General Settings

In the Languages settings section, you can change the language of the Avast user interface once the installation is complete. To change your preferred language, follow these steps:

1. Click Add New Language.
2. Select your preferred language on the screen that appears, then click Install Now.
3. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control dialog.
4. Click Done when the language installation is finished.
5. Select the installed language from the drop-down list. You may need to restart Avast Antivirus by clicking Reload to apply the language change.

In the Update settings section, you can configure Virus definitions updates and Program updates.

Virus definitions settings

The latest virus definitions are the core of your antivirus protection. Click Check For Updates to ensure you have the most recent virus definitions. You can check the latest update, release date, and version in this section. Click More Options next to Check For Updates to configure the following settings:

• Automatic update (enabled by default): updates are downloaded and installed automatically on a regular basis.
• Ask when an update is available: notifies you when an update is available. Your confirmation is required to complete the update.
• Manual update (not recommended): updates are not automatically installed and you are not notified when a new update is available. To update virus definitions manually, you need to click Check For Updates on the Update settings screen.
• Enable streaming updates (enabled by default): micro-updates are downloaded continuously as new malware is discovered.

Program update settings

Updates to the program (application) version provide bug fixes and general program improvements. Click Check For Updates to ensure you have the most recent application version. You can check the latest update, release date, and version in this section.

• Automatic update (enabled by default): updates are downloaded and installed automatically on a regular basis. No actions are required from you.
• Ask when update is downloaded: notifies you when updates are downloaded. Your confirmation is required to complete the update.
• Ask when an update is available: notifies you when an update is available. Your confirmation is required to complete the update.
• Manual update (not recommended): updates are not automatically installed and you are not notified when a new update is available. To update virus definitions manually, you need to click Check For Updates on the Update settings screen.

Manage proxy settings

This section is for users who connect to the internet through a proxy server. The settings allow you to adjust your proxy settings to avoid issues with downloading virus definitions and program updates.

Select Use specific proxy server and type the proxy details:

• Type: select HTTP or SOCKS v4
• Address: type the address of your proxy server.
• Port: type the port your proxy server uses.
• Authentication type: if the proxy server requires authentication, specify the type and enter the Username and Password

Note: You can also access the Update settings screen by right-clicking the Avast icon in the system tray and selecting Update ▸ Engine and virus definitions or Program.

In the Notifications settings section you can enable or disable notifications. Tick the box next to one of the following options to enable it (untick the box to disable the setting):

• Use silent mode and turn of all pop-ups, alerts and messages: prevents Avast popups (including critical alerts) from interrupting fullscreen applications. We recommend enabling it only temporarily while running an application in fullscreen.
• Show Avast tray icon (enabled by default): adds the Avast icon to the system tray on your Windows taskbar. When you click the Avast tray icon, you can quickly access useful actions, such as opening the Avast user interface or updating the program version and virus definitions. The yellow warning triangle on the icon indicates that you are not fully protected.
• Animate Avast tray icon when scanning: animates the Avast tray icon on your Windows taskbar to notify you when a scan is running.
• Enable Avast sounds (enabled by default): sounds an alert when a threat is detected, a scan is complete, or to accompany a pop-up notification.

In the Exceptions settings section, you can exclude certain files, folders, or URLs from scanning. To add a file, folder, or URL to your Exceptions list:

1. Click the Add Exception button.
2. Type the specific file path or web address.
3. Optionally, click Browse, navigate to a file or folder you want to add to your exceptions, and click OK.

All exceptions are shown by default. To manage which exception types you want to see in the list, tick or untick the following options:

• File/Folder: when this option is ticked, all specific files and folders designated as exceptions are displayed.
• Web: when this option is ticked, all specific URLs designated as exceptions are displayed.
• MIME: when this option ticked, all specific email attachments designated as exceptions are displayed.

In the Blocked & Allowed apps settings section you can check which applications have been blocked or allowed by the Ransomware Shield, Webcam Shield, and Sensitive Data Shield components of Avast Antivirus. Both lists are displayed by default. To add an application to either list:

1. Click +Block App or +Allow App.
2. Select an application from the default list, or click Select App Path.
3. Locate the application you want to add and click Open.
4. Tick the box next to a feature (Ransomware Shield, Webcam Shield, and Sensitive Data Shield) to indicate which feature the app will be allowed to access, or will be blocked from, then click ADD.

Your Blocked / Allowed apps lists are now updated. To modify an app in the list, click … in the panel for the application you want to modify, and select Change allowed features or Remove.

In the Password settings section you can create a password to restrict access to the Avast user interface or your program settings.

Note: This password is not related to the Avast Account password.

To create a password:

1. Click Create Password.
2. Define your password and enter it in Enter password and again in Re-enter password.
3. Click Create Password.
4. Define which parts of Avast Antivirus your password will protect:
• Protect only Settings: you will need to enter your password when accessing your Avast settings.
• Protect everything: you will need to enter your password to open Avast Antivirus and the settings.

To change your password, click Change Password, type and retype your new password, then click Change Password. To remove your password, click Remove password.

Note: If you lose or forget your password, you can regain access to the Avast user interface or settings by reinstalling Avast Antivirus.

In the Personal Privacy settings section, you can specify which data collection activities you want to participate in. All options are enabled by default. Untick the box next to any of the following activites to opt out:

• Improvements
  • Share threat data with Avast to improve the security of all Avast antivirus users (Community IQ): tick to contribute to generic security-related information, such as malware attacks detected on your PC, which helps us immediately identify and react to the latest security threats. Your participation does not compromise any of your personal information.
  • Share app-usage data with Avast to help us with new product development: tick to share unidentifiable statistical data with Avast for the purpose of developing new products.
  • Share app-usage data with 3rd-party analytics tools to improve this app: tick to contribute to anonymized analytical data that is used to examine how users interact with Avast Antivirus.
• Offers
  • Share app-usage data with Avast so we may offer you upgrades or our other products: tick to receive offers for relevant Avast products and upgrades (in Avast Free Antivirus, this option is enabled by default and does not appear).
  • Share app-usage data with Avast so we may offer you 3rd party products: tick to receive offers for relevant 3rd party products.

Read more about the Avast Privacy Policy...

In the Troubleshooting settings section you can change default settings to troubleshoot potential Avast Antivirus functionality issues. You can manage the following settings:

• Enable Avast passive mode: disables all active protection, so you can use more than one antivirus program at one time without interfering with the performance of your PC or the reliability of antivirus detections. Avast will still receive all virus definitions and program updates, which allow you to manually run scans to check for issues on your PC. However, if passive mode is enabled, Avast Antivirus can not actively protect you.
• Enable Avast self-defense module: enables extra protection against active malware, which can deactivate or remove your antivirus program.
• Enable hardware-assisted virtualization: improves the performance of virtualization on your PC. Avast Antivirus uses hardware virtualization in anti-rootkit, Sandbox, self-defense, and CyberCapture components. If Avast detects other virtualization software on your PC, it automatically disables this setting. If Avast Antivirus is not able to recognize virtualization software installed on your PC, and you encounter performance or compatibility issues, we recommend temporarily unticking this option.
• Load Avast services only after loading other system services: delays the initiation of Avast Antivirus until system services are loaded. Enabling this setting will leave your computer unprotected during startup, so it may be vulnerable to infection at this time.
• Repair App: resets your software configuration by fixing or replacing program files that may be out of date, corrupted, or missing. We recommend making a backup of your customized settings before repairing Avast, as some settings may return to their default configurations.
• Add & Modify Compoments: enables you install or uninstall individual protective components. We do not recommend uninstalling components unless it is for troubleshooting purposes.
• Back Up Settings: enables you to create a backup file of your customized Avast settings for use on a different PC.
• Restore Settings: enables you to input a backup file of your customized Avast settings used on a previous PC.
• Reset to Default: resets your Avast Antivirus settings to their default values. We recommend making a backup file of your custom settings before restoring to default settings, as this action is irreversible.