downgrade back to avast Free?

This is all too pathetic that we can’t revert easily. I’m off to look for another free anti-virus

Pathetic or not, that is a fact all I as an avast user am trying to do is get you up and running again again with avast free; your choice, your system.

I probably found something:

go on the avast web page: http://www.avast.com/de-de/index
than got to the support menu
there is the category licence center (http://www.avast.com/registration-free-antivirus.php)
You can register a free one year licence there. And will get a licence code you will have to fill in your avast! “to run avast! after the testingperiod”

I’m still testing so I can’t tell for sure, but it looks a lot like the solution.

Whilst it is possible to register off-line and have the registration key sent to you, if the program has switched to the Pro trial, then there is nowhere that you can enter the free registration key in the pro trial version. This is why it is such a big hassle.

I too completed a System Restore and “discovered” that I had to activate Avast Pro, despite the fact that I always used Avast Free. Considering the fact that I have dial-up a clean install is a major hassle. Unless an official fix is forthcoming soon I’m off to another antvirus.

Well that is your choice, but getting another AV will still require that you first download that.

No, no use of system restore.
I had it fixed for about a week or so, now, I’m upgraded to “pro” again, with expired licence.
It had an engine update, yesterday, and things went to shit… again.

Then there’s no easy solution?

Hello Karolinger!

No.
There was a bug in avast! Free V8.0.1482 and 1483 (a combination with system restore) - but it should be solved now.
So please make a clean install of the most recent version 1489.

INGBEAN

Hi

I know this topic is very old, but I had the same problem. I upgraded to Avast Pro for one year, and then when my year subscription expired (yesterday), I was left only with the options to repurchase a Pro license. There was no option to downgrade to Avast Free.

After about twenty minutes of searching in vain for such a button, I was ready to uninstall Avast Pro and get another Free antivirus. But when I selected the “uninstall” option from Windows 7’s control panel option of “Add/Remove Programs”, a message from Avast popped up asking me if I really want to uninstall Avast, and by answering “Yes” it then asked me if I want to revert back to Avast Free…

So it would seem that a lack of downgrading capabilities is a common complaint that Avast chose to solve by that cumbersome route…

I hope this helps at least someone.

Hi everyone.

Maybe this is an old topic. But I had the same problem.

What i did:

Go to the Control Panel → uninstall Avast Pro
When prompted if I want to uninstall there is an option to switch back to Avast Free.

I clicked it and everything went ok.

Try it

I was on Win8

Yes it is an old topic, for an old version and this option wasn’t available in that version, now it is in avast 2015.

My thanks go to Anti_Dandruff7 and vela.russel – the same thing worked for me.

TBH this is a load of bull though. You should support your users better. I’m not sure if I even consented to trialing Avast Pro in the first place, though with all the annoying popups it’s very possible that I accidentally did.

I’m still a user but looking for more honest alternatives.

There was indeed an easy way to go from Paid to Free in version 2015.
I have no idea why Avast decided to replace something that made it easy to keep customers
with a survey???
Now, in order to change from Paid to Free, you need to download the Free Version then, use the control panel Removal feature.
Reboot your system.
Once that’s dome you can run the setup program for the Free version of Avast.
What a Pain… :frowning:

What could possibly be the strategy for this move by Avast ???
Makes no sense :-\

I’m still waiting for a reply from my contacts.

Hey guys just try to uninstall your expired avast from add and remove programs
There will be two options one is to switch back to previous free avast
And other is to uninstall it completely…

Not if you’re using the current version of Avast. :frowning:

Yes it’s there Bob. If you have paid version in trial mode then it should be there an option to downgrade.

So it’s there but only for those using a trial mode ??? Not for those who’s paid version is expiring and they want to
change over to Free ???
Thanks