Avast is an antivirus program that is often updated by the development team. However, along with all the improvements, optimization, and bug fixes, these updates sometimes bring unexpected issues.
A good example is one of the more recent, more extensive Avast updates, which caused the Avast Service to stop responding randomly. This raised alarms amongst members of the Avast community, but luckily, the problem is easily solvable.
Let’s take a look at what you need to know!
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The Problem Explained
When you experience the Avast Service Not Responding issue on Windows 10, there might be a few different reasons for the cause:
- The Recent Avast Update Is Unstable
- A Recent Windows Update Conflicted With Avast’s Services & Settings
- Corrupted Files Within Your Avast Root Folder (Main Installation Location / Folder)
- You’re Running The Latest Version of Avast On An Outdated Windows Version
Most of the time, the issue occurs because of the shaky Avast update, but even though it doesn’t seem logical, it can be fixed without going back to a previous version.
The methods listed in the guide below are easy to follow and don’t require any previous computer knowledge, yet can solve this issue and ensure you keep using your PC while protected by the Avast antivirus program.
Fix 1: Update Your Operating System To The Latest Version
Microsoft recommends updating your Windows to the latest version whenever a new update is available. However, their updates are also not entirely stable all the time, which is one of the main reasons why users often postpone them. Windows is a seriously complex software, after all.
But, when it comes to fixing this issue, updating your Windows to the latest version is something you have to do, like it or not. It often happens that the latest Avast version is optimized for the latest Windows version, which is why you may be experiencing inconveniences right after updating the antivirus app, despite everything working perfectly previously for a long time.
If you have trouble updating Windows, we have a helpful guide covering multiple useful methods to get the updates rolling as intended.
Fix 2: Restart The Avast Services
Avast seems to experience problems when updating while it has been previously running on your system. It doesn’t make much sense, but it has something to do with the services.
Usually, restarting the Avast services helps get things back to normal. Here’s how to do it:
- Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run function.
- Type in services.msc and press Enter on your keyboard.
- On the list that shows, locate the Avast antivirus service and right-click on it, then choose Properties.
- A window will open, and near the bottom, you can see a section where the current service status is displayed. It should say “Running”. Click the Stop button right below it, then wait a few moments for it to stop.
- After the service is fully stopped, the button will then change, and it will say “Start.” Click on it to start the service once again.
- To save these changes, click on Apply and then OK at the bottom of the window.
This method doesn’t require you to reboot your PC, but we recommend doing it either way. This will ensure the changes take effect, and you should then be able to start Avast again and run it smoothly without further issues.
Fix 3: Use The Avast Repair Utility
Avast is antivirus software with a friendly interface and many helpful, built-in tools. One of these tools is the Avast Repair Utility, which can fix any issues related to the software in a quick, user-friendly way.
If you are experiencing the Avast Not Responding problem, one of the ways you can fix it is by using the Repair Utility.
Here’s how to do that:
- Open Avast on your PC, but make sure to start it while granting Administrator Privileges. You can do this by right-clicking the icon and choosing Run as Administrator.
- Click Menu, then Settings to open the configuration panel. From here, open the Settings tab and choose General.
- Click the Troubleshooting button and choose Repair App to begin the process.
- Wait until the procedure is complete. The time it takes for this to finish will depend on your system’s performance. It’s best just to wait it out.
After finishing the process, restart your computer and rerun Avast. Remember to execute it with administrative privileges as well.
It should now start and continue working without further complications. This method helped a lot of users, and it should help you as well.
Attention: This technique can assist you to activate Avast and it doesn’t crash immediately. If it crashes right from the beginning, consider reviewing Fix #2 and #1 instead.
Fix 4: Reinstall Avast
If you can’t seem to re-configure the app and get it to work no matter what you try, it’s usually a good decision to uninstall it from your system and re-download it from the official website again.
Reinstalling Avast can often solve vague problems with its services and the antivirus program in general.
You can download the latest Avast version from the official website, here.
Conclusion
Now you know how to fix the problem where Avast’s Services are not working as intended, including the one where the UI keeps crashing. Use the methods listed above to get your antivirus program up and running once again and keep your system protected at all times.
