Unable to renew free licence

system · 2017-06-10T21:50:54.000Z

Hello, I have a very troubling problem with Avast Free Antivirus.

I have been using it for a very long time now, and it says that it’s going to expire today. It has been giving me the expiration warning for some time now.
The problem is that every time I want to ask for a free renewal, the program basically forces me to go for a non-free version.

So every time I want to ask to renew, here’s what I first get…

https://i.imgur.com/4SanXut.png

Naturally, I then go to select the Free option on the left side, but here’s what I get…

https://i.imgur.com/Ln0PeTF.png

Just an option to ‘incite’ me to buy a non-free version! Where’s the free option? It feels rather insulting that I can supposedly use this for free for as long as I want, and then it basically tries to force me to buy the program instead of allowing me to renew the free licence.

But I really want to be sure here. Is that normal? Will the licence be somehow renewed for free soon? Or am I going to be forced to find another free alternative to Avast?

DavidR · 2017-06-10T22:07:04.000Z

I agree, the second image really should have the option to decline (considering that you have just seconds ago selected the free version) and not just a single upgrade option.

Whilst you can close that window from the close X top right, that really isn’t how it should be done.

The free license should automatically renew when it expires.

system · 2017-06-11T05:00:56.000Z

I’ve been getting the exact same screens for days. Can’t find any instructions on-line that address this.
Program Version: 17.4.2294 (build 17.4.3482.0)

Asyn · 2017-06-11T05:32:55.000Z

Hi guys, see: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=203010.0

bob3160 · 2017-06-11T15:08:51.000Z

klahey2000 post:3:

I’ve been getting the exact same screens for days. Can’t find any instructions on-line that address this.
Program Version: 17.4.2294 (build 17.4.3482.0)

In the settings, what does the Subscription section show ???

http://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1497193706311-51541.png

system · 2017-06-14T01:52:49.000Z

Mine was showing expired, couldn’t get it to renew until today when after a manual update check it started showing “Active”

bob3160 · 2017-06-14T14:01:13.000Z

Martin596 post:6:

Mine was showing expired, couldn’t get it to renew until today when after a manual update check it started showing “Active”

It should also tell you how many days you have remaining.

system · 2017-06-18T15:04:29.000Z

bob3160 post:5:

klahey2000 post:3:

I’ve been getting the exact same screens for days. Can’t find any instructions on-line that address this.
Program Version: 17.4.2294 (build 17.4.3482.0)

In the settings, what does the Subscription section show ???

http://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1497193706311-51541.png

I get the screen you show, but it’s been counting down the days until the license expires. I’m down to one.

At least a few people have claimed that they can renew after the current license expires. Not sure how good an idea it is to connect to the internet with out a valid license.

system · 2017-06-18T15:34:30.000Z

Basically the same thing is happening to me. When you attempt to renew the license the only option are to pay for a new license. I would cut and paste the screens but they are the same as those shown. And my Avast will expire today.

Pondus · 2017-06-18T15:41:24.000Z

See reply from @MartinZ
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=203940.msg1401279#msg1401279

system · 2017-06-18T15:44:45.000Z

I hope I don’t run into this problem. I just downloaded Avast on two of my computers and it prompted me to delete previous free antivirus programs which never tried to “force” me to purchased a paid version. :-\

bob3160 · 2017-06-18T16:10:32.000Z

Arnoldo Fayne post:11:

I hope I don’t run into this problem. I just downloaded Avast on two of my computers and it prompted me to delete previous free antivirus programs which never tried to “force” me to purchased a paid version. :-\

Avast doesn’t force you to purchase their paid product. I’ve use their free product since 2003 and am still using the free version.
Only one resident AV. You need to totally remove any others before installing avast.

system · 2017-06-18T18:18:39.000Z

I had this issue for the last 10 days. Today it hit expired so I started trying different things.
I found a way to fix it:
Under subscription window (pictured above) you can click on the little dark grey arrow on the right beside “Avast Free Antivirus”.
Clicking this will display your activation key.
Copy it (Ctrl+C), then click “insert activation code” and paste (Ctrl+V) into the box.
Hit activate.

system · 2017-06-19T05:11:12.000Z

Oh, just after midnight it said it will expire in zero days and an exclamation point appeared where the green check was. I clicked on the exclamation point and an activation code appeared which I cut and pasted after hitting the Insert Activation Code button.

It is possible that if I had clicked in the right spot, like where Gaskell suggested, that I could have gotten the activation code earlier.

system · 2017-06-19T08:42:40.000Z

bob3160 post:12:

Arnoldo Fayne post:11:

I hope I don’t run into this problem. I just downloaded Avast on two of my computers and it prompted me to delete previous free antivirus programs which never tried to “force” me to purchased a paid version. :-\

Avast doesn’t force you to purchase their paid product. I’ve use their free product since 2003 and am still using the free version.
Only one resident AV. You need to totally remove any others before installing avast.

Did you have to constantly uninstall then install to keep using the free product? Also by “Only one resident AV” do you mean I can only be running the free version on one computer and will have to delete the other AV running on my second computer?

DavidR · 2017-06-19T09:07:40.000Z

Arnoldo Fayne post:15:

bob3160 post:12:

Arnoldo Fayne post:11:

I hope I don’t run into this problem. I just downloaded Avast on two of my computers and it prompted me to delete previous free antivirus programs which never tried to “force” me to purchased a paid version. :-\

Avast doesn’t force you to purchase their paid product. I’ve use their free product since 2003 and am still using the free version.
Only one resident AV. You need to totally remove any others before installing avast.

Did you have to constantly uninstall then install to keep using the free product? Also by “Only one resident AV” do you mean I can only be running the free version on one computer and will have to delete the other AV running on my second computer?

No you don’t constantly have to uninstall read all of this topic and you will see it isn’t normal, but a problem with the new licensing function. In over 13 years of using avast I have never had to uninstall and reinstall avast free to register again, this is a recent issue.

You shouldn’t have two resident (on-access) AVs installed at the same time, there is a strong chance that they will conflict. If you want Avast free on your other system then you would have to uninstall the current AV first.

system · 2017-06-19T13:42:26.000Z

Ok, so to be clear if I have three different laptops at home and want to use Free AV technically I am only allowed to run it on one laptop right?

bob3160 · 2017-06-19T13:54:04.000Z

Arnoldo Fayne post:17:

Ok, so to be clear if I have three different laptops at home and want to use Free AV technically I am only allowed to run it on one laptop right?

I have the free version installed on 5 computers at home. Nothing said only use it on one computer.

DavidR · 2017-06-19T15:53:52.000Z

Arnoldo Fayne post:17:

Ok, so to be clear if I have three different laptops at home and want to use Free AV technically I am only allowed to run it on one laptop right?

You can have it installed on as many systems as you wish. The only condition is not to have more than one AV installed on that system because of the risk of conflict - the message you got from avast.

I like Bob have avast free on my three systems, so that isn’t an issue.

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