I just got a mandatory update from Avast free to Avast One, and there are no individual app settings, EG, the firewall I could click on the right side cog and set various settings such as internet connection sharing, smart mode, allow, block, or ask when a program is requesting access to the internet, all I have now for the firewall, is ‘allow/block’ or to add a program, are all these settings now available only for premium versions? If so, then it’s time I dumped Avast and just rely entirely on the windows 10 defender.
Avast One is somewhat different to Avast Antivirus.
It is effectively a one (excuse the pun) stop product in that it contains some components not in avast free antivirus and it is more install with lessor configurability.
Avast One Essentials (free) has a Firewall Component that is Free
Personally the reason I went with Avast Free over 18 years ago was its configurability, so I have no desire to Install Avast One. Note I have never had a mandatory update to Avast Free. I suspect that it may be worded in a way that makes you think that and you didn’t decline or back out of it. It may be that the only option would have been to X (close) out (top Right corner of the window).
See - https://www.avast.com/avast-one#pc
If you don’t want the other options, that are installed you may have to uninstall Avast One (restart your system) and install Avast Free Antivirus.
See - https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Uninstall-One/#pc
I was using Avast free, then a box popped up up saying “Avast is being updated to Avast One”, then I clicked on ‘close’, then it minimized to a smaller window in the taskbar notifications area, showing “Avast is being updated, you may browse or play during this update”, it was also showing a progress bar, then when it finished another window popped up which had a white background, and not the usual blue, saying “Congratulations, you now have updated to Avast One”. It didn’t even give me a choice, so I looked on the Avast website for a free Antivirus and the only file that gets downloaded now is the Avast One setup file, there is no Avast free antivirus as I used to know it.
A simple search for Avast free brings up the following which is Avast Free
https://www.avast.com/en-us/free-antivirus-download#pc