Scan says Webshield off but Accessibility toggle for Avast is on

[rocksteady]

After a scan, issue of Webshield set OFF is reported, giving steps to Accessibility to to turn Avast ON.

But in Accessibility, Avast service is found set to ON.

To get Webshield to work, I have to toggle Avast setting in Accessibility to OFF, then back to ON.

Why is Avast not seeing the ON state and reporting Webshield as inactive.

Webshield is important to Avast mobile. I cannot trust Avast mobile to keep Webshield active, which is a vulnerability which I consider to be a bug in the product.

EDIT: I intended to post in Android sub-section as applies to Samsung.

[SpeedyPC]

What is your phone OS? Android or iSO and what version number?

[rocksteady]

I editied my OP above to indicate it is a Samsung.
It has Android 11.

[DavidR]

This has been an issue on Samsung phones I have had previously and I think related to the overly aggressive battery saver function, trying to reduce background activity.

It hasn't happened to me for some considerable time so I have forgotten exactly what I did to resolve it.  I currently have Android 13 on both of my phones, but I think this was definitely on Android 11 (and possibly 10 also), it was driving me bonkers.

I ensured that the Avast Program is always allowed, and if the notice came up I too had to go into Advanced Settings and flip flop to off and back on. A pain in the backside.

If you can possibly update to Android 12 (don't know how old you phone is to be able to receive updates) or even 13 if possible.

For me these are the last Samsung phones I will buy, I find them to be chock-a-block with both Samsung and Google crap.  I find it despicable that I, having paid hundreds of £ pounds for a phone that I have virtually zero control over what is on it.

[rocksteady]

... I too had to go into Advanced Settings and flip flop to off and back on. A pain in the backside.

If you can possibly update to Android 12 (don't know how old you phone is to be able to receive updates) or even 13 if possible.

Avast does not notify that Webshield is off, only when I seek to do a scan.  I will just have to keep checking.
I don't think I will get further android version updates.

[DavidR]

... I too had to go into Advanced Settings and flip flop to off and back on. A pain in the backside.

If you can possibly update to Android 12 (don't know how old you phone is to be able to receive updates) or even 13 if possible.

Avast does not notify that Webshield is off, only when I seek to do a scan.  I will just have to keep checking.
I don't think I will get further android version updates.

Well you probably know my opinion on on-demand scans and a resident antivirus (much depreciated), so I rarely ever do one.  If you don't do one, Avast reminds you to do one if you haven't done one after 7 days.  As and when I do one, nothing has been found, shock horror, so generally I ignore these (each to their own). 

Periodically I also get a notification 'Avast has done a scan, see what we have found', now this is going to be like what the Smart Scan in the Windows version promotion of other paid Avast services.  So I generally ignore that too.

I have just run a scan (and I didn't get a notification that the Web Shield was off), first it told me I hadn't run a scan for 268 days (shock horror).  Scan complete and nothing found, but 2 Advanced issues found, enable scam protection and no sensitive apps locked. That produces two options RESOLVE ALL and SKIP FOR NOW, I chose Skip For Now.

My results 432 apps scanned (Have I really got 432 apps I hate default apps) no new threats found, 11 Security settings checked, no new vulnerability settings found.  2 New Files scanned, No New Threats found.  Here is the catch 2 Advanced Issues Checked, Upgrade to Premium for additional protection.  Essentially this is what I would have expected in a Resident Free Antivirus, nothing found and a promotion of the Premium version.

So for 268 days nothing found other than promoting the Premium version.

[rocksteady]

I don't normally run scans so see the "No scan for 7 days" Notification.
But do not get any Notification that Webshield is disabled 
So unimportant issue is notified, but the important issue is not notified. Sadly seems all too standard for Avast these days.

[DavidR]

I don't normally run scans so see the "No scan for 7 days" Notification.
But do not get any Notification that Webshield is disabled 
So unimportant issue is notified, but the important issue is not notified. Sadly seems all too standard for Avast these days.

As I said, "the "No scan for 7 days" Notification, when I ran the manual scan to test.   

I never really had that type of notification, mine was Avast telling me to check Accessibility as the Web Shield was off, but on checking it was enabled.  This I determined was more related to Samsung and battery saver being overly aggressive and putting it to sleep, the fact that it is sleeping doesn't appear to switch it off.  So Avast complains it is off, when it is On and the only thing was to flip flop the setting. 

I tried absolutely tons of things battery saver and background activity settings, to no end, only when I update to Android 11 did I see that activity reduce and with Android 12 and 13 I very infrequently get this.

Try looking at the Samsung Battery savings settings as they are very aggressive.

[rocksteady]

Thanks David, I can't see any Battery Settings that seems relevant to sleep and Avast.

I will just have to continue to manually check the app, to see if Web Shield is active or not.

I may check if app update or phone restart triggers Web shield to be deactivated. If I do (unlikely) find a cause, I will post again here.

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

Trying to find and navigate the battery settings in Samsung/google phones a bloody nightmare (and the ton of forced installed apps).

I did many searches on deep sleep/battery settings and navigating in the google/samsung android phones is sole destroying.  I spent literately days fighting this, making notes on where I had been, how I got there, options I had tried, results, etc. etc.  To this day I don't really know what I did to reduce the impact. But it did tail off/reduce on Android 12 and Android 13.  My primary phone is on Android 13 and secondary (no sim card) on Android 12 that I use when running may not receive another OS update.  Ultimately I will replace that with another non-Samsung sim free 'cheap' phone for running.

[DavidR]

I bumped into this old support page - https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/264/#pc

It may help you find what setting to check and change if required.

[rocksteady]

@DavidR Thanks. I had a look at that, specific for my Phone and Android version.
Problem I have is "Avast" is not listed when I select to add to my list of Non-sleeping apps.
I even uninstalled and re-installed Avast, but same result. 

[DavidR]

Yes it a blood minefield, I won't buy another Samsung/Google mobile phone, I'm done paying through the nose for a phone I don't have control of.  It's a minefield trying to negotiate their settings. 

Plus they treat you as a cash cow and not a customer who has choices. The amount of junk apps installed, that you can't get rid of.  What I also dislike is the fact that they don't give any details on what apps actually do, to make a decision if it is essential or not...  But I guess that is the same for most mobile phone apps.

[rocksteady]

I have been regularly checking status of WEBSHIELD since learning that it was prone to switching itself OFF unnanounced.
I don't know if there has been a fix delivered in a recent version, as I have not found WEBSHIELD turned OFF in recent days.
I hope it stays working consistently, without constant manual intervention.

[DavidR]

I have been regularly checking status of WEBSHIELD since learning that it was prone to switching itself OFF unnanounced.
I don't know if there has been a fix delivered in a recent version, as I have not found WEBSHIELD turned OFF in recent days.
I hope it stays working consistently, without constant manual intervention.

Well there has just been an AMS update on the Play Store, I got notification this morning on both of my phones.