Are you looking for the best solution to get rid of spyware on your iPhone. How about some FREE and RELIABLE methods?
Apple has an advertising campaign that “what happens in your iPhone stays on your iPhone.”
But is it true? Does it mean nobody is watching you when you are alone in your room browsing the internet? Unfortunately, no.
The internet is full of spyware apps that hackers, government agencies, and other third parties use to spy on your activities online. Although iPhones come with advanced security features, spyware that can infiltrate the smartphone does exist.
Is there anything that you can do to stop the spying? You can limit the spying by using anti spyware apps that detect and get rid of the spy software.
How to remove spyware from your iPhone
How do you know that you have spyware on your iPhone? The best way to detect spyware is by using a spyware detecting app. You should use a trusted app, probably from the App Store.
After downloading and installing the app, you can then run a scan to detect any spyware. The spyware detection app will conduct a fast scan and unfold any app on your phone that monitors your online activities.
After scanning and discovering that there is spyware in your iPhone, how should you proceed?
Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just deleting the spy app.
Why?
Spying apps are developed to avoid detection. As such, they are entrenched deep inside your phone’s system files so as not to be detected. Thus, just deleting the app may not offer the best solution to getting rid of the spyware.
However, there are ways you can get rid of the spyware on iPhone effortlessly and doesn’t require you to have advanced technical knowledge.
So, which methods can you use to get rid of the spyware?
#1. Install an anti-spyware program
If you want to remove spyware from your iPhone, the best bet would be to install an anti-spyware program.
How does it work?
An anti-spyware program works by detecting the spyware in your iPhone and then deleting them. The anti-spyware runs a scan on your iPhone, detects the spyware, and then asks you to uninstall it.
However, you should be careful with the anti-spyware program you use, as some can also be malware. Only use a trusted anti-spyware, probably from the App Store.
#2. Perform an iOS software update
You are probably wondering, “How will an iOS software upgrade help in getting rid of spyware?”
Well, look at it this way. A vast majority of spyware requires the iPhone device to be jailbroken for it to function. Jailbreaking refers to the process of removing restrictions so that the Apple device can allow for third-party apps installation.
When you update the iOS software, you remove the jailbreak. Thus, any third-party app on the device, including the spyware, ceases to function. Therefore, the software update may be the most seamless method of getting rid of spyware on iPhone.
How do you update the software?
On your iPhone device, go to the “Settings” and then to “General.” After that, tap “Software Update,” and you are good to go.
#3. Reset the device to factory settings
If you are looking for a thorough method of getting rid of the spyware in your iPhone, resetting the device to factory settings is the best bet.
When you reset the device, you erase all the data from your device and install the latest iOS software. Thus, you return the device to the factory settings.
Before you can reset the password, it would be best to back it up using iCloud or iTunes. With that, you can restore your personal data when the process is over.
To reset the device, open iTunes on your PC or Mac and then connect your iOS device. Then, select your iPhone, and in the summary pane, click “Restore iPhone.” After that, click “Restore” to confirm the process.
The iOS device will then restore to factory settings and restart, and the process can take several minutes. After the procedure is complete and the device has restarted, you’ll have the option of restoring from a backup. The process allows you to restore your data from iCloud or iTunes to your device.
“Is it possible to restore remnants of the spyware from the backup?”
When you backup your data on iTunes or iCloud before restoring the device, you also back up some parts of the spy app.
As such, when you restore the personal data from the backup, you also restore parts of the spyware. If you run a scan using a spy detecting app, it may still detect the spyware. However, unlike before, the spyware will not be working on your device.
If you want to clean the device thoroughly, it would be best not to restore your data automatically from backup. On the contrary, you can re-add personal data manually.
Conclusion
With the upsurge of internet use, hackers and other third parties are reaping a lot from monitoring your online activities. They can even use your personal ID for various reasons, including committing cybercrimes. If you detect any spyware on your iPhone, you can use any of the methods above to get rid of it. This helps to limit spying and ensure your security as you browse the internet.
iPhone photo by Bagus Hernawan on Unsplash.