Do you really need an antivirus app on your Android?

The heyday of third-party antivirus software is over with the end of the dominance of the PC era. Names like Norton, McAfee, and Avast were once familiar to PC users around the world, but unlike old Windows PCs, we don’t rush en masse to install antivirus software on our phones. The reason is simple: modern Android smartphones don’t really need it.

That’s not to say your device is impenetrable to malware, but protecting it isn’t entirely up to you these days. All modern operating systems, including mobile ones like Android, come with some level of security out of the box. This security may be enough, but it depends on the type of user you are, because in certain situations, additional protection for your Android smartphone can be useful.

Android is not safe from infections. It can suffer from viruses, malware and security vulnerabilities, like all software. It also faces attacks that are (mostly) unique to mobile, like malicious push notifications, which, according to a Generation 2025 Threats report, have tripled in just three months. Spyware also continues to be an invasive and growing problem on mobile devices, according to this latest Gen Threat report.

Fortunately for the average user, Android has features and settings designed to try to automatically protect your phone from these threats. Google Play Protect is one of the most important, acting as the first line of defense to keep harmful apps off your phone. Google claims to have blocked 27 million new malicious apps on the Play Store in 2025 alone. It regularly scans your apps, at the time of installation and after, for threats. If they are detected, the application may be disabled or removed automatically, depending on the risk level.

Android also uses built-in sandboxing to isolate each app. It gives each app a secure user ID, running them in a way that prevents them from interacting with other apps on your phone. Meanwhile, modern Android smartphones receive regular security updates to fix vulnerabilities, while the permissions system is designed to be proactive and optional so that your files, contacts and environment are protected. Google Play Protect also helps by alerting you to apps requesting access to sensitive data, as well as automatically resetting permissions for apps you haven’t used in a while.

Android protection also continues to evolve and AI is playing its role. It seeks to introduce call spoofing protection to block fraudsters posing as high-risk calls, such as those from a bank, for example. It also extends its live threat detection feature to detect suspicious actions performed by apps, such as SMS forwarding, which forwards messages to another number. Google has also changed its policy on sideloading Android apps and will soon allow apps that bypass Play Store protection to be installed only by “power users”, with an initial cooldown of 24 hours and mandatory identity verifications for developers.

We have not moved to a world without viruses, but to one with a number of other attack vectors that pose an equally significant risk to your security. Some of the most common dangers for Android are not viruses you install, but threats designed to manipulate you and expose your data yourself.

Social engineering is at the center of the danger. Fake text messages and phone calls are big winners for scammers, and while Android is adding AI-powered live threat protection to try to stop it, it’s not yet available. We’ve all seen fake texts with phishing links designed to encourage you to give away your information, whether it’s passwords or personal information they can use later. Fake technical support, a child or loved one in difficulty and financial scams are all psychological threats against which no antivirus will be able to help you.

You’re also at risk when you’re on the move, on the move, and connected. Connecting to an open Wi-Fi network can put your device at risk, especially if you don’t use a VPN. Attacks monitoring your connection on the same network could intercept any unencrypted data or hijack your web sessions to push you to fake websites to steal your data.

Malicious push notifications are also a win for fraudsters. By accidentally clicking “allow” on one of these fake websites, you could allow it to send you messages that look like real warning alerts. Some even warn you that you have been infected with a virus, ironically.

Risk is not binary. The risk you will face while using your Android smartphone will vary from day to day, from person to person. The most obvious attack vectors are the areas that put you at greatest risk. Public Wi-Fi networks, for example, are dangerous for any device, especially in large places like airports or hotel lounges, and even the TSA warns of the dangers of open Wi-Fi. While a VPN that encrypts your connection is probably a better form of defense, antivirus software for Android could help you down the road by double-checking your files for any malware you’ve since downloaded.

If you like downloading Android apps, an Android antivirus app might also make sense. Google Play Protect will still scan apps, even those that don’t come from the Play Store, but it won’t work if you’ve turned it off or are using a device that doesn’t have Google Play Services at all. Google’s enhanced protection against app sideloading is coming, but only for certified Android devices.

It’s also a good idea if there are obvious signs that your Android phone has been infected with a virus and you want a definitive answer. Signs can include pop-ups, slow performance, unusual permission requests, or even unusual battery drain, to name a few. Not all of these things are necessarily due to infection, but should still be investigated.

Using an old Android smartphone, which is not receiving operating system or security updates, also puts you at greater risk. An Android antivirus can’t entirely replace these updates, but it could protect you against scenarios where a high-risk vulnerability is exploited in the wild.

Antivirus apps for your Android smartphone may not be suitable for most users. Google’s Play Store Protect will protect you from malicious apps, while a VPN can help you stay safe when you’re online. By design, Android apps aren’t allowed to interact with each other while they’re running, and permissions are mostly optional, so you can control what they can and can’t see on your phone.

This might make a difference if you’re a particularly high-risk user. Accessing risky websites or loading apps, especially with Google’s Play Store Protect feature disabled, will make you a much bigger target for malware. In this situation, an antivirus could provide additional peace of mind, provided it comes from a reputable developer on the Play Store. Big names like Norton are always there to help and often offer a full suite of protection, including VPN connectivity, malad blocking and SMS filtering.

However, education remains one of the best forms of defense in each of these situations. If you can avoid scenarios that put you at greater risk, you’ll enjoy better security in the long run. This might involve screening those unknown calls or being more cautious when you see an unusual message from a loved one that doesn’t smell right.

There’s nothing wrong with not have Android antivirus installed. Some will say you don’t need it at all. The real answer is not so clear and it’s up to you. Fortunately, Google’s built-in security measures ensure that most Android users are protected without even realizing it, and these measures will continue to evolve and adapt to new and more serious threats.