Avast 2014.9.0.2016 is installed on my computer, and I would like to just manually update my avast. I’ve looked in Settings, Tools, and Help – to no avail. If possible, I want to change to manual updates as soon as possible, and any comments, suggestions, or hints will be appreciated. Thanks.
Lots of info in FAQ section 
http://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB22#artTitle
If you disable the automatic updates, you also will disable the streaming updates.
Both are a really bad idea.
My intention with the Manual Updates is to avoid “waking up” my computer when it is in Sleep Mode (Inspiron 3847 computer). Dell suggested this in a recent technical support session.
The article suggested was helpful in accessing the Manual Update. I found my aVast icon among my “Hidden Icons” on the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen. On right-clicking it, there were options about Silent/gaming Mode, Subscription, as well as the Update option (Engine and Virus Definitions). An option for temporarily disabling Automatic Updates (while I sleep) was not apparent.
There is no option to temporarily disable it.
Either you disable it or not.
Those are the only two options you have.
Typically Dell to give a bad advise.
Let the system wake up and get the updates.
In the power saving settings you can set it to go (back) to sleep after X minutes of not being in use.
Yes, the FAQ page said just what to do – in order to manually update the definitions. I tried it – and it worked! Then I searched on the FAQ page for “disable” or “disabling” and could not find one word about “disable” or “disabling.” This is what I would like to do . . . . If it isn’t possible, that’s okay . . . .
Look at and read the link Pondos gave you.
The pictures show very clearly where you can disable the automatic updates.
But why do you want to disable the automatic and streaming updates?
Don’t you want the best security?
The reason I want to turn off Automatic Updates while the computer is in sleep mode depends on whether automatic updates turns on the computer while it is in sleep mode. If Automatic Updates turns on the computer while it is in sleep mode, I believe it turns on the display and wakes me up
Well there is a little bug right now, that if you set avast to Silent/Gaming Mode, updates don’t work. So that would do what you want and take it of Silent/Gaming Mode when you are awake.
This bug will in due course be squashed and updates would work again in Silent/Gaming Mode. But you wouldn’t/shouldn’t see or hear that an update has taken place in Silent/Gaming Mode, unless you checked.
Automatic updates don’t turn on the computer.
GUI>Settings>Update