stop McAfee popup ads

Linda Okeson 0 Reputation points
2026-09-11T04:31:24.1733333+00:00

I need help stopping unwanted McAfee popups. I am unable to go to settings in Chrome as recommended. Apparently it has to do with being on a managed account which is not true.

Windows for home | Other | Security and privacy
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  1. Ivan B 122.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-11T05:10:15.7433333+00:00

    Hi,

    If you are unable to access the settings in Chrome, you might be logged in with a work or school account.

    First, try opening Chrome and accessing chrome://settings/content/notifications by copying and pasting it into your address bar and pressing Enter.

    Check if any sites are listed under pop-ups and remove the sites that have this permission.

    If that doesn't work, go to chrome://settings/privacy > "Clear browsing data" > "All time," select the "Site settings" option, clear the data, then close and reopen Chrome.

    I also recommend using the free AdwCleaner tool to check for any malicious extensions.

    Additionally, check your extensions in Chrome by clicking the ... menu > Extensions > Manage extensions, then disable all extensions or remove any you don't recognize.

    Please consider rating the question (accepting the answer or not) and visiting the Microsoft Q&A community if you have further questions.

    Thanks.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-11T04:31:38.4533333+00:00

    If McAfee is not actually installed, those popups are usually browser notifications or unwanted software rather than the McAfee app itself.

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Remove suspicious notification permissions in Microsoft Edge
      • Open Edge.
      • Go to Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All sites.
      • Select any site that looks unfamiliar.
      • Find Notifications and change it to Block.
      • A second method is to visit the site, select View site information to the left of the address bar, then under Permissions for this site > Notifications, choose Block.
    2. Make sure Edge pop-up blocking is on
      • In Edge, open Settings.
      • Go to Cookies and site permissions > Pop-ups and redirects.
      • Turn on Block (recommended).
    3. Check for suspicious browser extensions
      • In Edge, select the Extensions icon, then Manage Extensions.
      • Disable or remove anything unfamiliar, especially ad-blocking, antivirus, search, or browser-modifying extensions.
      • Some extensions can change browser settings or trigger fake virus alerts.
    4. Remove unwanted apps from Windows
      • Open Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
      • Sort by install date and uninstall recent apps that were not intentionally installed.
      • This is useful when the popups are caused by unwanted software bundled with another download.
    5. Turn on potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security
      • Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings.
      • Turn on potentially unwanted app blocking.
      • Enable both Block apps and Block downloads.
    6. Take action on anything Windows Security already detected
      • If Windows Security shows a potentially unwanted app notification, open Virus & threat protection.
      • Select the detected item, choose an action, and then select Start actions.
      • Until an action is chosen, the item may stay blocked but not removed.
    7. If the device may already be infected
      • Submit suspicious files for analysis if needed.
      • If removal fails, use the malware troubleshooting guidance from Microsoft support.

    If Chrome settings are blocked by a false “managed account” message, using Edge to remove notification permissions and checking Windows for unwanted apps is the most direct workaround supported here.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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