AVG Cleaner for Android - FAQs

General

What is AVG Cleaner for Android?

AVG Cleaner for Android is a mobile app designed to help you improve the performance of your device and preserve storage space by removing unnecessary media, files, and apps. Remove these items by transferring them to cloud storage and/or deleting them from your device. You can also optimize your photos, so they consume less space.

How can I free up space on my device?

We recommend the methods below:

• Tap the Quick Clean button on the dashboard to scan for and then delete dispensable items, including thumbnails, APKs, residual files, and hidden and visible caches.
• Tap the Media tile on the dashboard to review the photos, videos, and other media stored on your device. AVG Cleaner identifies media that you may want to remove, and allows you to either delete the suggested items, or send them to cloud storage.
• Tap the Sleep Mode tile on the dashboard to release device memory by stopping your apps from running in the background when they are not in use.
• Try optimizing your photos so that they take up much less space on your device without noticeable differences in quality.

Download and Installation

What are the system requirements for AVG Cleaner on Android?

If you are using a custom ROM (Read Only Memory), the app may not work as expected. Report any feedback regarding this issue to AVG Support.

How do I download and install AVG Cleaner on Android?

For detailed installation and activation instructions, refer to the following articles:

• Installing AVG Cleaner on Android
• Activating a paid version of AVG Cleaner on Android

Subscription and Activation

What are the benefits of an AVG Cleaner Premium subscription?

AVG Cleaner Premium is the paid version of the app. With a Premium subscription, you can take advantage of the following paid features:

• Custom Dashboard: Add shortcuts to the AVG Cleaner dashboard so you can quickly access the information and tools that you use most often.
• Deep Clean: Access and delete hidden cache files that occupy a lot of space on your device.
• Automatic Cleaning: Schedule regular cleanings that run in the background without interrupting usage.
• Browser Cleaning: Quickly clean unimportant browser data.
• Photo Optimizer: Control the size and quality of your optimized photos with customizable optimization settings.
• Themes: Customize the appearance of the AVG Cleaner app.
• Direct support: Contact AVG Support from the app to receive help directly from our Customer Care team.
• Block ads: Eliminate third-party ads from your AVG Cleaner experience.

Get AVG Cleaner Premium by tapping Upgrade in the top-right corner of the dashboard.

Which features are included in the other paid versions of AVG Cleaner?

In addition to AVG Cleaner Premium for Android, we also offer the following paid subscriptions:

• AVG Cleaner Premium Plus: Includes AVG Cleaner Premium for Android, and AVG AntiVirus Pro for Android (each for use on up to 5 Android devices simultaneously).
• AVG Mobile Ultimate: Comes with all of the apps included in AVG Cleaner Premium Plus, and additionally includes AVG Secure VPN for Android (for use on up to 5 Android devices simultaneously).

How can I subscribe to a paid version of AVG Cleaner?

1. Tap Upgrade in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
2. Select your preferred plan, then select Continue.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the purchase.

When the transaction completes, your subscription activates automatically on the device used for purchase. Your purchased subscription is valid on all devices that are connected to your Google Account and have AVG Cleaner installed.

Is my subscription for AVG Cleaner Premium also valid for other paid AVG apps?

No. If you purchase AVG Cleaner Premium, your subscription is valid only for this app. AVG Cleaner Premium Plus and AVG Mobile Ultimate are also valid for other paid AVG Android apps.

What happens if I upgrade to AVG Mobile Premium Plus or Ultimate from my current subscription?

When you upgrade from one paid version of AVG Cleaner to another (for example, from AVG Cleaner Premium to AVG Mobile Ultimate), Google Play Store automatically calculates how much of your original subscription was unused. To compensate you for the value of this unused subscription, you receive access to the upgraded subscription for a period of time that is equivalent to the value of that unused subscription at no extra cost. his means that you are not immediately charged when you activate your upgraded subscription but when that period ends (unless canceled first). The length of that access period depends on how much of your original subscription was unused. The date of your first payment is displayed during the subscription upgrade.

How can I start using my AVG Cleaner subscription on another Android device?

When you subscribe to a paid version of AVG Cleaner via Google Play Store, your subscription activates automatically on the Android device you use to subscribe. To start using your subscription on a different Android device:

1. On the new device, sign in to Google Play Store with the same Google Account you used to subscribe to AVG Cleaner.
2. Download and install the latest version of AVG Cleaner for Android from Google Play Store.
3. After installation, open AVG Cleaner and tap Get started.
4. Select Already purchased ▸ Restore from Google Play.

AVG Cleaner automatically retrieves and activates your subscription from Google Play Store on that device.

How can I cancel a paid AVG Cleaner subscription?

Uninstalling AVG Cleaner from your Android device does not cancel your subscription, and you will continue to be charged for the subscription until you cancel it.

To cancel a paid AVG Cleaner subscription purchased via Google Play Store:

1. Open Google Play Store on your Android device.
2. Tap your profile image in the top-right corner and select Payments and subscriptions.
3. Tap Subscriptions.
4. Select the paid AVG Cleaner subscription that you want to cancel.
5. Tap Cancel subscription, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the cancellation.

Your subscription is now canceled. You receive confirmation of the cancellation by email.

For detailed instructions to cancel an AVG subscription purchased via Google Play Store, refer to the following article:

• Canceling an AVG subscription via Google Play Store or the App Store

Features

How do I use AVG Cleaner?

For detailed instructions on how to start using AVG Cleaner, refer to the following article:

• AVG Cleaner for Android - Getting Started

What is Quick Clean?

When you tap the Quick clean button on the dashboard, the Quick Clean screen lists all of the item types that are available to clean. These item types are separated into two categories:

• Unneeded files: Data that AVG has carefully selected to ensure that it is truly dispensable, including thumbnails, APKs, residual files, and visible and hidden caches. All categories are selected by default for cleaning, except Thumbnails.
• Files to review: Data that may or may not be valuable to you. We recommend reviewing items included in this category and selecting only those items that are dispensable. All items are unticked by default and will not be removed unless you manually select them for deletion.

Untick any item types that you do not want AVG to process when you run the Quick Clean. You can also tap the down arrow next to an item type to view specific items on your device. Untick specific items to ensure they will not be processed when you run the Quick Clean.

Can I restore files that are deleted during a Quick Clean?

No. You can't restore files that are deleted during a Quick Clean. This function was carefully designed to only remove data that is truly dispensable, such as system caches that can be easily replaced, or APK files that are already installed.

What is hidden caches and how is it different from visible caches?

The apps on your device create temporary files called cache. Once this cache is no longer needed, it remains on your device and occupies space until you remove it.

AVG Cleaner scans for the following types of cache:

• Hidden caches: Take up a large amount of space on your device and are difficult to remove. Normally you need to go to your device settings and manually remove the hidden cache for each app individually. However, the Deep Clean feature allows you to safely remove hidden caches for multiple apps simultaneously each time you run a Quick Clean scan. Deep Clean may only be available in the paid version of the app.
• Visible caches: Take up less space on your device and are easier to remove. In all versions of AVG Cleaner, you can safely remove visible caches for multiple apps simultaneously each time you run a Quick Clean scan.

How can I use the Sleep Mode tile?

Sleep Mode stops apps from running in the background, releasing memory for other tasks. When Sleep Mode is enabled, follow the steps below to start force stopping your apps:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and tap the Sleep Mode tile on the dashboard.
2. By default, you see a list of Last used / Can be stopped apps. These are the apps that are currently running in the background of your device. You can optionally tap the Filters icon to change the types of apps that are displayed, or how the apps are sorted.
3. Apps that we recommend you to force stop are ticked by default. To manually specify the apps that you want to force stop, tap Deselect all. You can then tick only the app(s) that you want to force stop.
4. Tap Force stop to immediately stop the selected apps from running in the background.

The selected apps are no longer running in the background. A force stopped app normally cannot access your device memory again until you manually open it.

Is it harmful to stop apps using the Sleep Mode feature?

No. Mobile apps are designed to cope with sudden closures, so stopping apps via Sleep Mode is not harmful.

How can I use the Tips tile?

When you tap the Tips tile on the dashboard, you can review tips for clearing space on your device.

The first time you use the Tips feature, you are prompted to specify which kinds of tips you want AVG Cleaner to prioritize. Tap Tips ▸ ⋮ More options (three dots) ▸ Customize tips to set your preferences via the Analysis preferences screen.

How can I use the Media tile?

When you tap the Media tile on the dashboard, you can review an overview of the media that is stored on your device, including suggestions for clearing space. The Media Overview screen is divided into the following sections:

• Photo analysis:
  • Similar: Groups of photos with nearly identical content.
  • Bad quality: Photos that may be out of focus, dark, or of low quality.
  • Sensitive: Photos sent or received via social apps that may be private or sensitive.
  • Old: Photos that were time-stamped a month or more ago.
• Optimizable: Photos that can be resized to match your device screen, making them smaller and consume less space.
• Folders: An overview of folders on your device. Folders are arranged in size order, and especially large folders are marked red.
• Large videos: Identifies any videos larger than 20MB stored on your device.

The Media tool allows you to easily clear space on your device by deleting unwanted media, or alternatively sending items to cloud storage.

How can I use the Apps tile?

When you tap the Apps tile on the dashboard, AVG Cleaner displays an overview of the apps installed on your device. This data helps you release storage space by identifying apps that it may be beneficial to uninstall. The Apps Overview screen is divided into the following sections:

• Drainers: Identifies apps that may be draining your data and battery.
• Usage: Displays apps based on frequency of use. You can view Times opened, Screen time, and Unused apps.
• Growing: Identifies apps that are occupying more space on your device than previously.
• Notifying: Identifies apps that have sent you the most notifications in the last 7 days.

What is Photo Optimizer?

You can use AVG Cleaner to optimize your photos by decreasing their pixel size. An optimized photo looks almost the same as the original, while consuming much less space on your device.

To optimize photos on your device:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Photo Optimizer.
2. Tap Show photos and tick the photo(s) you want to optimize, then tap Confirm to return to the main Photo Optimizer screen.
3. Tap Continue to proceed with default optimization, or tap Setup to preview an optimized image. If you have a paid AVG Cleaner subscription, you can additionally set the optimization level according to your needs.
4. Under Original photos, tap Select to specify what will happen to your original photo(s). Options include Just delete, Keep originals, or send originals to cloud storage.
5. Tap Optimize now to immediately start optimizing the selected photo(s).

When optimization is complete, tap the back arrow to return to the main AVG Cleaner screen.

Why is the Thumbnails category unticked by default?

Thumbnails are the small versions of pictures used for previews. Deleting thumbnails during a Quick Clean can delete significant amounts of data on some devices, while on others the effect is very limited. For this reason, the category is unticked by default. You can test the effectiveness of this option on your device and decide whether to tick it or not.

Premium Features

How can I add a shortcut to my dashboard?

With a paid AVG Cleaner Premium subscription, you can customize the dashboard by adding shortcuts.

To add a shortcut to the dashboard, follow the relevant step below:

• Add your first shortcut: Tap Add shortcut at the bottom of the dashboard.
• Add additional shortcuts: Tap Customize at the bottom of the dashboard, then tap the Plus icon in the top-right corner of the Customize screen.

On the Add shortcut screen, the following options are available:

• Use a pre-made shortcut: Tap Apps, Photos, or Other files to specify which item type you want to manage via the new shortcut. You can then specify the data that will be available via the new shortcut by selecting one of our pre-made views.
• Create a custom shortcut: Tap New shortcut, and select Apps or Files to specify which item type you want to manage via the new shortcut. You can then precisely configure the exact data that will be available via the new shortcut, and how the data will be sorted.

You can modify your existing shortcuts by tapping Customize at the bottom of the dashboard. The following options are available for each shortcut:

• Delete the shortcut: Tap the Trash icon.
• Edit the shortcut: Tap the Pencil icon.
• Move the shortcut: The listed items appear in the order that they appear on your dashboard. Touch and hold the icon (four lines) and drag an item up or down according to your preferences.

To confirm your changes and return to the dashboard, tap the Tick icon in the top-right corner.

What is Deep Clean?

Deep Clean allows you to remove hidden caches to release storage space on your device. You can remove hidden caches each time you run a Quick Clean scan via the dashboard.

What is Auto Cleaning?

Auto Cleaning is a paid feature available in AVG Cleaner Premium, which allows the app to run regular cleanings without you manually activating them each time.

To configure Auto Cleaning:

1. Open AVG Cleaner Premium and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Auto Cleaning.
2. Tap the gray (OFF) slider at the top of the screen so that it turns to green (ON).
3. Specify how regularly you want to schedule cleanings (every 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, or week), and the minimum amount of space you want to clean.
4. Under Clean automatically, select the item types that AVG has permission to remove during the cleaning. All categories are selected by default, except Thumbnails.

Auto Cleaning is now configured and will run as specified. If you enable the Notify me when cleaning is complete option, you are informed each time Auto Cleaning is complete.

What is Browser Cleaner?

Browser Cleaner allows you to easily remove saved data collected by your browsers when you search online.

To clean browser data:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Browser Cleaner.
2. Tap See scan results.
3. All Browser data items are automatically selected to clean. Untick any items that you do not want to clean, then tap Finish cleaning.
4. If prompted, tap Start cleaning to delete the selected items.

What is Sleep Mode?

Sleep Mode identifies the apps that are currently occupying your device memory by running background processes, and allows you to select the apps that you want to force stop. This releases memory for other tasks and speeds up your device. When you force stop an app, it normally cannot access your device memory or send you notifications again until you manually open it.

To enable Sleep Mode:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and tap the Sleep Mode tile on the dashboard.
2. If prompted, tap the Permission missing panel to grant the required permissions in your device settings. You cannot use Sleep Mode without granting AVG Cleaner the required permissions.
3. Tap See stoppable apps to start using Sleep Mode.

When Sleep Mode is enabled, you can force stop selected apps every time you tap the Sleep Mode tile on the dashboard.

How is Photo Optimizer in AVG Cleaner Premium different than in the free version of the app?

Photo Optimizer in AVG Cleaner includes a selection of optimization levels:

• Aggressive: Optimizes images to free the maximum amount of space on your device.
• High: Creates optimized images that are ideal for viewing on a small device screen.
• Moderate: Creates optimized images that are suitable for viewing on larger device screens, such as tablets and laptops.
• Low: Creates optimized images that are suitable for printing.

When you use the free version of the app, only Moderate optimization is available. With a paid AVG Cleaner subscription, you can select any of the optimization levels above each time you use Photo Optimizer.

Cloud Services

What is cloud storage?

'The cloud' refers to virtual storage space where you can store media and files, such as photos, videos, and documents. Several cloud storage providers exist. With AVG Cleaner, you can connect to and transfer files and media from your device directly to Google Drive or Dropbox.

You can be connected to multiple Google Drive accounts, and one Dropbox account simultaneously. Connect to a cloud storage account via ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings ▸ Cloud services.

How can I connect AVG Cleaner to my cloud storage account?

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings.
2. Tap Cloud services.
3. Perform the relevant action:
   • Connect to a new account: Tap Connect next to the relevant cloud service provider, then follow the on-screen instructions to sign in or create a new account.
   • Disconnect from an existing account: Tap ⋮ More options (three dots) next to the account you want to disconnect from, then tap Sign out.

How can I transfer an item to cloud storage?

1. Ensure that AVG Cleaner is connected to your cloud storage account.
2. Tap ☰ Menu (three lines) in the top-left corner of the dashboard.
3. Tap Photos, Audio, Video, or Files, depending what you want to transfer.
4. Tick any items that you want to transfer.
5. Select Backup. If you are connected to multiple cloud storage accounts, select the account that you want to use.

The transfer starts immediately if your device is connected to the internet.

Can I keep copies of the items I transfer to cloud storage on my device?

Yes. To ensure media and files are not deleted from your device after you transfer them to cloud storage:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings.
2. Tap Cloud services.
3. Tap the green (ON) slider next to Delete files after transfer so that it changes to gray (OFF).

This setting affects all connected cloud services.

Why does a file upload restart from the beginning after a transfer queue is paused?

Incomplete file transfers are automatically deleted by cloud storage providers when a transfer is paused. Therefore, you can only pause and resume an entire queue.

Where can I find items after I transfer them to cloud storage?

To locate an item that you transferred to cloud storage, sign in to your cloud storage service and access the relevant folder:

• In Google Drive: AVGCleaner
• In Dropbox: AVG Cleaner (in the Apps folder)

Your transferred items are organized in the same way that they were organized on your device.

Why did AVG Cleaner fail to transfer an item to my cloud storage account?

The typical reasons a file transfer can fail are:

• The internet connection is poor or unavailable.
• The cloud storage service is unavailable.
• There is insufficient space available in your cloud storage account.

If you encounter a failed transfer, retry the transfer later, or with a different cloud storage provider.

Settings

How can I customize the recommendations I see via the Tips feature?

You can specify which Tips you are most interested in seeing via the Analysis preferences screen:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and tap ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings.
2. Select Analysis preferences.
3. Touch and hold the icon (four lines) next to a tip category and drag the panel up or down according to your preferences.

AVG Cleaner will now show tips according to your specified preferences.

How can I customize AVG Cleaner notifications?

To specify when you want to receive notifications from AVG Cleaner:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Tap the slider at the top of the main Notifications screen to disable all Notifications and Reports. Alternatively, select the notification type, and tap the green (ON) slider next to the notification you don't want to receive, so that it changes to gray (OFF).
4. Optionally, adjust the following options according to your preferences:
   • Frequency (paid feature): Choose how often you want to receive notifications.
   • New installs: Choose the day of the week you want to receive an up-to-date report of newly installed applications.

You will now see AVG Cleaner notifications according to your preferences.

How do I use Real-time Detection?

Real-time Detection can be used to detect App leftovers and Battery monitoring. App leftovers allows you to be notified if there's any unimportant data left behind after uninstalling an app. Battery monitoring can show you insights about how to save power on your phone.

To turn on App leftovers or Battery monitoring:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings.
2. Tap Real-time Detection.
3. Tap the slider beside each feature from gray (OFF) to green (ON).

How do I verify which version of AVG Cleaner is installed on my device?

1. Open AVG Cleaner and tap ☰ Menu (three lines).
2. Tap About this app.
3. Verify your current app version under AVG Cleaner.

How can I control which data I share with AVG and third parties?

To change your personal privacy settings, follow these steps:

1. Open AVG Cleaner and go to ☰ Menu (three lines) ▸ Settings.
2. Tap Personal privacy.
3. To opt out, tap the green (ON) slider next to any of the following options so that it changes to gray (OFF):
   • Share app-usage data with AVG to help us with new product development.
   • Share app-usage data with 3rd-party analytics tools to improve this app.
   • Share app-usage data with AVG so we may offer you upgrades or other products. (In the free version of the app, this option is enabled by default and does not appear.)

Troubleshooting

How can I uninstall AVG Cleaner from my device?

To uninstall AVG Cleaner:

1. Open your device Settings and go to Apps.
2. Select AVG Cleaner.
3. Tap Uninstall from the App info screen.

For detailed uninstallation instructions, refer to the following article:

• Uninstalling AVG Cleaner from Android

How can I report an issue to AVG Support?

We offer many self-help articles on the AVG Support pages. However, some issues may require deeper investigation by AVG Support.

If you have a paid subscription to AVG Cleaner Premium, you can contact AVG Support. Our support agents will help you resolve your issues.

How can I disable third-party ads in AVG Cleaner?

To eliminate third-party ads in AVG Cleaner, upgrade to AVG Cleaner Premium. Although we're confident that both the free and the paid version of the app significantly improve the performance of your device, AVG Cleaner Premium does not contain third-party ads and includes a range of additional features and benefits. You can start using AVG Cleaner Premium by tapping the Upgrade badge in the top-right corner of the dashboard.

Why wasn't everything cleaned?

The Cleaning results screen may show that an item Failed to be cleaned. For better cleaning results, follow the tips below:

• Ensure uninterrupted cleaning: Deep Clean and Sleep Mode navigate your device settings to clean cache and put apps to sleep. If this process is interrupted it may fail to complete.
• Select less items: Prioritize cleaning by selecting fewer items to clean at once. Additionally, use Filters in Sleep Mode to select the order that apps are cleaned.
• Reset Accessibility permission: Turn the Accessibility permission for AVG Cleaner off and on again via your device settings.

If the issue persists, you can send a message to AVG Support directly from the app in AVG Cleaner Premium.