Fix: Avast Service High CPU Usage

Antivirus tools are usually resource-demanding because they perform plenty of real-time operations such as background scanning, virus removals, and computer cleanup. These processes are quite useful but they may become annoying after you discover that your antivirus tool is consuming almost all of your CPU power.

Avast was experiencing this issue and its users have reported that Avast was constantly experiencing this issue and the CPU usage was constantly over 50%. This can interrupt anything you are doing on your computer and it can become quite annoying after a while. There are quite a few different ways to solve this issue so make sure you follow the article in order to solve the problem.

How to Stop Avast Service from High CPU Usage?

1. Remove Avast Cleanup

It seems that the component most responsible for this problem is Avast Cleanup which acts in real-time in order to free some resources allocated by other background apps. Anything that does its job in real-time can be heavy on the processor so it’s sometimes the best to simply uninstall this component.

  1. Open the Avast user interface by clicking its icon at the system tray or by locating it in your Start menu entry.
  2. Navigate to Settings and click the Components tab which should be the second one.
  3. Click the downward-facing arrow next to the component that you want to remove (Avast Cleanup in this particular example), click Uninstall Component, and then click OK to confirm the uninstallation of the component.
  4. Restart your PC if Avast prompts you with that option in order to confirm the changes. Check to see if the CPU usage has gone back to normal.

Note: If this does not work for you, you can repeat the same process for the component named Behavior Shield. If this fixes the problem, you can try turning it on again and the CPU usage should remain unchanged.

2. Command Prompt Tweak

This solution is quite simple and it will actually change the Scan Frequency to the maximum value. This will disable the background checks and monitoring and it will only occur once in a while. This may cause some security issues but it’s guaranteed that the CPU usage will go back to normal.

  1. Use the Windows Key + X key combination in order to open the menu where you should select the Command Prompt (Admin) option. Alternatively, you can right-click on the Start menu for the same effect or you can simply search for Command Prompt, right-click on it and select Run as administrator.

  1. Type in the following command in order to navigate to this following folder where you will be able to execute further actions:
C: ProgramDataAvastSoftwareAvast
  1. Open the avast5.ini file and insert the following command in line:
[GrimeFighter] : ScanFrequency=999
  1. Save the file, restart your computer and check to see if the error is resolved immediately.

3. Update Avast to the Latest Version

Certain old versions of Avast become unresponsive since it’s recommended that you always keep both the antivirus and the virus definitions database up to date in order to keep the antivirus tool running successfully. Updating Avast is easy and it’s simple to follow in the steps presented below.

  1. Open the Avast user interface by clicking its icon at the system tray or by locating it in your Start menu entry.
  2. Navigate to the Update tab and you will notice that there are two update buttons. One of these buttons is related to the update of the virus definitions database and the other one is related to updating the program itself.

  1. Most users have reported that updating their virus definitions has resolved the problem but it’s for the best to update both the database and the program by clicking on both of these update buttons, being patient while Avast checks for updates and follow the instructions on-screen in order to follow through the process.
  2. Check to see if the CPU usage has gone back to normal.

Note: In some cases, if Avast has been affected by malware you might not be able to update it properly and it might show an unknown error while updating.

4. Avast Screensaver Scanning Even Though it Shouldn’t

In some cases, it is related to the Avast Screensaver, which seems to continue the scan even though the screen saver is not running anymore. Even though it doesn’t happen consistently, but often enough, the problem is still there and it’s causing high CPU usage for nothing. The worst part is that it won’t show up in the Avast interface. Here is how to solve the problem:

  1. Right-click on a random file located on your computer and choose to scan the file with Avast in the context menu.

  1. A scan result window should pop up and you will be able to see a list of scans that are currently running.
  2. Locate the Avast Screensaver scan and click the Stop button next to it in order to stop and check to see if the CPU usage has gone back to normal.

5. Repair Avast From Control Panel

If something is wrong with the Avast installation, it’s best to simply repair it by navigating to the Control Panel and repairing it. This solution worked for plenty of people but consider the fact that you may need to readjust settings you may have changed in the meantime.

  1. First of all, make sure you are logged in with an administrator account as you won’t be able to delete programs using any other account.
  2. Click on the Start menu and open Control Panel by searching for it. Alternatively, you can click on the gear icon in order to open settings if you are using Windows 10.

  1. In Control Panel, select to View as: Category at the top right corner and click on Uninstall a Program under the Programs section.
    Clicking on the “Uninstall a Program” option
  2. If you are using the Settings app, clicking on Apps should immediately open a list of all installed programs on your PC.
  3. Locate Avast in Control Panel or Settings and click on Uninstall/Repair.
  4. Its uninstall wizard should open with two options: Repair and Remove. Select Repair and click Next in order to fix the installation of the program.
    Uninstalling Avast From the Control Panel
  5. A message will pop up asking you to confirm the process. Avast will most likely be restarted with the default settings which worked before the error started to occur.
  6. Click Finish when the uninstalled completes the process and restart your computer to see whether errors will still appear.

6. Disable Mail Shield

Sometimes, the Mail Shield feature of Avast can hinder its performance and cause high CPU usage. Therefore, in this step, we will be disabling the Mail shield. For that:

  1. Launch Avast from the system tray and click on the “menu” button.
  2. Select the “Settings” option and click on the “Protection” tab.
    Clicking on the “Settings” option in the menu
  3. In the protection tab, select the “Core Shields” option and scroll down to click on the “Mail Shield” tab.
  4. Uncheck every option in this tab and click on “Indefinitely” if Avast asks for a time period.
  5. After this, restart Avast and check to see if the issue persists.

Note: All the other “Shields” in the Core Shields menu should be on. It was reported that if affected by malware, the web shield might not turn on. Therefore, keep an eye out for vulnerability due to certain features being off.

7. Disable Updater Notifications

In certain cases, the high CPU usage might be triggered if the Avast Antivirus is trying to send an update notification but it is getting glitched out due to which this error is being triggered. Therefore, in this step, we will be disabling the updater notifications. In order to do so:

  1. Open Avast and wait for it to load completely.
  2. Click on the “Menu” icon on the top right side and select “Settings”.
    Clicking on “Settings” in the menu
  3. In settings, click on the “Performance” tab from the left pane and then select the “Software Updater” option.
  4. In the software updater setting, uncheck the “Notifications about new Updates” button and then click on “X” to close the window.
  5. Now, check to see if the issue persists.

Note: It is also recommended to perform a complete reinstall of Avast after removing it from your computer completely.

8. Remove Un-necessary Avast Add-ons

Avast comes bundled with a  lot of additional quirks and features that increase its functionality a lot. However, for most users, these additional features are not needed and they add to the resource usage by the antivirus. Therefore, in this step, we will be modifying the Avast installation by uninstalling some of these features. In order to do so, follow the guide below.

  1. Press “Windows” + “R” to open the Run prompt.
  2. Type in “Control Panel” and press “Enter” to open the classical control panel interface.
    Accessing the Classic Control Panel interface
  3. Click on the “View by:” option and select “Category”.
  4. Now, click on the “Uninstall a Program” button under the “Programs” heading.
  5. In here, right-click on the “Avast Antivirus” option in the list and select “Uninstall”.
    Clicking on “Uninstall”
  6. Wait for the request to process and in the window that opens up, click on the “Modify” option.
  7. In the next window, uncheck all the unnecessary options except for the following ones.
    File Shield
    Mail Shield
    Web Shield
    Behavior Shield
  8. Click on the “Change” button and wait for the installation to process.
  9. After the process is completed, check to see if the issue persists.

— Update: 10-03-2023 — us.suanoncolosence.com found an additional article Fix Avast Service High CPU & Disk Usage on Windows 11/10 from the website www.thewindowsclub.com for the keyword avast service high cpu disk usage.

Generally, high CPU or Disk usage is a common issue on Windows 11 or Windows 10 PCs, with each instance exhibiting unique symptoms and underlying causes; albeit common solutions applies in some cases. This post covers the applicable solutions to Avast Service High CPU and Disk Usage on Windows 11/10.

Avast Service High CPU & Disk Usage

If you’re experiencing Avast Service High CPU and Disk usage on your Windows 11/10 PC, you can try our recommended solutions presented below in no particular order and see if the issue is resolved on your device.

  1. Initial checklist
  2. Modify Avast Scan Frequency
  3. Disable Mail Shield
  4. Troubleshoot in Clean Boot state
  5. Uninstall Avast Cleanup Tool component and non-essential add-ons
  6. Disable Avast Updater Notifications

Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.

1] Initial checklist

Before you try the solutions below, you can carry out the following tasks, and after each task see if the Avast Service High CPU & Disk Usage has been restored to normalcy:

  • Restart PC. In the course of normal usage of your computer, there will be a buildup of processes and services running in the background even when you have exited a number of programs which can potentially cause the CPU and/or disk usage to spiral out of control. In this case, the easiest way to get the PC in normal operating mode is a simple restart.
  • Stop Avast from running at startup or in the background. Avast uses very low amount of RAM and disk usage but gives you high scanning speed and detects malware instantly. However, if you are somehow dealing with Avast service high CPU problem, then you may have to completely stop Avast from running at startup and as well stop Avast from running in the background.
  • Stop Avast Screensaver Scanning. In some cases, Avast screensaver causes high CPU usage. So, you can check and stop Avast Screensaver Scanning by right-clicking on any file on the desktop and select Scan file with Avast from the context menu, and in the window that opens with the scans currently running, look for Avast Screensaver scan and click the Stop button
  • Update Avast. We cannot overemphasize that an outdated app version will most likely cause problems for you on your PC. So, you can make sure Avast is up to date by running the executable file located in C:Program FilesAVAST SoftwareAvastAvastEmUpdate.exe or by right-clicking the icon on the taskbar and select Update on the context menu or via the Update tab of the PC security software settings – make sure you restart your computer after the update. Also, you can update Windows accordingly to make sure there are no compatibility issues between the OS and the app build/version.

2] Modify Avast Scan Frequency

After the initial checklist and the issue in hand is not resolved, your next line of action can be to modify Avast Scan Frequency – by setting the scan frequency to the maximum, the background checks and monitoring will be disabled and will only run once in a while. Keep in mind that this action will compromise security, but it can ensure that CPU usage will return to normal.

To modify Avast Scan Frequency, do the following:

  • Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
  • Navigate to the directory path below:
C:Program FilesAVAST SoftwareAvast
  • At the location, check for a file named avast5.ini.
  • Open the file with Notepad or any Text Editor.
  • Now, insert the text below at the end of the file:
[GrimeFighter] : ScanFrequency=999
  • Save and Exit Notepad.
  • Restart PC.

If you’re not comfortable with the PC security implications of this solution or it just didn’t help with the issue, you can try the next solution.

3] Disable Mail Shield

Mail Shield, one of the Avast Core Shields is known in some cases to be the culprit. In this case, to resolve the issue in view, you can simply disable the Mail Shield. To perform this task, do the following:

  • Launch Avast.
  • Click the Menu button.
  • Select Setting > Protection.
  • Click Core Shields from the Protection tab.
  • Scroll down to the Configure shield settings section.
  • Click Mail Shield tab.
  • Now, uncheck all the options and click on Indefinitely if Avast prompts for a time period.
  • Restart Avast.

If the issue persists, try the next solution.

4] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot state

In some cases and usually conflicting third-party programs, processes or services jostling for system resources can spike CPU and disk usage. In this case, you can troubleshoot in the Clean Boot State and see if that helps. If Avast runs smoothly in a Clean Boot state without hogging system resources, then you may need to manually enable one process after the other to identify which processes that are the likely offenders that are causing the issue you’re currently facing; once identified, you need to disable or uninstall the software that uses this culprit process.

5] Uninstall Avast Cleanup Tool component and non-essential add-ons

Avast Cleanup tool performs a real-time operation to free some resources allocated by other applications, but besides the tool’s apparent usefulness, it’s known to be a culprit to the issue at hand. This solution requires you to uninstall the Avast Cleanup Tool component and non-essential add-ons that install by default with Avast – these add-ons enhance functionality, but sometimes use up an unnecessary amount of system resources.

To uninstall the Avast Cleanup Tool component, do the following:

  • Open Control Panel > Programs and Features > Programs.
  • Select the Avast Antivirus entry.
  • Click Change and continue when the Setup window appears on the screen
  • Next, uncheck the option for Cleanup.
  • Click the Continue button. Avast setup will now effect the requested changes.
  • Restart PC when prompted.

To uninstall Avast non-essential add-ons, do the following:

  • Press Windows key + R to open Run dialog.
  • In the Run dialog, type appwiz.cpl and hit Enter to open Programs and Features applet in Control Panel.
  • In the applet, right-click on the Avast Antivirus entry in the list.
  • Select Uninstall.
  • In the window that opens up, click on the Modify option.
  • In the next window, uncheck all options except for the Core Shields.
  • Finally, click the Change button and wait for the process to finish.

Check if the issue has been resolved. Otherwise, try the next solution.

6] Disable Avast Updater Notifications

In some cases, the current issue might occur if the Avast Antivirus is trying to send an update notification but due to some sort of glitch the process persists. In this case, to resolve the issue, you can disable the updater notifications. Here’s how:

  • Launch Avast.
  • Click the Menu icon > Settings.
  • Click Performance tab.
  • Click Software Updater option from the left pane.
  • Now, uncheck the Notification about new updates option.
  • Close the window.

That’s it! Any of these solutions should work for you.

Related post: Fix Malwarebytes high CPU and Memory usage

Does high disk usage slow computer?

If your hardware specs are strong enough then high disk usage should not be a cause for concern. If for some reason your PC has a problem with the drives being overworked, this may affect the operating system performance. This issue affects both hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs). To make Avast or most programs installed on your Windows 11/10 PC use less Disk, run Disk Cleanup, Defragment your drive and run ChkDsk, to begin with.

What does high disk usage mean?

High or 100% disk usage means that your disk operations have reached their maximum capacity i.e. it is fully occupied by some or the other Read/Write task. Every hard disk has a specific read/write speed and generally, the sum of the read/write speed is 100mbps to 150mbps. In the case of Avast, the security software performs a lot of real-time operations such as background scanning, virus scanning, computer cleanup, and so on, which can lead to high disk and CPU usage.

— Update: 11-03-2023 — us.suanoncolosence.com found an additional article Top 4 Fixes to Avast Service High CPU Usage Issue Easily [Partition Magic] from the website www.partitionwizard.com for the keyword avast service high cpu disk usage.

Avast is a piece of antivirus software. It is one of the most popular antivirus programs available. However, recently some Avast users report that they encounter the Avast service high CPU usage issue, which is really annoying.

What causes Avast high CPU usage? The reasons are various. For example, Avast performs a lot of real-time operations such as background scanning, virus scanning, and computer cleanup and so on. As we all know, real-time jobs can consume high CPU. In this case, you may encounter the Avast service high CPU issue.

How to solve Avast Service High CPU Usage issue? Don’t worry. This post offers you some reliable methods. If you come across Avast service high CPU Windows 10 issue, you can refer to the solutions in this post to fix it immediately.

Solution 1. Update Avast to Its Latest Version

Usually updating Avast to its latest version can fix some bugs and issues like Avast high CPU usage. You can follow the steps below to update the Avast to its latest version.

Step 1. Open the Avast user interface by clicking it icon at the system tray (notification area).

Step 2. Click the Menu button on the upper right corner. Then click on Settings.

Step 3. Click on General tab and then switch to the Update tab.

Step 4. Here are two update buttons. One is for updating the virus definitions database and the other is for updating the program itself. Click the both buttons to check for new updates.

When the operation is finished, you can check if the Avast service high CPU issue has been resolved.

Solution 2. Change the Scan Frequency to the Maximum Value

By resetting the scan frequency to the maximum, the background checks and monitoring can be disabled. And it will only occur once in a while. This may cause some security problems, but it can ensure that CPU usage will return to normal.

Step 1. Type cmd in the Windows 10 Cortana search box. You can also press Windows + S keys to bring up the search box.

Step 2. Right click the best match Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.

Step 3. Open This PC or File Explorer, copy and paste the following path to the address bar to open the Avast folder.

C:Program FilesAVAST SoftwareAvast

Step 4. Check if there is an avast5.ini file. If YES, open the file and insert the following command in line:

[GrimeFighter] : ScanFrequency=999

Article post on: us.suanoncolosence.com

Step 5. Save the file and then restart your computer. After that, you can check if the Avast high CPU issue is resolved.

Solution 3. Repair the Avast Program

You can also repair the Avast program via Control Panel. After repairing Avast, the Avast service high CPU issue should be fixed.

Step 1. Type Control in the Windows 10 Cortana search box and click the best match Control Panel. Alternatively, you can press Windows + R key, type control panel and then hit Enter to open it.

Step 2. Set View by Category on the upper right corner and then click on Uninstall a Program under the Programs section.

Step 3. Find the Avast software and right-click it to choose Uninstall.

Step 4. On this page, choose Repair to fix the program.

Step 5. Then click Yes to confirm the operation.

When it is finished, you can restart your PC.

Solution 4. Remove the Cleanup Tool in Avast

Avast Cleanup tool perform a real-time operation to free some resources allocated by other applications, causing the high CPU usage. So the best way is to fix the Avast service high CPU is to remove the Avast Cleanup tool.

Here is the tutorial on how to remove Avast Cleanup tool.

Step 1. Open Avast user interface by clicking its icon at the system tray.

Step 2. Click Menu button on the upper right corner and then choose Settings.

Step 3. Switch to the Components tab.

Step 4. Find the Avast Cleanup tool and click the downward facing arrow next to it.

Step 5. Then choose Uninstall Component and click OK to confirm the uninstallation.

Step 6. Restart the Avast program check if the Avast service high CPU issue has been resolved.

Conclusion

After trying above fixes, have you resolved the Avast service high CPU Windows 10 issue? If you have better solutions, please share it with us.

— Update: 17-03-2023 — us.suanoncolosence.com found an additional article How To Fix Avast Service High CPU Usage? from the website silicophilic.com for the keyword avast service high cpu disk usage.

Avast is one of the most popular free antivirus software worldwide. However, like many antivirus software, it is also resource-demanding. If you too see Avast use high CPU, here I will tell you all about the high CPU usage caused by Avast and how to resolve it.

What Causes Avast Service High CPU Usage?

Antiviruses are resource-heavy applications. Avast service provides many different operations like a full virus scan, clean up and background scanning. These processes are extremely helpful but use a lot of resources at the same time.

When you check the task manager in case of a CPU slowdown, you may notice the reason to be avastsvc.exe hogging up CPU resources and/or ntoskrnl.exe consuming high RAM resources. Avast can use more than provisioned CPU if there exist an incorrectly configured system settings, or if there are some irregular entries in Windows Registry.

Fix Avast Service High CPU Usage

Here I will show you how to solve the Avast service high CPU usage problems using these X methods.

# FIX 1 (Reinstall Avast Cleanup)

Avast antivirus provides a real-time threat protection service called Avast Cleanup, that acts in real-time in order to free up some resources allocated by other background apps. Any real-time application service will be heavy on the processor, and you will see a spike in CPU usage over a prolonged time.

You can simply uninstall any unwanted real-time components to solve this issue.

  1. Open the Avast GUI from the system tray notification icon.
  2. Navigate to Settings.
  3. Go to the Protection
  4. Under the Core Shields subsection, you will see a list of real-time shields.

5. Select the shields you think you don’t need, and uninstall them from the option in the right arrow drop-down menu.
6. Restart your PC.

Source: us.suanoncolosence.com

Now go to task manager to confirm that the CPU usage has gone down.

Tip: Avast behavior shield is also the culprit sometimes. Uninstall the Avast behavior shield process and check if the CPU usage has gone down. If this fixes the issue, you can try turning it on. This time the CPU usage should remain low.

If this does not fix your issue, you can try changing the scan frequency to reduce the CPU load.

# FIX 2 (Change Scan Frequency)

Like it was mentioned earlier, Avast runs background scans to prevent your device from getting infected. If you see a spike in CPU usage caused by Avast service, it may be because of a background check run.

You can modify the scan frequency from the command prompt. Here is how to do so:

  1. Open an elevated command prompt. Press Win + R to open Run dialogue, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open command prompt terminal with administrative privileges.
  2. Go to the Avast folder by typing the following command and press Enter:

3. Now open the ini file and insert the following command to alter the scan frequency:

4. Save the file and restart your system.

This will stop the background checks and will restrict to once in a while. This may potentially cause some security concerns, but the CPU load will go down for sure.

# FIX 3 (Disable Avast Screensaver Scan)

Sometimes, Avast screensaver continues the scan even though the screensaver has been stopped. This doesn’t happen frequently, but often this is the primary reason that the CPU load increases for nothing.

Since the scan does not show up in the Avast interface, here is how to solve this issue:

  1. On a random file on your system, right-click and choose Scan with Avast from the context menu.

2. A scan result window will show up, and you will see a list of already running scans on your system.
3. Navigate to the Avast screensaver scan and click the Stop button right next to it.
4. Exit the window and check if the CPU usage has gone back to normal.

If this does not solve your problem, you will have to update and repair your Avast user client software.

# FIX 4 (Update Avast Software)

Sometimes, if you have outdated software, the CPU load can increase drastically as the old versions become unresponsive. It is hence recommended to keep the antivirus and the virus definitions up to date regularly.

To update the software and definitions:

  1. Open the Avast GUI from the notification tray icon.
  2. Under the Update tab, you will find the current versions of the antivirus program and the virus definitions as well.
  3. Check if there are any pending updates and click the Update button to update them both.

Many users have since reported that updating the antivirus client software and the virus definitions solved the issue they were having with the Avast service using high CPU and other resources.

If updating does not fix your issue, you need to reset your software.

# FIX 5 (Reset Avast)

If updating your software did not help, or if you already are on the latest version, there may be some broken data files that are causing the high CPU usage. You need to repair the software in order to fix this issue.

To repair the client software, follow these steps:

  1. Open Control Panel. Select Programs and features.

(Alternatively, press Win + X to open the WinX menu and look for Apps and features at the top)

2. In the list of installed applications, locate Avast, and click on Uninstall/change.
3. Click on Change.

4. Select Repair.
5. Wait till Avast repairs the client software by making the necessary changes to the data files.

6. Restart your PC and check if the error persists.

# FIX 6 (Disable Avast Shields)

Avast shields provide better performance and benefits, but it can also cause high CPU usage issue.

So, when Avast uses more CPU resources than normal, disable the unnecessary shields.

To do that, follow the steps given below:

  • Type Control in the Windows search box and select Control Panel from the options.
  • Next open Programs and then click on the Uninstall a program option.
  • From the list of all the programs, find Avast Antivirus and right-click on it. Select Uninstall option.

  • Go to the Avast free antivirus setup window and click on the Customize option.

  • Uncheck all the boxes attached to File Shield, Web Shield, Behaviour Shield, and Mail Shield.

  • Click on Change and complete the process. After the process ends, restart your computer and the problem should be solved.

Conclusion

Avast is undoubtedly one of the most popular free antivirus software, but it demands high CPU resources that can be annoying to some. Now you know how to fix Avast service high CPU usage error using the 5 solutions given above. Tell us which solution helped you in the comments below.

— Update: 19-03-2023 — us.suanoncolosence.com found an additional article 8 Ways to fix Avast Service High CPU usage In 2023 from the website www.techworm.net for the keyword avast service high cpu disk usage.

Microsoft takes security very seriously in an ever-online world and has integrated several important tools within Windows 10 to keep users safe.

Since these tools are integrated into the OS, they do not hog resources.

However, third-party antivirus tools like Avast are resource-demanding as they perform several real-time operations like running background checks and cleaning threats.

While these operations are quite useful, Avast service high CPU usage becomes annoying if the service ends up consuming almost all of the CPU allocation.

Avast using too much CPU can prevent you from performing other tasks, especially the CPU-dependent ones.

There are several ways to solve this issue, so let’s take a look at some ways to troubleshoot this issue.

How to fix Avast service high CPU usage?

  • Remove Avast Real-time Components
  • Change the Scan frequency
  • Avast Screensaver Scanning
  • Remove unnecessary add-ons
  • Repair Avast from Control panel
  • Disable Updater Notifications
  • Update Avast to the Latest Version
  • Reinstall Avast antivirus

Before moving on to the solutions, make sure that Windows, the Avast client software, and virus definitions are updated to their latest version.

Many times, version mismatch can lead to additional operations running and hogging resources.

If you notice Avast using too much CPU even after updating everything to the latest version, move on to the following solutions.

Fix 1: Remove Avast real time components

Any task running real time operations can be heavy on resources.

In this case, Avast Cleanup and Behavior Shield are reportedly the components most responsible for Avast taking up CPU and other resources.

The best course of action will be to uninstall this component of the antivirus software. Follow these steps for the same:

  1. Open the Avast UI from its system tray icon or the start menu.
  2. Navigate to the Core Shields tab under the Protection section of the Settings
  3. Here, select the shields that you might not need and disable them by unchecking the box next to them. You can also find the uninstall option for some shields in their arrow drop-down menus.
  4. Restart your PC to apply these changes.

Now, check the CPU usage as it should be down to its normal values.

If this resolves your error, you can try turning them back on and check if the CPU usage remains low.

Fix 2: Change the scan frequency

If your computer CPU cannot handle the real-time tasks, you can try reducing the scan frequency and limiting background checks.

While this may lead to some security issues, it will definitely prevent Avast service high CPU usage.

You can reduce the scan frequency from the command centre by adjusting a value in Avast’s configuration file. Here are the steps for the same:

  1. Launch a command prompt window with administrative privileges from the start menu.
  2. Use the change directory command to go to the Avast folder. Enter the following command to open its configuration file:
  1. In the notepad file that opens, locate, and modify the following value to adjust the scan frequency. If you cannot find this entry, add this line at last:
  1. Save the file and restart your computer.

Note that you will need to run the scans manually every once in a while to prevent security threats.

Fix 3: Turn off Avast screensaver scanning

In some cases, you might also see Avast using too much CPU if screensaver scans are running even though the screensaver has been turned off.

The tricky part of this error is that it does not show up on the Avast UI outright.

Here is how you can turn screensaver scanning off:

  1. Locate any random file on your computer and choose Scan selected items for viruses from the right-click context menu.
  2. A result window will appear, showing a list of running scans.
  3. Locate the Avast Screensaver Scan and turn it off by clicking the Stop button next to it.
  4. Open the task manager and check if the CPU usage has gone back to normal.

Fix 4: Remove unnecessary add-ons

Avast is bundled with several features installed during installation that help increase its functionality.

However, for most users, these shields do not perform any additional function and instead end up consuming computer resources for nothing.

To remove such components, you can modify the installation from Control Panel. Follow these steps:

  1. Open the Control Panel and navigate to the Programs section.
  2. From the list of installed applications, locate Avast and click on the Uninstall button at the top. This should launch the setup window.
  3. Click on the Modify or Change button depending on the installation version.
  4. In the next window, uncheck all the components that you do not require. However, keep the following ones checked:
    1. Behaviour shield
    2. Mail Shield
    3. File Shield
    4. Web Shield
  5. Click on the change button to modify the installation.

Fix 5: Repair Avast from Control panel

You can also try repairing the Avast client software from the control panel to repair any broken installation files that might be using up additional resources. Follow these steps for the same.

  1. Visit the Programs section of the control panel and locate Avast in the list of installed programs.
  2. Right-click on Avast and select Uninstall from the context menu.
  3. In the setup window that opens, choose the Repair option.
  4. Click on Yes to confirm repairing the installation files.
  5. Restart your PC once the installer finishes repairing any broken files.

If this did not solve the issue then move to the next solution.

Fix 6: Disable Avast Notifications

Sometimes Avast tries to send notifications but it never reaches. All those notifications can get glitched and may cause an error leading to high CPU usage. Here is how you can fix it.

1. Go to the hamburger-shaped menu icon.

2. Click Settings from the menu.

3. Head to Notifications from the General section.

4. Tick the following boxes and move to the next step.

  • Use silent mode and turn off all pop-ups, alerts and messages
  • Show detection dialogs while the silent mode is on

5. Untick the box Share app-usage data with Avast so we may offer you upgrades or our other products in the Personal Privacy section.

6. Close the settings menu and now your high CPU usage should be fixed. Check in the Task Manager and see if the problem persists. Move to the next step if it is not solved.

Fix 7: Update Avast to the Latest Version

An older version of Avast could start causing problems. It may not function properly and can consume more CPU or RAM for no reason. Many users have reported that updating Avast has solved the high CPU usage problem for them. Here is how you can update Avast.

1. Open the home screen of Avast antivirus and go to settings from the hamburger menu

2. Go to the Update section and then click on both the Check for Updates buttons.

3. Avast will contact its servers and check updates. Pending files will be downloaded and installed or it will say Virus definitions are up to date and Your application is up to date.

4. Restart your computer after the update process and check if it has solved the CPU usage problem.

Fix 8: Re-install Avast

Install Avast by downloading the latest installer from the official website. This will help you get a fresh start with the anti-virus.

FAQs

Can I end task Avast service?

Ending the task Avast service will stop avast antivirus to work properly.

Why is Avast slowing down my computer?

Avast runs lots of processes, scans, and updates in the backgrounds and utilizes a lot of memory thus slowing down your Computer.

You can even use alternative antivirus that uses less memory for better performance on your PC.

How do I stop Avast from running in the background?

You can open task manager and select avast-related processes and click end task to stop them to run in the background.


Conclusion

These were the ways to fix Avast Service High CPU usage issue. We will keep adding new solutions to fix this problem.

Source: https://appuals.com/fix-avast-service-high-cpu-usage/

Article post on: us.suanoncolosence.com

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