Below we answer many common frequently asked questions about Norton Antivirus Plus. For more information read our complete Norton Antivirus Plus Review here.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Protect My Webcam?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus can protect your webcam through several means. It includes a firewall to prevent online threats such as malware from sneaking onto your system. I can also protect against malware, including Trojan horses, spyware, and RATs that could affect your webcam software and compromise your safety. These are very important to have, as you might inadvertently install malware on your device that hijacks your webcam thinking it is a legitimate program. Norton Antivirus Plus can prevent webcam hijacking by detecting and removing this threat from your system without requiring your assistance.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Block Adware?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus can detect and remove adware from users’ systems. It comes with a smart firewall along with virus and malware protection. These together are designed to stop various forms of adware.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work With Linux?
No. Norton Antivirus Plus is available on several of the most popular operating systems. However, it does not work with Linux.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work With Windows?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus is designed to work with Windows 10 to help you keep malware, viruses, and hackers at bay so you can stay productive and safe. It works on the following Windows operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows 10 (all versions), except Windows 10 S
- Microsoft Windows 8/8.1 (all versions). Some protection features are not available in Windows 8 Start screen browsers.
- Microsoft Windows 7 (all versions) with Service Pack 1 (SP 1) or later
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work On a Mac?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus is designed to work on Macs as well as Windows-based systems. Norton specifically states that Norton Antivirus Plus will work on the current version and previous two versions of Mac OS.
However, Norton Cloud Backup, Norton Parental Control and Norton SafeCam are not supported on Mac OS.
What Operating Systems Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work On?
Norton Antivirus Plus works on the following operating systems:
Windows Operating Systems
- Microsoft Windows 10 (all versions), except Windows 10 S
- Microsoft Windows 8/8.1 (all versions)
- Microsoft Windows 7 (all versions) with Service Pack 1 (SP 1) or later
Mac Operating Systems
- Current and previous two versions of Mac OS
Android Operating Systems
- Android 4.1 or later. Must have the Google Play app installed
- Samsung devices running Android 4.2 or later are supported
iOS Operating Systems
- iPhones or iPads running the current and previous two versions of Apple iOS
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work With Chrome?
Yes. Norton offers the following extensions for the Google Chrome browser:
- Norton Safe Web
- Norton Password Manager
- Norton Safe Search
- Norton Home Page
The Norton browser extension is designed to integrate with Norton Password Manager, detect dangerous websites you visit, offer safe search ratings, and connect with the Norton Home Page. You must manually add the Norton browser extension and will be prompted to do so after installing Norton Antivirus Plus.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work With Safari?
Yes. The Norton Safeweb app is included with your Norton Antivirus Plus account and will work with your Apple Safari browser. This App provides both Norton Password Manager and Norton Safe Web applications to Mac users. This includes the following benefits:
- Warnings of potentially dangerous websites
- Encrypted, cloud-based protection for all your online account information
Supported Mac Operating Systems and Safari browser versions include:
- MacOS 10.14.4 with Safari 12 and higher
- MacOS 10.13.6 with Safari 13 and higher
What Web Browsers Does Norton Antivirus Plus Work With?
Norton browser extensions are available for the following browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
To add Norton browser extension to Google Chrome you can follow the instructions provided here.
What Viruses Does Norton Antivirus Plus Protect Against?
Norton Antivirus Plus can detect and remove these types of threats:
- Viruses
- Scareware
- Ransomware
- Phishing
- Malware
- Spyware
The complete list of viruses that Norton Antivirus protects against grows on a daily basis. With a huge installed user base and constant investment into detecting and fighting threats, Norton Antivirus Plus has some of the best protection you can get at an affordable price.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Protect Against Worms?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus is designed to protect your system against worms. It also protects against spyware, scareware, ransomware, and viruses, which can all play a role in spreading worms.
Phishing attacks are a major source of worm infections, as well as vulnerabilities in system applications. Having Norton Antivirus Plus installed can also help protect against the many ways worms can attack your computer.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Protect My Email?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus is a popular and effective antivirus and antimalware tool that can protect your email from malicious email attachments and hijacking.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Have Identity Protection?
Norton Antivirus Plus can help you protect your identity by detecting and removing malware that cyberthieves use to steal personal information.
Three types of malware, in particular, are most commonly used by hackers to steal user information.
- Keyloggers
- Phishing
- Spyware
Norton Antivirus Plus helps protect you from all three these identity theft threats.
Can Norton Antivirus Plus Block Popups?
There are two answers to this question.
First, your web browser generally handles popup applications you see while surfing the Internet. Web browsers have limited interaction with antivirus software you have installed on your machine. Like other antivirus software, Norton Antivirus Plus does not stop popups that work with the computer’s internet browser. The reason for this is that antivirus software makers do not want to alter the browser’s normal functioning. Otherwise it could result in the user’s web experience getting worse, changes to web browser security settings and compatibility issues.
Second, some malware actually launches popups from the desktop, not your browser. Norton Antivirus Plus can stop and remove these popup-generating programs.
Can Norton Antivirus Plus Protect Against Hackers?
Yes. Norton offers the following methods to protect your system from hackers:
- Data backup
- VPN
- Password Manager
- Firewall
- Anti-spyware
- Anti-worms
- Anti-ransomware
- Anti-scareware
- Anti-phishing
Having these protections on your system can save it from hackers who may attempt to turn your computer into a “zombie” to send spam emails, or commit extortion.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Block Spyware?
Norton Antivirus Plus detects and remove various types of spyware.
Spyware is a malicious type of software that tries to “spy” on users. It can come in many forms, including:
- Cookies
- Trojans
- Adware
- Rootkits
- System monitors
- Web beacons
- Keyloggers
Trojans are often used to get spyware onto users’ systems and these can also be detected and removed. Norton Antivirus Plus works as a standalone antivirus suite and can provide complete protection against all types of dangerous spyware.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Block Scareware?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus will block scareware with its firewall. It can also detect and remove it from your system.
Scareware is malware that aims to scare the user into spending money on additional software downloads. This can involve pop-up ads warning the user that their system is infected with a slew of viruses. Norton Antivirus Plus protects againsts these types of scareware.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Run Continuously?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus is designed to run security functions continuously in the background so you can focus on other important tasks. Norton runs several security protections in the background while you work.
Automatic Background Tasks
There are just a few easy steps needed to monitor Norton background tasks.
You can view background tasks in My Norton -> Device Security -> Settings -> Administrative Settings -> Background Tasks -> Configure.
Here you can see a preset list of running background tasks including disk optimizer, automatic liveupdate, and system scans. These are designed to run when your computer is idle so they do not slow down your system while you are using it.
Read more in our complete Norton Antivirus Plus Review about how it can actively protect your system while you work online.
Smart Firewall
Norton Antivirus Plus also includes a Smart Firewall which protects your system at all times while connected to a network or the Internet. It monitors network traffic that your system sends and receives. It will also block any suspicious traffic that tries to infiltrate your system.
Real-Time Protection
In the Settings -> Antivirus you can set Real-Time Protection options to On / Off. This includes auto-protect, SONAR protection, network drive protection, and a removable media scan.
Does Norton Antivirus Plus Have a Site Blocker?
Yes. Norton Antivirus Plus does come with a site blocker option called Norton Family. This is very useful to protect your children from certain harmful or distracting websites.
The Norton Family service provides a site blocker that is pre-configured to prevent site access based on the user’s birth date. It also helps parents communicate with their children regarding the sites they visit and allows them to monitor their children’s online activities.
There are many different categories of sites that Norton Family can block access to. You can find this option in the Norton Antivirus Plus Administrative Settings.
This service does have a separate installation process. However, it only requires logging in with your Norton username and password.
Norton Family provides the following services:
- Monitor social networking sites, internet, and instant messenger activities
- Site blocking
- Heuristic site review
- Popup warnings for restricted site visits
- Keeps a site visit log
- Defined site access settings
- E-mailing to parents when online events occur
Norton previously provided “Norton Core” as an independent service to help block websites and website categories for users. However, this product was discontinued on January 31, 2019, and will run only through January 31st, 2021 for those that already have it.
How To Install Norton Antivirus Plus?
First, purchase Norton Antivirus Plus from a trusted source.
This will lead you to a website that will provide you with the choices to “Install On This Device” or “Install On Another Device.”. Click “Agree & Download” to install on the device or PC you are working from.
A file called “NAVPlusDownloader.exe” will appear in the lower-left side of your Windows screen (if you are using Windows.) Click on this to open it.
My Norton Downloader will begin downloading the program. Once finished, a window will appear asking “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?” Click “Yes.”
The “My Norton Installer” will appear. Click “Install.”
The installation will begin.
Once it is done activating, you will have the option of setting up Cloud Backup and Password Manager. Device Security should have a green circle with a checkmark. Click “Open” to open the main Antivirus dashboard window.
A Norton icon should appear in your lower taskbar on your Windows screen. Clicking this will open My Norton. From here you can open Device Security.
The main dashboard will tell you if Protection Updates are current, the last scan date, and the number of licenses used.
Here you can also set up Internet Security and Backup.
Clicking on “Security” will bring up the Scans, Liveupdate, History, and Advanced options. If you want to run a scan, click “Scans” and select from Quick Scan, Full System Scan, and Custom Scan
How Good is Norton Antivirus Plus Support?
The Norton website offers several support options in their Support menu item including Top FAQs, post searching, ask the community, and contacting a Norton help expert.
Clicking on “Contact Us” under “Contacting Support” will provide the following selections:
- Live Chat
- Social Media Support
- Norton Forums
- Phone Support
- Top Solutions
They provide support online, via chat or through phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Since Norton is also a reputable and longstanding security solutions provider, many issues with Norton Antivirus Plus may have already been resolved by users. You can likely find these on their website.
Will Norton Antivirus Plus Slow Down My Computer?
We tested Norton Antivirus Plus on a Windows 10 PC with 12 GB of installed RAM.
While running a full system scan, we opened Windows Resource Monitor to check the total threads in use by Norton Antivirus Plus. A decent amount of resource usage was shown while running the scan. We didn’t notice Norton causing much slowdown on our system at all.
The effect Norton Antivirus Plus will have on your computer’s speed depends a lot on your system. It’s important that your system meet’s Norton’s requirements, otherwise you may see slowdown (as you would with any antivirus program).
Windows PC’s System Requirements
OS
- All versions of Microsoft Windows 10
- 32-bit or 64-bit Microsoft Windows 10 in S mode, version 1803 and above
- All versions of Microsoft Windows 8 or 8.1
- Windows 8 Start screen browsers may not include some protection features
- All versions of Microsoft Windows 7 including Service Pack 1 or later
CPU / Processor
For Windows 10, 8, and 7: 1 GHz
RAM
- For Windows 10: 2 GB
- Recovery Tool: 512 MB RAM minimum
- For Windows 8 and 7: 1 GB (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
- Recovery Tool: 512 MB RAM minimum
Hard Disk Space
300 MB of available hard disk space
Mac System Requirements
OS
- Mac OS X 10.7.5 (64-bit) or later.
- Mac OS X 10.10.x or later required for Norton Device Security version 8.x or later
CPU / Processor
Intel Processors:
- Core 2 Duo
- Core i3
- Core i5
- Core i7
- Xeon processor
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 300 MB of available hard disk space
Internet connection for LiveUpdate
If your computer exceeds Norton Antivirus Plus’s system requirements, then Norton should not slow down your computer noticeably while it runs in the background.
How Often is Norton Antivirus Plus Updated?
Norton Antivirus Plus is one antivirus program that has regular updates to help keep online threats at bay. You can control how often these updates are made using the options below:
Automatic LiveUpdate
Norton Antivirus Plus LiveUpdates can be found in the program settings. Just click on the settings tab (the small gear wheel at the top of the Device Security window) and this will open the settings window. “Quick Controls” are on the right-hand side of the window and contains checkboxes. Among these, there is an “Automatic Liveupdate” box. You can check this to run automatic live updates while the program is running.
There is also another way you can also check for automatic LiveUpdates. Go into Settings (the gear icon at the top of the main window) -> Antivirus -> Updates. Switch the “Automatic Liveupdates” to “On.”
Automatic LiveUpdates will then run without requiring your involvement.
Manual Updates
You can also run a LiveUpdate manually at any time. Start by clicking on the “Security” tab at the bottom of the Device Security Window.
Clicking on this tab will reveal four options:
- Scans
- LiveUpdate
- History
- Advanced
Clicking the “LiveUpdate” button will run the newest updates.
LiveUpdate Status
You can check the status of the updates for Norton Antivirus Plus by viewing the “Report Card.” You can find this by clicking on the “Report Card” tab at the top of the Device Security Window. If your updates are current, then it should say “Up-to-date” next to “LiveUpdate.”
For more information, read our complete Norton Antivirus Plus Review here to learn about how it can protect your system from online threats.
