- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: April 22, 2004
- Total Downloads: 37,065,053
- Downloads last week: 447,605
- See full specifications
A newer version of Avast Home Edition is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 11767 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
This impressive software provides the same steadfast protection of well-known antivirus programs, yet it's surprisingly free.
Avast Home Edition guards your PC and the network with multiple shields that scan executables and files. You can select parameters for scanning, and even choose wildcards to exclude specific file types. You can adjust the sensitivity level for the program's detectors when it comes to scanning downloaded files, instant messages, e-mails, and a host of P2Ps. Its efficient interface opens up window after window to tweak its settings to your liking, for novice to advanced level protection.
Though it took quite some time to run, we're impressed with this application's boot-time antivirus scan. Fortunately, if you're in a pinch you can bypass it. If malicious contents are detected, Avast comes to the rescue with handy virus cleanup tools. Some decent PC controls are even handed out here. You can block certain URLs and file operations, such as writing to files or even renaming, deleting or formatting them.
With immediate real-time protection, clockwork updates, and much more, this free software is highly regarded in our book.
Watch the CNET video review of Avast Home Edition:
Publisher's description
From Alwil Software :Avast Home Edition is free antivirus software for home, non-commercial use. It scans for viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Avast scans on demand - with skinnable simple interface, during boot time, and on access. It protects e-mail, ICQ, mIRC, Kazaa. It maintains virus chest. True incremental updates (well under 100KB) based on iAVS technology update virus definition at least twice a week. Version 4.1.389 includes improved archive operation, support for Windows XP SP2 Security Center and it's available now in English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, and Spanish languages.
Note: Users should register at the developer's site to obtain the free license key.
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User reviews of Avast Home Edition 4.1.389
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This software version | All versions -
Version: Avast Home Edition 4.1.389
"Simply amazing, especially as it's free"
Pros: Boot time scan and removal means virus can't load up into memory to stop you from detecting and removing them. I used to use McAfee and this is one thing that Avast beats McAfee on hands down.
It's Free!Cons: The free version isn't as configurable as I would like, but as it's free I can't complain. The Pro version is far more so. The main thing I would like to configure is exclusions to the scanning, which isn't easily done in the free version.
Summary: It's by far the best product that is absolutely free fro home users. It has cleaned lots of viruses for me using boot time scan, and I like it so much that I have converted all my family and most of my friends to use it.
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