Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a ban on Avast and imposed a fine for selling consumer web browsing data for advertising purposes, despite the company’s claims of no online tracking.
Suppose this has concerned you about your privacy, but you have always relied on Avast to protect your system from viruses and malware. In that case, its automatic startup upon booting your PC may feel unnecessary and intrusive.
So, in today’s guide, we will show you how to disable Avast on startup. Let’s begin.
How to Disable Avast or Avast Secure Browser on Startup
Startup apps launch automatically when you start your computer. Be it antivirus software, cloud storage services, or other utility programs. While this can be convenient for accessing frequently used applications quickly, it can slow down your PC’s boot time and consume system resources unnecessarily.
Here’s what you can do to prevent Avast from opening up on startup.
Method 1: Via Settings
One of the easiest ways to stop Avast from starting whenever you boot your PC is via Settings.
1. Open Settings, move to the Apps tab, followed by Startup.
2. Turn off the toggle for Avast Antivirus.
Method 2: Via Task Manager
You can use the Task Manager to disable Avast from opening on startup. Follow the steps:
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Move to the Startup apps tab, right-click on Avast, and select Disable to confirm.
Also Read: 5 Ways to Completely Uninstall Avast Antivirus in Windows 10
How to Disable Avast Permanently on Windows PC
If you do not Avast to run any longer on your Windows PC, here’s how you can disable it:
Method 1: Disable All System Shields
You can disable Avast Shields control completely. Follow the steps:
1. In the Taskbar, expand the icons tray, and right-click on the Avast icon.
2. Click on Avast shields control, and select Disable Permanently from the context menu.
3. Click on OK.
Method 2: Configure Avast Core Shields
Follow the steps below:
1. Open Avast on your system.
2. Click on the Menu at the top right corner, followed by Settings.
3. Move to the Protection tab on the left, click on Core Shields in the right pane, and turn off the toggle for Core Shields.
4. Select how long you want to disable. We suggest you choose to Stop indefinitely if you want to turn off Avast permanently.
5. Click on OK, STOP to confirm.
Also Read: How to Remove Avast from Windows 10
Method 3: Switch off HTTPS Scanning
Follow the steps mentioned below to disable Avast on your system by switching off HTTPS scanning:
1. Open Avast, and go to Menu > Settings > Protection > Core Shields.
2. Click on Configure shield settings, move to the Web Shield tab, and uncheck the Enable HTTPS scanning option.
Method 4: Configure Avast Troubleshooting Settings
This method will only delay Avast for some time but not disable its startup:
1. Open Avast, and click on Menu > Settings > Troubleshooting.
2. Tick the checkbox for Delay Avast startup.
3. Now, close it and Restart your PC.
Method 5: Via System Misconfiguration
Follow the steps mentioned below to disable Avast on startup from system misconfiguration:
1. Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows+R keys.
2. Type msconfig and press the Enter key.
3. Go to the Startup tab, uncheck the box for Avast Antivirus, and then click on Apply, followed by OK.
Also Read: Is AVG Cleaner Safe?
How to Stop Avast Browser Opening on Your Startup
If you do not want Avast Secure Browser to open when your PC boots up, here’s what you can do:
Method 1: Modify Avast Browser Settings
Follow the steps mentioned below to modify browser settings:
1. Open the Avast browser, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and choose Settings from the context menu.
2. Click on Startup on the left panel and turn the toggle off for Launch Avast browser automatically when your system starts.
Method 2: Via Control Panel
Here are the steps to disable Avast on startup structure from the Control Panel:
1. Open the Control Panel on your PC and click on Programs.
2. Select Avast Antivirus in the next window, and click on Change.
3. Now, Avast antivirus configuration windows will open. Uncheck the browser option.
4. Restart your PC for the settings to apply.
Also Read: 20 Ways to Make Windows 10 Faster
Method 3: Modify Avast Service Configuration
Follow the steps mentioned below to modify the Avast service configuration:
1. Press the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog box, type services.msc, and press the Enter key.
2. Right-click on Avast and select Properties from the context menu
3. Set the Startup type to Manual, then click on Apply, followed by OK.
Method 4: Use Microsoft Autoruns
Follow the steps mentioned below to stop Avast Browser opening on startup using Autoruns:
1. Download Autoruns on your system, and then extract the zip file.
2. Once extracted, right-click on the file (Autoruns.exe or Autoruns64.exe) and choose Run as administrator.
3. Switch to the logon tab and uncheck the Avast secure browser.
Why Can’t I Disable Avast at Startup?
Some reasons why you’re not able to stop Avast from opening at startup include:
- Default Browser: If Avast browser is set as default then it’ll automatically launch on startup.
- Avast Browser Startup: Avast may be set up to directly launch at startup.
- Bugs in the Application: Sometimes there can be bugs due to which it’ll not be disabled.
We hope our guide helped you disable Avast on startup.
If you have any queries or suggestions for us, do let us know in the comments section, and stay tuned to TechCult for more informative blogs.
