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Remove a Virus From an iPhone and iPad

Written by Ivan Belcic & Ellie Farrier |
Updated on November 27, 2023

Is your iPhone acting up? It might be a malware infection. We’ll show you how to remove viruses on an iPhone and iPad, and how to help protect against future iOS malware attacks with specialized iOS security software like Avast One.

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How to get rid of a virus or malware on an iPhone and iPad

If you’ve found a malicious or suspicious app on your phone, it's time to remove the virus from your iPhone completely. Here’s how to remove malware from an iPhone:

1. Restart your iPhone


Sometimes the easiest way to remove an iPhone virus or stop malicious activity is to restart your phone.


Here’s how:

  • Hold the power button

  • Move the slider to the right and wait a few seconds

  • Press the power button again to restart your iPhone

Restarting your mobile can help get rid of a virus on iPhone.

2. Update your iOS version


Many types of malware rely on exploiting outdated versions of iOS to infect your iPhone or iPad.

 

Update your Apple iOS software to get regular security fixes and get rid of viruses on your iPhone.

 

Here’s how:

  • Open iOS Settings

  • Tap General

  • Choose Software Update

  • Tap Download and Install

Updating iOS can help patch software vulnerabilities and help in iPhone virus removal.

3. Clear iPhone browsing data


If you think an infected website gave your iPhone a virus, clear your browser data


Here’s how to get rid of iPhone malware by deleting your iPhone browsing history on Safari:

 

  • Open Settings

  • Tap Safari

  • Choose Clear History and Website Data

  • Tap Clear History and Data

Updating iOS can help patch software vulnerabilities and help in iPhone virus removal.

4. Remove suspicious apps


Unfamiliar apps on your iPhone could be malicious, so removing them might help get rid of an iPhone virus.


If you find a strange app, here’s how to delete it: Long-press the app icon and tap Remove App to get rid of the iPhone app.

 Uninstall suspicious apps if you suspect an iPad virus or virus on iPhone.

5. Restore iOS from backup


Restoring your phone to a backup made before you noticed problems can help get rid of an iPhone malware infection.


Here’s how:

  • Open iOS Settings

  • Go to General

  • Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone

  • Choose Erase All Content and Settings

  • Tap Continue


Finally, select Restore from iCloud Backup.

Erasing iPhone data and restoring a backup from iCloud can help you clear a virus from iPhone.

6. Factory reset your iPhone


If none of the solutions above work, your final option is a factory reset. Though irreversible, a factory reset can help get rid of iPhone malware.


Here’s how:

  • Open iOS Settings

  • Go to General

  • Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone

  • Choose Erase All Content and Settings

  • Tap Continue

Perform a factory reset on iOS to help remove a virus from iPhone or iPad.

7. Avoid viruses and malware on iOS with Avast One


Avast One's built-in Web Shield feature lets you browse securely, helping to defend your device from dangerous websites that could infect you with malware. Start protecting your iPhone from viruses and other malware today with Avast One.


 How to remove malware from iPhone.

How to protect your iPhone or iPad from malware

Use strong internet security measures that help you avoid common online security threats, such as malicious websites and apps. Then follow these steps to protect your iPhone or iPad from viruses, malware, and other threats:

Turn on automatic updates


  • Open iOS Settings and scroll to General.

  • Tap Software Update and ensure Automatic Updates are turned on.


If Automatic Updates are turned off, tap the setting and turn on each toggle. This ensures iOS updates are installed as soon as they're available and keeps malware off your iPhone or iPad.

 

Don’t jailbreak your iPhone


Jailbreaking removes Apple’s built-in security measures and lets you customize iOS beyond its default options. But jailbreaking leaves you vulnerable to malware and phone hacking.


Never jailbreak your phone unless you’re confident in what you’re doing — and even then, be very careful.

 Avoid jailbreaking your iPhone to best protect it from malware.

Avoid strange apps


Whether you receive them via email, SMS, or via your favorite secure messaging app, never download or open attachments that you aren’t expecting.


Unknown attachments can be malicious and may infect your phone with malware.

 

Use an iOS security app


While iOS itself is pretty secure against malware, your iPhone isn’t immune to every threat. Hackers can collect your personal data over unsecured networks, and data breaches can leak your passwords on the dark web.

 

Avast One fills the gaps that iOS can’t cover by running regular iPhone malware scans and safeguarding your device with extra protection. Secure your iPhone against dangerous websites, data leaks, and more with Avast One.

Protect your iPhone or iPad against malware with an iOS security app that blocks malicious apps and file.

How to check for viruses on iPhone — know the symptoms:

    • Strange app behavior: If your apps suddenly start failing for no apparent reason, use a malware removal app to scan your iPhone for viruses.
    • Unfamiliar apps on your iPhone: Apps popping up on your phone that you didn’t install yourself can be a sign of an iPhone virus or malware.
    • Excessive Safari pop-ups: Constant pop-ups could mean adware or other malware on your iPhone. Check for malware by running an iPhone virus scan.
    • Jailbroken iPhone: Jailbreaking removes Apple’s security restrictions on your iPhone or iPad, increasing your risk of malware infection.
    • Unexplained account charges: Unrecognized charges could mean malware on your iPhone has hijacked your financial account information.
    • High data usage: Some types of malware, like spyware, use tons of phone data. Higher data usage can be a sign that your iPhone has a virus.
How to check your iPhone for malware

Scan for malware with Avast One

Check your iPhone for viruses and other cyber threats with Avast One. Our comprehensive security and privacy tool can help prevent iphone viruses by scanning for malware as you connect to websites, and by keeping your online sessions encrypted for extra online privacy. Get Avast One free today.

Can iPhones get viruses?

Though rare, iPhones can get viruses and other malware, especially if the phone is jailbroken or the owner is targeted in a spear phishing attack. But it’s very difficult for an iPhone to get infected with malware, as the iOS ecosystem is tightly controlled and third-party apps go through rigorous approval before being sold in the App Store.

 

So, can iPhones get viruses? In short, not normally. It’s more likely you’ll need to know:


 

Hackers are always improving their tools and techniques. So while there may not be much malware on iPhones at the moment, that could change. It’s always good to have an iPhone antivirus tool on hand in case something slips through.

iPhone malware and jailbreaking

Jailbroken phones are at a much greater risk of malware infection than stock devices. When you jailbreak your iPhone, you bypass Apple’s built-in restrictions that otherwise prevent you from installing unapproved apps and making other changes.

 

Because jailbreaking subverts your phone’s security measures, it leaves you vulnerable to data theft and malware infection. So if you jailbreak your device, thoroughly vet any apps before installing them.

Do iPhone viruses go away?

If your iPhone is infected with malware, it likely won’t go away on its own. Act quickly to remove the virus or malware from your iOS device and restore your privacy and security.

 

Historically, cybercriminals were less likely to design malware for Apple devices because they were less popular. But as Apple products become more widespread, it’s important to learn how to get rid of malware on iPhone and iPad in case something malicious sneaks in.

Other iPhone security risks

Knowing how to remove malware from your iPhone is just one step toward iPhone safety. Here are some other common threats to iPhone and iPad:

    Give your iPhone an extra layer of protection

    Preparation is the most reliable defense against threats. Take a proactive step toward keeping cybercriminals out of your iPhone or iPad with Avast One for iOS.

     

    Avast One isn’t just a powerful antivirus. It also detects malicious websites in real time to help prevent hackers from stealing your data or downloading and installing malware onto your phone. And the leak-monitoring feature notifies you immediately if any of your passwords have leaked, helping you keep your accounts secure.

     

    Get advanced threat-detection technology — secure your iPhone today with Avast One.

    FAQs

    How do I know if my iPhone has a virus?

    The best way to know if you have an iPhone virus is to check for the following signs: unfamiliar or crashing apps, lots of Safari pop-ups, unusual charges or data usage, a rapidly draining battery, or a consistently hot phone.

     

    As your device ages, you may notice a decrease in speed or battery life. That’s normal, and usually performance issues are caused by age or outdated software. So before considering how to remove viruses from your iPhone, try cleaning up your iPhone and boosting its speed.

    What is an iPhone virus?

    A virus is a malicious bit of software designed to infect devices by spreading from one to another. iPhone viruses, which can be found on jailbroken devices, are no different — they hijack the resources of their host systems to replicate and propagate to other devices.

     

    If your iPhone is acting strangely, it’s more likely caused by a wonky app than by malware — unless it’s jailbroken. So before trying iPhone virus removal, check your apps to make sure everything is working properly.

    Where do iPhone viruses come from?

    The most common way for viruses and other malware to infect your iPhone is if you’ve jailbroken your device and installed unvetted apps or visited unsafe websites. And, though rare, iPhone malware isn’t unheard of — for example, Pegasus spyware can infect iOS devices. That’s why using a free iOS security app is so important.

    Can iPhones get viruses from websites?

    Because of the unique architecture of iOS hardware and software, an iPhone can’t get a virus from a compromised website unless it’s jailbroken. But that doesn’t mean they’re completely immune to all malware. Now that smartphone use is ubiquitous, hackers have been hard at work crafting all sorts of malware for mobile devices and computers alike.

    Can my iPad get a virus?

    There are no known viruses on iPads. iPads run the same highly-secured Apple operating system that powers iPhones, so there’s little risk of your iPad getting a virus. But other forms of malware, such as spyware, have been known to infect iPads.

     

    If you do run into a problem with your iPad, the process of removing spyware from an iPad is the same as getting rid of viruses on an iPhone. So if you know how to cure your iPhone, you’ll also know how to clear viruses from your iPad.

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