Keep Your Android Phone Free Of Malware With These 6 Quick Tips
It’s no secret that keeping your android phone free of malware is becoming more and more difficult. With the constant release of new malware, it can be hard to know what to do in order to keep your phone clean. There are many different things you can do in order to reduce the chance that your phone will become infected with malware. Here, you’re going to see 6 quick tips on how you can protect yourself from viruses and other harmful software!
Get Antivirus Software
Computer viruses are able to reach any electronic device you use from computers to phones. You need to consider getting the best antivirus for Android on the market so that you ensure this won’t be an issue. Antivirus will protect you from viruses, spyware, and malware that may cause some serious damage to your files as well as keep your data safe.
Viruses can spread across all of the different types of data you have on a phone from photos to texts which is why it’s so important to make sure they are protected at all times. Update your antivirus whenever you can so that you know you’ll stay safe.
Check What You Download
You can download tons of file types to your Android phone nowadays, and not just apps from Google Play Store. These files may include the following:
- APK files: Android application package file.
- PDFs: Portable document format.
- DOCs: Microsoft Word documents.
- TXTs: Plain text files.
- MPGs: MPEG videos.
- JPGs: Joint Photographic Experts Group images.
Unfortunately, all of these file types can be malicious. As a result, it’s important to check what you’re downloading and installing on your Android phone. Most of these file types can be dangerous, so it’s essential that you scan them before opening them.
Make sure the websites you’re downloading from are trustworthy. Hacking is a big problem with Android phones, so you want to be sure that the site itself isn’t malicious.
Don’t Open Suspicious Emails Or Messages
Lots of viruses can come through your email, so keeping your Android phone free of malware is a lot easier if you don’t open suspicious emails or messages. If you’re not sure an email is legit, contact the sender to ask. Also, make sure your anti-virus software is up to date on both your computer and your phone.
It’s usually smart to ignore or report spam messages, especially if they include attachments. Many times, these spammy emails will have viruses or malware attached to them, and you don’t want that on your phone.
Careful With The Websites You Visit
Always keep your eyes open when surfing the web, especially when you’re using your Android phone. Many websites are riddled with malware that can infect your device and steal your data.
Don’t visit shady websites. The majority of malware comes from sketchy, poorly designed websites. If you don’t know what a website is, or if it looks like it was made in the early 2000s, stay away. Learn how to recognize a safe website.
It can happen that you get a virus without even noticing it. If you’re not careful, malware infection can steal your personal information, passwords, and credit card numbers. That’s why it’s important to know how to keep your Android phone free of malware.
Turn Off Bluetooth And Wi-Fi When Not In use
Even when you are not using these features, they are still connected to the internet. This means that if your phone is infected with malware, it will be able to spread itself to other devices in its network. It also opens up a connection for hackers so they can steal information from you.
This is crucial when you’re in public places like airports or coffee shops. Hackers can take advantage of open networks to access your phone and steal your information. So make sure you turn off Bluetooth and wi-fi when you’re not using them.
Use A Screen Lock
You don’t want anyone touching your phone without your permission, and keeping it locked is a great way to keep malware from infecting your phone. To add an extra layer of security on top of the PIN or password lock screen that Android offers by default, you can also turn on the ‘screen lock pattern’.
This feature will require you to draw a specific design with your finger in order for anyone else to be able to unlock the device. Not only does this make everything more secure but it’s perfect if someone has access to your phone because they’ll have no idea how much effort goes into drawing that perfectly symmetrical flower or pizza slice!
Your Android phone is one of the most useful gadgets you can have. That’s why you need to keep it safe by getting an antivirus app downloaded and updated. Be careful with what you download and don’t open suspicious emails or messages on social networks. Also, be careful when you’re visiting certain websites and turn off your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you’re not using it especially outside. Finally, for an extra layer of protection, lock your screen so that only you can use it!