If you start having problems with your iPad, you might wonder whether it has a virus. Many people think that iPads aren’t able to get viruses but this is not true. Apple has done a good job of protecting iPads and iPhones and making it harder on hackers but they can infect your iPad. It is important to know what to look for.

You might notice ads popping up on your screen all the time. Your iPad might be operating very slowly. Maybe you are using too much data or your apps keep crashing and closing. You may not realize it but these are different signs that your iPad might be infected with malware. You will want to try a few different things to take care of it. Continue reading to learn how to tell if you have a virus on your iPad.

Power Down Your iPad and Restart it

If you notice that your iPad is taking too long to do something or if you find an app acting up, you can try powering your iPad off. Once you turn it back on, note whether the iPad is back to its old self. Sometimes powering your iPad off closes out all of the apps you had open and this reset can take the pressure off your iPad so that it is operating at normal speeds again. Rebooting your iPad often fixes any problems you might be having. If it doesn’t do the trick, continue to the next step.

Notice If the Issue Is with a Specific App

Another thing to check is your apps. Your issue might be that Safari keeps directing you to the app store or an app might have popup ads coming up. You might have an app that is shutting off without any warming. If you are only having issues when one particular app is open, you might have a problem with the app.

The best thing to do is to delete the app and see if the problem goes away. You can check user reviews of the app to see if other users are experiencing the same problem. You might have downloaded a recent update that has a bug or you might need to update the app to a new version. If you want to delete the app, you can press and hold the app icon. Once it begins to jiggle, you can push on the X to delete it. If this does the trick, you have solved the problem.

Visit the Apple Store

If your iPad is acting up and you can’t find any apps that are causing it, you can always make an appointment to visit the Apple store. The Genius bar is there to help you with devices that aren’t acting as they should. You will want to make sure that your iPad is backed up before you go because they are likely to solve the problem by erasing your ipad and installing iOS again.

There are many different things that can cause an iPad to act up but it is rarely a virus. There isn’t any malware that specifically targets iPads. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t end up downloading a buggy app. You might open a phishing email that puts malware on your iPad or you could download something from Safari.

If you have a jailbroken iPad or you download unauthorized apps, you are putting your iPad at risk. This exposes your iPad to potential malware infections. You should also always make sure that your iPad software and your apps are up to date. You can easily check your iPad software by going to your Settings. Choose General and then choose Software Update. It will tell you if there is an update available and you will be able to update it.