If Norton keeps flagging a file you believe is safe, update Norton and run a Full Scan first. If the alert persists, submit the file to Norton for review and inspect its details in Quarantine. Restore it or create an exception only if you are confident it is safe: Norton warns that restoring a quarantined file is a high security risk, and an exception suppresses future detections.
Before restoring a file, check whether the alert persists
A familiar file name or app does not prove that the file is safe. Norton says a familiar item may trigger a false positive, but its guidance is not an independent assessment of your particular file. If Norton continues detecting the item after its reporting workflow, Norton says it considers it malicious and does not suggest running it. Read Norton’s guidance on repeated detections.
Update Norton, then scan
- Open Norton and run LiveUpdate. Install any available definitions.
- Run a Full Scan and check whether Norton still detects the file.
Norton recommends this before reporting a persistent false positive. If the alert appeared once and did not recur, Norton also recommends scanning to check for remaining processes. Norton’s repeated-detection instructions and its false-alert guidance describe these steps.
Submit a suspected false positive to Norton
If the detection remains after updating and scanning, report the item rather than bypassing protection as a first response. Norton’s repeated-detection page directs users to its False Positive report flow and asks for the file, an email address, and a brief description. Its general submission instructions say to include the detection name and Alert ID shown in the alert, the relevant file, and an issue description. Submit a file to Norton.
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- Norton’s published maximum upload size is 500 MB. One file may be submitted; it can be inside a ZIP or RAR archive, but the archive must not be password-protected.
- Norton’s instructions do not promise a specific review or response time. Its repeated-detection page says to try again after 24 hours; a separate false-alert page says updated definitions addressing an analyzed detection may be released within 48 hours. Those are page-specific instructions, not a guaranteed resolution schedule. See Norton’s false-alert instructions.
Inspect the file in Norton Quarantine on Windows
- Open Norton and choose Security > Security History.
- Choose Quarantine from the recent-history list.
- Select the file and review File Insight and the displayed origin details before choosing an action.
Depending on the item and Norton interface, available actions may include Restore, Restore as, Create exception & restore, or Send for analysis. Norton documents Restore as available only for manually quarantined items. Options and labels can vary by product interface. Norton’s Quarantine instructions.
What restore and exception options do
| Option | What it does | Important risk or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Restore | Returns the item to its original location when available. | Norton says restoring a quarantined file poses a high security risk. It does not repair the file. |
| Restore as | Places the item in a location you choose. | It does not repair the file. On Mac, Norton says restoring to a different directory may prevent the item from working properly. |
| Create exception & restore | Restores the item and excludes it from future detections. | The exception suppresses later detections; it does not establish that the file is safe or repair it. |
| Send for analysis | Sends the item to Norton for review. | Norton’s Mac guidance says it may process a submission without sending an individual response. |
Norton advises excluding a program from scans only when you are confident it is safe. If you cannot establish that, leave the item quarantined and submit it for analysis instead of restoring it. Norton’s Quarantine guidance.
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Exclusion settings differ between Windows and Mac
If you decide to add an exclusion, use the instructions for your operating system and Norton version. The paths Norton documents are:
- Windows: Security > Advanced Security > Computer > Antivirus > Exclusions.
- Mac: Security > Scans > Exclusions.
Interface labels may differ by product release, operating system, or region, so follow the current instructions for your installed version. Norton also says a file cannot be restored after Norton has been uninstalled. Norton’s false-alert guidance and repeated-detection instructions.
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