What it means
A website notification is content a site sends after you allowed its notification permission in Edge. Microsoft says it can appear in the Windows notification center even while Edge is closed. A browser pop-up is a window or tab opened during browsing. Both can carry advertising or scams, but the control to stop them differs: remove the site's notification permission for the first, use pop-up and site controls for the second.
A real-world example
A red 'virus detected' rectangle appears near the taskbar when no page is visible. The person blocks pop-ups and still receives it. The sender is an allowed website notification, so the change did not address its permission.
What to do
Check the alert's source, then Edge Settings, Site permissions, All sites, the exact site, Notifications, Block. Open Windows Security separately to verify any claimed infection. Never call the alert's support number or install its offered fixer.
The distinction that matters
A notification is not a Windows malware verdict; it can be produced by an arbitrary website granted permission months earlier. A real browser warning is also not identical to a Windows Security scan result. Blocking one site will not stop a separate site or an installed app from showing similar messages.
Microsoft Edge notifications
