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Action

  • Uninstall the malware detected by Trend Micro Mobile Security for best results.
  • However, if the malware has acquired accessibility, Trend Micro Mobile Security could not uninstall it.

If you encounter this issue, try the following method to uninstall the malware:

How to Uninstall

If the virus has acquired accessibility, the malware could not be uninstalled in "Normal Mode". You should enter the device in "Safe Mode" or "Development Mode" and then uninstall it.

The following steps show the uninstallation method needed if the malware has already acquired accessibility:

Safe Mode

Different devices have different methods for entering Safe Mode. Below are instructions for entering Safe Mode on various devices:

Pixel, Samsung, and etc.:

  1. Press and hold the Power Button until a page appears.

    powermenu1

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    powermenu2

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  2. Long press the Power off button on the Page.

    Safemode1

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    Safemode2

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  3. Click OK or Safe mode icon to enter Safe Mode.

 

One plus, etc.:

  1. Power off all the device and then power it back on.
  2. Long-press the Volume + button when the manufacturer logo appears and hold until the login page appears.

Mi, etc.:

  1. Power off all the device and then power it back on.
  2. Long-press the Volume + button when the manufacturer logo appears and hold until the login page appears.
  3. Use the Volume +/- button to select "Safe Mode" and use the Power button as the click button.
 
  • If your device is in Safe Mode, you should see a string "Safe Mode" on the bottom left of your screen.
  • The method to enter Safe mode may vary depending on your device, and some devices may not have the option available.
 

Uninstalling in Safe Mode

  1. In Safe mode, enter "Settings - Apps", find the malware and uninstall it.
     
    The malware may hide its icon, so you may not be able to find it on the Launcher.
     
  2. After uninstalling the malware, reboot the device. It will return to Normal mode.

Development Mode

Below are instructions for entering Development Mode:

  1. Enter "Settings - About phone".

    Aboutphone

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  2. Find the "Build number" (may be in "Software information").

    Software Information

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  3. Click the Build number more than 5 times.
  4. Go back to "Settings" and find "Developer options" (you can use the search function).
  5. Enter Developer options and turn on USB debugging.

    Developer Options

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  6. Connect the device to a PC using a data cable and allow debugging on the device.

    Allow debugging

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    Use the adb tool. If you don't have it installed, you can download it from the Android Developer Center (Download Android Studio & App Tools - Android Developers).

    1. You can download and install Android Studio or the Command Line Tools.
    2. Open the Terminal, and use the following cmd:
      • To list all third-party (3rd) packages:

        adb shell pm list packages -3

      • To list all:

        adb shell pm list packages

      • To find the malware package name and then use the following command to uninstall it:

        adb uninstall <packagename>
        For example, adb uninstall com.gzrtnq.Bumble.

     

  7. Turn off "Developer options" after uninstallation if you do not need it anymore.