I ran a search, found a few threads, including one over a month ago where a member here said he would like to renew before it expires but there is no option. I am am in the same position with the same feeling and do hope I am not also ignored. My registration expires in less than three weeks…
The short answer is that you can’t until the program alerts you to it.
In avast 4.8 it did that at 21 days, and in the case of avast 5.0 which has a much simpler registration process this has been reduced and I don’t know exactly what that is 14 days or 7 days. Which is in a way not an issue as soon as the avast UI shows you need to update a Registration button will appear below the Upgrade section allowing you to complete a form and register and the UI will be updated, no need for an email,etc. It should also give the option to register on-line and then when you receive the email, enter the new key.
See this for images of the different screens - http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=459.
Hi,
there seem to be a bug in your install of Avast 5:
date of registration: 2/1/2009 >>> Avast5 wasn’t even at alpha stage
don’t know how this happened, you should uninstall completely, reboot, and reinstall from scratch. Use this to make sure you do a clean uninstall:
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
edit: OK you probably got that because you upgraded from 4.8 >>> so do as I said anyway, that’s the best way to avoid all sort of issues. Or you can wait for an alert to prompt you to register again, a few days before the expiration date.
@ Logos
I believe there is no bug, the registration information is carried over from 4.8 if you install 5.0 over 4.8.
So with 4.8 the registration period was 14 months which would account for registration of 2/1/2009 (Feb 2009) to 4/1/2010 (Apr 2010).
So it rather depends on how the OP installed 5.0.
Edit: just noticed your edit ;D
I know, I realized that and I edited my post in the meantime 
Ok thanks. I don’t like waiting until a shorter time, but I’ll keep my eye on it. I am a cynic about bugs. :-\
No problem.
It isn’t a bug in this case if you did as mentioned installed 5.0 over 4.8.
Welcome to the forums.
I take it that’s one of the changes in v5? Back in 4.8 (and several earlier versions, I think), you could renew the registration at any time, even with many months left to go, simply by going to their reg page and re-registering. Naturally the new 14-month period started immediately, rather than being added to the end of your existing period, but in the free version, big deal.
Yes, this is one of the changes since there is no requirement for registration on the avast web site and waiting for your email, etc.
In 5.0, the registration period is 12 months not 14 as in 4.8.