G DATA Mobile Security is an antivirus and device security app for Android phones and tablets. The free Light edition provides virus scanning, while the paid Premium edition adds website protection, controls for individual apps, and tools for locating and securing a missing device. Light initially includes a Premium trial; when it ends, scanning remains available.
Scanning apps and updating signatures
The scanner lets you choose between checking installed apps and a wider System scan that also examines application packages that have not been installed. Scans can run on demand or at regular intervals. When a scan identifies an infected app, the results let you select that app and proceed to uninstall it. G DATA Mobile Security also checks new apps during installation.
Scheduled scans run weekly by default, with controls to change the interval, skip scans when the battery is low, or run them only while charging. The dashboard shows the last scan, its type, and whether it found infections.
G DATA Mobile Security uses current virus signatures from the cloud when an internet connection is available. Offline scans use signatures stored on the device instead. Signature updates have their own schedule, separate from the scanning interval, and can be restricted to Wi-Fi. The dashboard displays when those signatures were last updated.
App Control
Premium includes an app list for examining permissions and controlling access to selected applications. Reviewing permissions shows what access an app has been granted, which can help you assess whether that access fits its purpose.
For applications containing private information or purchasing functions, App Control can require a PIN before they open.
Web Protection
Web Protection checks visited websites and blocks phishing pages intended to collect information such as passwords or bank details. It supports Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Opera on Android. The feature requires activation and access through Android’s accessibility services so it can examine the websites being opened. Its settings also allow website protection to operate only over Wi-Fi.
Locating and securing a missing device
The Mobile Security Center provides access to linked devices from a web browser. Alongside scan and signature information, it shows the last synchronization and recorded location. For a missing phone, Premium can request its location on a map, trigger a loud sound, or lock the screen remotely. Anti-theft protection uses Android’s device administrator access, and available actions depend on the operating system.
Low-battery location recording saves the device’s last known position before it loses power. SIM protection can send an email when the card is removed, with options to locate the device or sound an alarm. Remote data erasure can restore a device to factory settings, but that action is limited to Android 13 and earlier.
