Overview
Avast Premium Security is the tier above the free scanner, and the difference is the layers that sit between the network and the file system rather than the detection engine itself. The firewall, the ransomware shield with its protected folder list, the sensitive data guard, the fake website checker and the remote access protection are all Premium features, and all of them are enabled here without a subscription attached.
This build applies the licence state during install, so the renewal banners never appear and no feature drops back to a nag after a trial period. Definition updates continue to work normally, which is the part that matters, since a scanner that stops updating is a scanner that stops being useful within weeks.
The protection layers
File shield watches everything opened, written or executed, which is the layer doing the most work day to day. Behaviour shield sits above it watching what a running program does rather than what it looks like, and catches the things that pass a signature check because they were built five minutes ago. Web shield inspects traffic before the browser renders it and mail shield does the same for message attachments.
Ransomware shield is the Premium feature worth having. It locks a list of folders, documents, pictures and anything else you add, so that only applications you have approved can write into them. Anything unrecognised that starts encrypting is stopped at the first file rather than after the drive is gone.
Firewall, network and privacy tools
The firewall replaces the built in one with per application rules, a profile that changes behaviour between a home network and a public one, and a leak inspection view that shows what is currently talking out. Setting it to ask on first connection for a week produces a rule set that is genuinely tailored rather than default.
The network inspector scans the local network for open ports, weak router settings and devices you did not expect to find on it. Sensitive data shield indexes documents that contain identity or payment information and locks other applications out of reading them. The fake website shield checks certificates against the domain being requested, which catches the lookalike domains that phishing depends on.
Running it without it running you
Default settings are noisy. Turning off the promotional notification categories under the notification settings removes almost all of the interruptions without touching anything protective. Passive mode exists for machines already running another security product, so this can be installed as a second opinion scanner without the two fighting.
Scheduled scans should be set to a boot time scan roughly once a week and a full scan monthly. The smart scan is a good ten minute check but it does not go as deep as the full one. Exclusions can be set by folder, file and process, which is necessary if you develop software or run anything the behaviour shield does not recognise.
What you get
- File, behaviour, web and mail protection shields
- Ransomware shield with an editable protected folder list
- Full replacement firewall with per application rules and network profiles
- Network inspector for open ports and weak router configuration
- Sensitive data shield locking documents from other applications
- Fake website and certificate checking
- Remote access protection
- Passive mode for running beside another security product
- Definition updates left fully working
Inside the archive
- Avast Premium Security installer, 32 and 64 bit
- Licence state applied during install
- Firewall and network inspector components
- Offline definition set current as of this build
- Language packs for the interface list shown above
System requirements
| Operating system | Windows 10 or Windows 11, 32 or 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any current x86 or x64 processor |
| Memory | 2 GB |
| Storage | 2 GB free |
| Display | 1024 by 768 or higher |
| Other | Administrator rights, and no other resident scanner unless using passive mode |
Installing it
- Uninstall any other resident security product first unless you intend to use passive mode.
- Run the installer as administrator and let it complete without launching the interface.
- Apply the licensing step from the archive before the first launch.
- Open the program and check that the Premium features are listed as active rather than as trials.
- Turn off the promotional notification categories to stop the interruptions.
Mirrors
| Route | Region | Note | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct, primary | Europe | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Direct, secondary | North America | No wait, resumable | Online |
| Torrent magnet | Global | Not needed at this size | Online |
Release history
- Ransomware shield folder list no longer resets after a major update
- Firewall profile switching corrected on machines with several adapters
- Reduced memory use of the background service
- Web shield certificate handling improved
- Fixed a scan stall on very deep folder structures
- Network inspector rewritten with faster device discovery
Questions about this release
Do definition updates still work?
Yes. Updates run normally, which is the point. Only the subscription check is removed.
Will the renewal banner come back?
No. The licence state is applied during install rather than being a reset trial.
Can I run it next to another antivirus?
Yes, in passive mode. Two resident scanners in active mode will fight and slow the machine badly.
Why does the installer trip other scanners?
The licensing module is modified, which any scanner reads as tampering. Disable the other product before installing.
Comments
Firewall on ask mode for a week gave me a rule set that actually reflects what I run.
Ransomware folder list is the reason I installed it. Locked my documents folder and nothing has complained since.
Comments are read before they appear. If a build stops working, say so here and it gets rebuilt rather than quietly left up.
Premium features all listed as active, no countdown. Turned the promo notifications off and it is quiet.