How to fix a hacked or virus infected iPhone 8 (malware removal and prevention)

With iPhones being so popular, it’s no wonder that the platform is constantly the target of hacks and malware. In today’s episode, we touch on this common scenario and provide solutions for it. If you think your iPhone has been infected by malware, check out this post.

Before we proceed let us remind you that you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page. When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Below are specific topics we’re bringing for you today:

Problem #1: How to fix iPhone 8 mobile data issue: mobile data not working

Hello. I recently purchased the iPhone 8 and went out today so I left my home hotspot but I have 4G internet on my phone so data shouldn’t be a problem. As soon as I tried to open a app that required internet a message appeared that I needed internet for that app. I tried the internet and also did the same. My phone is not getting any internet connection other than when I’m at home and connect to my WiFi. My mom has the same phone and going through the same issue.

Solution: Mobile data connection is not automatically enabled so you want to turn it on first before you can use it. Even if you are at home right now, try checking if mobile works by turning off wifi, and enabling mobile data. Afterwards, check if you have internet connection.

If you are positive that you did enable mobile data but there was no internet connection, try checking your APN settings. Having incorrect settings will prevent your iPhone 8 from connecting to your network’s mobile data service.  To check your APN settings, do either of the following steps:

  • Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Cellular Network
  • Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > Mobile Data Network.

If your carrier does not allow editing of APN settings, call them so they can help you fix your issue.

Some users were able to fix mobile data issues before by resetting their APN settings. To see if you can do the same, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings app.
  2. Go to Cellular.
  3. Tap Cellular Data Network.
  4. Tap Reset Settings.

Mobile data connection is not automatically given by carriers. You need to subscribe to it in order for it to work in your device. Contact your network operator if the issue persists.

Problem #2: What to do if your iPhone 8 GPS has stopped working

I’ve been having problems with my gps. It started a couple weeks ago. I’ve tried now for 3 days to fix it, Apple has tried, at&t has also and it’s still not fixed. I installed Pokémon go and it might have worked for 2 days. When playing I have to walk to a certain place before the map starts showing anything but then I’m constantly losing service while still playing, I’ve reset my phone, the network, location. All of it. I even uninstalled my apps and it still won’t work. My location say I’m about a mile away in the middle of a river when I’m at my house. Since this has started my location is also wrong with google. I live in Wv and it says Washington DC. I’m not sure what to do except going to an Apple store but the closest one is about 2 hours away from me so I really don’t want to go there, and I do want to get a newer iPhone but I was hoping to find one at a reasonable price since my phone is a no contract. If anyone has any ideas please let me know!!

Solution: Your iPhone 8 has a set of chips that help it receive and use GPS signals. Both software and hardware are responsible in making sure the device interprets GPS correctly. Sometimes, an app may interfere with the operating system causing problems. If you recently installed an app prior to noticing this problem, try to erase it and see if it will fix the issue.

To see if the problem can be fixed by updating the firmware or by restoring from an old backup, we suggest that you boot the device to Recovery Mode. From there, use iTunes to restore or update.

To boot your iPhone 8 to Recovery Mode:

  1. Connect your iPhone 8 to your Mac or PC with a Lightning to USB cable.
  2. Press and release the Volume Up button, press and release the Volume Down button, and press and hold the Side button until your device reboots. Continue holding the Side button, even after you see the Apple logo appear.
  3. Release the Side button once you see the Connect to iTunes logo appear on the iPhone’s display.
  4. Launch iTunes, and you should see a message stating that “There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored.” From there, you can choose to Update or Restore your iPhone’s software.

If an update or backup restore won’t fix your problem, we suggest that you contact Apple for help. They’ll most likely send you a replacement for this one so be sure to talk to them how long the process will take.

Problem #3: How to fix a hacked or virus infected iPhone 8 (malware removal and prevention)

Will not allow me to delete contacts. Additionally, when I am on a particular site such as local news, there are interruptions such as a random video unrelated to news content that I am reading. I downloaded a Christian quote site and answered a couple of questions and have had problems ever since. When I receive calls , the caller is unable to hear me and vice versa. Personal laptop has been hacked and so has my phone. Paid too much money for this phone to be unable to remove viruses. Please help asap.

Solution: You are the first line of defense of your iPhone against malware or viruses. If you’re not careful with your browsing habits or with apps you install, it’s only a matter of time before your iPhone gets infected. Even the most sophisticated electronics can be infected by viruses if humans using them are careless.

Factory reset

If you think your iPhone is hacked or infected by malware, the first thing that you need to do is wipe it clean. You can do that by doing a factory reset. Be sure to back your photos or videos up to iTunes or iCloud before doing a factory reset. Follow the steps below to factory reset your iPhone 8:

  1. Open Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your passcode.
  6. Tap Erase iPhone.

Filter your apps

Factory reset is just the first step that you need to do in this situation. Once you’ve cleaned out the phone, that doesn’t mean it can’t get infected again. Mobile security is a continuous task for a user so you can’t just be careless again. Malware or viruses in iPhones are usually spread by installing bad apps. With hundreds of thousands of apps in the App Store, there’s no easy way to identify which one can’t be trusted. Apple has very strict vetting process when it comes to apps but some may go around the automated filtering process. To minimize the chance of viruses, you must only install apps from trusted sources. As much as possible, try to use official apps only and avoid apps from unknown developers. If can’t avoid installing an app from least known developer, try doing research to see if other users have reported the product for spreading malware or suspicious behavior. You can also check the reviews for said app.

Some bad apps may appear legit initially but may change later on after an update. Because APple can’t control what app you install, you should exert effort in picking apps.

Avoid visiting suspicious sites

Like a computer, you can also visit websites in your iPhone 8 using a web browser. Some malware or viruses can also be injected to your device if you are not careful with sites to visit. Some links in a website may be booby-trapped and once you clicked on them, they can spread viruses and take control of your device. The same is true for malware designed to work off emails. In general, make sure that you only click on a link from a trusted source. If the site or email link appear dubious, avoid clicking on anything.

Install a security app

Security apps can provide limited help in minimizing virus or malware as long as you follow the first two suggestions above. Try to install a free antivirus app and stick with it for a while. If you like it, then continue using its free or premium version. Keep in mind though that there’s no perfect antivirus app. You still have to observe safe browsing and care in selecting apps if you want to stay away from viruses.

Having two or more antivirus apps at the time can severely impact the performance of your device. Make sure to only install one at any one time to avoid problems. When it comes to antivirus apps, having more is not good.

 


Engage with us

If you happen to have a problem with your own iPhone, let us know about it and we will do our best to post them and their solutions  in our upcoming articles. You can use this link to contact us for assistance. We can’t guarantee an answer to every question but rest assured that we will exhaust everything on our end to help you.

Be as detailed as possible when describing your problem to help us diagnose your issue easily. If you can include error messages, popups, attempted troubleshooting steps, and circumstances leading to the problem, that would be very helpful.

If you happen to have a problem with your own iPhone, let us know about it and we will do our best to post them and their solutions  in our upcoming articles. You can use this link to contact us for assistance. We can’t guarantee an answer to every question but rest assured that we will exhaust everything on our end to help you.

Be as detailed as possible when describing your problem to help us diagnose your issue easily. If you can include error messages, popups, attempted troubleshooting steps, and circumstances leading to the problem, that would be very helpful.

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