If you start uninstalling random stuff, you could cause more harm than good and break your phone's vital components. Obviously, you should only uninstall things that look suspicious but you know aren't important. Find anything you don't want, tap it, and select Uninstall. Sometimes you might have to tap the All Apps dropdown arrow. Navigate to Settings > Apps > App Manager and scroll through the list of apps on your phone.
If you find one, here's how to get rid of it. Sometimes, it won't use a ton of battery life, but it can still cause harm and drain your data.
Nasty apps or sites can install a program on your phone and send sensitive information back to a third party.ĭon't pass this off: it likely means your device has been hacked. These are apps you didn't install yourself. Check for Random Unwanted App InstallsĪnother tell-tale sign of malware or phone hacking is if you see random apps installed on your phone. If your battery is draining far too quickly and you find yourself wondering "is my phone hacked?", then definitely perform this check!Ģ.
You can reboot your phone, force close the suspect software, or if possible, completely uninstall the app. We all use our phones differently, but if you notice an extremely severe battery drain, that's a concern. At the same time, don't only look for weird app names because we've seen totally normal apps we didn't install do similar things. In this scenario, we probably have a keylogger or virus hiding its name to prevent being found.
"Miscellaneous" is worse, draining about 70 percent of your juice. As shown above, you see some random unknown shady app named "10214" killing 40 percent of the battery. This doesn't happen as often since Google has a comprehensive Google Play Protect system built into Android, but we still recommend checking. Open Settings > Battery > Battery Usage and look for an unknown app or anything unusual. Some of the most sophisticated malware can still leave traces on your phone or tablet, so start by checking the battery usage menu. If your p hone is hot for no reason, even when it's not charging, something could be running in the background while the screen is off. One of the best ways to see if your phone has been hacked is to check your battery usage. Poor Battery Life or Extreme Battery UsageĮven if you don't see clear signs of suspicious activity, something malicious can still be going on behind the scenes.
Here's how to tell if your Android phone is hacked.ġ. Plus, we'll explain how to keep you safe moving forward. If your phone is acting funny, you should use these tips to check for malware, scam apps, and other problems with your device. So, how do you know if your Android device has been hacked? Everyone has a smartphone these days and they pretty much run our lives, which means keeping it safe and free from viruses is very important.