Stop Pop-Up Ads and Fake Virus Warnings
Ads and “your PC is infected” warnings keep popping up in the corner of your screen, even when you're not browsing. Here's how to switch them off for good.
Are these notifications, or real pop-ups?
Most “virus warning” and “you've won” pop-ups that appear near the clock, even when the browser is closed, are website notifications you were tricked into allowing with a fake “Click Allow to continue” button. They aren't a virus, and turning them off takes a minute.
FIXGet rid of them
Do the steps for the browser you use.
- Open Chrome and go to ⋮ menu › Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings › Notifications.
- Under Allowed to send notifications, click ⋮ next to any site you don't recognise and choose Remove or Block.
- Set the default to Don't allow sites to send notifications, or Use quieter messaging.
Go to ··· menu › Settings › Cookies and site permissions › Notifications. Remove unknown sites under Allow, and turn on Quiet notification requests.
Go to Safari › Settings › Websites › Notifications. Select unfamiliar sites and click Remove, and untick Allow websites to ask for permission to send notifications.
Extensions can inject ads and change your search engine. Type chrome://extensions (Chrome) or edge://extensions (Edge) in the address bar, or go to Safari › Settings › Extensions on a Mac. Remove anything you don't recognise or didn't install on purpose.
If your homepage or search engine keeps changing back, reset the browser. It keeps bookmarks and passwords.
- Chrome: Settings › Reset settings › Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Edge: Settings › Reset settings › Restore settings to their default values.
If pop-ups appear outside the browser or your computer is acting strangely, scan it. On Windows, open Windows Security › Virus & threat protection › Quick scan. Then uninstall unfamiliar programs from Settings › Apps › Installed apps. On a Mac, remove unfamiliar apps from the Applications folder.
Try a different browser to see if it follows you. If it does, the problem is a program on the computer; check installed apps and consider a second-opinion scanner such as Malwarebytes.
FAQCommon questions
Is my computer infected?
Usually not. Notification spam comes from a website you allowed, not a virus. Removing the permission stops it completely.
A pop-up says to call Microsoft or Apple support. Should I?
No. That's a tech-support scam. Real companies never show warnings with a phone number. Close the browser; if it won't close, restart the computer.
How did this happen?
Many dodgy sites show a fake message like “Click Allow to prove you're not a robot”. Clicking Allow gives them permission to send notifications.
Can I get these on my phone too?
Yes, Android Chrome can show them. In Chrome on Android, go to Settings › Notifications (or Site settings › Notifications) and remove the sites.