Remove Avast antivirus from your laptop completely. Uninstalling Avast Free Antivirus. Using a utility from Avast developers
Avast Antivirus is undoubtedly one of the most popular antiviruses. This is due, first of all, to the fact that it is free. But sometimes, when complete removal of Avast is required, it may not be removed.
Error when uninstalling Avast- what to do?
This usually happens as follows. You go to the Control Panel and select “Programs and Features” there. A list of all programs installed on the computer opens. You find the Avast antivirus, choose to remove it, during which an error appears, meaning that removal is impossible. What to do in such a situation and how to completely remove Avast from your computer if it is not removed?
Avastclear - program (utility) for removing Avast antivirus
The fact is that Avast developers are aware of such a problem as the inability to remove their product. And that's quite serious problem, because without removing the old antivirus you cannot install a new one on your computer! Since using two antiviruses at the same time will lead to inevitable errors in their operation. The maximum that can be done in such a situation is to scan your computer for viruses, which does not require installation.
Avast antivirus company presented its solution to this problem - Avastclear. This is a special utility that will help you completely remove Avast if it is not removed from your computer for any reason.
Many users encounter problems during uninstallation Avast antivirus from a computer, in connection with this we decided to write detailed instructions How to remove Avast antivirus from your computer completely and correctly. Many users who installed Avast to protect their PCs from malicious software eventually have to abandon its functionality for a number of reasons.
Just get rid of it antivirus program will not work, the developers have provided for attempts to disable and even remove their product by malware and inexperienced users. Let's delve into the topic and get acquainted with all the ways to safely and correctly uninstall an application on any Windows operating system, starting with Windows 7.
Why is it important to get rid of Avast correctly?
The main reason why users want to completely remove Avast from their computer is to replace the defender with a similar program, possibly more powerful. The fact is that remnants of the application may prevent the installation of other programs to provide your computer with the proper level of security.
So, for example, Avast residual files do not allow you to install Kaspersky anti-virus, giving an error message stating that another anti-virus protection is installed.
We will look at how to remove Avast from a computer running Windows control 7 completely, for Windows 8 (there are some features, we’ll talk about them later) and Windows 10 the process will look identical.
Preparing for removal - Disabling self-defense
Before you can remove Avast antivirus from your computer, you must disable the Self-Defense (SD) module. It was created to resist advanced viruses that can do this in automatic mode by disabling and uninstalling essential components and editing entries in the system registry.
Because of this function, which increases the degree of protection of the program, many users cannot remove Avast from Windows 7 - 10. Let's talk about how to disable the self-defense of an antivirus application before uninstalling.
1 Expand user interface through the program launch shortcut or the context menu of the tray icon (near the clock).
2 Click "Settings" bottom left.
Rice. 1 – Call “Settings” of the program
3 Go to the tab "Troubleshooting".
Rice. 2 – Go to the “Troubleshooting” tab
4 Uncheck the box next to the option “Enable self-defense module”.
Rice. 3 – Disabling self-defense
5 We read the alert that appears, which says that if you disable the self-defense function, the risk of PC infection increases, and click "OK".
Rice. 4 – Save the settings
Self-defense is turned off, you can now remove the program using the standard Avast uninstaller, special programs or Avast removal utilities.
Uninstalling antivirus using standard Windows tools
The developers did not provide shortcuts for removing Avast using the Start utility built into the installer, so the element will help us remove the unnecessary security tool "Control Panels", which is called "Programs and Features".
1 Open the “Control Panel” and call this component if the icons are visualized as large icons.
Rice. 5 – Calling the Control Panel element
If they are grouped, click "Uninstall a program".
Rice. 6 – Alternative method
2 Listed installed applications select Avast Free Antivirus or Premier, right-click on the icon and select "Delete". Or select a program from the list and click "Delete" above.
Rice. 7 – Uninstall Avast
3 The next stage is waiting. The installer makes all the preparations, after which you can remove Avast from your computer.
4 When the window for installing and solving problems with the Avast distribution of your version opens, select "Delete".
Rice. 8 – Click “Delete”
5 The waiting process will take a long time, since the program will take much longer to uninstall than it took to install. Let's be patient.
Rice. 9 – Removal process
Be sure to restart your PC. After reboot Avast computer will be completely erased from your system.
We use third-party removal programs
This method usually does a good job of getting rid of all the components of the protector. But it also has disadvantages. The most striking of them:
- Some Avast-related files remain on the disk;
- not all registry keys are deleted.
To remove the Avast Software folder in Program Files and all entries in the system registry, you must resort to using third-party applications. First, let's look at how to remove an antivirus, if it is not removed, with all residual data through CCleaner and Revo Uninstaller, and then using a utility created by the antivirus developers themselves.
Using an example, we will show how to remove free Avast Premier (Free), instructions for getting rid of Internet Security will be similar.
It is better to download all offered products from official websites. We provide download links from developer sites to avoid other problems.
ADVICE. Try to download software from trusted sources and official program websites. This way you will protect yourself from virus infections and installation of third-party software without your consent.
CCleaner
The procedure for removing Avast antivirus in CCleaner is not much different from the process of erasing it using operating system tools Windows systems 7, Windows 8 and 10.
2 Launch the utility for removing garbage and software from your computer and go to the section "Service".
Rice. 10 – CCleaner Interface
Rice. 11 – Removing Avast
IMPORTANT! Do not click “Delete” under any circumstances. This function will erase the registry section that contains information about uninstalling the selected object.
Rice. 12 – Confirmation
4 In the installation window, do what is in the first instructions, starting from the 4th step.
5 When finished, go to the tab "Registry" and press "Search" problems.
Rice. 13 – Cleaning the registry
CCleaner will allow you to find and erase all registry keys related to Avast.
6 Click "Correct marked" and close the program.
Rice. 14 – Removing garbage from the registry
Revo Uninstaller
Let's touch on another great way to remove Avast antivirus.
1 Download and install Revo Uninstaller from the program’s official website:
2 In the program, select our object and call the command through the context menu "Delete". You can also use the Delete button at the top of the program panel.
Rice. 15 – Uninstalling Avast using Revo Uninstaller
3 The built-in uninstaller will launch. We do everything in the first instruction, starting from the 4th iteration.
It's better not to change anything, leaving "Moderate" search for keys.
Rice. 16 – Method of searching for garbage
5 Mark all partitions and erase them from the registry by pressing the button "Next".
Rice. 17 – Getting rid of the remaining keys
6 A list of remaining files will be downloaded. Also click "Delete" and close Uninstaller with the button "Ready".
Rice. 18 – Erase folders that the uninstaller could not remove
System files are not affected, rest assured, only the files of the program being removed.
AvastClear
Now let's look at another option, using the official Avast removal utility, you can download it from the official website:
1 By right-clicking, call up the context menu, where we click "Run with administrator rights".
Rice. 19 – Running with elevated privileges
2 We agree to restart the PC in safe mode.
Rice. 20 – Click “Yes”
NOTE. This antivirus program is not intended for Windows 8 and constantly conflicts with it: after turning on the system and starting the antivirus, the OS freezes tightly, and many users cannot get rid of the application.
In such cases, you need to start in safe mode and carry out the procedure using any of the methods shown, but using the AvastClear utility would be preferable.
Safe Mode in Windows 8 starts as follows:1 Reboot the PC and immediately press the key combination Shift + F8.
2 In the window that appears, select "Diagnostics".
Rice. 24 – Specify directories and delete the program
6 Wait for the process to complete and close the window with the button "Restart computer" to complete the uninstallation procedure.
The utility is the best tool that allows you to safely and completely remove Avast in Windows 7 – 10.
Remove Avast from PC - Easy!
We have discussed how to properly remove Avast antivirus to install another application in Windows 7 and 10, or simply get rid of it. We also drew attention to the intricacies of the process in Windows 8 and showed how to do this using the operating system and third-party utilities, including the specially created AvastClear.
We looked at how to clear the registry of debris remaining during the antivirus uninstallation process. We hope the information was useful.
Thematic video:
Antivirus programs install without any problems, but the uninstallation process in most cases can cause a bunch of errors. To prevent this from happening, we will discuss several ways to remove the well-known Avast antivirus from your computer. Why Avast? Because, it is especially popular among PC users, since its services are provided completely free of charge. Of course, there are also paid functions, but for full-time users they are of no use. But if you still decide to remove this antivirus, then to avoid problems, use the following methods, where we will go through the instructions step by step.
Usage standard function to remove Windows programs.
Everyone's favorite operating systems from Microsoft have a huge number hidden possibilities, which ordinary users are not even aware of. One of these possibilities is to completely remove absolutely any utility from your computer, without using other programs. The algorithm for this option is not very different from each other in old and new versions of Windows. This method It is considered one of the long ones, but after the process, your computer is guaranteed to get rid of all antivirus components.
Instructions for the first method:
- First you need to go to the control panel and select Uninstall programs;
- After opening this section, a window with a list will open installed programs on your computer. Click on Avast Free Antivirus, then click the Uninstall button.
After completing all the above steps, a separate window will open with the Avast uninstallation process, where we also select the Uninstall option;
- Complete removal will take you about 2-3 minutes. During the process, a window will open in front of you, where all information about the uninstallation progress will be shown. You will also be asked several questions related to the reason for deleting the antivirus. After completing the entire procedure, you will be advised to restart your computer, which is what you should do;
After your PC has rebooted the system, go to Start-Programs-Accessories-Run or use in a simple way by holding down the WIN+R keys. These actions will launch a window with standard services, allowing you to access all sections of your computer’s system;
In the empty field, enter the regedit command, thanks to which you can manually change the system registry;
- This window contains all the registry information that helps various programs work with the system and with each other. Several thousand records are stored in this place, and therefore, in order not to get lost in a long search, you just need to use the search, which opens after the CTRL + F key combination. It is necessary to find all Avast registry keys;
Keys are removed using context menu, activated when pressed right button mice.
The next way to uninstall an antivirus is to use the built-in utility from the manufacturer Avast.
Almost all modern antiviruses contain a utility to remove their products from your computer. Avast manufacturers also did not leave their brainchild without this function.
First, go to the manufacturer’s website avast.com and select the Support section from the menu on the right;
- On the page that opens there will be a FAQ item, where in the search we type the word Delete, and then select the appropriate result;
- This location contains the download link the desired program. After downloading, open it and uninstall the antivirus. For correct operation, you should choose Safe Mode, which will not harm your computer in the long run.
The utility will automatically find necessary files, as well as the antivirus version. Then click the Delete button and wait for the process to complete. If the utility indicated incorrect data for your antivirus, then you should do it manually in order to avoid various errors in the future;
After uninstallation is completed, you need to restart your PC to complete removal remaining components.
Third and last method, this is the use of programs from third-party developers.
Except above listed programs To uninstall an antivirus, you can also use utilities from other manufacturers, which can be found on the Internet. Today, there are about a hundred such programs and they all work without any interruptions. They automatically remove the necessary utility, both from the computer and from the registry. One of the best is CCleaner, which provides its basic services completely free of charge. In addition, it will not only delete the necessary files, but will also clean your PC of excess garbage, which will undoubtedly affect the operation of the system.
Launch CCleaner, then select Tools-Uninstall Programs;
Next, a window opens that is quite reminiscent of a standard OS tool Windows Uninstall programs. From the list presented, select Avast Free Antivirus and click on the button on the right side Uninstall;
- After completing all the steps, the already familiar Avast uninstall window will open in front of us, where we also click on the Delete button. Then you should enter the Registry section located on the left side of the window and perform the system cleaning procedure. To do this, click on the Search for problem button, and after finding them, select Fix.
Users are not always satisfied with free antivirus software installed on computers, if only because of the limited capabilities of such programs. Typically, they contain only basic tools that do not provide comprehensive protection. It's worse when they miss threats or trigger false alarms. Unfortunately, Avast Free Antivirus is one such application. Read on to learn how to remove it correctly.
There is nothing particularly complicated in the proposed methods, however, during the process of uninstalling this package, you need to pay attention to some nuances.
Why do users abandon the free Avast antivirus?
This free package causes obvious distrust among many users. This is due not only to its limited capabilities to provide comprehensive protection computer system and personal user data. Even the unlimited nature of the tools influences the fact that users, after using this application for a little while, try to completely uninstall it.
The saddest thing is that this package can easily ignore suspicious threats that have the status of trusted applications, without even trying to analyze signatures. The second point, no less serious, is associated with false positives, when even the official software It is not possible to install on a computer (at least without disabling the antivirus at least temporarily). But that's not all. As practice shows, after installing the package, already installed programs that were functioning without problems before may stop working on the system.
That's why many people try to switch to other packages. But if you install another package in parallel, the user will receive nothing but conflicts. As someone correctly noted, it’s like locking Stalin and Hitler in the same room (the older generation understands what we’re talking about). Thus, you need to clearly understand how to remove Avast Free Antivirus so that there is no trace of it. Incomplete or incorrect uninstallation can also provoke conflict situations.
How to remove Avast Free Antivirus from your computer using system tools
First, let's look at the simplest one, although it's far from best method uninstallation. How to remove Avast Free Antivirus using any toolkit Windows versions? It's simple.
To do this, you can use your own antivirus uninstaller, which can be found through the Start menu, or use the Programs and Features section, which is located in the Control Panel.
In it, you just need to highlight the line with the name of the program and click on the delete button at the top. After this, the built-in uninstaller of the antivirus itself (and not the Windows uninstaller) will still work.
Please note: if removal in the standard version turns out to be impossible, you may first need to go into the program settings and disable self-defense. If this does not help, all actions will have to be performed in the mode secure boot(F8 at startup, in Windows 10 - restarts the system with special boot options - select restart in the Start menu while simultaneously pressing the Shift key).
Checking registry keys
Be that as it may, this method does not allow you to completely get rid of the package, since the program keys remain in the registry. How can I remove Avast Free Antivirus from my computer so that these entries are gone? In this case, you need to call the appropriate editor (regedit in the Run console).
It needs to use the built-in search engine, which is called either through the file menu or through the shortcut Ctrl + F, after which set the value “avast” (without quotes) as the criterion. The found keys, moving from one to another through the “Find Next” button or pressing the F3 key, must be deleted, and then a complete restart of the system.
To avoid cleaning the registry manually, you can use special utilities (even portable ones) like RegCleaner, which will search for incorrect or residual keys and delete them automatically.
How to completely remove Avast Free Antivirus using a special utility?
But there is a simpler method. The question of how to remove Avast Free Antivirus can be solved quite simply by using the special Avastcleaner utility, which can be downloaded directly from official resource antivirus developer.
Everything is simple with it, too, however, it must be started EXCLUSIVELY in safe boot mode. It is enough to launch the program (it is presented in the form of a single executable EXE file, that is, it is portable), select from the name installed version, activate the start of uninstallation, wait for it to complete and reboot (at the end the program itself will prompt you to do this).
Removing antivirus using uninstaller applications
But for the question of how to remove Avast Free Antivirus, there is another similar solution that can be used not only to uninstall this particular package, but also for other programs, browser panels, system components, or even applets built into Windows that It cannot be removed by any other means.
Of course, we are talking about such powerful packages as iObit Uninstaller and Revo Uninstaller, not counting other similar programs. Let's use the iObit Uninstaller application as an example. The list of installed programs is almost identical to the similar list of the programs section and Windows components. As usual, you first need to find the antivirus in it and click the uninstall button, indicated by the trash can icon.
First, the built-in uninstaller of the antivirus package starts, and then standard removal You will need to use a powerful scan to look for residual components, among which files, registry entries and directories can be found.
At the end of the search, the application itself will completely mark all the elements. If this does not happen, you will have to choose them yourself (although it is unlikely that this will happen). Then, to completely clean the system, you will need to check the box next to the file destruction option and click on the delete button. You may receive a message stating that some items will be deleted when you restart. We agree and restart. Now we can definitely give a 100% guarantee that Avast has been completely removed from the system. Then you can install any other anti-virus package without fear of conflicts or incorrect operation.
Brief summary
As you can see, the question of how to remove Avast Free Antivirus is quite simple to solve. In order not to do unnecessary things, it is better to immediately download a special utility to remove the package or install special uninstallers. But the utility only removes the antivirus, and the uninstaller can be useful in other situations, so it’s better to give preference to it.
First of all, you need to remember that regular Windows tools 7 or other operating systems will not be able to completely remove the antivirus, but will only call a software uninstaller that selectively cleans files. The system partition will contain components responsible for hardware processes, history, license data, etc. It is also important to note that the protection must work continuously and it is not recommended to remove it. But sometimes, this process is necessary to replace it with another version of the antivirus or due to the product not working, so we suggest considering 3 ways to remove Avast from your computer if it is not removed. Each option is suitable for Windows 7, Windows XP, Vista and Windows 10.
Important! Before you begin, make sure that application self-protection is disabled. Open the “Settings” section, go to “Troubleshooting” and uncheck the box next to the “Enable Avast Self-Defense Module” command.
Option 1. Avastclear utility from the developer
Despite the formality, this method requires special caution. On many forums, PC owners with operating Windows systems 10 and XP left complaints about the negative impact of the utility on system files. But they are not widespread. Most likely, the damage was caused due to the carelessness of the users themselves. In any case, we strongly recommend that you create a system restore point before installing the product.
To download Avastclear on the official website, follow the link.
Instructions:
- step: Create on desktop separate folder with any name. Be sure to check that the path in its properties is correct (C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\ folder name). Place the utility there. The fact is that after the antivirus uninstallation process, it self-destructs along with all the information contained in the folder. That is, if the utility is loaded into system partition, it will delete some system files along with it.
- step: start the computer in safe mode (during restart, press the F8 button and select the appropriate partition).
- Step: Open Avastclear.exe with administrator rights and use Explorer prompts.
After uninstallation, restart your PC as usual. Detailed instructions are presented in the following video:
Option 2: Revo Uninstaller app
This free program is one of the best in its segment and a must-have in every user's arsenal. It almost completely rids the computer of residual files of the deleted software.
You can download the license file from the official website using the link.
Instructions:
After restarting your computer, we recommend cleaning the registry using a free CCleaner programs. To download the official utility, follow the link.
Option 3: Manual removal
This method takes more time, since it will search and uninstall residual files in the registry and system partition without special programs. The first thing you need to pay attention to is creating a system restore point. Then disable the Avast self-defense module.
- Step: Remove protection standard tool Windows. To do this, you need to open the menu “ Start", go to " Control Panel" and run the module " Installing and removing programs».
- Step: Select the product and click " Delete" Completely erasing the extension will take several minutes. Then restart your PC.
- Step: Open the menu again Start" and section " Execute».
- step: In the team manager field, enter regedit- registry editor.
- Step: Select the tab " Edit" and go to the search section.
- step: B search bar enter your request avast and start scanning.
- step: All found folders and files must be deleted manually and the search repeated until all application components are erased.
- Step: Next, you should clean the system partition from residual files. Open the menu " Start" Go to the section " Search».
- Step: Check the scan area " Files and folders».
- step: Enter your request аvast,at enter search parameters " Local disk(WITH:)" and run the scan.
- Step: All found elements must be deleted.
More detailed instructions can be viewed in the video: