How To Detect Malware On Iphone

iPhones are well-known for their security measures: the protection Apple offers against malware is one of the main reasons people buy these devices.

However, your phone is not 100 percent immune to threats.

Here's how you can detect and clear viruses from your iPhone.

Can iPhones Get Viruses?

So, can iPhones get viruses? In short, yes. It is rarer to hear of an Apple device being affected by malware than, say, Android smartphones, but it does still happen.

If malware gets onto your iPhone, it can wreak havoc. Some problems, such as draining your battery, are a nuisance. But others, including identity theft, are much more serious.

Nonetheless, you can still minimize the damage if you suspect that the worst has happened. Firstly, however, you need to know how to detect malware on an iPhone.

How Does Malware Affect iPhones?

Like with computer viruses, malware often begins by impacting your iPhone's performance.

For example, you might notice your battery going down faster than before. Granted, other factors can impact your battery life—such as colder weather and the age of your device. But if you notice that you need to charge your phone more often, scanning for malware is a good idea.

When your phone becomes impacted with malware, you may also notice that it overheats quicker.

Again, other causes of phone overheating exist, such as overcharging and having too many intensive apps running. However, your phone will work harder when malware is on it—hence why it can get too hot.

Drained batteries and phone overheating are both significant annoyances. But unless they become relentless, you probably won't think about updating your phone straight away. A more severe consequence of an iPhone virus is that your phone eventually stops working.

Malware on your iPhone can also impact more than just your device. Whoever wanted to infect your phone could also use the software as a way to steal your passwords and other sensitive data. They could then either sell these or use them to hack into your accounts.

How to Check iPhones for Viruses or Malware

If you suspect that you have malware on your device, you've got plenty of options to check and make sure.

Here are some practical ways to check your iPhone for a virus or malware.

Check For Unfamiliar Apps

One of the easiest ways to spot malware on your iPhone is by checking if you have any unfamiliar apps on your phone. By this, we mean that you should look for apps you've neither downloaded nor are default Apple ones.

Swipe through your home screen files and folders to identify these. If you can't see any but still aren't sure, look in your iPhone settings and see if you can find anything you're not familiar with.

Check if Your Device Is Jailbroken

The amount of customization you'll get may make jailbreaking your phone seem appealing. But doing so can be a bad idea for many reasons. Beyond voiding your warranty, you'll also make your iPhone more susceptible to malware.

Of course, you might have bought a second-hand device and not known it was jailbroken. But it doesn't matter whether you've done it or suspect that someone else has. Checking to see if your device has been jailbroken is one step towards identifying a virus.

Finding out whether your phone is jailbroken isn't easy. One possible sign, however, is the presence of an app called Cydia. This is an app only available on jailbroken iOS devices.

Find Out if You Have Any Large Bills

When your iPhone has malware, you might find that your phone has used more data than you expected each month. Naturally, if you've surpassed your plan's allowance, you'll have a larger bill.

Another possible sign that malware exists on your iPhone is if you notice incoming or outgoing calls that you didn't make or remember receiving. Again, these calls can lead to an unexpected bigger bill to pay.

You can check how much data you've used by going to Settings > Mobile Network and scrolling down to Mobile Data. Alternatively, you can check with your mobile network provider.

Look at Your Storage Space

You might find that your phone's storage is nearly full because you've got too many apps installed or you have a lot of pictures in your camera roll. But if your remaining storage space is significantly smaller than it should be, your iPhone may have a virus.

To look at your storage space, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.

How To Get Rid of a Virus on Your iPhone

If you've tried out all of the above and suspect that your iPhone has malware, taking immediate action is vital. Here are some of the easiest ways to get rid of a virus on your device.

Restart Your iPhone

Restarting your iPhone can, in some cases, also get rid of malware.

How you'll do this depends on the device you have. For instance, if your iPhone has a home button, hold this and the on/off button. Do so until your phone turns off and back on again.

If your iPhone doesn't have a home button, you can still force restart your iPhone and put it into Recovery Mode.

If restarting your iPhone doesn't work, try restoring to factory settings instead.

Delete Unusual Apps

If you notice apps that shouldn't be on your phone, deleting them should help to rid your phone of malware. To do this, you can hold on to its icon until the individual app is highlighted then click Remove App.

You might also want to remove any apps you didn't download from the App Store. Going forward, you should refrain from downloading non-App Store apps.

Clear Your History

Clearing your history on Safari might help to clear a virus on your iPhone. Moreover, you protect yourself from having passwords and other data stolen.

To clear your history, go to Settings > Safari. Then, scroll down to Clear History and Website Data.

Use Security Software

If you have antivirus installed, this should be able to detect and delete any malware on your iPhone.

Even if you haven't invested yet, downloading a decent security suite is very much worthwhile, and it can still scan for viruses.

Replace Your iPhone

If you've tried all you can to rid your iPhone of malware, you might need to replace your device.

Since most cases of malware are user-made and involve acts like jailbreaking, you might find that Apple's warranty doesn't cover your issue.

Act Fast if You Suspect That Your iPhone Has Malware

Though cases are rare, your iPhone can get viruses and other forms of malware. As such, knowing how to act if this happens is vital.

Checking to see if your iPhone has a genuine malware issue is essential. If you find that the problem is your usage instead, consider tweaking how you use your device.

If your phone is infected, though, you can get rid of the malware in numerous ways. And once you have, remember to stick to using the App Store!

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