How to Remove Malware from Your Android Phone

This guide explains how to remove malware on Android to keep your phone safe. Android malware can slow down performance, drain your battery, display alarming pop-ups, or even steal your personal information. If you notice one or more of these symptoms, your Android phone may be infected:

  • notifications claiming multiple viruses have been found
  • wanings that Android is infected and will be blocked if you don’t act quickly
  • browser redirects to unfamiliar websites persistent pop-ups, and tabs that won’t close
  • noticeable slowdown in device performance or loss of storage space

You can remove malware from your Android phone by following the steps below.

 

Step 1: Run a Malware Scan with Bitdefender Mobile Security

The easiest and most effective way to remove Android malware is by running a malware scan with Bitdefender Mobile Security.

  1. Install Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android from the Google Play store.
  2. Open the Bitdefender app, go to Malware Scanner from the bottom menu > tap Start Scan.How to remove malware from Android with Bitdefender
  3. If any malicious apps are detected, information about them will be displayed. Tap Uninstall to remove them.

 

Step 2: Uninstall Untrusted Apps

If malware symptoms persist after scanning, manually remove suspicious apps.

Some malware apps grant themselves device administrator permissions to block removal. If the uninstall button is grayed out, continue with these steps:

  1. Go to Android Settings > Security > Device administrators.
  2. Find the suspicious app > turn off its device admin privileges.
  3. Tap the app name > tap Deactivate this device admin app (if available).
  4. Now go back and uninstall the untrusted app.

 

Step 3: Disable Browser Push Notifications

If pop-ups and unwanted notifications continue, malware may have enabled push notifications in your browser.