How to Remove Fake “Apple Security Alert” in 2024

Sam Boyd
Updated on: October 21, 2024 Chief Editor

The Apple Security Alert pop-up message is a browser-based scam aimed at tricking users into giving scammers access to their personal and financial information.

Apple will never issue security alerts through your web browser, so if you’re seeing this fake message on your device, chances are you’ve clicked on a dangerous link or unknowingly installed malware such as a PUP (potentially unwanted program).

Whether you’re a Mac or iOS user, you’ll need to close your browser, check for (and uninstall) any dangerous browser extensions, and install a quality antivirus to find and remove any malware on your device — and to prevent the issue from recurring in future. Intego is the best software for Mac users, and Norton is best for iOS users. Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.

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Preliminary Step. Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Web Browser’s Default Settings

These steps vary depending on whether you’re using macOS or iOS, and which macOS browser you are using. Click the option relevant to you:

• Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Safari Browser on macOS.
• Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Chrome Browser on macOS.
• Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Firefox Browser on macOS.
• Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Safari Browser on iOS.

Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Safari Browser on macOS

1. Open the Safari menu and click Settings (or Preferences).
2. Click the Extensions tab.
3. Look for any suspicious extensions, click on them, and click Uninstall.
4. Now completely close and restart your Safari browser. If this stops the Apple Security Alert from appearing, you don’t need to reset Safari. Proceed to Step 1 to install an antivirus and run a malware scan of your device, to be sure there’s no lingering malware installed on your system.

However, if the Apple security alert is still appearing, reset Safari by following these next steps:

1. From the same Preferences window, select the Privacy tab.
2. Click Manage Website Data, then Remove All.
3. A confirmation box will appear. Click Remove Now.

You now need to enable the develop menu and empty your caches. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Select the Advanced tab at the top of the Preferences window.
2. Click the checkbox next to Show develop menu in menu bar.
3. Open Safari, select Develop from the main menu, then click Empty Caches.

Finally, you need to clear your browsing history. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Go to History on the Safari menu, then select Clear History.
2. Choose “all history” from the drop down menu, then click Clear History.
3. Once you’ve done this, close and restart your browser. You’ve now completely reset Safari, and you can proceed to Step 1 to identify any viruses.

Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Google Chrome Browser on macOS

First check for any suspicious extensions.

1. Open Google Chrome and click on the 3 dots in the top right-hand corner of the browser window.
2. Click Extensions, then Manage Extensions.
3. A window will open showing all current extensions. Identify any that are suspicious, and click Remove.
4. A confirmation window will appear. Click Remove again.
5. Now completely close and restart your Chrome browser. If this stops the Apple Security Alert from appearing, you don’t need to reset Chrome. Proceed to Step 1 to install an antivirus and run a malware scan of your device, to be sure there’s no lingering malware installed on your system.

However, if the Apple Security Alert is still appearing, reset Chrome by following these next steps:

1. Open Chrome, and click on the 3 vertical dots in the top right-hand corner of the browser window.
2. In the menu that appears, click on Settings > Reset settings.
3. Look for the option to “Restore settings to their original defaults”. Click on this, and then click Reset settings in the next window.

Finally, you need to clear your browsing history. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click on the 3-dot icon, and click on Settings.
2. In the screen that appears, navigate to Privacy and security in the side menu.
3. In the next window, choose “All time” in the dropdown menu, and then select all boxes to clear all your browsing history, cookies, and cached files. Then click Clear data.
4. Once you’ve done this, close and restart your browser. You’ll have now completely reset your Chrome browser settings. Now proceed to Step 1 to identify any viruses.

Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Firefox Browser on macOS

First check for any suspicious extensions.

1. Open Firefox, and click on the puzzle icon in the top right-hand corner of the browser window.
2. Click Extensions in the left-hand menu.
3. Identify any suspicious extensions, click on the 3 dots to the right hand side, and click Remove.
4. Another pop-up window will open, click Remove again to reconfirm.

Now completely close and restart your Firefox browser. If this stops the Apple Security Alert from appearing, you don’t need to reset Firefox. Proceed to Step 1 to install an antivirus and run a malware scan of your device, to be sure there’s no lingering malware installed on your system.

However, if the Apple Security Alert is still appearing, reset Firefox by following these next steps:

1. Open Firefox, and click on the “3-lines” icon in the top right-hand corner of the browser window.
2. In the menu that appears, click on Help.
3. Another menu will appear; click on More troubleshooting information.
4. A new window will appear. Click on Refresh Firefox… on the top right of the page.
5. A confirmation window will appear. Click Refresh Firefox again.

Finally, you need to clear your browsing history. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click on the 3-lines icon, and click on History.
2. In the next box, click on Clear recent History…
3. In the window that appears, choose “Everything” in the dropdown menu, tick every checkbox to clear all browsing history, caches, cookies, and other stored data, and then click OK.
4. Once you’ve done this, close and restart your browser. You’ll have now completely reset your Firefox browser. Now proceed to Step 1 to identify any viruses.

Remove Suspicious Extensions and Reset Your Safari Browser on iOS

1. Open the Settings app and tap Safari.
2. Find and tap on Extensions.
3. Look through your list of installed extensions and toggle “off” any suspicious extensions to disable them.
4. If the extension is tied to an app, you then need to find the app on your iOS home menu and uninstall it. To uninstall an app, you need to long-press it, and then tap Remove app.
5. In the next window that pops up, hit Delete App to remove it from your device.

If this stops the Apple Security Alert from appearing on your iOS device, you don’t need to reset Safari. You can install an antivirus and skip to Step 3. However, if the issue persists, reset Safari on your iOS device by following these next steps:

1. Open the Settings app and find and click on Safari.
2. Tap Clear History and Website Data.
3. Tap Clear History and Data to confirm your option.

Doing this will delete all of your history and cookies. However, it should also stop you from redirecting to the Apple Security Alert. You can now install an antivirus and skip to Step 3.

Step 1. Identify the Fake Apple Security Alert Malware With Your Antivirus (And Don’t Make the Problem Worse!)

In order to identify any malware that may have infected your device, you need to install a secure antivirus program, and then run a full system scan. Doing this will not only find and remove the malware causing your web browser to redirect to the Apple Security Alert, but it will also find and remove any other malware that may be installed on your Mac that you aren’t aware of. I recommend using Intego — it’s the best antivirus for Mac computers in 2024.

During a full disk scan, your antivirus’s malware scanner will look at every file on your Mac and identify any malicious files and programs. If your antivirus finds malware, it will move it into a secure quarantine folder. Even if you recognize files appearing in the infected file list while the scan is running, wait until your antivirus tells you the scan is finished — if you cancel the scan early, chances are you’ll be leaving other malware on your computer.

A full disk scan can often take up to 4 hours, so sit tight and let it run fully. You may want to schedule the scan for when you’re not using your Mac, just in case it causes any slowdown.

Once your antivirus software has finished its scan, it will alert you that it’s finished and automatically take you to your secure quarantine folder. At this stage, every malware threat on your device — including the Apple Security Alert — will be quarantined. You can now proceed to Step 2.

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Step 2. Remove the Apple Security Alert Infection and Delete Any Other Infected Files

Your antivirus software will have identified any malware on your device and moved it into a secure quarantine folder. It will then invite you to look through this folder, and delete all the quarantined files.

For most users, I’d recommend trusting your antivirus and deleting every file it has quarantined. However, advanced users may want to look more closely at each file to see if there are any false positives — safe files that malware scanners sometimes incorrectly flag as dangerous. If you find any false positives, you can whitelist these rather than delete them. However, only whitelist files you fully trust. If you’re not 100% sure whether you trust a file, contact your antivirus’s customer support team, and they’ll be able to tell you whether you should delete it or not.

Once you’ve deleted every dangerous file in the quarantine folder, restart your Mac. While it’s tempting to skip this step, you shouldn’t. There might be malware running in your Mac’s system memory, and restarting your Mac will make sure you’re able to catch it. Once you’ve restarted your Mac, run a second full disk scan to find any malware that your first scan missed. The second scan is usually faster than the first scan since most antivirus programs (including Intego) can recognize recently scanned files. It’ll only look at new files or files that have been recently modified.

Hopefully, there won’t be any new malware threats once the second malware scan finishes. If that’s the case, you can proceed to Step 3.

However, if your antivirus identifies more malware threats during the second scan, you need to remove them and continue to repeat Steps 1 and 2 until every malware threat has been removed from your Mac.

Step 3. Safeguard Your Device From Future Scams

Now that you’ve tackled the fake “Apple Security Alert,” it’s important to keep your device protected from similar threats. By following these steps, you can keep your Mac secure and avoid falling for other online scams.

• Regularly Update Your Software and macOS: Keeping your macOS and all software up-to-date is critical. Fake alerts like the “Apple Security Alert” often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software. Enable automatic updates on your Mac and regularly check for software patches to keep your Mac protected against the latest threats.
• Be Cautious of Phishing Links and Fake Alerts: Scammers often use fake alerts like the “Apple Security Alert” to trick users into providing personal information or installing malicious software. Always verify the legitimacy of any security alerts by visiting the official Apple website or contacting Apple Support directly, and avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources.
• Strengthen Your Wi-Fi Security: Protect your home network by setting up a strong, unique password. A good password manager (like 1Password) can help you with that. Make sure your Wi-Fi network is secured by looking for a lock icon next to your network name. For extra protection, consider using a VPN like ExpressVPN when connected to public Wi-Fi networks to prevent your data from being intercepted.
• Install a Trusted Antivirus Program: A reliable antivirus is essential to fend off threats like the fake “Apple Security Alert.” Look for antivirus software that offers real-time protection, automatic updates, and phishing protection. Norton 360 is a great option, with features like a Smart Firewall, dark web monitoring, and 100% malware detection to keep your device safe.
• Educate Yourself About Common Scams: Stay informed about the latest online scams and how they work. Understanding the tactics used by scammers can help you recognize and avoid them in the future. Regularly read up on cybersecurity best practices and consider subscribing to a cybersecurity newsletter to stay updated.

Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.

3 Best Antivirus Programs for Removing the Fake Apple Security Alert

Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Apple Security Alert mean?

The Apple Security Alert message is a fake alert that is in fact a browser-based scam. It is designed to steal your data and trick you into giving away your personal and financial information.

Apple never issues security alerts through web browsers, so if you’re seeing this message, you can be certain that it is a scam. Whatever you do, don’t follow any of the instructions on the message — whether it’s to click on a link, call a number, or download software. You need to simply close your browser, and then follow our steps to ensure your device is protected.

Does Apple send security alert emails?

Apple only sends security alert emails if someone logs into your Apple account and you have 2FA enabled. If this is the case, the email will be from noreply@apple.com. If you’ve received any variation of this email, it’s a phishing email, and you should report it as such to your email provider.

Don’t download any attachments in the malicious email, or click on any links. Intego for Mac includes an email scanner that can check your inbox for any malware, so it’s good to have this running every time you access your email. If you suspect you have malware on your device, follow our above steps to scan your device and remove any threats.

How to remove the Apple Security Alert message?

To remove the Apple Security Alert pop-up, first close your web browser, then follow our above steps to ensure your device is secure.

In many cases, just closing your browser will be enough, and the message won’t reappear. However, after you’ve closed your web browser, it’s a good idea to check for any suspicious browser extensions and reset your browser settings. You should also download and install a secure antivirus to check for any malware, such as adware or other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), that may be behind the fake Apple Security Alert message.

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