How to Stop Avast From Running in the Background in 2023?

If you’re using Avast antivirus on your Windows computer, you might want to stop it from running quietly in the background. Even though Avast is known for being good at catching viruses without slowing down your computer too much, some people might face issues like Avast using a high CPU.

If you’re dealing with Avast causing problems, you might want to stop it from starting up when you turn on your computer or running in the background. It can be a bit tricky because even if you try to turn it off completely, parts of it might still be running.

In this article, we’ll talk about why antivirus programs like Avast run in the background and how you can stop Avast from running when your computer starts up.

Why does Avast Antivirus Run in the Background?

Antivirus programs, like Avast, run persistently in the background as a proactive defense against malware threats. This continuous operation ensures that the antivirus remains active even in the face of potential attacks, safeguarding your computer. These programs vigilantly monitor incoming and outgoing traffic, promptly alerting you to any suspicious activities.

While turning off Avast might seem like an option, doing so leaves your PC vulnerable to malware that can disable antivirus protection. Some users express dissatisfaction with background-running programs, opting to switch to more self-contained platforms like Linux or Apple, which are perceived as inherently safer.

For those contemplating disabling Avast, it involves a technical process of deactivating the defense module, driver, service, and shields. However, this approach raises questions about the necessity of such actions. Ultimately, uninstalling Avast emerges as a simpler solution for those looking to cease its background operations on a Windows PC.

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How to Stop Avast from Running in the Background?

Now if you are persistent in turning off Avast completely on your PC so that nothing associated with it remains there, then you need to apply the correct method.

Step 1 – Enable Avast Self-defense Module

Do the following at your own risk:

1. Open the Avast User interface
2. Click on “Settings“
3. Uncheck “Enable Avast self-defense module”
4. Click “OK“
5. Click “Yes” on the warning dialog (no screen capture is possible for this).
6. Close the Avast User interface

Step 2 – Run Command Prompt

1. Open a cmd shell
2. Run the following command

taskkill /F /IM avastui.exe
SUCCESS: The process "AvastUI.exe" with PID 5928 has been terminated.

Step 3 – Disable Avast Service

After that, you need to run Service Utility which is a built-in Windows tool to permanently stop Avast running in the background.

1. Press Windows + R and a box will appear to type services.msc
2. Find Avast Antivirus in the list, double-click it, and from the dialog select “Disable,” then “Apply,” then “Stop.”

How to Disable Avast Temporarily?

There will be times when you’ll need it for troubleshooting purposes. That’s why there’s an option to temporarily disable the self-defense module in the settings. Follow these steps;

1. Right-click the Avast icon in the notifications area on the taskbar.
2. Select “Avast Shield Control.” A new pop-up menu is displayed with a list to disable the option.
3. Click the disable option here you can prevent Avast from starting for 10 minutes, an hour, or until you restart your computer.
4. Select the “Disable permanently” option to turn off Avast completely. When you select this option, Avast will not start again until you turn it back on.

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How to Stop Avast Running on Mac

If Avast is consuming high resources on Mac or MacBook Pro it’s because it runs in a persistent mode. This mode prevents the attacks of malicious code from shutting down the application.

So if you want to stop this antivirus tool then follow these steps;

1. Click the “Avast” menu in the application
2. Select “Preferences.”
3. Uncheck the “Launch at Startup as a Persistent Application” box
4. Click “Quit & Remove Persistence.” Avast shuts down automatically after quitting the application.

How to Uninstall Avast Security from Mac

However, if you completely want to stop Avast from running in the background then uninstall it. Follow these steps;

1. Open the Avast Security user interface
2. Click the Avast Security icon in the menu bar, then select Open Avast Security
3. Click Go in the menu bar, select Applications, then double-click the Avast icon.
4. Ensure the Avast Security window is active, then click Avast on the left side of the menu bar, and select Uninstall Avast Security.
5. Click Uninstall.
6. Click Quit.