To check whether Chrome has picked up malware, run Chrome’s Safety Check, look through your extensions, check that Chrome isn’t “managed”, and run a full scan with your computer’s antivirus. The steps are below. Chrome can’t scan your computer for malware itself any more. The old “Clean up computer” option (Chrome Cleanup, on Windows) was removed in October 2023, so the scan has to come from your antivirus.
Signs that something is wrong
Google’s help page Remove unwanted ads, pop-ups & malware lists these signs of unwanted software:
- Pop-up ads and new tabs that won’t go away.
- Your homepage or search engine keeps changing without your permission.
- Unwanted extensions or toolbars keep coming back.
- Your browsing is redirected to unfamiliar pages or ads.
- Alerts about a virus or an infected device.
If a pop-up in Chrome says your device is infected, Google’s advice is to be wary of it, especially if you haven’t run a virus scanner recently. If it offers a program update or download, don’t click it. Close the tab instead.
Check 1: Run Safety Check
Safety Check looks for extensions that might be harmful, sites sending notifications you may not want, your Safe Browsing setting, Chrome updates, and weak or leaked passwords (Manage Chrome safety and security).
- Open Chrome and select More (the three dots at the top right) > Settings.
- On the left, select Privacy and security.
- Under “Safety Check,” select Go to Safety Check. You can also paste
chrome://settings/safetyCheckinto the address bar. - Select any item with an issue and follow the instructions.
If Safety Check says an update is waiting, install it: see how to update Chrome.
Check 2: Look through your extensions
Paste chrome://extensions into the address bar and read the list. Look for:
- Anything you don’t remember installing.
- An extension Chrome marks as not listed in the Chrome Web Store, which Chrome says may have been added without your knowledge.
- An extension you can’t remove because it is installed by policy (see check 3).
Programs you install on Windows or Mac can add extensions too. Google says Chrome then asks you the next time it opens, and you can select Remove (Install and manage extensions).
Check 3: Make sure Chrome isn’t “managed”
Select More (the three dots) and look at the bottom of the menu. If it says Managed by your organization and this is your own computer, not a work or school one, something has set policies to control Chrome. Policies can stop you changing settings such as your search engine. You can see what was set at chrome://policy (Check if your Chrome browser is managed).
Check 4: Check your search engine and startup pages
- Search engine: open
chrome://settings/searchEngines. The default should be one you chose. - Startup pages: open
chrome://settings/onStartup. If Chrome is set to open pages you didn’t add, something changed it.
Google says that a homepage, startup page or search engine you didn’t set yourself may mean your computer has malware (Set your homepage and startup page).
Check 5: Scan the computer
On Windows, open the Windows Security app, select Virus & threat protection > Scan options, and run a Full scan (Microsoft’s guide). On a Mac, use the antivirus you trust, and look in your Applications folder for programs you don’t recognize. On an Android phone, make sure Play Protect is on in the Play Store.
What the results mean
- All five checks are clean: Chrome is very likely fine. If a single site keeps showing pop-ups, that site is the problem. Block its pop-ups and notifications.
- Any check found something: follow the step-by-step clean-up in how to remove a browser hijacker from Chrome. It covers removing programs and extensions, clearing policies, resetting Chrome and stopping notification spam.
To be warned earlier next time, turn on Enhanced protection: More > Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Enhanced protection. It warns about dangerous sites, downloads and extensions, including ones Google didn’t know about before (Google’s Safe Browsing help).