How to Uninstall Norton Antivirus From Any Computer

Remove Norton from any computer you own

Computer button on a keyboard with recycle bin icon symbol

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by Scott Orgera
Scott Orgera is a former writer who covering tech since 2007. He has 25+ years experience as a programmer and QA leader, and holds several Microsoft certifications.
Updated May 24, 2019

There are several reasons why you may want to remove Norton antivirus software from your PC or Mac. Perhaps you're switching to another protection app, or maybe you'd like to uninstall Norton temporarily while you refresh your hard drive.

In some cases, it may be sufficient just to turn off or disable the software. In others, however, completely uninstalling Norton is the only solution.

The instructions in this article apply to computers operating Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10; as well as to Mac computers.

How to Uninstall Norton Antivirus on Windows

  1. Launch the Windows Control Panel interface.

  2. If you're running Windows 7 or 8, click on Programs and Features. If you're on Windows 10, first click on Programs and then Programs and Features on the subsequent screen.

    Programs section of the Windows 10 Control Panel

  3. A list of installed applications should now be displayed. Scroll down until you locate the one labeled Norton Security, selecting it by left-clicking on it once.

    Uninstall or change a program section of the Windows 10 Control Panel

  4. Click the Uninstall (Windows 7 and 8.x) or Uninstall/Change (Windows 10) button, located above the installed program list.

    A User Account Control dialog may now appear, asking if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device. Click on 'Yes' to continue.

  5. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstall process. You may be asked to reboot to completely remove Norton from your PC.

  6. Many Windows users experience issues when attempting to uninstall Norton using this method, and receive a message stating that an error occurred and that the software may have already been uninstalled. It is important to note that it has not been uninstalled in this case, and you'll need to instead download and launch the Norton Remove and Reinstall tool directly from Symantec.

    Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool license agreement

  7. If you take this route, click the Advanced Options link on the Remove & Reinstall Tool's second screen and select the Remove Only button. That is, unless, you actually do want to reinstall Norton after the fact.

    Advanced Options screen of the Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool

  8. Norton will now be removed from your PC.

We recommend reinstalling it or installing or activating another antivirus application as soon as possible, as it's never a good idea to have no protection enabled on your computer.

How to Uninstall Norton Antivirus on Mac

  1. Launch the Norton Security app by clicking its icon in the Dock. The icon appears as a yellow circle with a white interior and a black check mark in the foreground.

  2. The Norton dashboard should now be displayed, overlaying your desktop. Click Norton Security in the app's menu, located in the upper left corner of your screen next to the Apple logo.

  3. When the drop-down menu appears, select the Uninstall Norton Security option.

    A screenshot of the Norton Security macOS menu

  4. A Norton Security Uninstall dialog should appear, overlaying the Norton dashboard. Click Uninstall.

    A screenshot of the Norton Security Uninstall interface

  5. A message will now be displayed, informing you that a helper tool is needed to uninstall Norton Security. Enter your macOS system password in the field provided and select the Install Helper button to continue.

    A screenshot of the Install Helper dialog for Norton uninstall

  6. Click Restart Now.

    A screenshot of the Restart Now button in the Norton Security Uninstall interface

    Be sure to save open documents or anything else that you don't want to lose prior to restarting.

  7. Norton should now be removed from your Mac. You'll need to delete the Dock shortcut manually, however, by left-clicking and dragging it to the Trash.