There could be several reasons why you are unable to uninstall Avast antivirus from your computer. Here, I will provide a detailed explanation of possible causes and solutions to help you resolve this issue.
1. Self-Defense Settings: Avast has a feature called “Self-Defense” that protects the program from being tampered with by malware or other malicious software. This feature can sometimes interfere with the uninstallation process. To address this, you can disable the Self-Defense settings in Avast. Open Avast and go to Settings > General > Troubleshooting. Untick the “Enable Self-Defense” option and try uninstalling Avast again.
2. Admin Privileges: Ensure that you have administrative privileges on your computer. Without these privileges, you may not be able to uninstall certain programs, including Avast. To check if you have administrative privileges, right-click on the Avast program icon and select “Run as administrator.” If prompted, enter your administrator password. Once you have the necessary privileges, try uninstalling Avast again.
3. Conflicting Programs: Sometimes, other security programs or utilities on your computer can interfere with the uninstallation process of Avast. These programs may include other antivirus software, firewalls, or system optimizers. It is recommended to temporarily disable or uninstall such programs before attempting to uninstall Avast.
4. Corrupted Installation: If the Avast installation files are corrupted or incomplete, it can cause issues during uninstallation. In such cases, you can try repairing the Avast installation first. Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features, find Avast in the list of installed programs, and select the “Repair” option. Once the repair process is complete, try uninstalling Avast again.
5. Outdated Avast Version: If you are using an outdated version of Avast, it may not uninstall properly due to compatibility issues. In such cases, it is recommended to download the latest version of Avast from the official website and install it over the existing installation. Then, try uninstalling Avast using the methods mentioned above.
6. Malware Infection: In some rare cases, malware or viruses on your computer can prevent the proper uninstallation of Avast. It is crucial to regularly scan your system for malware using a reputable antivirus program. If you suspect a malware infection, I recommend running a full system scan using a trusted antivirus software and following any recommendations or actions suggested by the software.
If you are unable to uninstall Avast, try disabling the Self-Defense settings, ensure you have administrative privileges, check for conflicting programs, repair the Avast installation if necessary, update Avast to the latest version, and scan your system for malware. By following these steps, you should be able to uninstall Avast successfully.