Using a computer without an antivirus is like riding a bike at full speed without wearing a helmet or other protective gear. When the unexpected happens, you could sustain serious injuries.

Antivirus may not be able to provide 100% protection. But it’s better to have one installed on your computer than being without one.

Surfing the internet with your computer exposes it to various threats. Your computer could be attacked by a virus, malware, spyware, or ransomware at any time. So, navigating the web without any security application is dangerous.

There are free antiviruses that are powerful enough to protect your computer. An example is Avast free antivirus. You can install the free version or upgrade to the premium package.

However, many people are against installing Avast on their computer system. They believe the myth that Avast slows down computer systems.

Now here’s the big question.

Can Avast Slow Down Your Computer System?

Yes, let’s not try to sugarcoat it. Avast can slow down your computer system to some degree. 

Like other antiviruses, Avast continually runs in your PC’s background whenever you turn it on. 

Avast may also slow down your system’s performance due to other reasons. One of such is using two or more antiviruses at the same time. 

Bear in mind that you only need one antivirus to protect your system. 

Is Avast the only antivirus that can slow down your PC? No, it isn’t. Windows Defender, AVG, Kaspersky, BitDefender, and other antiviruses are all culprits. 

The thing is, most of these antiviruses incur much higher overhead when conducting their behavioral analysis or system scans. They use part of your CPU when performing their duties. 

Keep reading for more eye-opening details about Avast antivirus.

What Is Avast?

Avast antivirus, released in 1995, is a popular security application designed to protect devices from several threats. These range from viruses, ransomware, malware, and spyware.

Avast runs seamlessly on Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Mac operating systems. It’s also available in 45 different languages, eliminating any possible language barrier most users may encounter.

Avast has built a solid reputation in the antivirus market. It has enjoyed a higher rating from PC users across the globe.

Over 435 million people worldwide have reportedly downloaded Avast, though most of them are still using the free version.

Avast free antivirus is available for personal and home use. It’s free to download and provides more than the basic features most free antiviruses provide. These include access to features like Ransomware shield, core shields, Wi-Fi inspector, virus scan, and chest.

The premium package is pocket-friendly and gives you access to features like remote access shield, sandbox, real site, firewall, anti-track premium, password protection, and many more.

The subscription package for Avast premium is divided into three. You can choose the one, two, or three-year plan, which costs $30, $55, and $80, respectively.

 Factors That Can Slow Down Your Computer Beside Avast 

We now understand why Avast slows down computers. But do you know other factors besides Avast that could make your computer slower?

So, whenever your computer starts having a stroke, do not always point fingers at your Avast antivirus. Here are factors that could also be responsible.

Possible malware attack:

Avast is powerful, but do you know it can only prevent 99.31% of malware attacks. Other security applications may even perform poorer.

So, bear in mind that malware can attack your computer at any time. It doesn’t matter the antivirus you’re using.

Again, using an older version of Avast or failure to initiate recent updates can cause your antivirus to lose its ability to prevent some malware attacks.

So, how can you fix this problem? Update your virus definition whenever they’re available. Like other antiviruses, Avast will always notify you when there are new updates. And you can set the virus definition to update itself automatically or do so manually.

Another step you should consider taking is to use free malware tools to check for possible threats. Use more than one malware tools so you can increase your chances of identifying any possible threat.

Hard Drive issues:

A hard drive can also make your computer perform slower. One of the possible ways this can happen is when the drive is full.

Additionally, a corrupt hard drive could make your computer system slower. The same thing also happens to an older hard drive.

Solving hard-drive issues is straightforward. If the drive is full, all you have to do is uninstall some programs or files you no longer need.

Furthermore, if the drive is corrupt, have it formatted. If that doesn’t work, then get a replacement. Your new drive should also be more spacious than the one you currently have to accommodate more files and prevent future performance-related issues.

Unnecessary start-ups:

Have you noticed several start-ups running in the background whenever you turn on your computer system? They could be the reason your computer is slow.

If you have Spotify and Skype in your system, then you probably should be familiar with this issue. These programs like to launch whenever a PC starts.

The best solution is to exit the programs you don’t need and keep the ones you need. But remember not to temper with your antivirus.

Upgrade Your RAM:

RAM (Random Access Memory) can slow down your computer. Try opening Microsoft word, Email, and the internet at the same time. If your computer develops partial stroke, then RAM might be the culprit.

The thing is, PCs need the RAM to run these programs. And remember that factors such as clock speed, CL latency, and core count matters when deciding RAM performance. These would determine your RAM kit’s ability to multi-task, speed or others.

The solution to this issue is to get a higher RAM. RAM kits are not that expensive. So have in mind that you won’t be breaking the bank.

Dust and debris:

Can you recall the last time you had your computer’s interior cleaned up? If you haven’t done so since you started using your PC, now is the best time to get it done.

Debris and dust particles can clog your PC’s airflow and make heat dissipation difficult. And failure to keep your RAM and CPU temperature down could result in BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) or make your computer perform slower.

So, always clean the interior of your computer system. But if you feel like you don’t have the know-how, get a technician to do it for you. You can even watch some YouTube videos on how to do it.

Causes of Avast High CPU Usage & Simple Solution

Sometimes, Avast CPU usage could be overwhelmingly high. To have a clue, go to task manager, and you’ll see your Avast CPU usage. You could even be tempted to uninstall this security application, seeing how much CPU it’s using.

However, before you go ahead with your plan to uninstall your Avast antivirus because of its high CPU usage, know that certain factors could be responsible for such abnormality.

Here are some of the factors that could cause Avast’s high CPU usage.

Recent virus definition update:

Avast releases several updates yearly. The updates are available for both free and paid subscribers. You can also set your Avast to update manually or automatically. The choice is entirely yours to make.

However, these updates are not just for new threats spotted by the company. They can also help to fix bugs that could cause the antivirus to demand more CPU.

So, if you’re using Avast, always update to prevent high CPU usage.

Reset scan frequency to maximum level:

Resetting your antivirus’ scan frequency may not be the best decision security-wise. But it will reduce CPU usage vastly.

Changing scan frequency to maximum level means that monitoring and background checks may only occur occasionally. But the good part is that you’ll be normalizing your Avast CPU usage.

Repair the program:

A faulty Avast program could result in high CPU usage. It could slow down your computer system.

However, you can fix this problem from the control panel. Try uninstalling the program by clicking “uninstall,” and the option to either repair or change the program would pop up. And when it does, click on “repair” and proceed.

Once it’s done repairing, restart your PC, and you will find that your Avast CPU usage has reduced. If it didn’t, then other factors could be responsible.

Conclusion

The Avast antivirus can slow down your system, but they are not the only ones. Other antiviruses do the same thing and could be worse than Avast.

Having Avast installed isn’t the only thing that can slow down your computer. Some hardware and programs could be responsible for this as well.

You can also check if your Avast antivirus CPU usage is high. If yes, do the needful to normalize it. Do not uninstall your antivirus because of high CPU usage, as doing so could expose your computer to attacks from viruses, malware, spyware, and ransomware.