How can I remove McAfee Norton Pop Ups on Windows 11? It is not showing up on Apps or Task Manager.

Question

I have a 1 year old Surface Pro 11 with Windows 11 and have followed suggestions for removing McAfee/Norton Pop-Ups but there are no McAfee Apps in the Apps list or in Task Manager. I'm looking for a solution to this problem or any help the community may offer.

Answer 1

If you don't see McAfee or Norton in your apps or Task Manager, it’s almost certain that these aren't real apps. They are browser-based fake notifications, designed to trick you. These probably have scary warnings like "your computer is infected with seven viruses!", or "your computer is in extreme danger! scan now!" These are fake from malicious sites.

Essentially, a website you visited likely tricked you into clicking "Allow" on a small pop-up that said something like "Click allow to prove you're not a robot." Now, that website is sending fake virus alerts through your browser to make it look like your system is infected.

Since you're on a Surface Pro 11, you're likely using Microsoft Edge, but I’ll include the fix for Chrome just in case.

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1. The Fix for Microsoft Edge

Open Edge.

Copy and paste this into the address bar: edge://settings/content/notifications

Look at the Allow section.

You will likely see some strange website names (e.g., xyz-alerts.com or fast-protect.net).

Click the three dots next to any site you don't recognize and select Remove or Block.

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2. The Fix for Google Chrome

Open Chrome.

Copy and paste this into the address bar: chrome://settings/content/notifications

Scroll down to the Allowed to send notifications list.

Find the suspicious sites, click the three dots, and select Remove.

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Even if you never installed McAfee or Norton, these scammers use their logos because they are recognizable. Because these alerts are coming through the Windows Notification Center (the little panel on the bottom right of your screen), they look like official system warnings.

In both Edge and Chrome settings (under the same Notification menu), you can toggle off "Ask before sending." This prevents any website from even asking to send you notifications in the future.

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If the pop-ups appear even when your browser is completely closed and you've cleared those settings, you might have a malicious Browser Extension.

Edge: Go to edge://extensions/

Chrome: Go to chrome://extensions/

Look for anything related to "Adblock," "PDF Converter," or "Search Assistant" that you don't remember installing, and Remove it.

Answer 2

You have got to be kidding me! I don't even know what you are talking about! I just want to be able to use my computer! But, every time MacAfee and Norton pop up they STOP me from being able to do anything!!

Answer 3

If you are experiencing persistent McAfee or Norton pop-ups on your Windows 11 Surface Pro 11 and cannot find the applications in the Apps list or Task Manager, you may want to consider the following steps:

1. Check for Installed Extensions: Sometimes, browser extensions can cause pop-ups. Check your browser settings for any extensions related to McAfee or Norton and remove them.
2. Use Control Panel: Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Look for any McAfee or Norton entries that might not show up in the Apps list and uninstall them from there.
3. Run the Uninstaller: If you have the McAfee or Norton uninstaller tool, you can use it to remove the software completely. These tools can often be found on the official McAfee or Norton websites.
4. Check Startup Programs: Some applications might not show in Task Manager but can still run at startup. You can check this by typing msconfig in the Run dialog (Win + R) and looking under the Startup tab.
5. Malware Scan: Run a full scan with Windows Defender or another trusted antivirus program to ensure that there are no unwanted programs causing the pop-ups.
6. Reset Browser Settings: If the pop-ups are browser-related, resetting your browser settings to default may help eliminate them.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider reaching out to the Microsoft Support Community for further assistance.

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References:

• Where can I get help with app compatibility?
• Need help with Windows updates?