# Android phone might have a virus. Anyone know how to get rid of it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** phones-tablets\ **Created:** [February 24, 2022, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050 "2022-02-24T13:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/1 "2022-02-24T13:17:48Z")
Hello Everyone, I have a Nord 100 Android running Android 11. I believe I’ve got a virus or malware and none of the anti virus programs are detecting anything. What is happening is that randomly no matter what app I’m using a web page will open up. They always display some form of advertising. Nothing that stops me from using the phone, but it’s getting annoying having random pages open up 20 times a day. Anyone have any idea what’s causing this and how I get rid of it? My last resort is to reset they phone, but that’s always as pain. Thanks for any help ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/2 "2022-02-24T13:38:00Z")
You could _try_ running an anti-virus tool like Bitdefender or Kaspersky. See if that gets rid of it. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/3 "2022-02-24T14:11:48Z")
I’ve tried Kaspersky and AVG and they are nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/4 "2022-02-24T14:36:09Z")
Did this start happening suddenly after installing an app? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/5 "2022-02-24T15:29:39Z")
I’d try, running malwarebytes, as my default tool. It also may be a browser based imbedded attack, so go into the settings and clear all the local data in your browser app, which will clear saved passwords and favorite sites as well, but sometimes works. And as stated earlier, remove any app(s) you’ve recently added - because if they’re the cause, it’ll just keep coming back from them. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/6 "2022-02-24T16:50:25Z")
Factory reset. I know it’s a pain, but nuking from orbit is the only way to be sure. If you have visible malware you very well might have invisible malware. Now, the last time I got a new phone it very helpfully installed all my apps from the previous one. You’re gonna want to make sure it doesn’t do that or you’re back to square one. [This looks like good advice on the topic.](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/67237/prevent-google-play-from-reinstalling-apps-after-factory-reset) ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/7 "2022-02-24T23:06:55Z")
Thanks for the replies. I’ve run all the suggested av software but no luck. Malwarebytes found nothing but you seen pages popped up while it was scanning. I think that a factory reset is coming. Damnit ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2022, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/8 "2022-02-25T02:49:05Z")
If you have a new enough android, check the “Display over other apps” permission, and remove it or uninstall all of those apps. That will help if it’s just a rogue app, and not something that’s actually corrupted the OS. ---
**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2022, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-phone-might-have-a-virus-anyone-know-how-to-get-rid-of-it/960050/9 "2022-02-25T06:59:39Z")
Sound more like PopUp ads than any kind of virus or malware. Before you do a factory reset give AdBlocker for Android a try. [https://adguard.com/en/adguard-android/overview.html](https://adguard.com/en/adguard-android/overview.html) For those interested AdBlocker is available as Free extension for Edge and Chrome. I use it on Windows 10 and have no PopUp ads whatsoever. 👍