Many antivirus apps provide additional features to improve the security of your smartphone. Some of these features include the ability to manage passwords to secure your login credentials, VPN functionality for enhanced security and privacy, and tools to locate or remotely wipe out stolen smartphones.

The majority of antivirus services scan your phone regularly to search for signatures of malicious software that might have infected your device. Typically, they run these checks on a schedule that you set and will notify you if any threats are found. They will also determine whether you’re connected to an unsecure network that could expose your personal data to hackers.

Some antiviruses may have extra features, like anti-theft protection or a phone blocker, based on the service provider. Kaspersky, for example, provides a feature that allows you to take three pictures of the person trying to gain access to your device. It also allows users to lock or wipe it remotely. Other companies offer tools to tune-up your system that clean up junk files, speed up the performance of your device and alert you of unsafe settings or apps.

An excellent way to determine how well a service protects your phone is to see how it performs in the security rankings of independent testing labs. Some of these rankings are based on the amount of threats that are detected, while others consider things like how quickly the service detects threats and then eliminates them. Certain services go beyond the norm, offering features appsguide data room software like a money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.