How to Remove Android Viruses Without a Factory Reset

Desktops aren’t the only devices that pick up viruses. While it’s not a common occurrence, Android devices can indeed suffer from malware.
If you do get a virus, you could perform a factory reset to get rid of it, but that means you’d lose all your data. Your photos, saved games, text messages, and everything else will be gone if you didn’t back them up. Obviously, a factory reset should be your last option.
So what can you do to remove a phone virus without a factory reset? Let’s find out.

Android Virus Removal Apps

The Play Store is home to dozens of Android virus removal apps. However, most of them are bloated and want you to pay for features you don’t need. However, there are a few worth using.
If you think you’re infected with Android malware, it’s not a bad idea to install one of the below apps and scan. You don’t need to keep it around afterwards if you follow the common sense tips above.

1. Malwarebytes

One of the most trusted names in desktop security, Malwarebytes also provides an Android app. The free version scans your phone for malware and removes any threats it finds. It also has an audit feature for app permissions, so you can keep track of what each has access to. And it doesn’t have ads either.
The Premium version for $12/year adds real-time detection and other features most people don’t need. For a no-nonsense virus scanner and remover app for Android, it’s your best bet.

Download: Malwarebytes Security (Free, subscription available)

Bitdefender Antivirus Free

 

 

Bitdefender is another solid virus removal app, mainly because it’s lightweight. Cloud scanning means there’s little impact on your device, and the app doesn’t bog down its core offering with a bunch of annoying extras.
You’ll still see ads to upgrade to the full version, but if you can ignore them, this is a fine app for a quick Android virus scan.

Download: Bitdefender Antivirus (Free)

Android Antivirus Apps to Avoid

These are only two of the many Android virus scanning apps, but you can ignore nearly all other ones. Offerings from major companies like Avast, Norton, Avira, and similar are all loaded with garbage and are heavy on your system.

At Last --

Unfortunately, if you’re sure you have malware on your device but none of the above solutions fix it, you’ll likely have to factory reset your phone. If you experience issues in safe mode, your problem may lie with the OS or hardware, not a virus.
A reset means you will lose precious data, but that’s better than using a compromised phone.