Avast slowing down your computer is probably the most typical issue people face while using Avast Antivirus. Especially if you have a low-end device, this problem is even more common. People using Windows 10 also often complain about Avast Antivirus because it slows down their system.
But, why is Avast slowing down your computer? Is it because your system needs an upgrade, or is it because the antivirus has got some bugs in it that probably needs to be fixed? Let’s find out all about Avast Antivirus, and its loopholes in this article.
Why Is Avast Antivirus Slowing Down The Computer?
Avast slowing down the computer is a common problem that users encounter. But that does not mean that the antivirus is not valid. It is a free antivirus that has long been protecting our computers from a variety of threats. So, don’t always blame the antivirus for poor performance because there may be some issues with your system causing the problem. Let’s find out the reasons behind Avast slowing down your computer;
1: Your System Lacks Storage Space
Avast Antivirus keeps on performing many security checks on your machine, and you may not even know about it. Starting from virus scanning and background scanning to computer cleanup-everything is Avast’s responsibility. So if you are facing the ‘Avast high CPU usage’ issue, it’s probably because your system does not have enough space. If your CPU does not have enough RAM, your system will become slow every time Avast performs these real-time security checks.
How Will You Fix It?
There are several ways to fix the high CPU usage problem. For starters, you can simply upgrade your RAM. But there are other solutions too. So, let’s take a look at them:
- You can remove the Avast Antivirus from your machine. To do that, open the icon, tap on the components option, scroll down, and press the uninstall option. Restart your PC once after uninstalling the program.
- You can also update the antivirus. For that, you need to open the app, go to the update menu, and update both the program and virus definition options. When you are done, check if your CPU usage is normal or not.
2: Your System Lacks Disk Space
If your hard disk is full, your system will automatically start performing slower. On top of that, if your Avast setup is already running, it will keep on making your hard disk full. In addition, you’ll see in the taskbar that instup.exe is always running and updating, so when you try to close it also, you will be prompted. In this context, it is better to just uninstall Avast from the control panel.
How Will You fix it?
Even if you manage to uninstall Avast, your system still may run slow. So, you have to free up some disk space to ensure it goes back to its optimal performance level again. Find out how to do that here:
- You can uninstall the apps that you no longer need or use. Just find the programs menu in the settings option. You’ll find the long list of apps here. Uninstall the ones that you don’t use anymore to free up some disk space.
- There may be some large files that are taking too much of your CPU space. So, head back to settings again, and check the properties option of each of those apps. The ones you find are the largest; start deleting them.
3: Too Many Avast Features Are On
It is indeed that Avast Antivirus is useful software with a wide array of features. But we don’t always use all the features, right? But, when Avast keeps on running in the background, it uses all those features automatically. This is a significant reason why Avast is slowing down your computer. To get rid of this problem, you have to turn off a few of its features. So, let’s see how to do that.
How Will You Fix It?
Before we tell you how to turn off the Avast features, let us tell you what you will do when you see Avast UI failed to load. Just update the antivirus, or uninstall it before you proceed with the other steps.
- You can go to the Avast icon and select the settings option. From there, you can see whatever features are ticked on the screen. Now, untick the features that you don’t want to run.
- You can also go to the settings menu of the Avast icon, select the protection button. From there, choose the core shields option. Now, select a time for how long you wish to disable it.
4: Your System Is Obsolete
Windows 10 is often in conflict with Avast Antivirus, so it probably needs an update if your computer is running slow. But, if you are using any other versions of Windows like XP, or Vista, you must make sure to upgrade your operating system to the latest version. So, let’s see how you will do that.
How Will You Fix It?
- You can press the Windows+I command on the keyboard and select the update and security option.
- Check the left bar for the windows update button, and tap onto the check for updates option.
- If your operating system needs an update, it will show there. Just press the install option and be done with it.
5: There Are Many Startup Programs
People often ignore when too many startup programs run on their computers. As a result, it slows down your computer, and when you run Avast Antivirus, it makes the machine even slower. With so much software open on the system, your PC is bound to run slow, so let’s see how we can resolve that.
How Will You Fix It?
- Open the task manager option, and tap onto the more details button on the screen. You will find this button in the left corner at the bottom.
- Now, select the startup option, and you will see the apps that run from the moment you start your computer.
- Find the apps that you wish to disable from that list. Then, just right-click on them, and select the disable option to be done with it.
Signing Off
Even after applying all these solutions, if your computer keeps running slow, maybe it’s time to close the Avast Antivirus. If you are wondering how to close Avast, just right-click on the Avast icon on your desktop screen and open it. You will see the Avast shields option on the screen, so just tap on that. You can disable the tool for as long as you want from there.