What should I do if a popup says my computer has a virus?

You'll be able to: Identify and close fake virus popup scams safely

The steps

1
Do NOT click any buttons inside the popup, do NOT download anything it suggests, and NEVER call any phone number displayed on the screen. The urgent warning window with red flashing banners remains open on your screen.
What is this popup?
This is a common web scam designed to mislead you. Legitimate Windows security and Microsoft never display phone numbers or ask you to call support from a web page.
2
Press CtrlW on your keyboard to close the active browser tab immediately. The tab closes instantly and the alert disappears.
3
If the whole browser is locked, press AltF4 to close the entire web browser window. The browser closes completely and you return safely to your desktop.
4
Reopen your browser, and if it asks Restore pages?, click the X or Don't restore. Your browser opens fresh on a clean home page with no popups.
Tip
Your computer was not infected — the popup was simply an unauthorized web page trying to mislead you.

It looks different on my screen

If you ever want to do a real, safe scan of your computer, search for Windows Security in the Start menu and click Quick scan.

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