If you suspect your Android phone has been hacked, you don’t need to ditch it entirely. There are several methods you can use to recover a compromised device. To begin with, there are certain signs you need to look for, in order to know for sure that your phone has been hacked. Read this article to know more. Once that’s done, use these 5 methods to quickly fix or recover your hacked Android phone.
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Table of Contents
Delete any suspicious apps
If you started noticing your phone’s absurd behaviour after installing an app, it is possible that the app is responsible for pushing malware on your device. Always look out for signs like invasive ads on your phone UI to direct malware. If you are using a modded app, it could be the culprit behind this issue. Go to Settings>Apps>App Name>Uninstall to remove any app from your device. If you suspect that a malicious entity installed a spy app on your device to gain illegitimate access to it, you need to perform a deep scan on your phone. Spy apps usually take the form of inconspicuous apps like Calendar or Calculator. If you notice something off with these apps, delete them from your phone immediately.
Clear your phone’s cache
If you notice a sudden drop in the performance of your smartphone, it may just be because of temporary files piling up in the system’s cache. These temporary files have the tendency to get corrupted and hamper the functioning of the device. Typically, the only way to clear your device’s cache is by going through every app individually and deleting its cached memory. However, you can clear your phone’s cache at once by rebooting it in Recovery Mode and selecting Wipe Cache Partition.
Perform an Anti-virus scan
If deleting suspicious apps and clearing the device’s cache didn’t work, you should perform a thorough anti-virus scan on your phone. Major anti-virus apps like McAfee, AVG, and Avast, also check for any malicious apps or files that may be intercepting your phone’s data, resulting in a sluggish performance. For better results, use the premium versions of these apps. Performing an anti-virus scan may take some time but it will most likely find the cause of the issue you are facing.
Disable call forwarding
If someone is tapping into your phone, they are most likely listening to all your calls. The ‘call redirection’ feature can be exploited by malicious entities, in order to gain unauthorised access to your calls. Luckily, you can disable call forwarding and redirection on your device by dialling a simple code. Open the phone dialer on your device, and dial ##002#.
Perform a factory reset
If you wanna ensure that there are no malicious files or apps on your device, perform a factory reset. This will permanently delete all the data on your phone, but it will also get rid of any spyware, malware, and other viruses. Here’s how you can go about it.
Step 1: Go to Settings, scroll down and select General Management.
Step 2: Tap on Reset.
Step 3: Select Factory data reset.
Step 4: Scroll down and tap on Reset.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I find out if my phone is hacked?
If you notice a sudden drop in performance, random glitches, and invasive ads across the UI, it is possible that your phone may have been hacked.
What is the quickest way to fix a hacked phone?
The quickest way to fix a hacked phone is by performing a factory reset of the device. This may delete all your personal data but it will also delete the malicious files.
How do I disable call forwarding on my device?
Dial ##002# to disable call forwarding and redirection on your phone.
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Conclusion
These are the 5 quick ways to fix a hacked Android phone. To prevent the installation of spyware or other malicious apps on your device, avoid downloading any apps or files from unknown sources. Sticking to Google Play Store and your smartphone manufacturer’s default app store greatly reduces the risk of a malware attack.
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