How to Remove a Hacker or Spyware From Your Phone (Android & iPhone)

Last Updated: 4 June 2026

Your phone holds your email, banking, photos and messages — so the thought that someone else might be in it is unsettling. The good news: most phone “hacks” are removable, and you can take back control today. Below are the warning signs, the steps to remove the threat on both Android and iPhone, and how we can help if you’d rather have an expert make sure it’s gone for good.

Signs your phone may be compromised

• Battery draining much faster than usual, or the phone running hot when idle.
• Unfamiliar apps you don’t remember installing.
• Pop-ups, redirects, or your browser opening on its own.
• Spikes in mobile data use.
• Friends receiving texts or messages you didn’t send.
• Being locked out of your Apple ID, Google account, or banking app.
• Settings (like two-factor authentication or a recovery email) changed without you.

One or two of these can have innocent explanations. Several together are worth taking seriously.

First steps (any phone)

1. Change your key passwords from a different, trusted device — email and banking first, then your Apple ID or Google account. Turn on two-factor authentication.
2. Update your phone’s software. Updates close the security holes most attacks rely on.
3. Remove apps you don’t recognise.
4. If banking was involved, call your bank and let them know.

Android (Samsung, Google Pixel, and others)

• Open Settings → Apps and look for anything unfamiliar — uninstall it.
• Check Settings → Security → Device admin apps and turn off any app you didn’t deliberately grant admin rights to.
• Review Settings → Accessibility — spyware often hides here to read your screen. Switch off anything you don’t recognise.
• Restart in Safe Mode to stop third-party apps, then remove stubborn ones.
• If problems persist, back up your photos and do a factory reset — the most reliable clean. We can do this and set the phone back up safely for you.

iPhone

• iPhones are hard to infect with traditional viruses, so a “hack” is usually a compromised Apple ID or a sneaky configuration profile.
• Check Settings → General → VPN & Device Management and remove any profile you don’t recognise.
• Change your Apple ID password from another device and review the trusted devices on your account.
• Update to the latest iOS.
• Remove unfamiliar apps and review which apps have camera, microphone and location access in Settings → Privacy & Security.

How we make sure it’s really gone

DIY steps fix many cases, but if you want certainty, The Original PC Doctor will check your phone end-to-end — apps, profiles, permissions, account security and connected devices — remove anything malicious, help you lock down your accounts, and confirm the phone is clean. We’re patient, plain-English, and available across Australia onsite or remotely.

Report it

• IDCARE — free identity & cyber support: 1800 595 160.
• Scamwatch — scamwatch.gov.au.
• ReportCyber — cyber.gov.au.

A recent client story

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my phone is really hacked or just slow?

Age and full storage can mimic the symptoms. The clearer signs are unfamiliar apps, messages you didn’t send, settings changing on their own, or being locked out of accounts. If you’re unsure, a quick professional check settles it.

Will a factory reset remove spyware?

In almost all cases, yes — a factory reset is the most thorough clean for a phone. Back up your photos and contacts first (we can help), and be sure to change your account passwords afterwards from the clean device.

Can an iPhone get spyware?

True viruses are rare on iPhone. The usual culprits are a compromised Apple ID or a hidden configuration profile. Both are fixable — change your Apple ID password and remove unknown profiles, or let us check it.

Do you need to take my phone away?

Usually not. Many phone checks can be done while you wait or remotely. If a full reset and rebuild is needed, we’ll explain it first and keep your data safe.

Take back control of your phone. Call 1300 723 628 or book a phone security check.