Avast

ApplicationGen

Also called avast antivirus, avast free, avast one

GenSecurity

A long-running free antivirus now under Gen Digital. The service is AvastSvc.exe. It is not AVG, even though they share a parent.

What you need to know

Avast is AvastSvc.exe. AVG is a sister Gen product, not this install.

Avast is the older free brand now under Gen Digital. AVG is the other Gen suite. Installing both is a same-parent double. Avast should own realtime so Defender goes passive.

What is it?: Free AV now under Gen Digital
Same as AVG?: No. Sister suite, different exe
Run both?: No. Pick one Gen product

Feex says

If I see AvastSvc.exe and AVGSvc.exe on the same PC, I would uninstall one Gen suite. They are sister products, not a backup pair. I would also check Windows Security so Defender is not still live.

What is Avast?

Avast is Gen Digital's long-running free antivirus. AvastSvc.exe is the service. AVG is a sister product, not this exe.

If you have never used it

If the tray fox or orange ball is Avast, this is Avast, not AVG. Download it from avast.com. Gen Digital owns both brands after the merger. AvastSvc.exe is this product. AVGSvc.exe is the sister suite. Do not install both. Avast should take the antivirus slot so Windows Security goes passive. Avast plus live Defender is the two-engine fight.

What is it used for?

Resident free antivirus

The free Windows install registers as the active engine. That is Avast, not AVGSvc.exe.

Avast One extras

VPN minutes and identity extras sit in One. Classic Free Antivirus was a thinner SKU.

Browser cleanup offers

The installer may offer a secure browser. That checkbox is Avast marketing, not a Windows update.

Who is it for?

People who have used the free Avast tray for years
Users who also got an AVG download and now have two Gen suites
Anyone whose AvastSvc.exe sits next to MsMpEng.exe

Current status

Actively developed under Gen Digital. This article is consumer Avast on Windows, not Avast Business.

How old is it?

ALWIL shipped Avast in 1988. AVG and Avast combined, then NortonLifeLock and Avast became Gen Digital. Avast One is current consumer branding. A 2004 Avast Professional box is history.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Avast One

Avast Free Antivirus

Avast Business (other product)

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows 10 or Windows 11, per current Avast consumer installs
RAM	A 2 GB class PC can install it. Gen suites feel better with 4 GB and up

Resource profile

CPU demand: Idle shield plus scans
Network demand: Definitions and account extras

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
AvastSvc.exe	Avast service
AvastUI.exe	Desktop window on many builds

Startup components

AvastSvc.exe starts with Windows while Avast owns protection.

File locations

Common Avast locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Avast Software\Avast\

Common problems

Avast plus AVG

Same parent, two engines. Pick one Gen suite. AvastSvc.exe and AVGSvc.exe should not share a PC.

Avast plus live Defender

Avast should take the slot. If MsMpEng.exe still scans, both products are watching the same files.

Getting unstuck

Uninstall AVG if you meant to keep Avast

Settings > Apps. AVG is the sister. Leaving both is the Gen double-install people do from two download ads.

Check Windows Security for the owner

It should name Avast after a successful install. Defender still active means the slot failed.

Install from avast.com, not an AVG mirror

avg.com is the other product. A bundle that installs both is the wrong path.

Alternatives

AVG if you already standardized on that sister. Windows Security if you want no third-party suite. Do not run Avast and Norton as two live engines either.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	www.avast.com/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	support.avast.com/ Vendor support
Official site	www.avast.com/ Start here, not a random exe host
Avast One product	www.avast.com/en-us/avast-one Current consumer branding

Related hardware

Resident AV cost follows the scan. An HDD full scan makes AvastSvc.exe look heavier than the same job on an SSD.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Avast official site · Vendor product page
Avast help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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