Avast Mobile Security for Android - Getting Started

This article applies to the legacy Avast Mobile Security app, which is being replaced by the new Avast One. As part of this transition, the legacy Avast Mobile Security is being removed from the Google Play Store and will soon no longer be available. All new installations on Android now install the new Avast One app.

For information about the new Avast One, refer to the following article:

• New Avast One for Android and iOS - Getting Started

Avast Mobile Security is a security app for Android designed to protect your device against unwanted phishing, malware, spyware, and malicious viruses such as Trojans. Refer to the sections in this article for instructions on using Avast Mobile Security.

This article assumes that the latest version of Avast Mobile Security is installed on your Android device. For detailed installation instructions, refer to the following article: Installing Avast Mobile Security.

Run a Smart Scan

When you open Avast Mobile Security, you have the option to run a Smart Scan, which checks your device for any potential threats. To start the scan:

1. Tap the Avast Mobile Security icon on the Home screen of your device. The app opens.
2. Tap Start scan on the main Avast Mobile Security screen.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve any issues found or tap Skip to do this later.

For detailed instructions on how to solve the found issues, refer to the sections below.

You may require a paid subscription to resolve some of the issues, such as turning on VPN Secure Connection.

Schedule regular scans

The Scan now button on the main app screen scans apps installed on your device and informs you about security risks caused by changes in default Android settings.

To schedule automatic scans:

1. Tap Account ▸ Settings.
2. Tap Automatic scan.
3. Ensure the slider at the bottom of the screen is On.
4. Specify Scan days and Scan time by selecting the days and time when you want the scan to automatically run.

Scheduled scans run automatically as configured.

Use Scam Guardian Pro

Scam Guardian Pro is one of the main feature of Avast Mobile Security. It provides users with the following tools to recognize and avoid online threats, improving digital security:

• Avast Assistant: An AI-powered cybersecurity assistant that analyzes texts, emails, and links for potential scams and cybersecurity concerns. It can also be used for any online safety related questions.
• Web Guard: This tool scans internet activity in real time to prevent malware from downloading onto devices and help you avoid suspicious websites. A local VPN (Virtual Private Network) is required to enable this feature.
• Email Guard: A feature that scans incoming emails in your online accounts to help detect potential scam and phishing risks, with AI-powered detection available as an optional setting. To learn about how to set up and use the feature, refer to the following article: Email Guard - Getting Started.
• SMS Guard: A scam protection tool that scans text messages in your default messaging app to help detect potentially risky links or scam content, with optional AI-powered detection.
• Call Guard: Automatically blocks suspicious and scam calls, and helps you identify whether incoming calls are from trusted contacts, businesses, or potentially risky sources.
• Link Guard: This features scans links you access from outside your browser, such as links from emails or messages, and warns you if they are dangerous before opening them in your default browser.

To learn about how to set up and use these features, refer to the following article: Scam Guardian - Getting Started.

Configure App Lock

App Lock is a premium feature only available in the paid version (Avast Mobile Security Premium). To upgrade from the free version (Avast Mobile Security) and use the feature, tap Upgrade in the top-right corner, select your preferred plan, and proceed with on-screen instructions.

App Lock helps protect your sensitive apps with a PIN or pattern. To enable this feature:

1. Tap Explore ▸ App Lock.
2. If prompted, tap Get started and follow the on-screen instructions to Set up PIN and / or Grant permissions. Then, tap Enable App Lock.
3. If prompted, tap the gray (Off) slider so it changes to green (On).

App Lock is now enabled and you can start protecting apps from the main App Lock screen. Tap the slider next to an app you want to protect so that it changes to green (On).

App Lock is now enabled on your selected apps. When you open the selected apps, you must enter your PIN, pattern, or fingerprint, to unlock the app first.

App Lock is designed to work with the vast majority of applications available in the Google Play Store. However, certain apps, like Google Wallet, cannot be protected by App Lock. These apps may have their own security measures, which may be incompatible with the App Lock feature.

Manage App Lock settings

To manage App Lock settings:

1. Tap ⋮ More options (the three dots) ▸ Settings.
2. Tap PIN & pattern to access the options below:
   • Use fingerprint: If your device supports fingerprint unlocking, enable this option to access protected areas in Avast Mobile Security using your fingerprint.
   • Change PIN: Set a new Avast PIN. To use this option you must first enter your current Avast PIN.
   • Set up pattern: Access protected areas in Avast Mobile Security with a swipe gesture rather than a PIN code.
   • App Lock timeout: Select the time limit before the app locks.
   • Sensitive app notification: Enable this option to have Avast Mobile Security automatically notify you when a sensitive app is installed.
   

App Lock works as configured.

When an app managed by App Lock is launched within the selected timeout, the countdown stops and restarts. Regardless of the timeout settings, App Lock always locks your apps when your screen turns off. When one app is unlocked, all other apps managed by App Lock are also automatically unlocked so you can access all your apps within the timeout period.

Disable App Lock

To disable app lock:

1. Tap Explore ▸ App Lock.
2. Enter your App Lock PIN.
3. Tap the green (On) slider so it changes to gray (Off).

App Lock is disabled.

Reset App Lock PIN

If you forget your App Lock PIN, reset it by following these steps:

1. Tap Explore ▸ App Lock.
2. Tap Forgot your PIN?, then follow the on-screen instructions to reset the PIN using your Google Account credentials.

Your App Lock PIN is reset.

Enable VPN Protection

VPN Secure Connection uses our VPN (Virtual Private Network) infrastructure to create an encrypted and private VPN connection. This helps to protect the data you upload and download from the internet and helps to keep your internet activity private. To activate VPN Secure Connection:

VPN Secure Connection is available as part of an Avast Mobile Security Ultimate subscription.

1. Tap Explore ▸ VPN Secure Connection.
2. Tap Got it.
3. Tap the red (OFF) slider so that it changes to green (ON). If prompted, tap OK to give Avast Mobile Security permission to set up a VPN connection.

VPN Secure Connection is activated and connected to the fastest server location.

Manage VPN Protection

To connect to a different location:

1. Tap the server location at the bottom of the main app screen.
2. Tap your preferred country to change your location.

To manage Auto Connect rules:

1. Tap Settings (the gear icon) at the top-right corner of the screen.
2. Choose between the following options:
   • Never: VPN Protection will never Auto Connect.
   • Unsecured Wi-Fi: VPN Protection will always Auto Connect on non-Private Networks.
   
3. Optionally, to add a Private Network, ensure that Unsecured Wi-Fi option is enabled, then tap Trusted networks ▸ + (the plus icon) to add the current network to the list of Private Networks.

VPN Protection will not auto-connect while you are connected to a Private Network.

Check for hacks and leaks

The Hack Alerts feature monitors online accounts connected to your email address and notifies you if there has been a hack or leak.

To use this feature, you must sign into your Avast Account. An Avast Account was created using the email address that you provided during the subscription purchase. To sign into your Avast Account for the first time, refer to the following article: Activating your Avast Account.

To enable Hack Alerts:

1. Tap Explore ▸ Hack Alerts.
2. Tap Add email ▸ Add.
3. Once the scan is finished, tap Start monitoring.
4. Open your email inbox and locate the email from notification@emails.avast.com with the subject: Please verify your email. Tap the Verify my email button.
5. In the Avast Mobile Security app, select your email address and tap Already verified.

Hack Alerts is now active and continuously checks for new data breaches involving this email address. Free users are only able to monitor one email address at a time. Paid users are able to monitor 5.

To remove an email address, select the email you want to stop monitoring and tap (the trash icon) ▸ Yes, remove.

Manually check an email address

To manually check an email address for leaks:

1. Tap Hack Alerts ▸ Check now.
2. Enter the email you want to check and tap Check data breaches.

The scan results show any affected online accounts or the message No compromised accounts.

Securing compromised accounts

If Hack Alerts finds any breaches related to your email address, it lists all involved accounts under Compromised accounts list. We recommend you immediately change the passwords for all accounts listed under Compromised accounts:

1. Tap a breached account on your Unresolved list.
2. Tap Change password to follow the on-screen instructions to change the account's password. When done, tap Mark as resolved.

Configure Photo Vault

If you uninstall the legacy Avast Mobile Security app, any photos stored in Photo Vault are deleted along with the app and cannot be restored. The legacy app cannot be reinstalled. We recommend exporting your files from Photo Vault before uninstalling legacy Avast Mobile Security.

Photo Vault allows you to protect access to your photos stored on your device with a PIN code. Photos that are moved to Photo Vault are encrypted and hidden.

To protect photos using Photo Vault:

1. Tap Explore ▸ Photo Vault.
2. Tap Continue and, if prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to Set up PIN and Grant permissions.
3. Once Photo Vault is enabled, tap Add photo and select one of the following options:
   • Take new photo: Take a new photo and directly add it to Photo Vault.
   • Import from gallery: Select photos from your existing gallery. Taps the photo(s) that you want to hide, then tap Hide now.

The selected photos now appear in your Photo Vault.

In the free version of Avast Mobile Security, you can protect up to 10 photos. With a paid version of the app, Avast Mobile Security Premium, you can protect an unlimited number of photos.

Delete files from Photo Vault

To remove photos from Photo Vault, tap and hold the photo(s) you want to remove and select the relevant icon at the top of the screen:

• Export icon: Exports a photo back to the original location and makes it visible to others.
• Trash icon: Removes a photo from the Vault and from the original location. This action cannot be undone.

Reset your Photo Vault PIN

If you forget your PIN:

1. Tap Explore ▸ Photo Vault.
2. When you are asked to enter your PIN, tap Forgot your PIN?.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PIN using your Google Account credentials.

Clean junk from your device

Junk Cleaner detects dispensable items that are occupying your device's storage, including leftover APKs, residual files, and visible cache. To remove these items to free up storage space:

• Tap Explore ▸ Junk Clean.
• Once the scan completes, untick any items that you do not want to clean, then free the space on your device by tapping Finish cleaning.

The selected items are removed.

Further recommendations

For more information about the features available in Avast Mobile Security, refer to the following article:

• Avast Mobile Security - FAQs