Do you want to open an email attachment, but your antivirus is blocking this action? Are you trying to install a new software program, but it seems impossible?

Although Avast is one of the most popular antivirus programs, you might need to disable it in some cases. This antivirus software program became so popular that the company that invented it eventually changed its brand to be named after it. 

However, despite delivering what it claims, you might still need to turn it off. Keep on reading to learn how to turn off Avast in easy steps.

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Although your operating system comes with some level of protection, browsing the internet will put your data and device at risk. Unfortunately, hackers are constantly working on creating and updating unwanted programs, malware, and viruses that they use to damage or steal your data. This is why it’s best to install a third-party antivirus program to protect your online presence. 

An antivirus software program protects your device and stores data of all types of computer viruses by running scheduled scans, detecting malicious activity, and setting up an extra layer of protection while browsing the internet or while you’re downloading links and attachments. However, the way an antivirus program operates can actually affect the way you use your device. 

In some cases, your antivirus might not be able to detect the nature of the link, attachment, or website you want to open. Although Avast is a great antivirus program, it can still make mistakes and might block a perfectly safe link or website because it’s trying to protect you. It might also result in a false positive, which means that you can install a program, but it won’t work when you try to operate it. 

Moreover, Avast, as well as other antiviruses, can slow your device down. It does a great job at protecting you from malicious behavior, but it might leave you a bit frustrated because it’s consuming too much CPU power. If you’re running another program that requires much of your CPU, you might be prompted to turn off Avast.

When and Why Should You Turn Off Avast?

There are some easy steps that you can follow to turn off Avast. However, it’s recommended to do this only when it’s necessary and quickly reactivate it to gain complete protection. You can disable Avast by turning off one of its shields or by turning it off completely. 

Turning off Avast might not be necessary and potentially dangerous. However, you can still disable some of the individual shields to open an attachment or download a software program without putting yourself in danger. Once you’re done, you need to re-enable the antivirus software and restart your device to activate a thorough scan. 

Even if you eventually have to turn off all the shields, you would still be able to finish your job with some level of protection. Avast has four shields that you can turn off; web shield, file shield, behavior shield, and mail shield. 

Find the orange icon of Avast on your Windows Taskbar. 

Double click to access the user interface. 

Go to the Protection tab and choose the Core Shields option. 

Of the four different shields, turn off the ones that you want to disable. You can specify the duration of turning off these shields or choose to turn them off permanently. 

Once your task is done, reactivate the shields to guarantee your device and personal data are perfectly protected. Note that when you turn off the HTTPS Scanning shield, your device will be at a higher risk from malicious malware that will be pretty challenging to get rid of. You should do this only if you’re 100% sure of the safety of the website. 

Restart your device to run a complete check. 

This might not be necessary, but you can try it if the previous method doesn’t allow you to install a software program. 

Go to Avast Shields and select the duration of disabling the shields. You can also choose to disable the program until your device restarts or permanently. 

Once your task is complete, turn on Avast and restart your device. Then, allow Avast to conduct a thorough scan to check your device and any newly installed data for maximum protection.

How to Turn Off Avast?

If you’re going to turn off your antivirus, you need to be sure of the nature of the attachment you’re opening or the program you’re trying to install. However, disabling Avast is aggressive and should be done with caution. You should never try to turn off Avast in the following cases.

You’re downloading an attachment from an unknown email. 

The file extension seems suspicious like .bat, .js, .msi, .jar, and even files that mimic other extension files like .exe should be handled with care. 

You know the email sender, but the content doesn’t seem like something they would send. 

You receive an encrypted file that requires a password. 

You open a website, and it asks for sensitive information to allow you to download an attachment. 

The website looks familiar, but the URL isn’t spelled correctly. Hackers and phishers usually use this trick to lure people into using their website instead of the original link. 

You run a check on the website on a security service, and it shows results as unsafe or suspicious. 

The website is asking you to disable your antivirus to open a link or view content. 

You shouldn't turn off Avast in any of these previous cases because this will jeopardize your data and online safety. Otherwise, you can safely temporarily turn it off and then turn it on again after you’ve finished your mission.

Is it Ok to Turn Off Avast?

Although it does a great job at protecting you from viruses and malicious malware, in some cases, you might be prompted to turn off Avast. You can do this by disabling one of its shields or by turning it off completely. Of course, you should always activate it and run a thorough check once you’re done to guarantee maximum security and protection.

How to Turn Off Avast

How to Turn Off Avast

When and Why Should You Turn Off Avast?

How to Turn Off Avast?

Is it Ok to Turn Off Avast?

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