Will Factory Resetting A Laptop Remove Viruses

Summary :

If your PC, Mac, Android, or iOS device is infected past a virus, perhaps you choose to perform a factory reset and so that you can remove it from your device. Here comes a question: does factory reset remove virus? MiniTool Solution gives yous the answer in this post. Also, some related information is introduced.

During the battles against viruses, you are not always the winners. Viruses or malware could exist very complicated enough and sneak into any devices including Android phones, iPhones, PCs, or Macs. When trying many methods but the virus doesn't seem to become abroad, the terminal resort may be performing a factory reset.

What Is a Mill Reset?

What does a factory reset exercise? A factory reset can erase all the information – photos, movies, apps, settings, system files, etc. on your device. This tin return your device to its original state, just the land it was when it first left the factory with the well-nigh basic prepare of initial software.

Since a mill reset involves clearing all the data, viruses or other malicious programs would as well be removed with it. In addition to PCs, Macs, or phones, a mill reset is as well applied to other devices like Wi-Fi routers, printers, fax machines, TVs, and more.

Although resetting your device to its factory state is expected to wipe all the information and viruses & malware forth with it, does it ever do that? Will factory reset remove virus really? If you wonder about this question, get the answer from the following part.

Tip: As stated higher up, a factory reset can protect your device from virus infection. In improver, there are another reasons, for example, sell or give abroad your device to others, improve the device performance, fix some glitches, set up broken Os updates & system errors or failures, and more.

Does Manufactory Reset Remove Viruses Android/iOS/Mac/PC?

In brief, the answer is yes. Unremarkably, a factory reset can eliminate viruses. But, this is not invariably the case. (There is always a 'but', isn't there?) Viruses are diverse and constantly evolving, so it is not certain whether a factory reset can protect your device against malicious programs or viruses.

Here, allow's accept xHelper as a archetype case. According to reports, it was get-go seen in March 2022 and it managed to hide in the codes of the unofficial Android apps downloaded outside the Play Store to infiltrate into thousands of devices. In a few months, more than 45,000 Android devices were infected.

One peculiarity of xHelper is that any class of detection and deletion is not working for it. That is, you cannot delete this virus. Although you perform a mill reset, information technology reinstalls itself a few hours later and it is always active after resetting.

In addition to xHelper, you may encounter other viruses on Windows/macOS computers or iPhones/Android phones. These viruses may be too not removed by a factory resetting.

In conclusion, performing a factory reset tin assist y'all get rid of some elementary viruses from your PC, Mac, Android, or iOS devices. But as for sophisticated viruses, this doesn't work.

Now later reading this part, you know the respond to this question "does manufactory reset remove virus". So, here comes another question: how do some viruses survive in a manufacturing plant reset?

How Viruses Survive in a Factory Reset?

There are some reasons why some viruses can exist avoided being cleaned up with a factory reset. Let's run across them below.

Viruses Are in Recovery Partitioning

In rare cases, avant-garde malware could permeate into the recovery partition of your device like PC, Android phone, etc. And the recovery partitioning is the identify in which factory reset settings are saved. And then, resetting your device to its factory state won't remove viruses from a recovery sectionalization and the viruses could be active.

Backups Are Infected

To avert data loss, you may choose to back upward your laptop/desktop, Mac, or phone earlier the factory reset. However, before you do, yous fail to run antivirus software to scan for the system. As a consequence, the virus is also backed upwards along with other information. When restoring the backup, the virus is as well restored to your device and continues plaguing yous.

Yous May Take a Rootkit Malware

A rootkit is a computer program, typically malicious, designed to offering continued privileged admission to a computer while masking its existence and deportment from users and other organisation processes. Today, it is commonly associated with malware.

Once a rootkit is installed on your device, hackers can control it and information technology is difficult to observe and remove the rootkit. To learn more information about rootkit, refer to this related article - The Definition, Types, Awarding & Removal Guide of Rootkit.

Other Devices Are Infected

Malicious programs may infect your secondary devices without knowing, for example, the printer. Or if you are using an Android telephone with an SD bill of fare, the menu is besides infected with a virus. When connecting information technology to your figurer or phone, a virus may re-assail the device, although you have finished a manufactory reset.

After knowing the answers to these two questions "does factory reset remove virus" and "how does a virus all the same exist after a factory reset", next yous may want to know how to remove a virus from Android/iOS phones or PC/Mac. Let's move to the adjacent office.

How to Remove Virus from Android/iOS/Windows/macOS?

Clear Cache and Downloads

Some types of malware like adware can hide in your browser.

Sometimes, you are redirected to some strange sites or you can see lots of pop-up ads. In this case, you should clear enshroud and downloads on your Android, iOS devices, PCs, or Macs. This related article - How to Clear Cache for Ane Site Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari shows you much information nearly this task.

Uninstall the Suspicious Apps

Some malicious programs may be installed on your device without permission. To remove viruses from the machine, yous should uninstall the suspicious apps. If yous are using a Windows PC or Android, you had better get to Safety Mode to perform this task.

Clean Your Phone, Mac, or PC

To remove viruses, you can choose to delete all the temporary files, junk files, and more. To do this piece of work, search for a professional tool from the Internet so articulate your device to keep it clean.

Proceed Your Device Up-to-Date

I of the primary reasons for system updates is the updates normally include security or software updates that are helpful to go on your device system from malicious attacks or viruses. Ignoring these updates means that you lot cannot employ the security tools that should add an extra layer of protection to your PC, Mac, or phone.

If your device is infected by a virus, installing system updates may be useful to get rid of the virus. How to update Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS? Search for the steps on the Internet and here nosotros won't prove you detailed steps.

Run Antivirus Software

This is the virtually of import step you should do. If you suspect at that place is a virus on your device, you should run an antivirus plan. Download a proper version based on the platform yous are using, launch information technology, and browse for the system. In one case the software finds malicious programs or files, information technology can remove them.

Perform a Factory Reset

After finishing all the above things but they don't work to remove a virus, the terminal mode you tin try is a manufacturing plant reset. Of form, this doesn't 100% remove the virus, just as stated in role "Does factory reset remove virus". How to restore your device to its original state? Move to the next function now.

How to Perform a Mill Reset?

How to Factory Reset Windows 10/11?

Here is how to carry out a factory reset:

Launch the Settings app by pressing Win + I in Windows xi/10.
Get to Update & Security > Recovery and click Get started under Reset this PC in Windows x. In Windows 11, become to Settings > Arrangement > Recovery > Recovery options > Reset PC.
Choose an pick based on your needs to continue. Click Go on my files to maintain your files and settings and click Remove everything to erase all the contents on the hard drive.
Finish the resetting operation by following the on-screen instructions.

How to Manufacturing plant Reset Mac?

1. Sign out of iCloud, Letters, and other Apple services.

2. Reboot your Mac by pressing the ability push button and choosing Restart.

3. While the Mac restarts (the Apple logo appears), printing Command + R keys to boot the car to macOS Recovery.

four. Click Disk utility from the Recovery Mode carte to repair or erase a disk and click Continue.

5. Select the disk where your macOS is installed and then click Erase.

6. In the pop-up window, choose a hard drive format like Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and cull GUID Partitioning Map > Erase.

7. Click Done and quit Disk Utility.

8. Click Reinstall macOS and follow the wizards on the screen to reinstall a new copy of macOS.

To learn more information on Mac factory reset, you lot can refer to this post - How To Wipe A MacBook & Reset Information technology To Factory Settings.

How to Factory Reset Android Phones?

Based on dissimilar Android phones, the steps to reset the phone to factory settings are different but they are similar.

Go to Settings > Organisation.
Navigate to Reset options.
Tap Erase all data (factory reset) and tap Erase all data to confirm the operation.

How to Factory Reset iPhone?

Get to Settings > General.
Tap on Reset and cull Erase All Content and Settings.
If needed, type in the PIN lawmaking and your Apple ID countersign.

Manufacturing plant reset will erase all the data on your device. Some of yous may want to create a backup earlier performing a factory reset. But if in that location is a virus on the device, the complicated virus may come back to your device when restoring your data after resetting.

If you reset your device due to other reasons (system errors fix, troubleshooting, etc.), you can support your data before resetting. In Windows, you can employ the professional computer backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker for PC fill-in. In Mac, Time Machine is helpful to back up your files. As for your iOS or Android telephone, y'all can cull to support to Google Drive.

Prevention Is Amend Than Cure

Afterwards reading so much information, you know it is abrasive to remove viruses or malware from your device. Sometimes although y'all run a factory reset, viruses may not be removed somewhen if y'all encounter stubborn viruses like xHelper. Or yous have removed viruses from your devices afterward trying the above methods.

To protect your device against viruses or malware again, y'all had better take action. Prevention is improve than cure.

Always run an antivirus software on your Windows PC, Mac, or phone.
Use the latest system and apps.
Avoid installing programs from unknown and unverified sources.
Have a good for you browsing habit.
Don't use an unsafe Wi-Fi connexion.
Continue your files safely backed up.

As for fill-in, nosotros have mentioned it above.

To back up Windows 10/8/7, download and install MiniTool ShadowMaker on your PC. Then, launch it to the Backup page, choose the backup source and destination. Then, run the backup by clicking Back up At present.

This backup software allows you to create a arrangement backup image, back upward files, folders, disks, and partitions. Y'all tin can use it to automatically support your computer. If you have a need, just get it to have a endeavor.

Free Download

To support a Mac, y'all can follow the methods in this post - 5 Ways: How To Fill-in Your Mac To An External Difficult Drive. To back up your phone, you can become to find the way on the Cyberspace.

Wrapping upwards

Does factory reset remove virus or will factory reset remove virus on laptop/Mac/Android or iOS phones? After reading this post, yous know the answer. Also, some related data is shown to yous.

If you take whatever other ideas about the viruses, yous tin can let us know past leaving a comment beneath or contacting [email protected].