Protection Settings

Manage these settings from: ☰ Menu ▸ Settings ▸ Protection

Virus Scans

In the Virus Scans settings section you can configure the settings for individual predefined scans. To run the scans and protect your PC from security and performance threats go to Protection ▸ Virus Scans. To configure settings for individual scans, refer to the sections below:

  • Full Virus Scan: a predefined, in-depth scan of your system that checks your storage drives and memory for malware (including rootkits). This scan may take several minutes or more depending on the number of files in your storage and the performance of your system. To modify this scan's parameters, click Settings beneath the Full Virus Scan tile. Read more...
  • Targeted Scan: scans folders that you specify. After clicking the Targeted Scan tile, tick the folder you want to scan and click OK. To modify this scan's parameters, click Settings beneath the Targeted Scan tile. Read more...
  • Explorer Scan: scans files or folders, similar to a Targeted Scan, but is conveniently available from the Windows Explorer menu when you right-click a selected file or folder. Modify this scan's settings from the ☰ Menu ▸ Settings ▸ Protection ▸ Virus Scans. Read more...
  • Boot-time Scan: scans your PC during the next system startup before any malware is launched. Scanning during startup improves the chances of detecting and removing malware before it can counteract. To modify this scan's parameters, click Settings beneath the Boot-time Scan tile. Read more...
  • Custom scans: allows you to create and schedule your own scan. To configure Custom Scan settings go to Protection ▸ Virus Scans and click Custom scans. Click the Settings (gear icon) to configure settings for an existing custom scan, or click Create a New Scan to define the parameters of a new scan. Read more...

To run a predefined scan, Smart Scan, or Custom Scan in Avast Antivirus, go to Protection ▸ Virus Scans. Read more...

Core Shields

In the Core Shields settings section you can modify general settings for all predefined Core Shields, followed by settings for individual Core Shields. Manage both general Core Shields settings and individual shield settings for the following shields:

    • File Shield: modify the settings for this shield, which scans programs and files saved on your PC for malicious threats in real-time before allowing them to be opened, run, modified, or saved. Read more...
    • Behavior Shield: modify the settings for this shield, which acts as an additional layer of active protection and monitors all processes on your PC in real-time for suspicious behavior that may indicate the presence of malicious code. Read more...
    • Web Shield: modify the settings for this shield, which scans data that is trasferred when you browse the internet in real-time to prevent malware from being downloaded on your PC. Read more...
    • Mail Shield: modify the settings for this shield, which scans your incoming and outgoing emails sent by an email client in real-time for malicious content. Read more...

To simply manage Core Shields, go to Protection ▸ Core Shields. Read more...

Quarantine

In the Quarantine settings section you can manage the following setting:

  • Maximum size of your Quarantine: specify the maximum size of each file added to your Quarantine (5120 MB by default). Defining a size of 0 MB means there is no size limit.

To view files in your Quarantine and add new ones, go to Protection ▸ Quarantine Read more...

Ransomware Shield

In the Ransomware Shield settings section you can manage the following settings:

  • Enable or Disable Ransomware Shield: Ransomware Shield is enabled by default, but you may need to disable it for troubleshooting purposes. To disable it: click the (ON) slider so that it changes to (OFF). To re-enable Ransomware Shield: click the (OFF) slider so that it changes to (ON).
  • Select your preferred mode: you can select Smart Mode (selected by default), which will allow you to specify trusted apps that have access to your protected folders. Alternatively, you can select Strict Mode, which will require your permission any time an app tries to access your protected folders.
  • View blocked / allowed apps: allows you to add to your Blocked & Allowed apps lists
  • Select which file types to secure in your protected folders (all listed file types selected by default): enables you to select the file types for your protected folders. You can also add your own file type in the text box below the default list.

To add protected folders to your Ransomware Shield go to Protection ▸ Ransomware Shield. Read more...

Firewall

In the Firewall settings section, you can review and configure the following advanced settings:

Note: Only make configuration changes if you have an advanced understanding of firewall principles.

  • Enable or Disable Firewall: allows you to disable Firewall temporarily for troubleshooting purposes. We do not recommend stopping Firewall permanently by selecting the stop indefinitely option. To enable Firewall, click the OFF slider so that it changes to ON.
  • Show notification about newly created 'allow' rules: tick this option to send an alert message each time a new rule related to authorizing communication is created by the auto-decide feature. Ticking this option may result in frequent and potentially obtrusive alerts.
  • Application rules: use the drop-down menu to define the behavior of Avast when it detects a program without previously defined application rules. Read more...
  • System Rules: allows expert users to review and configure pre-defined system rules. Read more...
  • Packet Rules: allows expert users to review, customize, and add new packet rules. Read more...
  • List of network profiles: displays the list of networks you're connected to. Use the drop-down menu to define the Firewall profile for each network.

To simply manage Firewall, go to Protection ▸ Firewall. Read more...

Real Site

In the Real Site settings section you can enable or disable Real Site. Real Site is enabled by default.

  • To disable Real Site: click the (ON) slider so that it changes to (OFF).
  • To enable Real Site: click the red (OFF) slider so that it changes to (ON).

To quickly enable or disable Real Site, go to Protection ▸ Real Site. Read more...

Sandbox

In the Sandbox settings section you can define the behavior of applications running in Sandbox. All settings are enabled by default. Untick the boxes next to the following options to disable them:

  • Show Avast Sandbox in the Windows context menu: enables you to add a file to Sandbox directly from your desktop by right-clicking the file and selecting Sandbox from the Windows context menu that appears. If you untick this box, you can still run applications directly within the Sandbox feature of Avast Antivirus.
  • Allow all virtualized applications to access the internet: enables all applications running in Sandbox to access the internet. If disabled, none of the applications running in Sandbox will have access to the internet, including web browsers.
  • Save trusted downloaded files outside the sandbox: enables files downloaded while browsing the web to be saved onto your PC. This only applies to download processes which are identified as safe. If you untick this box, downloaded files are deleted when you close the Sandboxed browser.

You can also add applications manually to Sandbox from this settings screen. To add apps to Sandbox:

  1. Click +Add App.
  2. Select an app from the default list. Alternatively, click Select App Path, navigate to the app location on your PC, and select it.
  3. Click Open to confirm, and Close to return to the Sandbox settings screen.

To remove an app from Sandbox:

  • Click the trash icon next to an app in the list of apps already added to Sandbox.

To run an application directly in Sandbox, go to Protection ▸ Sandbox. Read more...