Doing A Factory Reset To Remove A Virus Will It Work

Check out our detailed virus scanning and removal guides for Windows, macOS, Samsung Galaxy, Android, & iPhone to learn how to remove any type of virus or malware.

If you have a Windows PC, you can often remove rootkits and bootkits by performing a scan using Microsoft Defender Offline, which runs in a trusted environment outside of the operating system. [3] X Research source

If your recovery partition is infected, you can do a factory reset using a system recovery disc, a bootable system USB drive, or by flashing your phone or tablet.

Factory reset an iPhone or iPad Factory reset an Android phone or tablet Factory reset a Windows PC Factory reset a MacBook or Mac desktop Factory reset a TV

If you’re using Windows, you can check for updates in Settings > Update & Security (Windows 10) or Settings > Windows Update (Windows 11). On a Mac, you can check for updates in Apple Menu > System Settings > General > Software Update (Ventura and later) or Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update (Monterey and earlier). On Android, go to Settings > System > System updates to update your phone or tablet. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for and install updates.

While you can’t perform a scan on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, you can rest assured that your Apple device is doing work behind the scenes to keep you protected.

If you have Windows, stick to the Microsoft Store for your app installs, as the apps available in the store go through a vetting process. The same goes for your Mac—if you stick to the apps available in the Mac App Store, you will reduce your risk of malware infection. If you have an Android, Google Play Protect actively scans the apps you install from the Play Store for viruses and malware.

Check out our guide on securing your home network for more tips to keep you safe.