Complete Avast Removal Guide for Windows 11

Avast Free Antivirus and Avast One are popular, but they are also known for being difficult to remove completely. Avast's Self-Defense module protects its own files, and installs often bring extra apps such as Avast Secure Browser along for the ride. This guide walks through how to completely remove Avast from Windows 11, including the official Avast Clear tool and the leftovers it may miss.

Why Avast is hard to uninstall#

Avast deliberately resists being shut down, because malware frequently tries to kill antivirus processes. That protection works against you when you uninstall:

• Self-Defense blocks changes to Avast's folders, registry keys and services.
• Kernel drivers load early at boot and keep files locked.
• Bundled products like Avast Secure Browser, Avast Cleanup and SecureLine VPN have their own uninstall entries.
• Browser extensions for online security stay installed in each browser profile.

If you uninstall only the main app, you can end up with an incomplete removal that still shows Avast in Windows Security or blocks a new antivirus from installing.

Step 1: Disable Avast Self-Defense#

1. Open Avast from the system tray or Start menu.
2. Go to Menu, then Settings.
3. Open General, then Troubleshooting.
4. Untick Enable Self-Defense and confirm the prompt.

This lets the uninstaller and any cleanup tool modify Avast's files. If Avast will not open, move on; Avast Clear in Safe Mode bypasses Self-Defense.

Step 2: Uninstall Avast from Windows Settings#

1. Press Win + I and open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for "Avast".
3. Select Avast Free Antivirus (or Avast One, Premium Security) and choose Uninstall.
4. In the Avast setup window, click Uninstall again and confirm.
5. Avast may show a survey; you can close it. Restart when asked.

Then return to Installed apps and uninstall every remaining Avast entry. Common ones include Avast Secure Browser, Avast Cleanup Premium, Avast Driver Updater and Avast SecureLine VPN.

Step 3: Run Avast Clear in Safe Mode#

Avast publishes an official removal utility called Avast Clear (the file is avastclear.exe). It removes Avast even when the normal uninstaller is broken.

1. Download Avast Clear only from Avast's official website.
2. Run it. It will offer to restart Windows in Safe Mode; choose Yes.
3. After Windows boots into Safe Mode, Avast Clear opens automatically.
4. Select the Avast product you had installed. If you installed Avast to a custom folder, browse to it.
5. Click Uninstall and wait.
6. Restart the PC normally.

If the automatic restart does not work, you can enter Safe Mode manually: hold Shift while clicking Restart, then go to Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Settings and choose Safe Mode.

Step 4: Delete leftover Avast files#

After Avast Clear, check these locations and delete any remaining Avast folders:

C:\Program Files\Avast Software
C:\Program Files (x86)\Avast Software
C:\ProgramData\Avast Software
C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Avast Software
C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Avast Software

Type %programdata% or %localappdata% in the File Explorer address bar to reach the hidden folders quickly.

Services and tasks

Open services.msc and check for services starting with "Avast" or "aswbIDSAgent". Open Task Scheduler and remove any Avast update tasks.

Registry

In regedit, look for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Avast Software and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Avast Software, plus orphaned Avast entries under the Uninstall key. Delete only keys clearly belonging to Avast.

Step 5: Remove Avast browser extensions#

Avast Online Security and related add-ons remain in your browsers after uninstall:

• Chrome: chrome://extensions
• Edge: edge://extensions
• Firefox: about:addons

Remove any Avast extensions, then check that your default search engine and home page are what you expect.

Step 6: Re-enable Microsoft Defender#

Once Avast is gone, Windows should turn Microsoft Defender back on. Confirm it:

1. Open Windows Security.
2. Select Virus & threat protection.
3. Make sure Real-time protection is On.
4. Check for protection updates and run a Quick scan.

If Windows Security still lists Avast as the active provider, run Avast Clear one more time; a stale security center registration is the usual cause.

The easier route: UniClean Antivirus Remover#

UniClean's Antivirus Remover recognizes Avast and AVG and works around Self-Defense by stopping protected services or scheduling removal at the next boot. It then sweeps drivers, services, scheduled tasks, folders and registry entries, and labels each item with a risk tier so you can review High Risk items before they go.

Every deleted item is stored first in an encrypted Recovery Vault, so you can restore anything with one click. The Browser Extension Cleaner clears Avast add-ons from Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Brave in bulk. Download UniClean for free; it has no telemetry and works offline. There is also a quick Avast removal guide if you want a printable checklist.

Troubleshooting Avast removal#

"Setup is already running" or the uninstaller will not start

An Avast update or a previous uninstall attempt is still in progress. Restart the PC and try again, or go straight to Avast Clear in Safe Mode.

Avast Clear cannot find your product

If you installed Avast to a non-default folder, use the browse option in Avast Clear to point it to the correct program and data directories. Otherwise it may only clean the default locations.

You also have AVG installed

AVG and Avast come from the same company but are separate products. Removing one does not remove the other. Uninstall AVG separately and use AVG Clear if leftovers remain.

Avast Secure Browser is still your default browser

Uninstalling Avast antivirus does not uninstall Avast Secure Browser. Remove it from Installed apps, then choose a new default under Settings > Apps > Default apps.

Summary#

To completely remove Avast from Windows 11, disable Self-Defense, uninstall Avast and its bundled apps, run Avast Clear in Safe Mode, clean up leftover folders, extensions and registry keys, then confirm Microsoft Defender is active. Comparing removal approaches for other suites? See our McAfee removal walkthrough.