iPhones rarely get viruses, but you can still check for signs of infection
iPhones are built to resist viruses in ways that Android phones are not. Apple controls what software can run on your device, reviews every app in the App Store before it goes live, and isolates each app so it cannot access files or settings from other apps. A true virus that spreads itself from app to app is extremely rare on iPhone.
That said, malware can still reach your phone through a compromised app, a phishing link, or a website. The signs are usually obvious: your phone runs slowly, drains battery fast, shows pop-ups you did not tap, or uses data when you are not using it. If you see any of these, you can check what is actually happening and remove the problem.
Key Takeaways
- Most iPhone slowness comes from a full storage drive or too many apps running at once, not from malware.
- Check your battery usage in Settings to see which apps are draining power, then delete the ones you do not recognize or trust.
- Look at your cellular and Wi-Fi data usage to spot apps that are using data in the background without your knowledge.
- Restart your phone in Safe Mode by holding the power button, then swiping to power off, then holding power again until you see "Loading" — this disables all third-party apps and shows whether the problem is malware or a normal app.
- If a problem persists after restarting and deleting suspicious apps, back up your data and restore your iPhone from a clean backup or factory reset.
Check which apps are draining your battery
Battery drain is one of the first signs that something is wrong. Open Settings, tap Battery, then tap Battery Health & Charging. Scroll down to see which apps have used the most power in the last 24 hours or the last 10 days. Apps you do not recognize, or apps that are using far more battery than they should, are worth investigating.
If you see an app you do not remember installing, or one that is using 20% or more of your battery, tap it to see details. Then go back to Settings, tap General, tap iPhone Storage, find that app in the list, and tap Delete App. Confirm by tapping Delete App again. This removes the app completely from your phone.
After you delete an app, check your battery usage again over the next few hours. If the drain stops, the app was the problem. If the drain continues, move to the next step.
Review your data usage for unexpected activity
Malware often sends data to servers without your knowledge. Open Settings, tap Cellular, and scroll down to see which apps have used the most cellular data. Do the same in Settings > Wi-Fi to see data usage on your home network. Look for apps that are using data when you have not been using them.
Pay special attention to apps that do not normally need data — a calculator app, a note-taking app, or a game you have not opened in weeks should not be using gigabytes of data. If you see something suspicious, delete the app the same way you did above: Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app, tap Delete App.
Reset your data counters after you delete the app so you can see fresh numbers. In Settings > Cellular, scroll to the bottom and tap Reset Statistics. Do the same in Settings > Wi-Fi by tapping the Wi-Fi network name, then scrolling down and tapping Forget This Network, then reconnecting.
Restart your iPhone in Safe Mode to isolate the problem
Safe Mode disables all third-party apps and runs only Apple's built-in software. If your phone works normally in Safe Mode but has problems in regular mode, a third-party app is causing the issue. If the problem persists in Safe Mode, the issue is likely a hardware problem or a problem with iOS itself, not malware.
To enter Safe Mode, hold down the power button and either volume button at the same time until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone. Wait 30 seconds, then hold the power button again until you see the Apple logo. Keep holding until you see "Loading" appear on the screen — this takes about 10 seconds. Your phone will boot into Safe Mode with "Safe Mode" written at the bottom of the lock screen.
Use your phone normally for 10 to 15 minutes. Open the apps you use most. Check if the battery drains, if you see unexpected pop-ups, or if the phone feels slow. If everything works fine, restart your phone normally by holding the power button and swiping to power off, then turning it back on. The problem app is still on your phone, so go back to the battery and data usage sections above and delete apps one at a time until you find the culprit.
Check for suspicious apps you do not remember installing
Open the App Store and tap the account icon in the top right corner. Tap Purchased, then tap My Purchases. Scroll through the list of every app you have ever installed on this phone. Look for apps you do not recognize or do not remember downloading.
If you see something suspicious, tap the cloud icon next to it to uninstall it without deleting it from your purchase history. If you want to remove it completely, hold down on the app name and tap Remove from Purchases — this erases it from your account so you cannot accidentally reinstall it later.
Also check your home screen and app library for apps you do not use. Swipe to the last page of your home screen, then swipe right to open the App Library. Scroll through each category and look for anything unfamiliar. Delete anything you do not recognize by holding down on the app icon, tapping Remove App, then tapping Delete from Home Screen or Delete App.
Back up your data and restore your iPhone if the problem persists
If you have deleted suspicious apps, restarted in Safe Mode, and the problem still continues, the safest option is to restore your iPhone. This erases everything and reinstalls iOS from scratch. Before you do this, back up your data so you do not lose photos, messages, or contacts.
Connect your iPhone to a computer with a USB cable. On a Mac with macOS Monterey or later, open Finder and click your iPhone in the sidebar. On a Windows PC or older Mac, open iTunes. Click Back Up Now and wait for the backup to finish. This creates a copy of your data that you can restore later.
After the backup is complete, click Restore iPhone. Your phone will erase and reinstall iOS. When it finishes, you can choose to restore from your backup or set it up as new. If you restore from backup and the problem comes back, the malware was in your backup — in that case, set up as new and reinstall only the apps you absolutely need.
Protect your iPhone from malware going forward
The best defense is prevention. Only download apps from the App Store, never from links in emails or text messages. Be suspicious of apps that ask for unusual permissions — a flashlight app should not need access to your contacts or location. Check app reviews before you install something new; if an app has hundreds of one-star reviews complaining about ads or crashes, skip it.
Keep your iOS version current. Go to Settings, tap General, tap Software Update, and install any update that is available. Updates patch security holes that malware could use to get in. Also be careful with links in emails, texts, and social media — if a message asks you to click a link to "verify your account" or "confirm your password," do not click it. Go directly to the website or app instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can iPhones get viruses like Android phones do?
True viruses that spread from app to app are extremely rare on iPhone because of how iOS is designed. Malware can still reach your phone through a compromised app or a phishing link, but it is contained to that one app and cannot spread to your whole system the way it can on Android.
Do I need to install antivirus software on my iPhone?
No. Antivirus apps on the App Store cannot actually scan your phone the way antivirus works on a computer — Apple does not let them access the files they would need to scan. They are not harmful, but they do not provide real protection either. Keeping iOS updated and being careful about what you download is more effective.
What does it mean if my iPhone gets hot and drains battery fast?
This usually means an app is running in the background and using a lot of processing power. Check Settings > Battery to see which app is using the most power. It could be malware, but it is more often a normal app that is misbehaving — a game, a social media app, or a navigation app. Delete it and see if the problem stops.
Is it safe to restore my iPhone from a backup if I think I had malware?
If you deleted the suspicious app before making the backup, restoring from backup is safe — the malware is gone. If you are not sure when the malware got on your phone, set up your iPhone as new instead of restoring from backup. Then reinstall only the apps you absolutely need, one at a time, and watch for the problem to come back.
What should I do if I clicked a suspicious link in a text message?
Do not panic. Clicking a link does not automatically install anything on your iPhone. If a page opened asking you to enter your password or download something, close Safari immediately and do not enter any information. Then follow the steps above to check your battery and data usage. If nothing seems wrong after a few hours, you are fine.