Viruses & Malware
Are you seeing suspicious ads or pop-ups or are you concerned you have a virus or malware on your device? AT&T is not the source of—and cannot control—malware, but we can give you a few tips to troubleshoot and protect against malware in the future.
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If you’re experiencing ads or pop-ups in your mobile browser, visit Ads, Pop-ups & Notifications for tips.
Interested in proactive detection and malware and virus protection for your iOS device? AT&T Mobile Security helps protect your device from malware, viruses, and system threats. Learn more.
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Troubleshoot if you suspect malware on your device
The source of unwanted behaviors is often an app that the user downloaded to the device. Review third-party apps and update or uninstall recently installed apps if you suspect one of them is the problem. If all else fails, you can perform a factory reset on your device after backing up your data.
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Remove recently installed apps
Uninstall the apps that were downloaded or updated since the problem began. Oftentimes, issues will occur when using a specific app, which might indicate a problem with the app. If you are unsure which app is causing the issue, uninstall apps one at a time and begin with the ones that were installed most recently.
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Learn how to manage and remove apps in the App Troubleshooting tutorial.
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Perform a factory reset
If you're still seeing the problematic behavior, you can reset your device, but make sure to back up all your important data first.
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Tips to avoid malware in the future
1. Here are a few things you can check first:
a. Check the average rating in the App Store. A low rating could be a red flag.
b. Read the reviews—have other users reported problems with the app?
c. Check the developer name. Is it a company you trust? If not, do your research before installing their app on your phone.
2. Ensure that you only download apps from the App Store. The App Store fully vets applications before making them available to consumers, which can help prevent malware from spreading on iOS devices.
3. Install AT&T Mobile Security—a free app from AT&T that can help keep your phone secure from many types of harmful software ("malware"). View AT&T Mobile Security’s website for details. Â
4. Keep your apps and mobile operating system up to date.
5. Don't click on suspicious links, even if it's an official-looking pop-up that seems to indicate your device is infected.
Get more tips from our community on how to keep your device safe.