SMS Shield has been removed from Avast Mobile Security. 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.

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 Avast Account. To confirm which account your Anti-Theft is linked to, follow the directions below:

1. Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Anti-Theft.
2. Enter your Anti-Theft PIN or pattern.
3. Tap Web control on my.avast.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 Avast Account, Anti-Theft was automatically disabled. To re-enable Anti-Theft:

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

To send commands to a lost or stolen device:

1. Log in to your Avast Account 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 Avast Account, the device must be running and connected to the internet.

The Use SMS to report status feature has also been removed from Avast Mobile Security. 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.

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 Avast Mobile Security 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 Avast Mobile Security 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 ☰ Menu ▸ Call Blocker, then tap the plus icon in the bottom-right corner.

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

• Google Play Developer Policy Center ▸ Privacy, Security, and Deception