New guidelines from the Google Play Developer Policy Center


Due to recent changes in the Google Play Developer Policy Center, AVG AntiVirus for Android is no longer able to perform the following actions:

In response to these changes, we have been forced to make adjustments to some features within AVG AntiVirus for Android. This article describes changes that were implemented when you updated to app version 6.16.0.

SMS Shield

SMS Shield has been removed from AVG AntiVirus for Android. Because of this, the app can no longer show an alert when you receive an SMS containing a malicious URL. Therefore, we strongly recommend not opening links from unknown numbers without first verifying that the sender is trustworthy.

Anti-Theft

It is no longer possible for your lost or stolen Android device to receive commands using SMS Remote Control or SMS commands. However, you can still control your device remotely via the connected AVG MyAccount. To confirm which account your Anti-Theft is linked to, follow the directions below:

  1. Go to MenuAnti-Theft.
  2. Enter your Anti-Theft PIN or pattern.
  3. Tap Web control on my.avg.com.
  4. Confirm which account is currently linked to the Anti-Theft feature.

If Anti-Theft was enabled on your device before the upgrade to version 6.16.0, but was not linked to an AVG MyAccount, Anti-Theft was automatically disabled. To re-enable Anti-Theft:

  1. Go to MenuAnti-Theft.
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to enable Anti-Theft.
  3. When prompted, log into your AVG MyAccount using your existing Google, Facebook, or Email credentials. If you do not have an AVG MyAccount, you can use these credentials to create one.

To send commands to a lost or stolen device:

  1. Log in to your AVG MyAccount on any web browser.
  2. Select your linked device in the Devices list on the left of the screen.
  3. Select the relevant command in the command panel.

Note: to control a lost device via your AVG MyAccount, the device must be running and connected to the internet.

The Use SMS to report status feature has also been removed from AVG AntiVirus for Android. This means it is no longer possible for your lost or stolen device to send an SMS message confirming that a remote command was successfully received.

Call Blocker

Note: Due to recent changes in the Google Play Developer Policy Center and Android policies, the Call Blocker feature will no longer be available in AVG AntiVirus for Android on devices running Android 9 and higher.

When adding a phone number to your Blacklist, it is no longer possible to import the number from your call log. However, you can still configure AVG AntiVirus to block calls from:

  • All unknown numbers
  • All hidden numbers
  • A chosen number from your contacts list
  • A chosen number that you have entered manually into the app

To add numbers to your Blacklist, tap MenuCall Blocker, then tap the plus icon in the bottom-right corner.

More information

For more information about the Google Play Developer Policy Center, refer to the following documentation from Google Play:

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