How to Scan a Samsung Galaxy Phone for Viruses Using Built-In Tools

Your Samsung Galaxy already has the tools to check for malware. You don't need to download a third-party scanner to get started. You just need to know where to look.

Google says Play Protect scans over 350 billion Android apps every day, which shows how much checking happens in the background. Still, it's worth knowing how to run a scan yourself when something seems off.

The good news: Samsung Galaxy devices ship with layered security built in. Here's how to use it.

How do you know if your Samsung phone has a virus?

Before you scan, it's worth knowing what you're looking for. Malware doesn't always announce itself. It often runs quietly in the background, doing damage while your phone looks perfectly normal.

These are signs worth paying attention to. Pop-ups, redirects, and messages you didn't send are among the signs Google lists for malware or unsafe software. Others are less specific and can have ordinary causes:

• Pop-up ads outside of apps. Pop-ups and new tabs that keep appearing are a sign Google lists for unwanted software.
• Apps you didn't install. If something appears on your home screen that you don't recognize, treat it as a red flag.
• Messages you didn't send. If your contacts get emails or messages from your accounts that you didn't write, an account may have been compromised. That isn't always malware on the phone, and calls or texts that appear to come from your number are often caller ID spoofing.
• Slower performance. Google lists slow performance as a possible sign of malware or unsafe software.
• Battery draining faster than usual. Malicious apps running in the background can use more power, although many ordinary things can too.
• The phone running hot. Unusual background activity can cause overheating, although heavy use or charging can too.
• Sudden spikes in mobile data usage. Some malware sends data back to remote servers in the background, although a spike can also have everyday causes.

If you're noticing several of these, it's time to run a scan.

What built-in security tools does a Samsung Galaxy have?

Samsung Galaxy devices come with three layers of security that are worth knowing about.

Device Care

Device Care is Samsung's built-in device management hub. Its protection tab runs malware scans, and Samsung has said the scan is powered by McAfee. Samsung's troubleshooting guidance for a phone that may have been hacked also points to a scan under Settings > Security and privacy > App security > App protection > Scan phone, according to Samsung Support. That option may not be available on every model or carrier.

Google Play Protect

Android phones with Google Play include Play Protect, Google's app-scanning service. It checks apps from Google Play before you download them and scans your device regularly, including apps from other sources. It runs automatically, and you can also start a scan yourself.

Samsung Knox and Auto Blocker

Samsung describes Knox as a security platform built into Galaxy devices. Auto Blocker, found at Settings > Security and privacy > Auto Blocker, adds protections such as blocking app installs from unauthorized sources, blocking USB commands, and Message Guard, which checks images in messages, as Samsung Newsroom and the Samsung Knox documentation describe.

Think of Device Care as your on-demand scanner, Play Protect as your app checker, and Knox and Auto Blocker as extra protection built into the phone.

How to run a virus scan using Device Care

This is the most direct way to check your Samsung Galaxy for threats. The menu names vary by model and One UI version, but the path is similar.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Battery and device care (called Device care on newer versions, and Device Maintenance on some older models).
3. Select Device protection.
4. Tap Scan phone.
5. Wait for the scan to complete. If threats are found, follow the on-screen instructions to remove them.

If you don't see Scan phone, you may need to turn on Device protection first. Samsung's malware protection guide says to turn it on before the scan option appears.

If your Galaxy is an older model running Android 6 or earlier, you'll find a similar option inside the Smart Manager app rather than Device Care. The steps are the same: open Smart Manager, go to Security, and run the scan.

How to use Google Play Protect

Play Protect is another way to check your apps, and it works alongside Device Care.

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
3. Select Play Protect.
4. Tap Scan to run a manual check.

Play Protect will flag any apps that look suspicious and let you uninstall them directly from the results screen. It also shows you when your last scan ran, so you can see how recently your device was checked.

One thing worth knowing: Play Protect focuses on apps rather than scanning every file on your phone. Use it alongside Device Care, not instead of it. Google's Play Protect help page explains what it checks.

What to do if something is found

If either scan flags a threat, here's a clear order of steps to follow.

Uninstall the suspicious app. Go to Settings > Apps, find the flagged app, and remove it. Don't just disable it.

Try Safe Mode. Safe Mode turns off third-party apps. Open the power menu, touch and hold Power off, then tap the Safe mode icon, as Samsung Support explains. If the problem disappears in Safe Mode, a third-party app is the likely cause. Uninstall recently downloaded apps one at a time, then restart normally to check, as Chrome Help suggests.

Check app permissions. Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Privacy > Permission manager. Look for apps with access to your contacts, SMS, microphone, or camera that shouldn't need it. Revoke any that seem off.

Block spam notifications. If pop-ups were the problem, open Chrome, go to Settings > Site settings > Notifications, and block notifications from sites you don't recognize.

Change your passwords. If you think malware may have captured your logins, change the passwords for your important accounts from a device you trust and turn on two-factor authentication, as the FTC advises.

Factory reset as a last resort. If the problem persists after everything above, a factory reset may be the next step. It erases your apps and data, so back up first. Go to Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset.

Habits that reduce your risk going forward

Scanning is reactive. These habits are what keep threats off your device in the first place.

• Stick to the Google Play Store. Play Protect still checks apps from other sources, but sideloaded APK files carry more risk because they skip Google Play's review. Samsung's Auto Blocker (Settings > Security and privacy > Auto Blocker) can block installs from unauthorized sources.
• Keep your phone updated. Samsung security patches close the vulnerabilities that malware exploits. Go to Settings > Software Update and check regularly.
• Review permissions before installing. If a flashlight app wants access to your contacts and microphone, that's a problem.
• Be careful with links in texts and emails. Phishing links that look like delivery notifications or bank alerts are a common way malware and scams reach Android devices.
• Be careful on public Wi-Fi. On unsecured networks, other people may be able to see traffic that isn't encrypted. Stick to https sites, turn off auto-connect, and consider using mobile data or a VPN for sensitive tasks, as the FCC suggests.

These aren't complicated steps. They're just consistent ones.

When built-in tools aren't enough

Samsung's built-in tools are useful, and they catch a lot. But they have limits.

Device Care and Play Protect focus on the apps and files on your phone. Play Protect compares apps with known harmful ones and also uses on-device machine learning and, with your consent, a real-time scan of unfamiliar apps, according to Google. Even so, no scanner catches everything, and many scams and phishing attempts start with a text or a link and never involve an installed app.

If a scan finds nothing but something still feels off, check your accounts for sign-in activity you don't recognize and update your passwords.

Conclusion

Checking a Samsung Galaxy for malware comes down to a few steps: run a Device Care scan, run a Play Protect scan, and act on anything they find. Habits such as updating your phone and sticking to trusted app stores make the next scan less likely to turn anything up.

Guardio doesn't scan your phone for malware, but it covers related risks. Email Security flags phishing emails that get past the Gmail spam filter, Identity Breach Monitoring checks whether your email address or phone number shows up in a known data breach, and browsing protection on your computer and phone blocks phishing and scam sites before they open and explains why. No tool catches everything.

Get a free security scan with Guardio today and stay protected.