How to Make Exclusions With Avast

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Rarely, both Avast’s real-time shields and scheduled scans detect positives against items that are in fact not a threat to the security of your computer. You can, however, add folders, websites or applications that you deem as trustworthy to an exclusions list, thus preventing Avast from producing false positives. You can also make Avast bypass folders during manual scans by adding them to a temporary exclusions list.

1 Permanent Exclusions

2 Open your Avast Free Antivirus or Avast Internet Security installation

Open your Avast Free Antivirus or Avast Internet Security installation.

3 Click Settings

Click "Settings," and then click "Antivirus."

4 Named Exclusions

Scroll down to the section named “Exclusions.”

5 Click the File Paths tab

Click the “File Paths” tab and use “Browse” to select folders that you need to exclude from Avast. To exclude a website, click the “URLs” tab and enter the URL of the website into the field labeled “Enter Address.” To prevent an application from getting flagged by Avast’s DeepScreen and Hardened Mode security modules, click the “DeepScreen” and “Hardened Mode” tabs and use “Browse” to select the executable file of the application.

6 Click Add to insert the folder URL or application

Click “Add” to insert the folder, URL or application to Avast’s exclusions list.

7 Temporary Exclusions

8 Click Scan

Click "Scan" on the Avast Free Antivirus or Avast Internet Security main window. Next, click “Create Custom Scan” on the lower right of the window.

9 Click Exclusions

Click “Exclusions” on the Scan Settings pop-up window.

10 Use Browse to select folders

Use “Browse” to select folders that you need to exclude from scanning.

11 Click Add

Click “Add,” and then click “OK.”

  • Information in this article applies to Avast Free Antivirus 2014 and Avast Internet Security 2014. Procedures may vary slightly or significantly with other versions.

As an ardent tech fan, Andrew Meer loves writing about the latest in computer hardware and software. Since 2006, he has worked as a level designer and programmer for various video game companies. Meer holds a Bachelor of Science in game and simulation programming from DeVry University, California.

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