Is AVG Free being discontinued?

If you've been using the popular antivirus software AVG for a while and it's suddenly gone from your system tray or desktop shortcut, then there's no need to panic - we're here to help with all of your questions about AVG Free.

It seems that many people were confused when they saw the update notification pop up in their browsers after downloading the latest version. It turns out that this isn't a sign that AVG has been discontinued but instead just an indication that the program will be updated soon. The new version (20.5.3130) was published on September 4, 2021 so it should arrive before long. Until then, let's take a closer look at what exactly happens when you see this.

We'll also answer some other common questions related to this issue, including how to stop AVG updates popping up in your web browser and whether you actually need AVG installed on your PC anymore. We hope you find our answers helpful as well as our guide useful.

How do I fix AVG browser?

If you don't already know about this, AVG offers several different options for installing its security programs depending on which operating systems you use. For instance, you can get AVG AntiVir Personal Edition for MacOS, Windows 7/8/10, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, QNAP NAS devices, and more. You can even choose between paid versions of the product like Pro Plus ($59 / year), Premier ($69 / year), Business ($99 / year), Enterprise ($199 / year), and Ultimate ($299 / year).

For those who want to install AVG without paying anything, the company recommends trying one of these methods:

Downloading the full installer directly from AVG’s website and running it manually. This method works best for users who only plan to run AVG once and never again. If you would rather not go through the trouble of installing the program yourself, you might consider purchasing a license key online.

Installing via Microsoft Store app.  This option lets you install AVG by launching the store app on your device and searching for "AVG". Once found, click “Install now" to complete installation.

You won't be able to uninstall AVG from either of these two options unless you purchase another license key. However, you may be able to remove it entirely from the registry by deleting the entry associated with the program. As always, make sure you back up any important files first.

Do I need AVG on my computer?

If you aren't currently signed into AVG Online Premium, you probably don't need to worry too much about why it disappeared. When you open the app, you can easily log into your account and manage settings, licenses, etc. But if you did happen to lose access to your account, you could try re-registering it. After doing so, you should receive a welcome email containing instructions on how to restore access.

However, if you lost access because you didn't pay for a subscription, then it's possible that AVG doesn't offer support for accounts that haven't renewed yet. In such cases, you'd likely need to contact them directly to learn about payment options.

Should I keep AVG on my computer?

Even though AVG Free isn't available anymore, most of us recommend keeping the antivirus tool installed anyway. That said, if you'd prefer, you can disable it completely until you decide otherwise. To do so, press Win + R keys together to launch Run command window and type regedit. Press Enter to start editing the Registry Editor. Next, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender and double-click DisableAntiSpywareScanNow. Finally, select OK to confirm changes. Restart your PC afterwards.

Note that disabling Windows Defender does not turn off realtime protection against viruses and ransomware. Also note that you cannot remove these features from the built-in Windows Defender suite.

Do I need AVG if I have Windows 10?

As mentioned earlier, AVG Free is no longer supported by the company itself. Therefore, if you upgraded to Windows 10 recently, chances are you'll encounter problems. Fortunately, there are ways around this. One solution is to switch to Avira instead. Another way is to temporarily disable Windows Update. Both work perfectly fine and both require minimal effort.

First, check if the problem persists by going to Settings > System > Notifications & alerts. There, uncheck Show notifications when updating apps and services. This will prevent your machine from automatically restarting whenever a new driver needs to be downloaded. Then, right-click Start button and select Task Manager. Under Services tab, locate Windows Update service (if applicable) and set Startup Type to Manual.

Next, head over to Avira site and grab the appropriate file. Save it somewhere convenient where you can quickly find it later. Afterwards, double-click the executable file and follow prompts to finish installation. Note that this process requires administrator privileges.

Finally, close down the task manager and reboot your PC. Now, every time you perform a Windows update, Avira will kick in and scan your system for potential issues. Of course, this is just a temporary workaround which will eventually wear off. If you really feel comfortable removing AVG, then you can simply delete the entire folder under C:\ProgramData\Avira\avg\data.

Hopefully, this article helps clear things up regarding the disappearance of AVG Free and provides solutions for anyone affected by this.

What is the latest news about AVG and its free antivirus software?

There has not yet been any official announcement regarding the discontinuation of AVG Free. However, since AVG purchased Avira in March 2019, many users have speculated that the company will be shutting down AVG Free at some point.

In an interview with ZDNet back in June 2018, AVG CEO David DeWalt said "We’re looking at our portfolio right now. We think there may be opportunities to sell off a few products." This statement seemed to suggest that AVG was considering selling off certain parts of their product line to focus more resources on high-end offerings like ProShield. In November 2018, it appeared as though AVG might be planning such a move when they launched a new website called 'GetPro' which focused exclusively on enterprise customers who wanted professional support options.

However, despite these rumors, AVG hasn't made any announcements suggesting that they plan to cut ties with AVG Free anytime soon. So, what exactly happened? And should you continue using AVG Free after July 2021? Let's take a look below:

1) What does the 'newest update available' mean? Is it safe to apply updates?

When you download and install AVG antivirus software, you'll see something similar to the image above. It shows your current version number (20.x), the date of installation (10/12/2020), and a link to view the newest version of AVG online.

While it seems obvious enough, it can get confusing if you don't know how to interpret this information. The first thing to note is that AVG Free doesn't automatically check for virus definitions every day. Instead, it checks them once per week. If you haven't checked the definition files within seven days of installing the program

If you're looking for an alternative to the best-known free antivirus programs like Avira or Bitdefender, one of the options that's always been available has been AVG free antivirus software. It was launched in 2004 as a way for people who were wary about installing full versions of AV products to try out what they could offer without buying into a subscription service. It's remained popular due to its simplicity, but it hasn't quite kept up with other security suites in terms of features, so now we've got news that AVG may be retiring its free product altogether.

AVG announced back in March 2021 that it would no longer support Windows 10 - meaning if your computer runs on either OS, you'll need to upgrade (or buy) AVG Pro from $39.99 per year instead. The company also confirmed at the time that AVG Free will expire after July 2021, which means that anyone running the program right now will soon have to move onto another option. If you don't want to pay for a new plan when it comes to end-of-life, here's how you can get hold of your current copy.

How do I renew my AVG Free license?

You can simply click through the window above to go ahead and sign up for a new plan. You should know that the renewal link won't work until the old one expires, so make sure you check the date before signing away forever.

How long is AVG Free Trial?

While the trial period for AVG Free isn't set in stone, it does last 30 days by default (though you can change that). When you first install AVG, it will ask whether you'd like to use the free version for 90 days (which ends on August 31st), 120 days (ending September 21st), 180 days (until October 22nd), 240 days (until November 19th), or 365 days (ending December 4th). This varies depending on where you live, but generally speaking, these periods are often enough for most users to test out the software without committing to anything too serious.

Is there a problem with AVG today?

In short, yes. While the announcement came months ago, AVG didn't actually tell customers that their free licenses had expired. Instead, the company just let them figure it out themselves. As such, many people found themselves locked out of their accounts and unable to access any data saved within.

This wasn't entirely unexpected though, given that AVG previously removed all reference to the expiration date from its website. In theory, we shouldn't expect much more than that happening again. However, some reports suggest that the problems aren't over yet, with some users finding they couldn't even login to their accounts.

There haven't been any official statements made regarding the situation yet, but it doesn't look like things will improve anytime soon. We'll update this article once we hear something definitive.

Can I uninstall AVG and then reinstall?

Yes, you can easily remove AVG completely using the Control Panel applet, as well as removing files from the system directory. Once done, you should find yourself able to start fresh with a clean installation. Be aware that doing so might cause issues with certain hardware components, especially those connected directly to the motherboard.

Note that while you can technically delete AVG from the registry, doing so usually causes a lot of havoc. Better not to take the chance unless you really trust yourself not to mess around with the settings. For example, deleting AVG from the Registry in Safe Mode might leave your machine open to infection from third parties.

We'll keep updating this page as soon as we learn more about the current state of affairs. In the meantime, if you run into trouble, why not see our guide to uninstalling AVG? Or maybe give MalwareBytes Anti Exploit a spin – it's pretty decent and offers protection against viruses, trojans, keyloggers, rootkits, spywares, worms, adware, dialers, ransomware, scams, and spam bots.

Best free antivirus downloads

Also note that AVG is currently offering a special discount code for Cybersecurity Month. Using the code "CYBERSECURITY" gets you 50% off lifetime membership, which normally costs $49.99/year. That's a great deal if you're interested in keeping your computer secure online.

Finally, remember that you don't necessarily need anti virus software installed on every single device you own. There are plenty of ways to stay protected without paying hundreds of dollars each month. Check out our roundup of cheap alternatives to Norton Security Deluxe for starters.

What is the new free antivirus software that replaces it?

AVG announced some time ago that it would be discontinuing support for their older versions of its paid and free antivirus packages by January 2021 - although at the time they didn't mention which ones exactly.

However, since then there have been reports from users that their free package (which is still called "Free" despite no longer having any actual free content) will also be going away soon. The company has confirmed that this is indeed true, with both AVG and Symantec announcing plans to retire their respective free offerings over the next few months. Here's what AVG had to say:

"We’ve heard your feedback loud and clear, and after careful consideration, we’re taking steps to phase out our current Free offering across all platforms – including Windows 10, Android and iOS devices – effective May 31st, 2021," says Jeff Fornace, Senior Director Product Management, Security Products at AVG Technologies. "This change reflects our commitment to provide customers with more choice when shopping for protection."

So while the old Free version won't disappear completely right away, it'll eventually stop working entirely once the retirement goes through. This doesn't mean users should expect anything less than decent performance from the latest release though, as AVG promises that it will continue to work well even if it isn't actively supported anymore.

In order to help those affected by these changes get ready, the company has released a tool to migrate existing accounts between the two services. You can find instructions on how to use it here.

How do I know if my current subscription will be affected by this change?

We'll update our guide to help answer your questions once more information is released.

AVG Free - Is it still active?

Currently, AVG says that all users should receive notice before their existing subscriptions expire after 30 days from when the new policy goes live (which will likely be some time during October). This means that any subscriptions expiring between August 1st and September 15th will not be affected by these changes.

August 1st

September 15th

For those whose subscriptions are expiring between June 29th and August 31st, AVG recommends contacting them directly via email at support@avg.com.

AVG Free - What happens next?

After receiving notification, users have two choices. They can either keep using the program until their subscriptions expire, or cancel them and use another option instead. If they choose to continue with AVG, then they get access to updates through the normal channels, which includes automatic downloads and patches provided by AVG itself. However, if they want to switch providers, they need to buy a new license key themselves.

This is because AVG isn't going to provide keys anymore. Instead, AVG Free users will just download updates automatically and only pay for any extra storage space needed. The company also notes that "the old AVG Free licenses cannot be reused." So, if someone already had an expired license, they'd no longer be able to use it. And even if they did re-use it, AVG would charge additional fees for every year that passed since the last renewal date.

AVG's new update for the popular anti-malware software was released today (July 16). However, it seems that the company will be discontinuing its free version of its product in August – which leaves some users wondering if they need to upgrade their current subscription sooner than expected.

We have been keeping you up to date with all the latest news and updates from AVG over the past few months, but we thought now would be a great time to take another look at what they're offering as part of the $10 monthly plan or the $35 yearly package.

If you've already signed up for an annual membership then your existing license should work until 2021 - after that point though, there won't be any more support unless you pay again. The only way around this is by upgrading to a paid account before the end of 2019. If you haven't yet made a decision about whether or not to buy into the new pricing structure, here's everything you need to know about AVG's plans going forward.

Is AVG AntiVirus no longer free?

As mentioned above, AVG's new release comes just days after Microsoft announced that its own anti-virus solution will also be ending its free tier in 2021. It goes without saying that these two companies make up almost 90 percent of the market share when it comes to security products like AVs, so it makes sense that both are moving towards charging customers for protection rather than giving away something for nothing.

Of course, this doesn't mean that there isn't anything left in the "free" category. There are lots of other options out there that offer similar features and functionality for less money each month, so let's take a quick look at those alternatives first.

Is AVG AntiVirus 100% free?

One thing that stands out immediately is that while many competitors do charge somewhere between $1-$9 per month for full coverage, AVG does not. Instead, it offers its entire suite of tools completely and totally free to every customer who signs up for one year. That means that regardless of how long you sign up for, you'll get access to all four essential components of AVG's security platform for absolutely nothing.

This includes real-time protection against viruses and spyware, email scanning, web filtering, parental controls, and even identity theft prevention. This might sound like a lot, but when compared to the other services available across the internet, it really is quite generous. In fact, even our review of Avira Premium found that it costs nearly twice as much per month as AVG.

It gets better too because unlike most other providers, AVG never charges extra fees for additional licenses or upgrades. You can always purchase more space whenever you feel like it, although I'd recommend sticking to a single year of service at least initially.

Why has AVG stopped working?

Unfortunately, AVG hasn't given us official confirmation regarding why it's stopping its free antivirus program. We reached out to the company several times throughout the day yesterday asking them to confirm that the free version had officially ended, however we were told that the matter wasn't open for discussion.

That said, based on what we're seeing elsewhere online, it looks like the company may have decided to stop supporting its free product due to declining sales. While the exact reason hasn't been confirmed, AVG seems to think that its main competitor is doing well enough right now that it needs to pull back on its own efforts instead.

That same article mentions that the company expects revenue growth to increase significantly over the next couple of years thanks to its recent acquisition of Bitdefender. So far, things seem to be falling in line with expectations as Microsoft recently reported record quarterly earnings.

But don't worry, AVG fans. While the company may be pulling back on its free offerings, it's leaving plenty of room for competition within the industry. Other brands such as Norton, MalwareBytes, Kaspersky, ESET, Emsisoft, Comodo, McAfee, etc. offer excellent value for money alongside top notch performance. And as previously mentioned, the best alternative is actually AVG itself! So if you're looking for a solid option for protecting your computer, there is certainly plenty worth considering.

Still confused about whether or not to upgrade to a paid plan? Check out our guide to choosing the best antivirus for Windows 10 below.

Why has my AVG Free expired?

I'm sure you're probably getting frustrated right about now, so hopefully this section provides an answer. But unfortunately, it seems that AVG's policy changes aren't entirely clear cut. According to the FAQ page, AVG states that it's possible to renew your free status through August 31st 2021. However, that link redirects visitors to a separate website where they can choose to either cancel or extend their subscription.

To clarify further, the original URL directs you to the correct place, but once you click on the “Extend My Subscription” button, you'll find yourself redirected to a different webpage where you can select your payment method. Unfortunately, this page contains an error stating that your subscription must be extended during the summer sale period. When you try to proceed anyway, you'll see the following screen explaining that the deal ends tomorrow, meaning you won't be able to renew your free status afterwards.

In short, the old version of the site appears to be incorrect. Hopefully AVG will fix this issue soon, otherwise you could potentially miss out on some vital information. Once you've updated your browser, refresh the page and head back to the homepage. From there, simply select the 'Renew' option under the 'My Account' tab and follow the instructions. Alternatively, you can call AVG directly on 01 919 533 022 and speak with someone who can help you out. They're usually happy to assist with queries relating to billing issues.

Alternatively, you could wait until the end of the day on Friday and attempt to renew your subscription manually via the extension form on the original website. Just keep in mind that you'll likely run into the same problem, so it's definitely worth trying to avoid missing out altogether.

What we don't want you to miss out on is the chance to win 2x 1 Year Annual Licenses of AVG Security + Pro VPN Bundle ($99 Value). Entering is easy and painless. Simply leave a comment beneath this post telling us why you deserve to receive a copy of this amazing bundle! Good luck everyone!