- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: March 19, 2009
- Total Downloads: 42,763,100
- Downloads last week: 450,620
- 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 11712 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 a complete ICSA & Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit package. Avast includes the following components: On demand scanner with skinnable simple interface, just select what do you want to scan in which way and press the Play button; On access scanner, special providers to protect the most of available e-mail clients; Instant messaging--ICQ, Miranda; Network traffic--intrusion detection, lightweight firewall; P2P protection for Kazaa, BitTorrent; Web shield--monitors and filters all HTTP traffic; NNTP scanner--scans all Usenet Newsgroup traffic and all operations with files on PC; Boot time scanner--scans disks in the same way and in the same time as Windows CHKDSK does. Version 4.8.1335.90319 brings improvements in the rootkit scanner as well as performance optimizations.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.8.1335.90319 brings improvements in the rootkit scanner as well as performance optimizations.
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User reviews of Avast Home Edition 4.8.1335.90319
- Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 11712 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 296 user reviewsSee all 296 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Avast Home Edition 4.8.1335.90319
Pros: Works great!
Cons: Can't think of any.
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Version: Avast Home Edition 4.8.1335.90319
"More user friendly than others."
Pros: Works great with Windows XP
Cons: Found none
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Version: Avast Home Edition 4.8.1335.90319
"Good and unobtrusive virus checker"
Pros: Have used Avast for some time now and am very pleased with as it works unobtrusively with no discernible impact on performance. Highly recommended.
Cons: Can't think of any!
Summary: Does what it says on the tin!
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Version: Avast Home Edition 4.8.1335.90319
"After many AV progs I tried, Avast is the best"
Pros: Easy to configure and comprehensive in the protection it gives me. Small memory footprint, never causes any conflicts or slow downs. Unobtrusive.
Cons: Can't think of any
Summary: It was easy to install and very simple and logical to configure. It runs quietly in the background, but is efficient. It saved my neck a few times, that's for sure. Yes it's a free version, but I've used free AV progs all the time and I am sticking ... read more >>
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Version: Avast Home Edition 4.8.1335.90319
Pros: Good features.
Cons: Nothing at all.
Summary: Use it.
- See all 296 user reviews Write review
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