Security is one area where Android consistently lags behind due to its open nature. While Android users enjoy the convenience of downloading apps from a variety of sources and reverting to older versions of an app as they please, it's not always a safe practice. But if you still want to keep your phone safe, Google Play Protect can help. Here's how to secure your Android device with Google Play Protect.
Play Protect is Google's defense against malware that could potentially attack and threaten your phone. It also protects against suspicious apps, regardless of their origin.
If you're interested in learning more about Google Play Protect, this post has all the answers you need. First, let's start by understanding Google Play Protect and how it works.
What is Google Play Protect?
Google Play Protect It's a malware protection system that uses machine learning to adapt and improve itself at detecting potential Android malware. It works tirelessly behind the scenes to scan every app installed on your device. Regular scans are performed to ensure that Applications on your device It is not harmful in any way and it adheres to Google's policy.
Google Play Protect scans apps as they're installed or updated. If Google Play Protect detects a malicious app, it will immediately notify you. If the app is already installed and poses a direct threat to your Android device, Google Play Protect can also remove it without your permission.
Perhaps the best part about Google Play Protect is that it has very little impact on system resources and runs smoothly in the background.
Now that you know how Google Play Protect works, you might be interested in learning where to find it on your Android device and how you can use it to manually scan your apps.
How to enable or disable Google Play Protect
By default, Google Play Protect is pre-enabled on every Android device, but you can temporarily disable it.
Note that we do not recommend disabling Play Protect under any circumstances.
If you need to do this for any valid reason, follow the steps below at your discretion.
Step 1: Open the Google Play Store on your Android device. Tap your profile picture in the upper right corner and select Play Protect.
Step 2: Next, click the gear icon in the top right corner to open Play Protect settings.
Step 3: Under "General," turn off the switch next to "Scan apps with Play Protect." When prompted, select Off to confirm.
This is it. Google Play Protect will be disabled on your Android device and will not It no longer bothers you with any of its notifications..
If you change your mind at any time, you can follow the same steps above to re-enable Play Protect. Make sure to also enable the "Enhance harmful app detection" option if you tend to install apps from unknown sources.
How to view protection status in Google Play
Ideally, Google Play Protect alerts you when any malicious apps are found by sending a notification. However, you can also view the status of Google Play Protect manually by following the steps below.
Step 1: Open Settings app On your Android device, go to Safety.
Step 2: within Security status , Click Google Play Protect. This will take you to Play Protect section in Play Store app.
Alternatively, you can visit Play Protect directly from the Play Store app as well.
Here, it will show you if any malicious apps were found during its scans. Additionally, you'll also be able to view the last time your phone was scanned for malicious apps.
How to delete apps using Google Play Protect
While Play Protect scans every app download, apps downloaded from unknown sources are not immediately scanned. Therefore, if you've recently installed an app or game from sources other than the Google Play Store, it's best to run a quick scan with Google Play Protect. It's very easy to do. Here's how.
Step 1: Open the Google Play Store on your phone and tap your profile picture to open Play Protect.
Step 2: Press the scan button to start the process.
It will only take a few minutes. If Play Protect finds an app that may be harmful in any way, it will advise you to uninstall it immediately.
Protect your Android device
Whether you're part of a private beta group or frequently sideload Android apps, we recommend keeping Play Protect enabled. While determining which apps are safe to use may seem impossible, Play Protect can help. Protecting your Android device from malicious apps is an absolute must. While Using an antivirus program on your Android device While it may not be the wisest choice, securing your Android device with Google Play Protect certainly helps.
