How to Fix Windows Security Detecting Google Chrome as Virus

If you are a Windows user, you may have encountered a problem where Windows Security (the built-in antivirus and firewall software) flags Google Chrome as a virus and blocks it from running. This can be very frustrating, especially if you rely on Chrome for your daily browsing needs. In this blog post, we will explain why this happens and how you can fix it.

Why does Windows Security flag Chrome as a virus?

There are several possible reasons why Windows Security may flag Chrome as a virus. One of them is that Chrome may have been infected by malware or adware that modifies its settings or behavior. Another reason is that Windows Security may have a false positive, meaning that it mistakenly identifies Chrome as a threat when it is not. A third reason is that there may be a conflict between Windows Security and Chrome’s own security features, such as sandboxing or safe browsing.

How can you fix Windows Security detecting Google Chrome as virus?

Reset Chrome and scan your device for malware

The first thing you should do is to make sure that your Chrome is up to date and free of malware or adware. You can do this by following these steps:

• STEP 1: Reset browsers back to default settings
• STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to remove malware and unwanted programs
• STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan for rootkits and other malware

STEP 1: Reset browsers back to default settings

First, we’ll reset your browser to its default settings — this removes the spam notification permissions, malicious extensions, and unwanted search engines in one go.
Don’t worry: the reset removes extensions, toolbars, and customizations, but your bookmarks and favorites stay intact.
For each browser installed on your computer, click its tab below and follow the steps to reset it.

With the site’s permission to send push notifications removed, the pop-ups should stop. Next, we’ll scan your computer to make sure no adware or malicious program is behind them.

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STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to remove malware and unwanted programs

Now we’ll install Malwarebytes and run a scan to detect and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs on your computer.

Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and trusted anti-malware tools for Windows — and it’s completely free for removing infections. It catches threats that many antivirus programs miss, including adware, browser hijackers, and trojans. Follow the steps below to scan and clean your PC in just a few minutes.

1. Download Malwarebytes

   Click the button below to download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows from the official source. The free version is all you need — it will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software at no cost.

   

   DOWNLOAD MALWAREBYTES FOR WINDOWS (FREE)
   
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Install Malwarebytes

   When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the MBSetup file. If Windows shows a User Account Control pop-up, click “Yes” to allow the installation.

   

3. Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes

   The setup wizard will walk you through a few quick screens:

   • Choose where you’re installing the program — “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” — then click Next.

     

   • Malwarebytes will now install on your device. This usually takes under a minute.

     

   • When installation is complete, the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen will open automatically.

     

   • On the final screen, click Open Malwarebytes to launch the program.

     

4. Enable “Scan for Rootkits”

   Before scanning, turn on rootkit detection so Malwarebytes can find even the most hidden threats. Click the Settings gear icon on the left side of the screen.

   

   In the settings menu, find “Scan for rootkits” and click the toggle so it turns blue.

   

   Done? Click “Dashboard” in the left pane to return to the main screen.

5. Start the Scan

   Click the blue Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its virus database and start checking your computer for malware.

   

6. Wait for the Scan to Finish

   The scan checks your entire system for browser hijackers and other malicious programs, so it can take several minutes. Feel free to do something else — just check back occasionally to see the progress.

   

7. Quarantine the Detected Threats

   When the scan is done, you’ll see a list of everything Malwarebytes found — malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. Click the “Quarantine” button to remove all of them at once.

   

   Malwarebytes will now remove the malicious files and registry entries and move them safely into quarantine.

   

8. Restart Your Computer

   Some threats can only be fully removed after a reboot. If Malwarebytes asks you to restart, click Yes. Once you’re logged back in, your PC is clean and you can continue with the next steps in this guide.

   

STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan for rootkits and other malware

Finally, we’ll run a second-opinion scan with HitmanPro to confirm nothing was missed. If this scan comes back clean, your computer is malware-free.

HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner — it’s designed to catch what your main antivirus might have missed. Instead of relying on a single detection engine, it checks the behavior of files in the locations where malware usually hides. Anything suspicious gets sent to the cloud, where it’s analyzed by two of the best antivirus engines available: Bitdefender and Kaspersky.

Good news: scanning is completely free, with no limits. You only need a license when it’s time to remove what was found — and even then, you can activate a free one-time 30-day trial to clean your PC at no cost. (A full license is $24.95 per year for 1 PC.)

1. Download HitmanPro

   Click the button below to download HitmanPro. Remember — the scan is free, so you have nothing to lose by checking your PC.

   DOWNLOAD HITMANPRO (FREE SCAN)
   (The link opens in a new page where your download will start)

2. Install HitmanPro

   When the download finishes, open your Downloads folder and double-click the file: “hitmanpro.exe” on 32-bit Windows, or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” on 64-bit Windows.

   

   If a User Account Control pop-up asks whether HitmanPro can make changes to your device, click “Yes” to continue.

   

3. Follow the On-Screen Prompts

   On the HitmanPro start screen, click “Next” to begin the system scan. No lengthy setup required — it goes straight to work.

   

   

4. Wait for the Scan to Finish

   HitmanPro will now check your computer for malicious programs. This usually takes just a few minutes thanks to its cloud-based scanning.
   

5. Review the Results and Click “Next”

   When the scan is done, HitmanPro will show you everything it found. Click “Next” to remove the detected threats.

   

6. Click “Activate Free License”

   To remove the malicious files, click the “Activate free license” button. This starts your free 30-day trial — no payment details needed — and unlocks the full cleanup.
   

   When the removal is complete, HitmanPro will show a summary of everything it cleaned. Click Next, then click Reboot if prompted. If there’s no reboot prompt, just click Close — your PC is clean.

Add Chrome as an exception in Windows Security

If this does not solve the problem, you can try to add Chrome as an exception in Windows Security. This will tell Windows Security to ignore Chrome and allow it to run normally. You can do this by following these steps:

1. Open Windows Security and click on Virus & threat protection.
2. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click on Manage settings.
3. Under Exclusions, click on Add or remove exclusions.
4. Click on Add an exclusion and select Folder.
5. Browse to the folder where Chrome is installed, usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application.
6. Click on Select Folder and confirm the exclusion.

Disable Windows Security temporarily and see if Chrome works

If this does not solve the problem either, you can try to disable Windows Security temporarily and see if Chrome works. However, this is not recommended as it will leave your computer vulnerable to other threats. You can do this by following these steps:

1. Open Windows Security and click on Virus & threat protection.
2. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click on Manage settings.
3. Turn off the toggle for Real-time protection.
4. Try to run Chrome and see if it works.
5. Turn on the toggle for Real-time protection again.

We hope that this blog post has helped you fix the problem of Windows Security flagging Chrome as a virus. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.