How to Uninstall Norton Antivirus (Quick & Easy Steps in 2024)
Reading time: 21 min
Updated on September 21, 2023
When uninstalling any antivirus you need to make sure you remove the software from your device entirely — when deleting Norton products, it is sometimes hard to tell if you have done this. Follow the steps below to properly uninstall Norton on any device.
It is important to note that uninstalling Norton, or any reliable antivirus, can leave your device vulnerable. So whatever your reasons for wanting to uninstall Norton, it’s important to replace it with a good alternative. Along with the steps to uninstall Norton, I have listed the best alternatives.
My top alternative is McAfee because, like Norton, it provides 100% malware detection, a built-in VPN, a sleek interface, and several other features to protect your devices. It’s also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Uninstall Norton From Any Device in 2024
- Find Norton in your installed apps. Navigate to the installed apps section and find Norton on your device.
- Click/tap on Uninstall. Select the uninstall option after picking Norton from the installed apps section.
- Wait for the uninstallation to complete. Wait for Norton to be uninstalled from your device.
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How to Uninstall Norton From Any Device
Windows
Step 1: Open the Apps & Features Menu
The first step for uninstalling Norton is to head to the Apps & features menu. You can easily do this by typing “Add or remove programs” in the search bar and clicking on the first result.
Step 2: Find Norton and Select the Uninstall Option
In the Apps & features menu, click on the search bar, and type “Norton.” Windows will then highlight Norton for you and ask whether you want to modify or uninstall it. Click on Uninstall to start the process of removing it from your system.
Windows will confirm if you want to uninstall Norton by showing a pop-up explaining that it will remove the app and all its info. Click on Uninstall again to confirm your decision.
Following these steps will open up Norton’s Uninstaller, which will uninstall the security app from your system.
Step 3: Use Norton’s Uninstaller to Uninstall It From Your System
Once Norton’s uninstaller is open, it’ll first ask if you want to retain your settings and data or uninstall everything. If you plan to reinstall Norton, it’s best to keep your data and settings. After making a selection, click the Uninstall button to proceed.
Norton also asks if you want to complete an uninstallation survey by clicking on the Tell Us Why button. This survey contains questions about your experience with Norton and why you’re uninstalling it. It’s completely optional, so you can simply click Uninstall again to skip it.
After this, Norton will start the uninstallation process and remove itself from your system. The process doesn’t take that long and should take a few minutes at most.
Once the uninstaller is done, it’ll ask you to restart your system to complete the process. Simply click on Restart Now, and Norton will be fully removed from your system after the restart.
The steps above are the simplest and easiest way to remove Norton from your Windows PC. However, if they don’t work for you, you can also try Norton’s own Remove and Reinstall tool.
Android:
Step 1: Go to Your Device’s Settings and Open the Apps/Applications Menu
Go to your Android’s settings menu and open the apps section. From here, tap on Manage apps to open the list of installed apps on your Android device.
Step 2: Navigate Through Your Installed Apps and Find Norton
Browse through your list of installed apps to find Norton. Tap on Norton’s tile to bring up its App info section, where you’ll also find the uninstall button.
Step 3: Tap the Uninstall Button and Confirm
In Norton’s App info section, tap on the uninstall button at the bottom (button location may vary for different devices) to remove Norton from your Android.
A dialogue box will come up confirming if you want to uninstall Norton. Tap OK to confirm and uninstall Norton from your Android device.
Mac:
Step 1: Click the Finder Icon and Open the Applications Menu
To uninstall Norton, click the Finder icon in the dock. In the Finder menu, click on the Applications icon to bring up a list of apps currently installed on your Mac.
Step 2: Find Norton’s App Icon and Drag It Into the Trash
Navigate through the installed applications menu and find Norton’s icon. Once you’ve found it, click and drag it into the trash to remove it from your Mac.
Step 3: Enter Your Administrator Password When Prompted to Confirm the Uninstall
You’ll now be prompted to enter your administrator password to proceed. Enter your password and click on OK. Now, click on Uninstall in the window that appears to start uninstalling Norton from your Mac.
iOS:
Step 1: Tap and Hold Norton’s App Icon
To uninstall Norton from iOS, tap and hold the Norton app icon until the icons start wiggling and a minus sign appears next to each one.
Step 2: Tap the Minus Sign
After the minus signs appear, tap the one next to Norton’s app icon to remove it from your device. If prompted, select “Delete App” from the dialog.
Step 3: Tap Done on the Top Right / Press the Home Button
Tapping the minus sign will remove Norton from your device. Press the home button after this or tap the Done button at the top right to resume using your iOS device.
The Best Norton Alternatives — Full Test Results in 2024
1. McAfee — Safeguards Your System While Keeping You Safe Online With Its Built-in VPN
Key Features:
- Successfully detects 100% of malware on your system
- Has a VPN to secure your online activity
- Built-in password manager to store your credentials and other sensitive information
- Helpful online knowledge base and live chat support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Installing McAfee is an excellent way to safeguard your system from threats. It offers top-tier security, is well-priced, and has intuitive apps. Plus, it includes a built-in VPN with top-grade AES 256-bit encryption to help keep you safe as you surf the web.
Throughout my tests, McAfee’s malware detection provided consistently impressive results. It offers Quick, Full, and Custom scans, each of which detects 100% of malware. Also, McAfee’s real-time detection stopped 100% of 0-day threats, meaning you can rely on this security app to keep you safe at all times. It flagged a few false positives, which isn’t too big of an issue but puts it behind Norton’s overall malware detection performance.
McAfee includes several other features to provide additional layers of protection, including the following:
- Password Manager — McAfee’s TrueKey password manager offers safe storage for your credentials.
- Vulnerability Scanner — Removes any vulnerabilities from your devices by keeping your apps and OS up to date.
- Parental Controls — Helps you keep your children safe and secure by managing their online activity.
- Web Protection — Checks websites before you visit them to let you know if they’re safe.
- Shredder Tool — Lets you securely delete files so they can’t be accessed by anyone else.
I also like McAfee’s firewall, thanks to its intuitive interface. The firewall is a reliable line of defense against online threats, and it’s easy to configure its settings according to your preferences.
McAfee comes with multiple well-priced plans you can subscribe to, which include:
- Antivirus Plus — Includes McAfee’s core antivirus features and web protection and protects 1 device.
- Total Protection Basic — Has all of Antivirus Plus’ features and includes McAfee’s firewall and file shredding tool.
- Total Protection Plus — Offers all of Total Protection Basic’s features while simultaneously protecting up to 5 devices.
- Total Protection Premium — Adds McAfee’s Personal Data Cleanup alongside all the features in Total Protection Plus and lets you protect unlimited devices.
- Total Protection Advanced — Has everything you’d get with Total Protection Premium but also offers McAfee’s ID theft coverage, security freeze, and lost wallet protection.
I found McAfee’s Total Protection Plus plan to be the best overall value, but you can subscribe to the cheapest plan for as low as $39.99/year. However, it’s worth noting that the price shoots up significantly after the first year.
You can try McAfee completely risk-free and test all its features yourself, as a 30-day money-back guarantee backs it. Plus, getting a refund is easy because all you have to do is submit a request on the website, and a customer agent will call you shortly after to confirm it. I had my money back within a week of requesting my refund.
2. TotalAV — Provides Effective Protection and Also Helps Optimize Your System’s Performance
Key Features:
- Protects your system with its multiple virus scans that detect 100% of malware
- SafeBrowsing VPN provides additional security online
- Offers optimization tools to help enhance your device’s performance
- Secure password manager for storing your credentials
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Installing TotalAV lets you protect your system while also optimizing its performance. It offers excellent malware detection and affordable plans. Also, its optimization tools help you boost your system’s performance considerably.
After rigorous testing, I was quite pleased with TotalAV’s virus scanning performance. It lets you run a Quick Scan, Full System Scan, Custom Scan, or Smart Scan. Its Full System Scan took just over 20 minutes to complete, which is slightly slower than Norton’s. However, it successfully detected 100% of threats on my test system.
Of course, TotalAV isn’t limited to just the virus scans because it also offers the following features to help secure your devices:
- Web Protection — TotalAV’s WebShield browser extension keeps you safe by blocking malicious websites.
- Password Manager — A browser-based password vault to store your credentials safely.
- Built-in VPN — Uses industry-standard encryption to protect your online activity.
- Data Breach Test — Informs you if any of your credentials have been leaked in data breaches.
TotalAV’s excellent optimization tools help set it apart. Its System Tune-up works with the Smart Scan and finds several ways to optimize your system’s performance. I used it to remove over 1GB of junk and duplicate files from my PC. Plus, TotalAV offers a useful Startup Manager tool that can disable unnecessary apps from loading at startup, thus making your PC boot faster.
TotalAV offers 3 different plans, which include the following:
- Antivirus Pro — Offers TotalAV’s core antivirus features and optimization tools, and protects up to 3 devices.
- Internet Security — Has all of Antivirus Pro’s features and includes a built-in VPN while simultaneously protecting up to 5 devices.
- Total Security — Adds TotalAV’s Adblock and Password Vault alongside Internet Security’s features and lets you protect up to 6 devices.
Each of TotalAV’s plans is affordable, with the Internet Security providing the best value and the cheapest plan costing just $19.00/year. Also, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can try TotalAV risk-free. I called the helpline to test this policy and get a refund and had it approved within 5 minutes. Afterward, it took only 7 working days to receive my refund.
3. iolo — Offers Impressive Security in an Intuitive and Easy-To-Use Package
Key Features:
- Detects a majority of malware via its 2 scan options
- Has intuitive apps that are easy to use and navigate
- Includes multiple optimization tools that improve your system’s performance
- Offers a password manager that helps safeguard your credentials
- 30-day money-back guarantee
iolo is an intuitive antivirus with excellent security and optimization features. It’s a Windows-only antivirus that detects all malware via its scans and offers optimization tools that help your PC perform better.
During tests, I found that iolo’s threat detection capabilities are excellent. Its Deep Scan is a bit long, taking over an hour to complete, but it successfully detected every bit of malware I placed on my test system. Plus, it didn’t flag any false positives, meaning its security is quite reliable.
You’ll also find several other useful security features like the following in iolo:
- Password Manager — Provides secure storage for all your sensitive credentials.
- Privacy Guardian — Stops websites from building a profile on you by tracking your browsing activity.
- System Guard — Prevents unauthorized programs from changing your browser settings.
While there are several great antiviruses available for Windows, iolo still stands out. I especially like its user-friendly interface that you can easily navigate and figure out, even if you don’t have prior experience using antiviruses. Plus, it offers useful optimization tools like the All-in-One PC Cleanup, which removes junk files, and the Startup Optimizer, which improves boot time.
iolo offers various plans you can choose from if you decide to get it, including the following:
- Malware Killer — The most basic plan, which includes iolo’s on-demand malware detection and removal features.
- System Mechanic — Comes with iolo’s optimization tools, security updates, and network protection.
- System Mechanic Pro — Offers iolo’s System Shield, Search and Recover, and DriveScrubber alongside all the features in System Mechanic.
- System Mechanic Ultimate Defense — Includes iolo’s Privacy Guardian, Password Manager, and Malware Killer along with all of System Mechanic Pro’s features.
You can subscribe to iolo for as low as $23.99/year. However, I advise getting iolo System Mechanic Ultimate as it includes all the features you need to secure your system and keep it running smoothly. Also, you can try iolo completely risk-free as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. I asked for a refund by emailing support, which was processed in less than a day. Afterward, I had my money back in just 3 days.
4. Bitdefender— Feature-Rich Antivirus With Excellent Threat Detection Capabilities
Key Features:
- Detects 100% of malware via scans and 99.7% of real-time threats
- Feature-rich antivirus with a VPN, password manager, and more
- Includes a fully customizable and highly secure firewall
- 24/7 live chat is responsive and helpful
- 30-day money-back guarantee
You should install Bitdefender if you want an effective and feature-rich antivirus. Its malware detection rates are superb, and its wide variety of features helps it stand out. Some of its key features include the following:
- Parental Controls — Helps you manage your kids’ activity, so they stay safe online.
- File Shredder — Lets you securely delete sensitive files, so they’re no longer accessible.
- Password Manager — Provides safe storage for all your credentials.
- Ransomware Protection — Keeps you protected from ransomware attacks that can encrypt your data.
After extensive tests, Bitdefender’s malware detection rates impressed me greatly. It offers a Quick Scan, Full System Scan, Vulnerability Scan, Rescue Environment Scan, and Custom Scan. Its Full System Scan was a bit long and took roughly an hour, but it successfully detected every bit of malware I placed on my test system. Unfortunately, it flags a few false positives, but I’m quite pleased with its performance overall.
Bitdefender’s firewall is excellent as well. It features an intuitive design that makes it easy to configure and acts as a reliable first-line defense against any online threats.
You can choose from one of Bitdefender’s multiple plans if you decide to get it, which include:
- Antivirus Plus — Has Bitdefender’s core antivirus features, protects 3 devices, and has a limited 200MB/day VPN. It only protects Windows devices, however.
- Internet Security — Offers everything in Antivirus Plus and includes Bitdefender’s parental controls and Privacy Firewall.
- Total Security — Includes Bitdefender’s optimization tools alongside everything in Internet Security and protects up to 5 Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android devices.
- Premium Security — Has everything in Total Security but also provides an unlimited VPN and Bitdefender’s password manager.
- Ultimate Security — Adds Bitdefender’s Identity Theft Protection alongside all the features in Premium Security.
You can subscribe to Bitdefender for as low as $24.99/year, but I advise getting the Total Security plan to protect all your devices. Also, you can try Bitdefender completely risk-free. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee that I found easy to claim. I asked for a refund via email, and although it took a while to get approved, I had my money back in 10 days.
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5. Panda — Removes Malware and Provides Excellent Anti-theft Features
- Blocks 100% of real-time threats and finds 99.7% of malware via scans
- Useful anti-theft tools to recover your device if it’s lost or stolen
- Provides a built-in VPN and password manager
- Multiple web protection tools to keep you safe online
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Installing Panda significantly improves your overall device security. Besides blocking 100% of real-time threats, it provides useful anti-theft tools, a VPN, and other features to ensure reliable protection.
After testing this app’s scans, I was pleased with how effectively Panda detects malware. It provides a Full Scan, Custom Scan, and Critical Area Scan — which is its version of a quick scan. All scans are reasonably fast, with the Critical Area Scan taking about 3 minutes and the Full Scan taking under an hour. Plus, Panda’s scans detected 99.7% of malware on my test system, which isn’t perfect like Norton’s but is impressive nonetheless.
Alongside its impressive malware detection via scans, Panda blocks 100% of real-time threats. Also, it offers the following features for additional security:
- Rescue USB — Creates a USB to catch viruses that won’t let your system boot.
- Built-in VPN — Provides safety and anonymity on the web by encrypting your connection.
- WiFi Protection — Helps improve the security of your WiFi network.
I was especially impressed with this security app’s anti-theft features. Panda’s anti-theft tools help you lock your device, erase data, and track its location if it’s ever lost or stolen.
Panda offers multiple plans you can choose from, including:
- Essential — Offers Panda’s core antivirus features, WiFi protection, and 150MB/day VPN.
- Advanced — Includes all of Essential’s features and offers parental controls and ID protection.
- Complete — Has all the above features and includes Panda’s optimization tools and password manager.
- Premium — Comes with everything in Complete and offers Panda’s unlimited VPN. Also, this plan provides priority customer support.
Panda’s pricing varies depending on how many devices you want to protect, but you can subscribe for as low as $22.50/year. Of all plans, I suggest getting Panda Dome Complete because it provides the best value for the price. Of course, you can try Panda completely risk-free for 30 days thanks to its money-back guarantee, regardless of your plan. I even tested its refund policy and had my money back within 8 days of requesting a refund via a web form.
Quick Comparison Table: 2024’s Best Antivirus to Do a Clean Install
| Real-Time Malware Detection Rate | Malware Detection via Scans |
Web Protection | Parental Controls | Customizable Firewall | Money-Back Guarantee | |
| McAfee | 100% | 100% | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 30 days |
| TotalAV | 99% | 100% | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | 30 days |
| iolo | Tests Underway | 100% | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | 30 days |
| Bitdefender | 99.7% | 100% | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 30 days |
| Panda | 100% | 99.7% | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 30 days |
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How I Tested and Ranked the Best Antiviruses to Get After Uninstalling Norton
I looked at several criteria when deciding the best antiviruses to get after uninstalling Norton. The following are the key factors I prioritized above everything else:
- Malware detection — I prioritized antiviruses that successfully detect all the malware on your system through scans and in real-time.
- Feature variety — I looked for antiviruses with a wide variety of features that provide additional layers of security.
- Customer support — I made sure all the antiviruses I suggested have helpful and responsive customer support that can help out if you run into any issues.
- Value for money — I only suggested antiviruses with affordable plans that deliver excellent value for your money.
- Ease of use — All the antiviruses on this list offer intuitive apps that make them easy to use.
FAQs: Uninstalling and Installing Norton Antivirus From Any Device
Why should I uninstall Norton?
Uninstalling Norton isn’t recommended because it’ll expose your device to threats, but there are some situations where you may have to. For instance, you may want to try another high-end antivirus, reinstall a fresh version, or because support told you to install it from scratch. In cases like these, you’ll have to uninstall Norton.
Sometimes, you may even need to uninstall because you’re switching devices, like going from Android to iOS, so you’ll need a reliable iOS antivirus to keep you safe.
How to uninstall Norton?
Why can’t I remove Norton?
It depends. There are multiple reasons why you might have problems while uninstalling Norton. It could be due to conflicting antivirus software, corrupted installation files, or an older Norton version preventing a full uninstall.
Once you successfully uninstall Norton, though, your system will be at risk. While you’ll have the built-in Microsoft Defender as basic protection, getting a top-tier antivirus is vital for the best possible security.
Which antivirus can I use after uninstalling Norton?
After uninstalling Norton, you can choose one of the multiple top-tier antiviruses currently available. However, I advise getting McAfee as it provides 100% malware detection and offers many features that help keep your devices secure.
Alongside Mcafee, there are also various other high-end antiviruses you can pick from, each with its strengths and weaknesses.
Protect your system with McAfee
Keep Your Deevices Protected With a Top Antivirus
Whether you’re uninstalling Norton to update to a newer version, to try a new antivirus, or because you’re switching to a newer device, getting a replacement is crucial. Otherwise, you’ll leave your system vulnerable to various threats after the uninstall.
Thankfully, you can easily install a top-quality antivirus to keep your devices safe and secure. I’ve pointed out a number of excellent choices earlier, with McAfee standing out as my preferred option. Its 100% success in detecting malware and a wide array of impressive features ensure top-notch security.
Best of all, you can try McAfee completely risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee that’ll let you test all its features. So, if you’re unsatisfied with your performance, you can easily get a refund within a few days.
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