At work you may be asked to install an app: a sales app, a delivery tracking app, or a survey app such as Kobo Collect for an NGO field job. Knowing how to install apps safely, and how to spot a bad one, protects your phone or computer, your money and your employer's information.
Get apps from the official store
On Android phones, the official store is the Google Play Store. On iPhones it is the App Store. Apps there are checked before they are listed. The checks are not perfect, so you still need to look carefully, but apps sent to you as files on WhatsApp, or downloaded from random websites, are not checked and can contain harmful software that steals passwords or MoMo details. They are far riskier.
On a computer, get programs from the Microsoft Store on Windows, the App Store on a Mac, or the official website of the company that makes them. Avoid "free" copies of paid software from random websites, because they often hide harmful software.
If someone sends you an app or program file and says "install this to get your prize", do not open it.
Check before you install
On the app's page in the store, look at:
- The developer name. Is it the real company? Fake apps often copy a famous name with a small spelling change.
- Reviews and downloads. Read a few recent reviews, especially the bad ones.