Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: REDACTED on February 28, 2018, 02:46:30 PM
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Hello everyone! :D
I'm using the latest version of Avast Free (Version 18.1.2326, build 18.1.3800.0). Truth be told, I'm really liking Avast due to its excellent features and very good malware protection. I'm just quite worried however because it seems that Avast Free has a sort of expiry date for its license...
Will Avast Free automatically renew the free license (whether offline or online)? Will Avast's Protection stop if the subscription expires?
I can live with the yearly renewal, but I'm not worried about myself. I'm worried about my parents. They're not very tech-savvy, and my questing for the best free antivirus has given me the conclusion that Avast is the best AV for them, especially with Avast offering a Hardened mode and Behavior Shield. However, I'm really worried what's going to happen to my parents' PCs should Avast Free's license expire. Will their PCs be unprotected? Will Avast Free automatically renew its license even when not online? Will Avast Free prompt a pop-up warning of an impending license expiration? Or will Avast just silently reactivate, with no prompts to the user whatsoever?
I know I'm being a bit demanding here, but I really wish Avast Free is just "forever" effective, with no time limits or expiry of its license. It's just really bothering me as to what happens when the license expires... I don't want to leave my folks unprotected.
Thanks for reading everyone. I hope I get answers to my questions. Please have a good day. ;)
P.S. Can I make a suggestion? Is it possible for Avast to add a new feature where if a user plugs in a flash drive or removable media, Avast pops a notification offering to scan the removable drive? It will be really handy to people who often forget to scan removable drives attached to their PCs.
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1. When the expiry gets within 28 days or so you are likely to get a popup asking to confirm your level of protection. Ensure you/they click the Avast free confirmation and not the upgrade option to the right half of the display.
If you ignore that and the expiry date arrives, you are still protected and a short time later it should auto renew if nothing is done.
2. Scanning a USB when plugged in really isn't a good idea (one that has been suggested before but never adopted). Today it is possible to have a 32GB or higher USB flash drive or even an external drive, you wouldn't want all of the to be scanned as there would be a performance overhead whilst this is done.
Avast is a resident on-access antivirus, so any active file (falling within the settings) will be scanned when it tries to run and that would include connected USBs. Any file/s that aren't active, there really is no benefit of scanning them every time you connect.
EDIT: Added screenshots.
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1. When the expiry gets within 28 days or so you are likely to get a popup asking to confirm your level of protection. Ensure you/they click the Avast free confirmation and not the upgrade option to the right half of the display.
If you ignore that and the expiry date arrives, you are still protected and a short time later it should auto renew if nothing is done.
2. Scanning a USB when plugged in really isn't a good idea (one that has been suggested before but never adopted). Today it is possible to have a 32GB or higher USB flash drive or even an external drive, you wouldn't want all of the to be scanned as there would be a performance overhead whilst this is done.
Avast is a resident on-access antivirus, so any active file (falling within the settings) will be scanned when it tries to run and that would include connected USBs. Any file/s that aren't active, there really is no benefit of scanning them every time you connect.
EDIT: Added screenshots.
I see. Thanks David for the detailed explanation! That definitely answered all my questions. ;D
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You're welcome.