What to Do If You Think Your iPhone Has a Virus or Malware

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Find malware on your smartphone in just a few simple steps

Written by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: August 29, 2024 Fact Checked

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• How can I tell if my iPhone has a virus?
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• Removing Viruses from Your iPhone
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• Protecting Your iPhone from Infections
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• How Do I Check If My iPhone Is Hacked?
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• Video
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• Q&A

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Are you seeing pop-ups, experiencing app crashes, or finding apps you didn't install on your iPhone? While iPhone viruses aren't common, they do exist—luckily, a simple factory reset will easily remove viruses without any hassle! This wikiHow article will help you check for signs that your iPhone is infected with a virus, adware, spyware, or other malware.

Common Signs of a Virus on iPhone

Your iPhone might have a virus if you notice lots of pop-ups in your browser or if you see unfamiliar apps in your App Library. A virus can also cause unexplained spikes in data usage, poor battery performance, and laggy apps.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

How can I tell if my iPhone has a virus?

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1. 1
   Check to see if your iPhone is jailbroken. Jailbreaking removes many of the iPhone’s built-in restrictions, leaving it vulnerable to unapproved app installations. If you purchased the iPhone from someone else, they may have jailbroken it to install malicious software. Here’s how to check if it’s jailbroken:

   • Swipe left on the Home Screen until you get to the App Library, then use the search bar at the top of the screen to search for apps called “Cydia” and “Sileo.” If either one comes up in the search results, your phone is likely jailbroken.
   • Look for other unusual apps, like “checkra1n.” If you see any apps you don’t recognize, search for them on Google to see if they’re associated with jailbroken iPhones.
   • You can also try a jailbreak scan. Several apps claim to offer this service. However, do your research before installing one of these apps to make sure it is safe and effective.
   • To unjailbreak your iPhone, see Unjailbreak an iPhone.
2. 2
   Look for pop-up ads in Safari. If you are suddenly inundated with pop-up ads when using the Safari browser on your iPhone, there could be an infection.

   • Never click a link in a pop-up ad. This could result in further infections.
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3. 3
   Watch out for crashing apps. If the apps you use regularly are suddenly crashing, someone may have found a security weakness to exploit in that app.

   • Update the apps on your iPhone regularly so you’re always using the most secure versions.
4. 4
   Look for unknown apps. Trojan apps are made to look legitimate, so this requires a little bit of sleuthing.

   • Swipe through your home screens and folders to check for apps you don't recognize or don't remember installing.
   • If you see an app that looks familiar but don’t recall installing it, it could be malicious. It’s best to delete it if you don’t know what it is.
   • To look at your purchase history in the App Store:
     • Open
       
       Settings and tap your name at the top of the menu. Then, tap Media & Purchases > View Account > Purchase History.
     • Tap Last 90 Days at the top and select a longer date range to view your history going further back. You can also search for specific apps by name, price, or order ID.
     • If there’s an app on your phone that isn’t on this list (and doesn’t come from Apple), it’s likely malicious.
5. 5
   Check for unexplained charges and data usage spikes. Viruses run in the background, using your data to communicate with the internet. Check your mobile provider’s billing statement to make sure you haven’t had a spike in data usage, or are suddenly paying to send SMS messages to premium numbers.
6. 6
   Monitor battery performance. Since viruses run in the background, they can drain your battery faster than expected.

   • To check your battery usage, see Checking Battery Usage. This teaches you how to find which apps are using the most battery power.
   • If you see an app in the list you don’t recognize, remove it immediately.
7. 7
   Watch out for lags and glitches. Viruses can make your iPhone run slowly, overheat, or behave in other strange or unexpected ways. If you notice anything like this happening, your iPhone may be infected or hacked.
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Section 2 of 3:

Removing Viruses from Your iPhone

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1. 1
   Restart your iPhone. This isn’t a permanent fix, but it might interrupt the malicious app long enough for you to get the problem under control. The right way to restart your iPhone depends on the model:

   • If your iPhone has Face ID, press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the Power Off slider appears. Swipe the slider to shut down your phone, then restart with the side button.
   • If your iPhone has a Home button, press and hold the side button, then swipe the Power Off slider. Turn your phone back on with the side button.
   • For all models, you can go to
     
     Settings > General > Shut Down, then drag the Power Off slider.
   • If your phone won’t shut down or isn’t responding, you may need to force restart it.
2. 2
   Update to the latest version of iOS. iOS updates often include security patches that can block or fix viruses and other security threats. If you suspect your iPhone has a virus, update it as soon as possible.

   • You can update directly from your device by going to
     
     Settings > General > Software Update. If a new update is available, select it and follow the prompts to begin the update process.
3. 3
   Clear your browser history, cache, and cookies. If you got a virus by visiting a malicious website or clicking on a strange link, you might be able to undo some or all of the damage by clearing your browser history.

   • To clear your history in Safari:
     • Open
       
       Settings and scroll down, then tap Safari.
     • Tap Clear History and Website Data.
     • You can also toggle on security features like Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and Fraudulent Website Warning to help prevent future issues.
   • To clear your cache in other browsers, check out How to Clear Your Browser’s Cache on an iPhone.
4. 4
   Delete any suspicious apps. If you see any apps on your iPhone that you don’t remember installing, delete them right away—especially if they didn’t come from the App Store. To delete an app, tap and hold the app icon on the Home Screen, then tap Remove App. Tap Delete App, then tap Delete.
5. 5
   Restore or reset your iPhone. If your iPhone is still behaving suspiciously, you can try restoring it from a backup, if you made one before the phone was infected. If you don’t have a backup and nothing else has worked, you may need to reset your iPhone to factory settings and start from scratch. Either way, you’ll have to erase the contents of your phone first.

   • To erase your iPhone:
     • Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
     • Tap Erase All Content and Settings. You may be prompted to enter your passcode or your Apple ID and password.
     • Tap Continue to confirm. You might be prompted to either keep or delete your eSIM if you have one.
     • Wait for your iPhone to restart.
   • From here, you can either set up your iPhone from scratch or restore it from a backup. See Apple Support’s detailed guide to restoring your iPhone from iCloud or a computer backup.
6. 6
   Change your Apple ID password. If someone has hacked into your iPhone, they might be using your iCloud account or other Apple services to make purchases or do other malicious activities. Even if you don’t see any evidence that someone has been using your account, you might want to reset your password just to be safe. Here’s how:

   • Open Settings > your name > Sign-In & Security.
   • Tap Change Password.
   • Type in your current password or the passcode for your iPhone.
   • Type in a new password, then enter it again to confirm it.
   • Select Change or Change Password.
7. 7
   Remove unknown devices from your account. If someone hacked into your Apple ID account, they might be signed in on unfamiliar devices. Here’s how to find and remove them:

   • Tap Settings > your name and scroll down to see a list of your devices.
   • If you see a device you don’t recognize, tap on it.
   • Tap the red Remove from Account banner at the bottom of the screen.
   • Confirm your choice in the message that pops up.
   • Change your Apple ID password if you haven’t already.
8. 8
   Install an antivirus app. There are several antivirus/antimalware apps available for iOS. Download one of these apps from the App Store and use it to scan for and remove any malicious apps or processes from your iPhone.

   • A few popular options include McAfee Security, Norton 360, and AVG Mobile Security.
   • Most of these apps offer both free and premium features.
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Section 3 of 3:

Protecting Your iPhone from Infections

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1. 1
   Don’t jailbreak your iPhone. While jailbreaking your iPhone gives you more freedom to personalize it and install a wider variety of apps, it comes with a lot of risks. In addition to security vulnerabilities, you may lose access to official Apple updates and other support for your device.
2. 2
   Keep your apps and iOS up to date. Regular updates help ensure your apps and operating system are more stable and protected against the latest security vulnerabilities. If you don’t already have automatic updates turned on, do so now:

   • Open Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Automatic Updates.
   • Toggle on the switches next to iOS Updates and Security Responses & System Files under the Automatically Install header.
   • Toggle on the switch next to iOS Updates under the Automatically Download header.
   • You can also set your iPhone to automatically update apps. Go to Settings > App Store and toggle on App Updates.
3. 3
   Download your apps from the App Store. Apps that are available in the App Store have been tested and approved by Apple to make sure they’re safe. Avoid installing apps from other sources on your iPhone unless you’re absolutely sure they can be trusted.
4. 4
   Avoid opening suspicious links. If you get an email or text from an unknown source, don’t tap any links or open any attachments in the message. Just delete the email or text. Likewise, avoid tapping on links in suspicious pop-ups or spammy websites.
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How Do I Check If My iPhone Is Hacked?

Community Q&A

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• Question

  Is it normal when a phone loses 1% battery in about 8 minutes?

  

  Aradius Group

  Community Answer

  Many battery issues are actually software-related. Sometimes something as simple as updating your phone's software can resolve a battery draining prematurely. You may also want to check the health of your battery. If it's exceeded too many discharge cycles, then it may merely be entering the end of its life.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 22 Helpful 60
• Question

  My confusion is that when I type Cydia, it showed Siri’s knowledge and a picture of the app, and it showed it under the little website column but, in did not show if it was on my phone.

  

  Xinyi Sun

  Community Answer

  Then you probably don’t have it. To be sure, type Cydia in App Store and if it says open instead of instore, your device is jailbroken.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 61 Helpful 113
• Question

  I have an iPhone XR (iOS 13.2.2 version). When I opened the notes to write something, it automatically threw me out of the notes and sent me to the camera. What should I do? Is it jailbroken or hacked?

  

  EquableProgram

  Community Answer

  If you have the shortcuts app, check to make sure there isn’t an automated shortcut making that happen. Other than that, talk to Apple Tech support online, on the phone, or in-store.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 12 Helpful 26

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wikiHow Video: How To Check For Viruses On iPhone

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