Avast became a leading name due to the success of its antivirus software, but the company decided not to stop there.
In addition to their main antivirus product, the developers released a VPN, a privacy-oriented web browser, and other smaller tools that help increase the overall online security of their users.
This all sounds great in theory, but user experiences have significantly varied when it comes to using these products.
Avast is not flawless, and the community has also expressed concerns about whether or not the company is sometimes too intrusive with its marketing methods.
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The Problem Explained
Many Avast users are dissatisfied with the way the company suggests changes, such as using a different search engine or web browser, by utilizing a false warning method.
One of the newest complaints from users is about the message “Untrustworthy Browser Extension.” It’s often not a real problem.
For example, there are add-ons for Chrome and Firefox that are used and trusted by millions of users. There is no evidence of widespread reporting of problems (especially not security-related ones) after using them.
However, Avast regularly alerts you that the add-ons are hazardous and shouldn’t be relied upon.
It’s understandable for antivirus software to occasionally detect a false positive, and some users who are fond of Avast’s software continue using it despite this happening far more frequently.
Avast has a good reputation for providing effective antivirus software, but the interruptions caused by their “secondary tools” can quickly turn a positive opinion into a negative one.
Thankfully, fixing this problem is relatively straightforward. If you are unsure how to do it, consider trying the methods listed in this guide.
Fix 1: Disable The Browser Cleanup Component
If you believe there’s no need for Avast to warn you about your add-ons, you can disable this feature by following the steps below:
- Open the Avast Browser Cleanup Tool and click on Settings in the left menu.
- You should see the “Check my browsers regularly for toolbars with bad user ratings” option. Disable it and reboot your PC.
You must not see the prompt anymore, even after setting up new add-ons.
Fix 2: Check The Log For In-Depth Information
When Avast’s Browser Cleanup Tool detects a potentially dangerous add-on, a log file is created on your system. To access this log, follow the steps below:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where Avast is installed. The default location is “C:ProgramDataAvast SoftwareAvastlogAvast-Browser-Cleanup.log” but yours might be different, depending on your choice during setup.
- Open the log and try to find the name of the add-on being flagged as a threat.
- Search the internet to check whether or not there’s any information regarding that add-on being a real threat. If there isn’t, it’s probably just a false positive from Avast.
Note: If you do find information about the add-on being dangerous, uninstall it from your PC or let Avast do its job by clicking on the green “Resolve” button in the prompt window.
You can also use the image below for additional guidance, which is taken from the official Avast guidelines and FAQ page covering their browser cleanup tool.
A member of the Avast support team commented on a Reddit thread, encouraging users to send their logs with add-ons they believe aren’t a threat so the developers can whitelist them and prevent further issues.
You can submit a false positive suggestion here.
Conclusion
Many users prefer Avast as their chosen antivirus software, but they also insist on disabling some of the more disruptive features.
You now know how to do this. If you encounter any further problems, don’t hesitate to contact Avast’s support team.
