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How to manually scan for malicious apps on Android
Android has had problems in the past with malicious applications getting onto the Google Play Store. When that happens, users could unknowingly install those apps and create big problems. Malware, ransomware, trojans… you name it and it's possible.
No vetting process is perfect, but those rogue apps often only exist within the Play Store for a short time. That doesn't mean everyone is safe. You might be the only person to have installed a malicious app, but that's still one individual too many.
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Fortunately, your Android device can run manual scans for malicious apps. I've used this feature quite often. The only time the feature found anything malicious was when I ran a test scan after intentionally installing a questionable app from outside the Play Store. It worked and then removed the app.
I don't suggest attempting such a test. The phone I used wasn't associated with my personal Google account and had been factory-restored. Still, the good news is the feature works, and you should manually use it regularly.
Let me show you how.
How to run a manual scan on Android
What you'll need: The only thing you'll need is an updated Android device associated with a valid Google account.
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That's it. Let's get to the scan.
1. Unlock your device
The first thing to do is unlock your Android device.
2. Open the Google Play Store
On your Android device, open the Google Play Store app. Once opened, tap your profile icon at the top right of the window and then tap Play Protect from the popup.
You can also access the app/device manager from this page.
3. Run the scan
In the Play Protect window, you'll most likely see "No harmful apps found," and the time when the last scan was run. When Play Protect finds something that it believes to be malicious, based on the severity of what the app can do, it will either disable or remove the app.
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To start, tap Scan. The scan will go through every app you have installed. Unless you have many hundreds of apps, the process should take less than a minute. With over 150 apps on my device (including system apps), the scan took about 20 seconds. If Play Protect finds anything malicious on your device, it will resolve the problem automatically.
My Pixel 8 Pro was last scanned at 2:20 AM.
Chances are slim you will ever run across a malicious app on your Android device, so long as you are careful about what you install from the Play Store and never install apps outside the official app store. Even so, I find relief knowing I can kick off a scan whenever I want and that Play Protect is very good at what it does.