You might have recently opened the browser on your android phone or tablet to find that the homepage has been changed to a different one, from the one you’re used to. In addition to this, once you attempted to search for something online, your query was redirected to a different search engine as well. To make matters even worse, your further browsing was interrupted with various popups, large, flashy banners, uncalled for page redirects and even in-text hyperlinks. What’s going on?! Well, this is very typical of having Google Virus Warning installed on your device. It’s what’s known as a browser hijacker and is basically characterized by taking charge of your browser, altering its settings and distributing myriads of annoying and often obstructive ads.

Is this dangerous?

Not really. While searching for this page you may have come across other article titles that included the words Google Virus Warning and ‘virus’. Rest assured that Google Virus Warning is not a virus, it’s not a form of malware and it hasn’t been installed on your system to somehow destroy it. Furthermore, it possesses none of the typical virus qualities, like being able to self-replicate, exploit your device’s resources, lock your device or its files (like the infamous ransomware does) and other such illegal activities. To be completely precise, browser hijackers are more often referred to by experts as potentially unwanted programs or PUP, rather than something truly malicious. They’re not classified as completely harmless either and here’s why:

• They collect information about you. And this point actually raises some serious concern among many users, understandably so. It cannot pry on your online banking activities, for example, or any other things that are performed within an encrypted connection. However, things like your search queries, browsing history, favorite sites and even personal details that you may have entered on any of those – all this is carefully monitored in order to determine what interests you specifically. This is done for the purpose of customizing the ads, in the hopes of making them more appealing to the given user.
• They could lead you to dangerous websites. Yes, programs like Google Virus Warning have the potential (though very unlikely) of showing ads that can redirect you to potentially malicious websites. This is one of the reasons why we highly recommend avoiding any interaction with the featured ads. Both these reasons will probably prompt you to removing Google Virus Warning from your device as sooner as possible and the removal guide below will help you do just that.

What do, when you realize you’ve been infected by Google Virus Warning? You’re certainly in the right place, if this browser hijacker has somehow become part of your system and has taken charge of your browser. The annoying popups, banners, the changed homepage and default search engine – we’re well aware of what you’re dealing with. Furthermore, we’ve prepared some detailed instructions below that will help you effectively remove this invasive program from your android phone or tablet. Before you move on to the removal guide, though, we think it’s important you learn a little bit more about Google Virus Warning and how it may have been included in your system.

Risks

Though Google Virus Warning is not a virus and cannot even remotely be compared to serious threats like Trojans or ransomware, it can still expose you to risks like that. For example, picture clicking on a popup, featuring an offer on cheap flight tickets. You’re excited, waiting to read more about this hot deal and then you find yourself redirected to a page, which images of naked people. In addition to this, your antivirus suddenly goes crazy with virus alerts. You may very well have been attacked by a whole bunch of different threats at that very moment and if one of them managed to find a vulnerability in your system – you could be in big trouble. Another pretty controversial aspect to browser hijackers is the fact that they can collect information related to your browsing patterns. You search queries, most visited pages and even the occasional personal information you could have left hanging around can all be gathered and analyzed in order to produce ads that are relevant to you. That’s because the developers make their money based on the amount of clicks their ads get. Furthermore, this information can later be sold to third parties, which should also raise a few red flags.

Distribution

Browser hijackers that are developed specifically for portable devices are a bit different from their regular PC cousins in one particular thing: their distribution. If PC users are used to looking out for program bundles and can avoid getting involved with programs like Google Virus Warning by customizing the installation options of a certain program, smartphone and tablet users don’t have that option. That’s because the hijackers are integrated within certain apps, thus becoming inherent parts of them. Therefore, we recommend paying extra attention to the terms of service of the apps you’re seeking to download and probably just even checking reviews of other users.

Welcome to our Google Virus Warning Android removal instructions. They should work on most Android devices.

Google Virus Warning Removal From Android

It might be enough to navigate to Settings -> Application Manager -> Downloaded -> Locate Google Virus Warning -> Uninstall

If this option is not active then try this: Settings -> More -> Security -> Device Administrators

Make sure that only the Android Device Manger has permissions to alter your device. Also make sure that under the Security settings you don’t have Unknown Sources marked out.

Remove Google Virus Warning from Chrome

Go to Settings -> More -> Application Manager

Now Go to Application Manager -> Downloaded -> Chrome

Now Force Stop -> Clear Data

Remove Google Virus Warning from Firefox

Again, Go to Settings -> More -> Application Manager

Now Go to Application Manager -> Downloaded -> Firefox

Now Force Stop -> Clear Data

Remove Google Virus Warning From “Internet”

Settings -> More -> Application Manager

Application Manager -> All -> Internet

Force Stop -> Clear Data

Reboot your Android Device. Your problem should now be fixed.

If you run into any trouble – ask us for help in the comments section!