Is the iPhone battery virus a scam?

What is a battery virus?

The first thing we should make clear is that this “battery virus” is not a real thing. Viruses and other malware attack software, not hardware.

The battery is just a part of your device that powers your phone – there’s no software for a virus to corrupt. Any pop-ups stating that “your battery is badly damaged by virus” are just phishing scams meant to scare you into acting illogically.

What happens when you click the link? You might be redirected to a page where your phone can be infected with malware. Perhaps you’ll be sent to a form and told to sign up for free antivirus software. Either way, it’s a scam, designed to steal your information and spread malicious software.

Can a virus drain your battery?

Yes, if you happen to get a real piece of malware on your device, it is likely to drain your battery – sometimes significantly. Battery drain is one of the main symptoms of a device infected with spyware. The malware collects and sends out information about you as you’re using the device –the processing power takes its toll on the battery.

How to tell if you have malware on your iPhone

If your battery drains exceptionally quickly, first try letting it discharge completely until the device shuts down, then charge your iPhone fully. This way, you will calibrate the battery meter and be able to check your actual battery health in the settings.

If your battery health is poor (70 % and below), it’s not surprising that your iPhone loses power quickly. At this point, you can either get used to charging your battery more often or try getting a new battery installed.

However, good battery health on a fast-draining phone is a red flag, and you should investigate further.

How to tell if you have a virus that drains your phone’s battery?

First of all – do you have a jailbroken device? Have you even downloaded apps from third-party app stores? If you did, it’s likely that one of them came with an unpleasant add-on. iPhones rarely get infected with viruses or other malware, but it’s not impossible.

When you download content outside of the App Store, they aren’t subject to Apple’s regulations and may mean they contain adware or malware.

How to avoid malware

It’s possible to remove adware from your phone, however it can be a lengthy process. Not to mention, there’s no guarantee that the malware won’t do permanent damage while your device is infected. Here’s how to avoid it:

• Know what signs to look for. Any strange behavior or sudden changes in how your device works could be a sign of malware and is worth investigating. You can learn how to identify if your phone is hacked by getting familiar with the warning signs to look out for.
• Beware of phishing. Know what phishing is and how it works, so the next time you see iPhone battery virus warnings, you’ll know it’s a scam.
• Be careful with software. Only download apps from the App store – if you get them anywhere else, there’s no way of knowing what will end up installed on your phone.
• Use a VPN at all times. Using a VPN on your iPhone will protect you from ending up on malicious sites in the first place. Its Threat Protection feature will block your access if it detects you’re about to enter a website known to host malware, and scans downloads for malware.