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.

Navigate Avast Mobile Security

1. Tap the Avast Mobile Security icon on the Home screen of your device. The app opens.
2. The following options are available via the main app screen:
   1. Scan now: Scans apps installed on your device and informs you about security risks caused by changes in default Android settings. You can optionally schedule the Scan option to run automatically.
   2. Hack alerts: Monitors online accounts connected to your email address and notifies you if there has been a hack or leak.
   3. Clean junk: Analyzes your device and displays the amount of storage space that is being used by junk files. You can view the specific types of junk files on your device and select which items you want to remove.
   4. Scan Wi-Fi: Scans your Wi-Fi network for problems with your router, encryption, Wi-Fi, and connection. After scanning, the Scan Wi-Fi tile changes to Check speed.
   5. VPN protection: Allows you to connect to the internet via Avast VPN servers, using an encrypted tunnel to help protect your online activity from eavesdropping.
      The VPN protection feature in Avast Mobile Security Premium is only available if you have an Avast Mobile Ultimate subscription. The tile shows as Automatic Scan for customers using Avast Mobile security, which is the free version. For more information, refer to the following article: Avast Mobile Security - FAQs ▸ VPN protection.
   6. You can access additional features and settings using the options below:
      • Home: Returns you to Avast Mobile Security Home screen.
      • Explore: View all of the product features.
      • Messages: Displays alerts that allow you to easily resolve any detected issues.
      • Account: Includes various options, such as signing in to your Avast Account, checking your subscription details, and accessing the settings.
   

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 Explore ▸ Scan Center.
2. Tap Automatically scan for threats.
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. Optionally, tap the slider next to Include a Deep Scan to include a scan of the settings, behavior, and storage of your device.

Scheduled scans run automatically as configured.

Turn on Web Guard

Web Guard is designed to automatically block malicious URLs and warns you when you visit a potentially sensitive website. You can specify webpages that are always allowed or blocked. You can also use Scam Protection to check if the links you receive via email or SMS are safe and block or allow specific websites.

To turn on Web Guard:

1. Tap Explore ▸ Web Guard.
2. Tap Switch on. If prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to grant necessary permissions.

Web Guard is enabled.

Manage websites

To allow or block specific websites:

1. Tap Block or allow websites.
2. Select one of the following options:
   • Allowed: Add a website that Avast will never block if you know that it is safe to open. We recommend not allowing a website that was previously blocked by Avast.
   • Blocked: Add a website that Avast will never allow to open.
3. Tap Add website, then enter the URL of the webpage you want to allow or block and tap Add website again.

To remove a website from your Allowed or Blocked list, tap ⋮ More options (the three dots) ▸ Remove.

To turn off Web Guard, on the main Web Guard screen, tap ⋮ More options (the three dots) ▸ Turn off Web Guard.

Configure Photo Vault

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.

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. When you are asked to enter your PIN, tap Forgot your PIN?.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PIN using your Google Account credentials.

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 enable Hack Alerts:

1. Tap the Hack alerts tile.
2. Tap Add email ▸ Go to account.
3. Enter your Avast Account credentials, then tap Continue.
4. Tap Add email ▸ Add.
5. Wait while Avast Mobile Security scans for leaked data involving your email address. The scan results show any affected online accounts or the message No compromised accounts.
   
   Tap Start monitoring ▸ Done.

After the email address is verified, Avast Mobile Security will continuously monitor for new data breaches involving this email address. You can also add additional email addresses to your monitoring list.

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.

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

Configure App Lock

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.

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:
   • 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.
   • Use fingerprint: If your device supports fingerprint unlocking, enable this option to access protected areas in Avast Mobile Security using your fingerprint.
   • Make pattern visible: Shows your unlock pattern.
   
3. Tap App Lock timeout and specify when your apps lock. The following options are available:
   • Immediately: Immediately after you send it to the background.
   • After 10 seconds: 10 seconds after you send it to the background.
   • After 30 seconds: 30 seconds after you send it to the background.
   • After 1 minute: 1 minute after you send it to the background.
   • When screen turns off: When your device screen turns off.
   
   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.

App Lock works as configured.

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 ⋮ More options (the three dots) in the top-right corner and select Reset PIN.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset the PIN using your Google Account credentials.

Your App Lock PIN is reset.

Add Email Guard

Email Guard scans your incoming emails when you check them using a web browser. Malicious or phishing emails are marked with an 'Avast: Suspicious' label.

To learn about how to set up and use the feature, refer to the following article:

• Email Guard - Getting Started

Clean junk from your device

Tap the Clean junk tile on the main app screen. Junk Cleaner feature cleans three types of files:

• Temporary app files: Temporary data that can be deleted with no impact on app functionality.
• Used installation files: APK files used by sources other than Google Play.
• Advertisement cache: Data from folders where ad systems save their resources.

Junk Cleaner displays the amount of storage space that is being used by junk files. Untick any items that you do not want to clean, then free the space on your device by tapping Resolve ▸ Delete.

To free more space, install the Avast Cleanup app directly from the Deep Clean results screen.

Use Scam Protection

Scam Protection is a premium feature that helps protect you from being exposed to phishing scam websites that might attempt to steal your credit card information, passwords, and other personal information. To enable this feature:

1. Tap Explore ▸ Scam Protection.
2. If you are using Scam Protection for the first time, tap Start setup. Alternatively, tap Turn on.
3. Tap Set default browser to open your device settings.
4. Tap Browser app, then select Avast Mobile Security as your default web browser in your Android settings. This requirement is only a system formality so that Avast Mobile Security can scan for threats. Scam Protection is designed to open a link in a third-party web browser after checking it.
   The location of default browser app preferences within Android settings differs by Android version or device manufacturer. For example, go to Settings ▸ Application ▸ Advanced (if applicable) ▸ Default application ▸ Browser app to set Avast Mobile Security as your default browser.

Scam Protection is now enabled.

Access App Insights

To access App Insights, tap Explore ▸ App Insights.

Select one of the tabs at the top of the screen:

• Apps: Shows a list of your installed apps and allows you to uninstall or view the app info for each.
• Permissions: Allows you to view the different types of permissions each of your apps requires.

Further recommendations

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

• Avast Mobile Security - FAQs

Updated on: 18/07/2025