Avast Free Antivirus is a widely used anti-malware software that offers complete protection against online threats. However, there may be situations where you need to temporarily disable it, whether it’s to install certain programs or troubleshoot compatibility issues. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of disabling Avast Free Antivirus to ensure a hassle-free experience without compromising on security.
Step 1: Launching The Avast Free Antivirus Program
When it comes to temporarily disabling Avast Free Antivirus, the first step is accessing the program itself. To begin, locate the Avast icon in your system tray, which is typically located in the bottom right corner of your computer screen. It is usually represented by an orange “A” shield.
Right-click on the Avast icon, and a menu will appear. From this menu, select the option that says “Open Avast user interface.” This will launch the Avast program and bring you to its main interface.
Alternatively, you can also open Avast by searching for it in the start menu or searching for the Avast folder in your program files.
Once you have successfully launched Avast Free Antivirus, you can proceed with the steps to temporarily disable certain features or protection settings.
Step 2: Accessing The Settings Menu Within Avast
To temporarily disable Avast Free Antivirus, you first need to access the settings menu within the program. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
1. Locate the Avast icon on your computer’s taskbar, usually found in the bottom right corner. It looks like an orange ‘a’ in a blue square.
2. Right-click on the Avast icon to open a context menu.
3. From the context menu, hover over the “Avast shields control” option, which will display a new menu with different disabling options.
4. In the new menu, you will see options such as “Disable for 10 minutes,” “Disable for 1 hour,” and “Disable until computer is restarted.” Select the desired time frame based on how long you want Avast to be temporarily disabled.
5. After selecting the desired option, Avast’s real-time protection and shields will be disabled for the chosen duration.
Keep in mind that temporarily disabling Avast Free Antivirus leaves your computer vulnerable to potential threats. It is recommended to re-enable it as soon as you no longer require the temporary suspension of protection.
Step 3: Navigating To The General Tab In Avast Settings
In order to temporarily disable Avast Free Antivirus, you will need to navigate to the General tab in the settings menu of the program. This tab contains important options for customizing Avast’s overall functionality and behavior. Here’s how you can access it:
1. Launch Avast Free Antivirus on your computer by double-clicking its desktop icon or searching for it in the Start menu.
2. Once the Avast main interface is open, locate and click on the “Menu” button in the top-right corner. It is represented by three horizontal lines.
3. From the dropdown menu, select “Settings” to open the Avast settings window.
4. In the left-hand pane of the settings window, find and click on the “General” tab to display the general options related to Avast’s performance and behavior.
By reaching this step, you are now ready to proceed to the next ones, where you will learn how to disable real-time protection and specific Avast shields temporarily.
Step 4: Disabling Real-time Protection In Avast
To temporarily disable real-time protection in Avast Free Antivirus, follow these simple steps. Real-time protection constantly monitors your computer for potential threats, so disabling it temporarily may be necessary in certain situations.
1. Open the Avast Free Antivirus program on your computer.
2. Locate the Avast icon in your system tray or desktop and double-click on it to launch the program.
3. Once the Avast interface opens, look for the menu options at the top or left side of the window and click on “Settings” or the gear icon.
4. In the Settings menu, navigate to the “Protection” or “Active Protection” category.
5. Find the option for “Real-time protection” and click on the toggle switch to turn it off. You may be prompted to confirm your action.
6. Avast will ask for your confirmation to disable real-time protection temporarily. Click on the desired duration or choose “Until restart” to disable it until you reboot your computer.
7. After selecting the desired duration, click on “OK” or “Apply” to save the changes and disable real-time protection.
Remember to re-enable real-time protection once you have addressed the specific issue or completed the task that required it to be disabled.
Step 5: Temporarily Disabling Specific Avast Shields
To temporarily disable specific Avast shields, follow these steps:
1. Launch the Avast Free Antivirus program from your desktop or system tray.
2. Access the settings menu by clicking on the gear icon in the bottom left corner of the Avast user interface.
3. Navigate to the General tab within the settings menu.
4. Scroll down and locate the “Components” section.
5. Click on the “Customize” button next to the “Components” heading.
6. In the list of Avast shields, uncheck the boxes next to the shields you want to disable temporarily. You can choose to disable shields such as File System Shield, Mail Shield, Web Shield, Behavior Shield, and more.
7. Once you have unchecked the desired shields, click on the “OK” button to save the changes.
8. Avast will ask for confirmation, click “Yes” to proceed with disabling the selected shields.
9. The shields will now be temporarily disabled, providing you with uninterrupted access to specific applications or websites.
10. Remember to re-enable the shields by checking the boxes again once you no longer need them to be disabled.
Temporarily disabling specific Avast shields can be useful if you are encountering issues with certain programs or websites that are being blocked by the antivirus protection. However, it is important to re-enable them as soon as you are done to ensure your system remains protected.
Step 6: Setting The Duration Of The Temporarily Disabled Features
In this step, you will learn how to set the duration for which you want to temporarily disable certain features in Avast Free Antivirus. This can be helpful when you need to turn off specific shields or protection for a particular period of time.
1. After accessing the Avast settings menu as explained in Step 2, click on the “General” tab in the left-hand pane.
2. Scroll down the General settings page until you find the “Temporarily disable Avast protection” section.
3. Here, you will see a dropdown menu labeled “Choose the duration” or a similar option. Click on it to open a list of time intervals.
4. Select the duration you want to disable the features for. Avast provides various options such as 10 minutes, 1 hour, until the computer is restarted, or until you manually enable it again.
5. Once you have chosen the desired duration, Avast will disable the selected features for that specific period.
Remember, it is important to re-enable Avast Free Antivirus once you have completed your tasks or need the essential protection again. To do this, refer to Step 7: Re-enabling Avast Free Antivirus once needed protection is restored.
Step 7: Re-enabling Avast Free Antivirus Once Needed Protection Is Restored
Once you have completed your tasks that required disabling Avast Free Antivirus temporarily, it is essential to re-enable the program to ensure continuous protection against potential threats. To re-enable Avast, follow these simple steps:
1. Locate the Avast icon in the system tray on your desktop. It is usually located in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Right-click on the Avast icon to open the context menu.
3. From the menu, select “Avast shields control.” A sub-menu will appear with options for temporarily disabling various Avast shields.
4. From the sub-menu, select “Enable all shields” to turn on all the protection features of Avast Free Antivirus.
5. After selecting “Enable all shields,” Avast will immediately be re-enabled, and you can proceed with peace of mind, knowing that your system is secured once again.
Remember, disabling Avast Free Antivirus is only recommended for specific tasks and should be done cautiously. Always make sure to re-enable the program promptly after completing the intended tasks to maintain comprehensive protection against malware, viruses, and other online threats.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I temporarily disable Avast Free Antivirus?
To temporarily disable Avast Free Antivirus, follow these steps:
- Locate the Avast icon in the system tray on your Windows taskbar (bottom-right corner).
- Right-click on the Avast icon.
- In the context menu, hover over “Avast shields control”.
- Choose either “Disable for 10 minutes” or “Disable until computer is restarted” depending on your preference.
2. Can I disable Avast Free Antivirus indefinitely?
While you can temporarily disable Avast Free Antivirus for extended periods, it is not recommended to leave your computer unprotected for too long. Avast provides essential security features to protect your system from threats, so it is best to re-enable it as soon as your temporary need is fulfilled.
3. Will disabling Avast Free Antivirus affect my computer’s performance?
Disabling Avast Free Antivirus temporarily will not have a significant impact on your computer’s performance. However, it does leave your system vulnerable to potential threats. It is advisable to re-enable the antivirus as soon as you no longer need to temporarily disable it.
4. What should I do if I encounter any issues while disabling Avast Free Antivirus?
If you experience any difficulties when attempting to disable Avast Free Antivirus, we recommend contacting Avast customer support for assistance. They can provide specific guidance and help resolve any technical issues you may encounter.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, temporarily disabling Avast Free Antivirus can be done easily by following a few simple steps. However, it is important to remember that disabling your antivirus protection should only be done if absolutely necessary and with caution. It is recommended to re-enable the antivirus as soon as the task requiring its disablement is completed to ensure continuous protection against potential threats.