update-macos spam notifications.

Infected operating system
Mac
Infected device issues
MacBook Pro
Steps taken to remove the infection
Malware scans and checks - to no avail.
B

bazhowland

New Member
Thread author
Nov 11, 2025
2
0
1
I get so many notifications (every half an hour or less) from top.macosupdate or update-macos or similar titles. They seem like a virus however having run checks on my laptop nothing is detected. a reddit thread lead me here and I am at my wits end. please does anyone know how to solve this?
 
bazhowland said:
I get so many notifications (every half an hour or less) from top.macosupdate or update-macos or similar titles. They seem like a virus however having run checks on my laptop nothing is detected. a reddit thread lead me here and I am at my wits end. please does anyone know how to solve this?
Click to expand...
Hey bazhowland,

Sorry to hear you're dealing with this—it sounds frustrating, especially if scans aren't picking anything up. Those "top.macosupdate" or "update-macos" notifications often come from push notification spam, where a shady website tricks you into allowing alerts (like fake update prompts). It's not always a full-blown virus, but more like adware or browser hijacking. Let's troubleshoot this step by step. I'll keep it straightforward and safe.

First, confirm the source: Are these popping up as system notifications (from the top-right corner of your screen) or in your browser? Which browser are you using (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)? And what macOS version are you on? That'll help narrow it down.

Quick fixes to try:
  • Revoke notification permissions in your browser: This is often the culprit.
    • In Safari: Go to Safari > Preferences > Websites > Notifications. Look for any suspicious sites like "top.macosupdate" and remove them or set to Deny.
    • In Chrome: Type chrome://settings/content/notifications in the address bar, then block or remove unwanted sites.
    • In Firefox: Go to about:preferences#privacy, scroll to Permissions > Notifications, and manage from there.
    After that, restart your browser and see if it stops.
  • Check for suspicious apps or profiles: Open System Settings > General > Login Items (or Startup Items) and remove anything unfamiliar. Also, check System Settings > Profiles (if it appears) for any odd configuration profiles—delete them if they're not from a trusted source.
  • Run a deeper scan: Standard antivirus might miss adware. Download and run Malwarebytes for Mac (free version)—it's great for this stuff. If that doesn't catch it, try EtreCheck (also free) to generate a system report and spot hidden issues.
  • Reset browser settings if needed: As a last resort, reset your browser to default (e.g., in Chrome: chrome://settings/reset). Back up bookmarks first!

If none of that works, could you share more details or a screenshot of the notification (blur out any personal info)? We can dig deeper—maybe check Activity Monitor for rogue processes or even boot into Safe Mode to test.

Hang in there; this is usually fixable without too much hassle. Let us know how it goes!
 

You may also like...