2 Easy Ways to Disable Norton Antivirus on Your Computer

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A user-friendly guide to pausing or stopping Norton from running in the background of your computer
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Norton is an antivirus program that is designed to protect your computer against virus infections and other malware. However, Norton can cause problems when you're trying to install other programs, and it can sometimes cause your computer to slow down. In cases like these, turning Norton off can be useful. This wikiHow will show you how to temporarily disable Norton Antivirus and hide task notifications on your Windows or Mac computer.

Things You Should Know

  • Right-click the Norton icon in the taskbar. Click "Disable Auto-Protect" and "Disable Smart Firewall". Select a duration.
  • On Mac, open the Norton app. Click "Advanced/Settings" → "Protect My Mac". Toggle off Automatic Scans, Connection Blocking, and Vulnerability Protection.
  • Disabling your Antivirus can leave your computer open to threats. Be sure to enable it again when finished troubleshooting.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using Windows

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    This looks like a black checkmark with a yellow background. You can find this icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Click the up arrow to expand the system tray. [1]
    • To temporarily turn off Norton Antivirus, you must be logged onto your computer with an Administrator account . If you aren't, some settings may be disabled.
    • If you want to completely remove Norton Antivirus, you'll need to uninstall it from your computer.
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    A menu will open.
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    If this option is greyed out, this means Norton had detected and repaired a threat on your computer. Restart your computer , and then try again. [2]
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    You can turn off Auto-Protect for 15 minutes , 1 hour , 5 hours , Until system restart , or Permanently .
    • If you don't see the duration you want, click More Options .
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    This is below Auto-Protect .
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    You can turn off Auto-Protect for 15 minutes , 1 hour , 5 hours , Until system restart , or Permanently .
    • If you don't see the duration you want, click More Options .
    • Norton Antivirus will be disabled. Unless you selected Permanently , Norton should automatically enable these features again after the specified time. To enable it again, right-click the Norton icon and click Enable .
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    If you only want to disable Norton's notifications, do the following:
    • Launch your Norton application.
    • On the "My Norton" window, click Open next to "Device Security".
    • Click Settings .
    • Click Administrative Settings .
    • Toggle off Norton Task Notification .
    • Click Apply and then Close .
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using Mac

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    This looks like a black checkmark with a yellow background.
    • If the My Norton window opens, click Open next to Device Security .
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    This will be in Norton's main product window. You may see Settings instead.
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    You can find this on the left panel.
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    The switch will turn grey.
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    A new window will open.
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    The switch will turn grey.
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    The switch will turn grey.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v116457581
      2. ↑ https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v115916176

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