Identify where the warning comes from
An alert saying your computer has dozens of viruses can be a website notification made to look like security software. A company logo or urgent countdown does not prove the message came from your antivirus.
Read the notification's sender without opening its link. Note the browser name and website address. A small notification outside the browser window is different from a pop-up inside a web page. The fixes below focus on website notification permissions on a computer.
The FTC's tech support scam guide describes bogus warnings that pressure people to call for help. Do not call a number in the alert, install its suggested cleaner or grant remote access.
Block the website in Chrome
- Open Chrome yourself, then open its settings from the three-dot menu.
- Go to Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications.
- Review websites permitted to send notifications. Find the address shown on the unwanted alert.
- Use that site's permission menu to block notifications. If needed, add its address to the blocked list.
Google's notification help page documents these controls. Menu labels may change with browser updates; searching Settings for notifications can help locate them.
Block the unwanted sender rather than allowing it again to test. Previously received alerts may still be visible in your computer's notification history.
Block the website in Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge's settings using its three-dot menu.
- Open Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All sites.
- Select the website responsible for the unwanted messages.
- Find its notification permission and set it to Block.
Microsoft's website notification guide gives the current path. Older versions may place site permissions elsewhere in Settings.
Notifications can appear even when Edge is closed, so closing its window alone may not solve the problem. You can manage the permission from Settings without revisiting the suspicious website.
Check the computer through trusted tools
Removing permission stops that site's notifications; it does not establish whether the whole device is free of malware. Open your installed security application directly, update it and run its scan. The FTC recommends checking through your own security software if you suspect a problem.
If you downloaded something from the warning, installed remote-access software or entered a password, take that action seriously. Use a trusted support contact and follow the security provider's recovery guidance. For an exposed password, change it through the real service, preferably from a trusted device.
On a work computer, report the sender and what you clicked to your IT team. A clear description helps them investigate.
Reduce unwanted prompts in the future
Only allow notification requests when you want that site's ongoing messages. A request to click Allow to prove you are human or download an unrelated file is a reason to pause.
If the problem is a web page opening new windows, use the browser's separate pop-up controls. If alerts continue, review other browser profiles and browsers for the same website permission. Do not disable your security software to make a warning disappear.
For a broader account and device review, use our free Security Checklist.
Make a small security review a habit.
Use the checklist to review software updates, accounts, recovery options and backups.