Sam Boyd
Updated on: January 3, 2024
Short on time? Here’s how to remove the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” scam:
- 1. Close Your Web Browser. “Virus Alert from Microsoft” always appears in web browsers. So first, try to close your web browser normally. If that doesn’t work, press “Ctrl+Shift+Delete” to open your Task Manager. Find your web browser among the running processes, and click “End Task” to force it to close.
- 2. Scan Your Computer. The next step is to run a full disk scan using a premium antivirus (Norton is my favorite).
- 3. Remove Malware and Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs). After the scan is complete, let the antivirus remove all the malware and PUPs it finds.
- 4. Stay Protected. To stay safe from further infections, you should invest in a premium internet security suite like Norton, which offers perfect malware detection rates, real-time and anti-phishing protection, and much more. Norton has a variety of affordable plans, and they all come with a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
“Virus Alert from Microsoft” is a scam developed by hackers to break into your computer. So, if you see a pop-up window in your web browser that says “Virus Alert from Microsoft”, it means you’re on a website that hosts dangerous pop-ups, or you have malware infecting your computer.
To remove it, follow the below steps and run a full system scan with a trustworthy antivirus. A good internet security program like Norton can remove malware from your system, block unsafe sites, and ensure that your incoming and outgoing web traffic isn’t compromised by hackers.
Note: The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-up usually contains a phone number to connect you with scammers. Whatever you do, don’t call the number on the virus alert.
Preliminary Step: Close the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” Notification
The “Virus Alert from Microsoft” notification will always appear in your web browser. Even if you’re not surfing the web, malware on your PC can open your web browser and redirect you to the fake “Virus Alert from Microsoft” web page.
This web page isn’t a genuine notification from Microsoft. In fact, a real notification from Microsoft will look like this:
To better disguise itself, the fake web page will sometimes force your browser into full screen mode to try and hide the fact it’s actually your web browser and not Microsoft showing the notification.
If this is the case, press “F11” on your keyboard to bring your web browser back to windowed mode. You should then try to close your web browser normally by pressing the “X” symbol in the top right corner of the browser or by hitting “Alt+F4” on your keyboard.
You should then reopen your browser and check for potential issues. I recommend removing any suspicious extensions first. Most browsers have a puzzle piece icon on the toolbar — click it, and you’ll see a list of extensions. If there’s anything that looks suspicious or that you don’t remember installing, remove it.
Next, clear your cache. On most browsers, you can do this by pressing “Ctrl+Shift+Delete”. There’s no need to delete your entire web history if you don’t want to. If this doesn’t work, open your browser’s settings window and look for your browsing data (on Chrome this is under the Privacy and security tab).
You should also consider resetting your browser’s settings. This might mean you have to reinstall extensions or tweak the settings back to your liking afterward, but it’s the most surefire way to make sure your browser isn’t harboring any vulnerabilities. Whether you’re using Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or a different browser, you should be able to find a button on the Settings page that will restore your browser to its default settings. There might even be a search function for it, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.
Once this is done, you should install an ad blocker. TotalAV has a free ad blocker that can stop annoying notifications such as the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” from appearing. It’s also a good idea to scan your system using an antivirus program like Norton.
Sometimes, the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-up will keep reappearing even when you try to close the tab on your web browser. That’s because malware on your device is constantly issuing the pop-up every time you hit the “X” button, making the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” tab impossible to close.
In this case, you should fully close your web browser through your computer’s Task Manager. To do this, hit “Ctrl+Shift+Esc” on your keyboard. When the Task Manager has opened, navigate through the running processes until you see the web browser showing the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” notification. Click on it, and then click “End Task.”
Once this is done, the notification will be gone, but you should still scan your system. Here’s how.
Step 1. Identify the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” Infection With Your Antivirus (And Don’t Make the Problem Worse!)
IMPORTANT: Never connect a tablet, cell phone, or USB device to your computer if you suspect that it has a malware infection. If you do, there’s a chance that a malware infection will copy itself onto the connected device.
Once you’ve installed a comprehensive antivirus program like Norton, run a full virus scan of your device. A full virus scan will check everywhere on your computer for malware. The virus scanner will quarantine any malware it finds and then allow you to remove it from your system. This includes rootkits, worms, spyware, and other threats that often run undetected.
Remember: Run the entirety of the virus scan. Since malware replicates, it’s impossible to know how many copies of malware you have on your system. If you cancel the virus scan before it hits 100%, the malware will continue to replicate and still infect your system. Unfortunately, this means you’ll likely start getting the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-up again.
The full scan can take anywhere between 1–4 hours. Your PC may run slowly while running the scan since virus scans can be CPU-demanding. A good idea is to schedule the scan at night. Then, you can leave your PC until the following morning, when the scan will be completed.
When your antivirus finishes scanning, a notification will appear showing the results. All malware on your system will be identified and quarantined. You can now proceed to Step 2.
Step 2. Remove the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” Infection and Delete Any Other Infected Files
Sometimes, your antivirus won’t detect any compromised files. This means you’ve just accidentally visited a dangerous website, but malware hasn’t infected your device. If this is the case, you can skip ahead to keeping your device protected.
If your antivirus found malware on your system, you should go through the infected file list and hit the Delete button on every compromised file. If you’re an advanced user, you can scroll through the list of infected files and whitelist any false positives you see.
Once you’ve removed or whitelisted everything on your quarantine list, restart your computer to stop any infected processes loaded into your system memory from running.
You can then run a second scan using your antivirus scanner. This preventative step ensures all traces of malware are removed. Your antivirus shouldn’t take as long this time around. Many antiviruses (such as Norton) remember which files they previously scanned. This means they can analyze your disk much faster on a second full disk scan.
Like on your first scan, let your antivirus completely finish its second scan. Once the scan is finished, the infected file list should be empty. If any compromised files do appear, review them as before and delete them as necessary. Once this is done, your computer is malware-free.
However, despite removing the “Virus Alert from Microsoft”, your computer is still at risk of the millions of malware files on the web that you can accidentally download.
Step 3. Keep Your Device Protected Against Dangerous Websites
Cybercriminals develop new malware daily, meaning it’s very easy to accidentally download infected files. There’s also a considerable risk of having your online data harvested, losing your personal information to identify theft, or having your accounts compromised by public Wi-Fi hackers. With all this in mind, you might be wondering how to keep your devices and personal information safe. Luckily, there are several steps you can take:
- Don’t Download Suspicious Files. Ensure you recognize where files you download are coming from. Don’t download pirated content or freeware from untrustworthy websites. With email, even if a file is on an attachment from an email address you trust, ensure the email has been sent intentionally. Some phishing scams can hijack emails and spread malware through trusted email accounts.
- Keep Your Software, OS, and Drivers Up-To-Date. Hackers have frequently taken advantage of software vulnerabilities to gain access to computers. Most of the time, developers release software updates with security patches that fix these vulnerabilities. Download a comprehensive antivirus suite that includes a vulnerability scanner that can automatically scan your programs, drivers, and OS to ensure they’re up to date.
- Use Strong Passwords For All of Your Accounts. If you want your accounts to stay private, use strong and unique passwords. Each should be impossible to guess and include letters, numbers, and other characters. Don’t use the same password for any two accounts. Luckily, you don’t actually have to memorize dozens of unique passwords for this; you can use a secure password manager like 1Password to keep your information private.
- Secure Your Wireless Network and IoT Devices. You should ensure your Wi-Fi network and Internet of Things (IoT) devices are secured with a strong password. Again, I recommend using a password manager such as 1Password. 1Password can generate strong passwords and store them, so you never have to worry about remembering passwords.
- Install a Secure Antivirus Program. There are many antiviruses on the market, but you have to pick the right one. To make an informed decision, check out 2024’s best antivirus packages here. My personal favorite is Norton 360. Its antivirus scanner uses advanced heuristics, artificial intelligence, and an extensive malware database that’s updated daily to stay ahead of the newest malware.
Best Antivirus Programs to Remove Microsoft Virus Alert
Quick summary of the best antiviruses for Windows in 2024
- 🥇1. Norton 360 — Best antivirus for removing the Microsoft Virus Alert.
- 🥈2. Bitdefender — Best for cloud-based scanning.
- 🥉3. TotalAV — Powerful antivirus with excellent ad blocker.
🥇1. Norton 360 — Best Antivirus for Removing Microsoft Virus Alert
Approved by our experts
Norton 360 offers the best malware protection in 2024. It uses machine-based learning and heuristic analysis to find and remove known and emerging malware threats. It consistently had a 100% malware detection rate in my tests.
Norton 360 has some excellent features, including:
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Secure firewall.
- Password manager.
- VPN (virtual private network).
- Parental controls.
- Secure Browser.
- Dark web monitoring.
- Identity theft protection (US only).
- And more…
Norton’s web protections work really well. I’m a big fan of the Secure Browser — when I used it, I got alerts when I tried to click on bogus ‘Virus alert’ pop-ups. I visited hundreds of phishing websites listed on PhishTank (including websites that issued the fake virus alert from Microsoft), and Norton was able to block every one. This included dangerous websites I could access when I was just running the built-in protections on Chrome and Firefox. I also really like how Norton alerts you to whether or not a website is safe before you click on it, which prevents you from accidentally accessing shady websites that issue the virus alert from Microsoft.
The smart firewall built into Norton is also great. If you’re a beginner user, you can leave the firewall to run out of the box, and it’ll protect you from the latest web-based exploits. However, advanced users are given plenty of customization options. For example, you can create connection rules for every application on your PC and disable particular network protocols that are at risk of being exploited by malware.
Norton has quite a few pricing plans, but the best value plan is Norton 360 Deluxe. It costs $49.99 / year*, has every Norton feature — including the excellent anti-phishing protection and firewall — and can protect up to 5 devices. All Norton plans are backed by a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee.
🥈2. Bitdefender — Best for Cloud-Based Scanning
Bitdefender is a lightweight antivirus program with a good range of additional features. Like Norton, Bitdefender had a 100% malware detection rate in my tests and removed known and emerging malware threats from my Windows computer.
Bitdefender also includes:
- Ransomware protection.
- Web protection.
- Secure browser.
- VPN (200 MB/day).
- System optimizer.
- Password manager.
- Parental controls.
- And more…
Bitdefender’s web protection works well. It blocked every phishing website I tried to visit, including those that Chrome and Firefox’s built-in protections missed. Bitdefender’s web protection is also available as a free browser extension called TrafficLight. It works on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, and it will flag all suspicious pages in your search results and protect you from accessing dangerous websites by blocking them.
I also really like Bitdefender’s VPN. While it’s not quite as good as a standalone VPN, it provides access to servers in about 50 countries, and I didn’t notice any slowdown while using it. That said, the VPN falls slightly short of Norton’s VPN because Bitdefender imposes 200 MB daily data limits on all but its highest-tiered plan. Meanwhile, Norton provides an unlimited-data VPN on all of its plans except the most basic one.
Bitdefender’s plans start from $17.49 / year. Bitdefender Total Security is the best value, costing $49.99 / year, but if you also want the VPN with no limitations, you should take a look at Premium Security, which is priced at $79.99 / year. All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Bitdefender review
🥉3. TotalAV — Great Web Protection (Plus a VPN)
TotalAV is another excellent choice for protecting your devices. It detected and removed 99.6% of malware I tested it against, freeing my machine from any bogus “Virus Alert from Microsoft” messages.
I was equally impressed with TotalAV’s web protection. WebShield, a free browser extension, provides excellent anti-phishing defenses. It’s also highly customizable, with whitelisting taking only a few seconds. I tested it on websites that usually give you “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-ups, and I couldn’t access a single one.
TotalAV also has optimization tools that can improve performance and free up space. The Junk Cleaner removed over 1 GB of junk from my PC. When it comes to removing unused apps, I strongly prefer TotalAV’s Application Uninstaller to the default process on Windows. Other useful tools include Startup Manager, Browser Cleanup, and Duplicate File Finder.
TotalAV’s Safe Browsing VPN is the best antivirus-bundled VPN on the market. In my tests, it had seamless streaming compatibility and didn’t reduce my speed by much. It also includes essential features such as a kill switch, protocol choice, and auto-connect for public Wi-Fi networks.
There’s also Total Adblock, a top-of-the-line ad blocker. It only comes with the most expensive plan, but it offers excellent protection against intrusive ads. All this is good, but I still wish that TotalAV came with a firewall like Norton does.
TotalAV offers affordable plans starting at $19.00 / year. Only Total Security ($49.00 / year) comes with the ad blocker, but all plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove Microsoft Virus Alert from my PC?
The best way to remove the Microsoft Virus alert from your PC is to follow our above steps. In short, you need to download a comprehensive antivirus program like Norton and run a full system scan. Norton will look for all traces of malware causing your computer to issue the fake virus alert from Microsoft. Once you’ve removed all malware, you should keep running Norton for its additional security features, or choose another antivirus program with good web protection.
Will Microsoft alert you if you have a virus?
Yes, Microsoft will alert you if you have a virus. However, Microsoft won’t alert you through your web browser or ask you to dial a number. If you receive a fake notification from Microsoft asking you to dial a number, you should follow our steps to close the fake virus alert and remove it.
If you do have malware on your computer and Microsoft detects it, Windows Defender will alert you through your computer’s notification menu. You’ll then be prompted to run a virus scan via Windows Defender, but it’s a good idea to instead choose an alternative antivirus suite like Norton, as it comes with better malware detection rates.
What does “Virus Alert from Microsoft” mean?
The pop-up titled “Virus Alert from Microsoft” is a scam allowing cybercriminals to gain access to your computer. While Windows does feature an embedded antivirus, its alerts never display the message “Virus Alert from Microsoft.”
If you see “Virus Alert from Microsoft” on your computer, you’re either on a sketchy website that is trying to hack your device, or you have a malware file on your computer that is issuing false pop-ups.
You need to download a comprehensive antivirus like Norton to determine if you have malware on your system and protect your device when you’re online. A high-quality antivirus will scan your PC for threats and safely remove them. Follow our simple steps to learn how to do this.
Is “Virus Alert from Microsoft” real?
No! If you see this notification appear or receive the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-up, you should download a comprehensive antivirus like Norton and follow our steps to run a full system scan. Microsoft will never show a virus alert in a web browser pop-up window or ask you to call a phone number to resolve virus threats.
Nevertheless, Microsoft provides authentic virus protection for your computer. Windows Defender operates seamlessly in the background, and only notifies you when it detects a potential threat (with a push notification in your screen’s corner). This alert informs you of the possible danger and directs you to the Windows Defender Security Center for additional actions.
How did “Virus Alert from Microsoft” get on my computer?
Shady websites or malware are responsible for this type of message. Many people accept money from scammers to host these kinds of pop-ups on their sites. Alternatively, there could be malware already downloaded on your device causing this window to constantly reappear. This can be hard to get rid of, so I recommend getting an antivirus like Norton and running a scan right away.
I provided my personal info to scammers — what should I do now?
You need to take immediate action if you’ve given any info to scammers. If you’ve given financial information, contact your bank immediately and let them know. Even if you’ve only given out your name or address, you should be careful. I recommend downloading an antivirus right away and practicing good cyber hygiene going forward. Norton also provides dark web monitoring to customers in several countries, and US users can even get identity theft protections which includes legal help and credit monitoring.
Ultimately it depends on what information you’ve given out, but changing your passwords and running scans on all of your devices is definitely advisable.
How to identify a pop-up scam?
If a pop-up is asking you to do something immediately, it’s probably a scam. You should also be suspicious of any message that tells you to call a phone number. Companies like Windows and Google have other means of contacting you, and they’ll always use more official channels. Pop-ups loaded with flashing lights and spelling mistakes are also highly suspect.
Use your best judgment, but I also recommend running an antivirus like Norton, which will warn you about scams and malware.
How to remove “Virus Alert from Microsoft”?
If you’re getting the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-up, immediately close your browser and consider installing a trusted antivirus, like Norton. This will ensure a thorough system scan, rooting out any rogue software causing the alert.
Follow our above steps to learn how to scan your PC using an antivirus like Norton. This process will guide you through removing all traces of malware you have on your system, including the malware causing the “Virus Alert from Microsoft” pop-up.
