Hi. I have just started using Avast and find that it is always trying to connect to the internet even though I have switched off automatic updates.
Besides the answers you already received, I want to add a little detail.
Avast checks for available updates every 240 minutes (that's the default).
Some of those checks are negative (no update available). From those times that Avast actually finds an available update, if you set it to automatic update, it performs the update.
When you set it to manual update, the "checking" part is still done (don't ask me why, because I still think it shouldn't check when in "manual", but that's the way it is). The "manual" setting is only stopping Avast from actually applying the available update.
The third option is "ask". It "checks" for available updates, and when it finds them, Avast asks you whether to apply it in that same moment. (In this case, the actual check is still valid, because without it, you wouldn't be asked).
Although nowadays having a security tool that can't update its database from the Internet would be strange, there are certainly some situations when you want to avoid from Avast trying to connect, even if it is just for "checking" the availability of updates.
I hope that for Avast 7.0, the "manual" (NOT "ask") update will mean avoiding to even check for availability, unless the user "manually" checks for updates. At least, there should be an additional option, so to either:
- make it work as the current versions are in "manual" mode; or,
- to avoid the "checking" for available updates too when in "manual" mode.
That extra option would give the user more control so to adapt Avast to more different situations.