back on again.
For iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, or later, you can restart your device by pressing the volume button and the side button until the slider appears. Slide the power off.
You can then force restart your phone by simultaneously pressing the volume and power buttons.
2. Delete Suspicious Apps
Keep checking your iPhone for any suspicious apps that shouldn’t be there. Delete them to get rid of the malware.
To delete the unusual app, go to the app drawer, press hold on the app until it is highlighted, then click remove.
You can also download any app you did not install from the App Store. Always download all your apps from the App Store to prevent future incidents.
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3. Clear Your History and Website Data
It is a good habit to always clear data and history from Safari. This practice clears the virus and protects you from third-party access to personal information and passwords.
Here is how to do it:
- Select settings on your app library
- Go to safari
- Scroll down, then select clear history
- Then clear web data
4. Reset Your iPhone
If you are still convinced that your iPhone has a virus or malware, you may need to do an iCloud or iTunes reset.
Here is how to do it
- Go to Settings
- Select General
- Select Reset
- Then select Erase All Contents and Settings
- Enter your passcode to confirm the rest
- Wait as the iPhone resets
- After it has been completed, set it up as a new one
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5. Use Security Software
You can install an antivirus into your device. Ensure that you download the software from the App Store.
You can scan and delete any virus or malware in your iPhone.
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6. Replace Your iPhone
This should be the last resort to getting rid of malware or viruses on your device. You should replace your phone when all other options have failed.
Often, cases of malware and viruses on your iPhone are a result of user-made activities like jailbreaking. Because of this, getting rid of the malware or virus may be hard. Also, Apple’s warranty will not cover this.
How to Protect Your iPhone From Future Viruses and Malware?
Luckily, protecting your phone from malware or viruses is easy. Here are some tips you can use to keep your iPhone protected.
Avoid public WiFi – Cybercriminals use the vulnerabilities on public WiFi to distribute malware. Use a security app whenever you access free WiFi hotspots.
Only downloading apps from the App Store – Any app not on the App Store increases the risk of being infected by a virus or malware.
Keep your iPhone up to date – This simple act protects you and reduces your risks of threats.
Install the iPhone security app on your device to protect you from viruses and malware.
Restrict your apps permission – Check the level of access you give to apps and websites, especially when they request permissions that are irrelevant to their function.
Don’t jailbreak your device – Jailbreaking your device increases the risk of it being affected by viruses and malware.
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Final Word
Certain situations, such as installing apps from third-party platforms, using insecure WiFi, and not updating apps can expose iPhones to malware attacks. Therefore, from time to time, scan your phone for malware using the above methods.
If you think your phone has a virus or malware, you can use the tips in this article to get rid of it. Also, use the tips provided here to prevent this from happening again.
