Pausing Avast Protection on Your Mac: A Simple Guide

Introduction to pausing Avast protection on Mac

Avast is a popular antivirus software that is used by many Mac users to protect their devices from viruses, malware, and other online threats. While Avast is generally very effective at keeping your Mac safe, there may be times when you need to pause its protection.

For example, you might need to pause Avast while installing or updating other programs, running a resource-intensive task, or troubleshooting an issue. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps for pausing Avast on your Mac and explain why you might want to do so.

There are a few different ways to pause Avast on a Mac, and the method you choose will depend on your preferences and the version of Avast you are using. In general, pausing Avast involves either disabling it from the Avast menu or icon or turning it off in the System Preferences.

It’s important to note, however, that while pausing Avast can be useful in certain situations, you should use caution when disabling antivirus protection. Your Mac is vulnerable to online threats while Avast is paused, so you should only do so temporarily and make sure to resume protection as soon as possible.

Why you might want to pause Avast

There are a few different reasons why you might want to pause Avast on your Mac.

One common reason is to install or update other programs. Avast may interfere with the installation or updating process, so you might need to pause it to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

Another reason you might want to pause Avast is if you are running a resource-intensive task on your Mac. Avast uses system resources to protect your device, and if you are running a task that requires a lot of resources (such as playing a graphics-intensive game or rendering a video), Avast might slow down your Mac.

Finally, you might need to pause Avast for troubleshooting purposes. If you are experiencing issues with your Mac and think Avast might be causing the problem, you can try disabling it to see if the issue goes away.

If the issue disappears when Avast is paused, it’s likely that Avast was causing the problem. In this case, you’ll need to contact Avast support or try to resolve the issue through other means.

How to pause Avast

There are several methods for pausing Avast on a Mac. One option is to use the Avast menu, which is available in Avast version 19 or later.

To do this, click on the Avast icon in the menu bar and select the “Pause protection” option. A dialog box will appear, allowing you to choose to pause protection for 10 minutes, 1 hour, or indefinitely. Confirm the selection by clicking “Pause.”

Another method is to use the Avast icon in the menu bar, which is available in older versions of Avast. To do this, click on the Avast icon in the menu bar and select the “Pause protection” option from the drop-down menu.

A dialog box will appear, allowing you to choose the duration of the pause. Confirm the selection by clicking “Pause.”

A third option is to disable Avast from the System Preferences. To do this, click on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen, select “System Preferences” from the drop-down menu, and click on the “Security & Privacy” icon.

From the Security & Privacy window, click on the “Firewall” tab, click on the lock icon in the bottom-left corner to unlock the settings, enter your administrator password, and click on the “Turn Off Firewall” button to disable Avast. 

It is important to remember that your Mac will be vulnerable to online threats while Avast is paused, so make sure to resume protection as soon as possible to keep your device safe.

How to resume protection

Once you’ve finished the task that required you to pause Avast, it’s important to resume protection as soon as possible to keep your Mac safe from online threats. There are two main ways to do this: using the Avast menu or icon or re-enabling Avast in the System Preferences.

To resume protection using the Avast menu or icon, follow the same steps you used to pause protection, but instead of selecting the “Pause protection” option, select the “Resume protection” option.

If you used the Avast menu in Avast version 19 or later, the option will be located under the “Protection” heading. If you used the Avast icon in the menu bar, the option will be located in the drop-down menu.

To re-enable Avast in the System Preferences, follow the same steps you used to disable it, but instead of clicking on the “Turn Off Firewall” button, click on the “Turn On Firewall” button.

It’s worth noting that Avast will automatically resume protection if you restart your Mac or if you have selected the “Indefinitely” option when pausing protection. However, if you only paused protection for a shorter duration, you’ll need to manually resume protection when the time is up.

By following these steps, you can keep your Mac safe and secure while using it to its full potential.

Tips for using Avast

While Avast is generally very effective at protecting your Mac from online threats, there are a few things you can do to ensure that you are using it to its full potential. Here are some tips for using Avast on your Mac:

It’s important to resume protection as soon as possible after pausing it. Your Mac is vulnerable to online threats while Avast is paused, so make sure to resume protection as soon as you are finished with the task that requires you to pause it.

Another tip is to consider using the “Game Mode” option. If you are a gamer, you may find that Avast notifications and alerts can be distracting while you are playing.

To mitigate this issue, you can use the “Game Mode” option, which temporarily disables notifications and optimizes performance for gaming. To access this option, click on the Avast icon in the menu bar and select the “Game Mode” option from the drop-down menu.

It is likewise important to set up regular scans to ensure that your Mac is free of viruses and other malware. Avast offers several types of scans, including a full scan, a quick scan, and a custom scan.

You can access these options by clicking on the Avast icon in the menu bar and selecting the “Scan” option from the drop-down menu.

By following these tips, you can make sure that Avast is working effectively to protect your Mac and keep it running smoothly.

Conclusion: Pausing and Resuming Avast on Your Mac

In this guide, we’ve walked you through the steps for pausing and resuming Avast on a Mac. We’ve also discussed some of the reasons you might want to pause Avast, as well as some tips for using it effectively on your Mac.

To summarize, there are three main methods for pausing Avast on a Mac: using the Avast menu (available in Avast version 19 or later), using the Avast icon in the menu bar, or disabling Avast from the System Preferences. To resume protection, you can use the same methods, but select the “Resume protection” option instead of the “Pause protection” option.

It’s important to use caution when disabling antivirus protection, as your Mac is vulnerable to online threats while Avast is paused. Make sure to only pause Avast temporarily, and resume protection as soon as possible to keep your device safe.

Frequently Asked Questions