McAfee is an antivirus software that protects your computer from malware and other security threats. However, one of the downsides of using McAfee is the frequent pop-ups and notifications that can be disruptive to your work or leisure activities. If you’re a Windows 11 user and are tired of dealing with these pop-ups, you’ll be pleased to know that there are steps you can take to disable them. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of disabling McAfee pop-ups on your Windows 11 device.
How to disable pop-ups and notifications in the McAfee app 2023
As individuals who use McAfee may already be aware, McAfee notifications and pop-ups can be difficult to ignore or disable entirely. This is due to the fact that there are multiple types of notifications that can appear. In this section, we will provide you with a detailed guide on how to disable all McAfee notifications and pop-ups, leaving no avenue for the McAfee application to exploit.
1. Turn off Firewall alerts in the McAfee app
If your firewall is turned off, McAfee will remind you periodically to turn it back on. Here’s how to stop those notifications:
Open the McAfee app. Then click on the gear icon towards the bottom left corner.
Select Settings.
Click on General settings and alerts.
Click on Protection Alerts to expand it.
Put a tick mark next to Don’t show an alert when Firewall is off.
Then click Apply.
That’s one less notification you’re going to receive from McAfee.
Related: How to Uninstall McAfee on Windows 11 [5 Ways]
2. Turn off Informational Alerts
Alerts about system events are integral to any antivirus program. But things can get out of hand if they pop up every time a program is trying to connect to the internet, even those that are installed by you. Here’s how to turn off Informational Alerts on McAfee:
Open the McAfee app and go to “General Settings and Alerts” as shown before.
Now click on Informational Alerts to expand it.
Here, make sure the “Show informational alerts…” options are unchecked.
Click on Apply if applicable.
3. Disable Update notifications
By default, the McAfee app will be set to automatically download and install updates. But if you’re getting notifications when updates are available to install, that could be because of a change to the setting. Here’s how to configure McAfee so that you don’t get any update notifications:
Open McAfee Settings as shown above. Then click on Automatic Updates.
Here, make sure that the option to Download and install updates automatically is selected.
Then click on Apply.
Alternatively, you can turn off automatic updates entirely by clicking on Turn off at the top.
4. Remove McAfee WebAdvisor Extension
The McAfee software package installs the McAfee WebAdvisor extension for your browsers as well. If the pop-ups arise out of your browser, then you have this WebAdvisor extension to blame. Here’s how to remove it:
Open Chrome. Then click on the puzzle-piece (extension) icon to the right of the address bar.
Here, click on the three-dot icon next to McAfee WebAdvisor.
Then click on Remove from Chrome.
When prompted, click on Remove.
And just like that, you would have removed the WebAdvisor extension from displaying pop-ups.
What to do if McAfee pop-ups and notifications persist? [4 solutions]
In the event that you are still experiencing pop-ups and notifications from McAfee even after attempting to disable them, it may be worth considering uninstalling the application altogether. While McAfee offers robust security and protection, it is also notorious for embedding itself deeply within the system, making it difficult to completely remove.
However, if you wish to proceed with the uninstallation, you can begin by performing a normal uninstall of McAfee and then using the MCPR tool for a more thorough removal. Follow the steps below to carry out the process:
1. Uninstall McAfee
Press Win+I to open Settings. Then click on Apps in the left pane.
Then click on Installed Apps.
Find McAfee in the list and click on the three-dot icon to its right.
Select Uninstall.
Then click on Uninstall again.
This will open up the uninstallation wizard. Place a check before McAfee Total Protection.
Then place a check before Remove all files for this program…
Click on Remove.
Click on Remove again.
Wait for the uninstallation to finish (this can take a while).
Finally, click on Restart now and restart your system.
2. Use the McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool (MCPR)
The McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool gives your computer another sweep and uninstalls the components that may be left behind. To start using the MCPR tool, follow the steps below:
Firstly, download the tool from this McAfee link and run the program. Once it opens, click on Next.
Agree to the terms and click on Next.
Type in the security validation characters and click Next.
Now wait for the program to uninstall.
Once complete, click on Restart to do so.
3. Remove remaining files manually
This is not an alternative, but an added method that you have to manually do to remove McAfee components that the uninstallers didn’t bother with. Here’s how:
Press Win+R to open the RUN box. Type %appdata% and hit Enter.
This will open the AppData folder. Here, you will see a folder by the name of McAfee.
Select it and then press Shift+Delete to trash it for good.
4. Make sure McAfee services are disabled
Because guess what! McAfee is still not completely gone. Its services still continue to linger on your system, albeit no more than mere vestiges. Nevertheless, it’s good to check that they remain that way. Here’s how to do so:
Press Start, type Services, and open the Services app.
Scroll down the list and you’ll find a cluster of McAfee services. In most cases, their description would show “Failed to read…” and their status would be empty.
That’s because the files they rely on aren’t there anymore. But there might be one or two McAfee services that would still be set to run automatically at startup. Double-click on them.
Click on the drop-down menu next to “Startup type”.
Select Disabled.
Finally, click OK.
Be wary of the McAfee pop-up scams
It’s important to note that not all M-shield pop-up notifications can be attributed to McAfee as a program. In recent months, a well-known McAfee scam has been circulating, encouraging users to purchase or renew their subscriptions. While individuals without an active subscription would recognize the scam, subscribed users may mistake it for a legitimate McAfee notification, potentially providing their credit card and payment information.
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to spot these types of scams. If you’re not an active subscriber, or if the app isn’t open, or if the pop-up appears on a questionable website, it’s likely to be fake. One effective method of blocking these pop-ups is to add an AdBlocker extension to your browser.
Add the AdBlocker extension to Chrome
AdBlocker is a widely recognized Chrome extension that has protected millions of users globally from falling victim to malicious schemes like these, by preventing ads and pop-ups from appearing in the first place. To add AdBlocker to your browser, follow the steps outlined below:
AdBlock | Chrome Extension link
Follow the link above and click on Add to chrome.
Click on Add extension.
And swift as the wind, you now have protection from pop-up ads in Chrome.
Disable pop-ups and redirects on Chrome
If the scam-like pop-ups continue to appear on a particular website, disabling pop-ups for the site entirely is a good alternative. Here’s how to do so:
Open Chrome and click on the three-dot icon towards the top right corner.
Select Settings.
Click on Privacy and security in the left pane.
On the right, scroll down and click on Site settings.
Then select Pop-ups and redirects.
Here, if you want to disable pop-ups for all websites, click on Don’t allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects.
Elsewise, if you only want to block pop-ups from a particular website, click on Add next to “Not allowed to send pop-ups or use redirects” under “Customized behaviors”.
Then copy the URL of the website and paste it here and click on Add.
And that’s it. You have now prevented that website from displaying pop-ups.
Of course, all this hurts McAfee and gives it a bad rep, which is why you will find them talking about it at length on their support page as well. All that said, we hope you remain safe and maintain a good degree of skepticism for any and all such pop-ups that come your way.
