Avast Mobile Security is a security app for iOS designed to protect your privacy online, securely store your photos, block dangerous websites, and alert you if your online accounts or email addresses have been leaked online. It also helps secure your email accounts and accounts associated with your email addresses.

After installing Avast Mobile Security, the app scans your device and prompts you to resolve any detected issues. Refer to the sections in this article for instructions on using 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 and Wi-Fi network for security risks, then guides you to the Avast Mobile Security features that can help resolve any issues found. To start the scan:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Run Smart Scan on the main Avast Mobile Security screen.
2. 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.

Use Scam Guardian

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

• Web Guard: This tool scans internet activity in real time to prevent malware from downloading onto devices and help you avoid suspicious websites. Web Guard is included in the free version.
• Avast Assistant: An AI-powered assistant that helps you check suspicious messages, emails, links, and images for scams. Avast Assistant is included in the free version.
• Email Guard: A paid feature that scans incoming emails in your online accounts and labels each new email as Safe, Suspicious, or Scam.
• SMS Guard: A paid scam protection tool that scans text messages in your default messaging app to help detect potentially risky links or scam content.
• Call Guard: A paid feature that automatically blocks suspicious and scam calls, and helps you identify whether incoming calls are from trusted contacts, businesses, or potentially risky sources.

Email Guard, SMS Guard, and Call Guard make up Scam Guardian Pro, which is included in Avast Mobile Security Premium and Avast Mobile Security Ultimate.

To learn about how to set up and use these features, refer to the following articles:

• Scam Guardian Pro - Getting Started
• Email Guard - Getting Started

Use Network Inspector

Network Inspector scans the Wi-Fi networks you join for any vulnerabilities, and gives you recommendations for how to protect your privacy and personal info. To use Network Inspector:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ Security ▸ Network Inspector.
2. Tap Get started.

Network Inspector scans the Wi-Fi network and checks whether it is safe. If an unsafe network is detected, you are prompted to turn on VPN Secure Connection.

Enable VPN Secure Connection

VPN Secure Connection uses Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology to create an encrypted, private connection, helping protect the data you send and receive over the internet and keeping your online activity private. To activate VPN Secure Connection:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Tap Set up ▸ Allow to add VPN Configurations.
3. Tap Connect.

VPN Secure Connection is now active.

Connect to another server

By default, VPN Secure Connection connects to the fastest available server. You can also choose a specific server location. Some locations allow you to select a specific city. To connect to another server:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Tap the location selector at the bottom of the VPN screen.
3. Use the search box or browse the list to find a location. Optionally, tap ••• next to a location to select a specific city.

Connect to an advanced server

Advanced servers are designed for specific use cases. Using these servers may affect connection speed. To connect to an advanced server:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Tap the location selector at the bottom of the VPN screen, then tap Advanced Servers.
3. Select one of the following:
   • Double VPN: Routes your connection through two servers to help enhance your privacy and security.
   • IP Rotation: Regularly changes your IP address to help reduce tracking and location-based restrictions.

Refresh your IP address

If you experience connection issues while using the VPN, you can refresh your IP address. IP refresh is not available when connected to Double VPN or IP Rotation servers. To refresh your IP address:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. While connected to the VPN, tap the IP refresh button.

Pause or disconnect your VPN connection

To pause or disconnect your VPN connection:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Choose one of the following:
   • While connected to the VPN, tap the Pause button, then select how long you want to pause the VPN.
   • While connected to the VPN, tap the Disconnect button.

Manage Auto Connect rules

Auto Connect automatically turns on the VPN when you connect to a risky Wi-Fi network and turns it off on secure networks. To configure Auto Connect:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Tap Settings (the gear icon) at the top-right corner of the VPN screen to open VPN Preferences.
3. Tap Auto Connect.
4. Choose one of the following options:
   • Unsecured Wi-Fi: The VPN connects automatically on non-Private Networks.
   • Any Wi-Fi: The VPN connects automatically on any Wi-Fi network.
   • Any Wi-Fi or cellular data: The VPN connects automatically on any Wi-Fi network or when you use cellular data.
5. Optionally, to add a Private Network, tap Private Networks ▸ + (the plus icon) to add the current network to the list of Private Networks.

The VPN does not connect automatically while you are connected to a Private Network.

Turn on Kill Switch

The Kill Switch blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection unexpectedly disconnects until it is restored, helping prevent your data from being exposed. To turn on the Kill Switch:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Tap Settings (the gear icon) at the top-right corner of the VPN screen to open VPN Preferences.
3. Tap Advanced settings.
4. Turn on the Kill Switch slider.

Traffic remains blocked until the VPN reconnects or you turn off Kill Switch. Local devices are not accessible while Kill Switch is enabled.

Choose a VPN protocol

The VPN protocol determines how your connection is established. The default protocol is suitable for most scenarios, but you can change it to improve connection stability or speed. To choose a protocol:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ VPN.
2. Tap Settings (the gear icon) at the top-right corner of the VPN screen to open VPN Preferences.
3. Tap Advanced settings.
4. Select the protocol you want to use:
   • IPsec: Kill Switch is not available and Pause is not supported. The Web Guard toggle is available only on IPsec.
   • WireGuard: Kill Switch, Pause, and advanced servers (Double VPN and IP Rotation) are available.
   • Mimic: Designed to make your VPN connection look like normal internet activity. Kill Switch and Pause are available, but advanced servers (Double VPN and IP Rotation) are not supported.

Activate Hack Alerts

Hack Alerts helps to keep your online accounts safe by seeking to ensure none of the passwords linked to your email address have been leaked online. If a leak is found, Hack Alerts immediately notifies you and prompts you to change the password that was compromised. To activate Hack Alerts:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ Security ▸ Hack Alerts.
2. Tap Next twice.
3. Enter your email address, then tap Scan breaches.
4. Once the scan is finished, tap Monitor for breaches ▸ OK. If any compromised accounts are detected, you can tap an account to view more details.
5. 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.
6. 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 add another email address, open Hack Alerts, tap Scan for new email, then follow the instructions above, starting at step 3.

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.

Use Photo Vault

Photo Vault helps protect your photos and images from prying eyes by moving them to a passcode-protected, encrypted vault on your device. Up to 40 photos or images from your device or camera can be added to the vault. With a paid version of Avast Mobile Security you can store an unlimited number of photos or images in Photo Vault. To set up Photo Vault:

1. Open Avast Mobile Security and tap Explore ▸ Security ▸ Photo Vault.
2. Tap Next twice, then tap Enable photo vault.
3. Create a four digit access code that you will use to sign in to your Photo Vault. Type it twice to confirm.

Your passcode is set. Now every time you open Photo Vault you are prompted to enter your passcode to gain access to the vault.

Add photos to Photo Vault

You can add existing images to your Photo Vault from the Photo Library on your device, or use the camera on your device to take a photo and import it directly into your Photo Vault. To add images to Photo Vault:

1. Tap Add photos.
2. Select either Photo Library or Camera:

Manage files in Photo Vault

To export or delete files from Photo Vault:

1. Open Photo Vault and tap Select.
2. Tap the photo(s) you want to share or remove from the vault. A green border appears around the selected photo(s). Tap the relevant option:
   • Share icon: Send the selected file(s) to another location, for example via AirDrop, email, or message.
   • Trash icon: Permanently remove the file(s) from Photo Vault.

Change your Photo Vault passcode

If you forget your access code:

2. Tap Account.
3. Tap Settings ▸ Photo Vault ▸ Change access code.
4. Enter your current passcode, then enter a new 4-digit passcode twice to confirm it.

Your Photo Vault PIN is reset.

Further recommendations

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

• Avast Mobile Security - FAQs

Updated on: 10/11/2026