AVG AntiVirus for Android - FAQs

General

What is AVG AntiVirus for Android?

AVG AntiVirus for Android is a security app that helps protect your mobile device against unwanted phishing, malware, and spyware, as well as malicious viruses such as trojans. In addition, the embedded Anti-Theft feature allows you to locate and track your lost or stolen device on a map with our web-based mobile tracking that uses GPS and other triangulation methods.

How does AVG AntiVirus help protect my Android device?

AVG AntiVirus helps protect your Android device from known malware and threats, and monitors data going in and out according to your preferences. We do our best to protect your device against all possible threats, but no solution is 100% effective.

Like all products on the Android market, it is subject to limitations imposed by the operating system version that is running on the device. It cannot protect against exploits targeting specific vulnerabilities in the OS kernel, the network stack and other fundamental parts of the system. However, we take our role in the security industry seriously, and continuously work with Android vendors to develop future solutions to minimize the risk of attacks.

Download and Installation

What are the system requirements for AVG AntiVirus?

AVG AntiVirus supports both Android phones and tablets. The app is compatible with most ARM Android devices. However, each vendor or manufacturer makes slight changes in their devices, so some features may behave unexpectedly or, in rare cases, not work. Please note that AVG cannot cover all vendor customizations to the OS. However, we gladly accept feedback if you experience any compatibility issues on your Android device.

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 AntiVirus on Android?

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

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

Subscription and Activation

What are the benefits of an AVG AntiVirus Pro subscription?

AVG AntiVirus Pro is the paid version of the app. With a paid subscription, you can take advantage of the following premium features:

• Remove ads: Eliminate third-party ads from your AVG AntiVirus experience.
• App Lock: Protect access to your apps with a PIN.
• Automatic scan: Allows you to set a day of the week and time for the app to scan your device automatically.
• Scam Protection: Scan links before opening in your browser to protect you from phishing scam websites.
• Photo Vault: Secure storage of an unlimited number of photos in an encrypted vault on your device.
• AVG Direct Support: Receive prioritized responses to your support inquiries.

In addition to AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android, we also offer the following paid subscription:

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

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

1. Tap Upgrade in the top-right corner of the main app screen.
2. Select your preferred plan, then tap Upgrade now.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the transaction.

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 AntiVirus installed.

Is my subscription for AVG AntiVirus Pro also valid for other paid AVG apps?

No. If you subscribe to AVG AntiVirus Pro, your subscription is valid only for this app. AVG Mobile Pro Plus and AVG Mobile Ultimate subscriptions give access to some other paid AVG Android apps.

What happens if I upgrade from my current subscription to a different subscription?

When you upgrade from one paid version of AVG AntiVirus to another (for example, from AVG AntiVirus Pro 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 upgrade subscription for a period of time that is equivalent to the value of that unused subscription at no extra cost. This 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 AntiVirus subscription on another Android device?

To start using your AVG AntiVirus on another Android device, refer to the following article: Transferring or restoring AVG mobile subscriptions.

How can I cancel a paid AVG AntiVirus subscription?

Uninstalling the AVG AntiVirus app from your Android device does not cancel your paid subscription, and you will continue to be charged for the subscription until you cancel it. To cancel a subscription, ensure that you are signed into Google Play Store with the Google Account that you used to purchase the subscription, then follow these steps:

1. On the Home screen of your device, tap the Google Play Store icon to open the store.
2. Tap the user icon in the top-right corner, then select Payments & subscriptions ▸ Subscriptions.
3. Tap the subscription you want to cancel and select Cancel Subscription.

Google Play Store confirms the subscription is canceled. Your subscription is canceled and will stop at the end of the current billing cycle.

What can I do if AVG AntiVirus does not detect my paid subscription?

In rare cases, AVG AntiVirus does not detect your valid subscription and displays the No subscriptions found message when you try to restore your subscription. For instructions to resolve this issue, refer to the following article: Troubleshooting activation issues in AVG mobile apps.

Features

What is Scan now?

The Scan now button on the main app screen scans apps installed on your device and informs you about security risks caused by changes in default Android settings.

AVG AntiVirus automatically scans newly installed apps the first time they are run. If malware is detected, AVG AntiVirus offers to uninstall the app or to delete the file. If an app or file is incorrectly identified as malware, you can report the false-positive detection directly to AVG Threat Labs.

To schedule automatic scans, tap Explore ▸ Scan Center and select Automatically scan for threats. Ensure the slider is green (ON), and select the Scan days and Scan time when you want the scan to automatically run.

What is Hack alerts?

Hack alerts monitors the accounts connected to your email address and notifies you if there has been a hack or leak.

To check if your account passwords have been leaked:

1. Tap Hack alerts.
2. Sign in to an email account or continue with a previously connected account.
3. Wait while AVG AntiVirus scans for leaked data involving your email address.

The scan results show any affected online accounts or the message No leaks found.

Once Hack alerts is enabled, you can manually check for leaks any time by tapping Check now, adding an email address to check, and tapping Check data breaches.

What is Clean junk?

When you tap the Clean junk tile on the main app screen, AVG AntiVirus analyzes your device and displays the amount of storage space that is being used by junk files. Untick any items that you do not want to clean, then release space on your device by tapping Clean.

The Clean junk feature cleans three types of files:

• Temporary app files: Temporary data that can be deleted with no impact on app functionality.
• Used installation files: APK files used by sources other than Google Play.
• Advertisement cache: Data from folders where ad systems save their resources.

To free more space, install the AVG Cleaner app directly from the Deep Clean results screen.

What is Scan Wi-Fi / Network Inspector?

The Scan Wi-Fi tile on the main app screen scans your network for problems with your router, encryption, Wi-Fi, and connection. When this action is complete, the app advises whether the network you are connected to is safe. Any detected issues are described, along with instructions to resolve the issues. After scanning, the Scan Wi-Fi tile changes to Check speed.

What is Check Speed / Wi-Fi Speed Test?

Once the Wi-Fi network that you are currently connected to has been scanned for problems using Scan Wi-Fi, the Scan Wi-Fi tile becomes Check speed. When you tap Check speed, the app measures and rates your network's current download and upload speeds. This feature is also accessible via Explore ▸ Wi-Fi Speed Test.

What is Web Shield?

Web Shield is designed to automatically block malicious URLs that could harm your device or steal info like your personal data or passwords. You can always unblock these URLs at your own risk, or add additional websites to the blocked list. Web Shield also warns you when you visit a potentially sensitive website, and advises you to turn on your VPN for additional protection.

To access Web Shield, tap Explore ▸ Web Shield.

What is Scam Protection?

Scam Protection is a premium feature that helps protect you from being exposed to phishing scam websites that might attempt to steal your credit card information, passwords, and other personal information. It is designed to work with the most popular browsers available in the Google Play Store.

 

When enabled, AVG AntiVirus opens behind the scenes to quickly scan links from outside of your web browser (for example, from an email, SMS, or messaging app). If the link is safe, it opens in your default browser as usual. If the link is dangerous, it displays a pop-up warning so that you can decide to return to safety or continue at your own risk. To enable this feature:

1. Tap Explore ▸ Scam Protection.
2. If you are using Scam Protection for the first time, tap Start setup. Alternatively, tap Turn on.
3. Tap Set default browser to open your device settings.
4. Tap Browser app, then select AVG AntiVirus as your default web browser in your Android settings. This requirement is only a system formality so that AVG AntiVirus can scan for threats. Scam Protection is designed to open a link in a third-party web browser after checking it.
   The location of default browser app preferences within the Android settings may differ by Android version or device manufacturer. For example, go to Settings ▸ Application ▸ Advanced (if applicable) ▸ Default application ▸ Browser app to set AVG AntiVirus as your default browser.

Scam Protection is now enabled.

What is App Lock?

App Lock is a premium feature available in AVG AntiVirus Pro that helps protect your sensitive apps with a PIN or pattern. If you are able to unlock your device with a fingerprint, you can also use this option for App Lock. To enable this feature:

1. Tap Explore ▸ App Lock.
2. If you are using App Lock for the first time, tap Get started.
3. If prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to Set up PIN and Grant permissions. You can optionally define a swipe pattern or set up fingerprint unlocking.
4. Tap Enable app lock.
5. To protect an app, tap the relevant slider so that it changes to green (ON). Locked apps appear under Locked apps and unlocked apps appear under Recommended apps.

Once App Lock is enabled, you can modify your App Lock settings by tapping ⋮ More options (the three dots) ▸ Settings in the top-right corner of the main App Lock screen. The following options are available:

• Select PIN & pattern to create or change your PIN, set a pattern, or set up fingerprint unlocking.
• Select App Lock timeout to specify when apps are locked.

App Lock is now configured and ready to use. To disable this feature, tap the slider at the top of the main App Lock screen so that it changes to (OFF).

What is Photo Vault?

Photo Vault allows you to protect access to photos stored on your device with a PIN code. Photos that are moved to Photo Vault are encrypted and hidden. You can access Photo Vault via Explore ▸ Photo Vault. To add a photo to Photo Vault, tap Add photo and select one of the following options:

• Take new photo: Take photos and directly add them to Photo Vault.
  1. Take a photo with your camera.
  2. Tap OK to place the photo in the Vault, or tap Retry to take the photo again.
• Import from gallery: Select photos from your existing gallery and add them to Photo Vault.
  1. Tick the photo(s) that you want to protect.
  2. Tap Hide now.

To remove photos from Photo Vault, tick the photo(s) you want to remove and tap the relevant icon at the top of the screen:

• Export icon: Exports a photo back to the original location and makes it visible to others.
• Trash icon: Removes a photo from the Vault and from the original location. This action cannot be undone.

If you forget your PIN:

1. When you are asked to enter your PIN, tap Forgot your PIN?.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PIN using your Google Account credentials.

In the free version of AVG AntiVirus, you can protect up to 10 photos. To secure an unlimited number of photos, upgrade to a paid version of AVG AntiVirus.

What is App Insights?

App Insights provides you with usage information about the apps on your device, and allows you to view which permissions are required by your installed apps. To access App Insights, tap Explore ▸ App Insights.

Select one of the tabs at the top of the screen:

• Apps: Shows a list of your installed apps and allows you to uninstall or view the app info for each.
• Permissions: Allows you to view the different types of permissions each of your apps requires.

VPN Protection

What is VPN Protection?

The VPN Protection feature allows you to connect to the internet via secure AVG VPN servers, using an encrypted tunnel to help protect your online activity from eavesdropping. VPN in AVG AntiVirus for Android offers:

• Protection: When many people are connected to the same public network, attackers can capture sensitive data, such as logins and passwords. The encrypted VPN connection provides effective protection against these types of attacks.
• Anonymization: With broadband connections, many people have fixed IP addresses, which can be tracked when browsing sensitive sites. With a VPN connection, the browsing session is effectively anonymized, as the IP address the remote server sees is the address of the VPN server, not the user.
• Access content around the world: Using a VPN allows you to access servers in different parts of the world.

What is the difference between the VPN feature in AVG AntiVirus for Android and the AVG Secure VPN app?

Both the VPN Protection feature in AVG AntiVirus for Android and the AVG Secure VPN app allow you to connect to the internet via AVG VPN servers, helping protect your personal data, and effectively anonymizing your online activity. When you connect to our VPN servers using the VPN Protection feature in AVG AntiVirus for Android, you can choose from the same list of server locations that is available in AVG Secure VPN.

The AVG Secure VPN app contains certain advanced settings options that are not available in AVG AntiVirus for Android, including Auto Connect and Split Tunneling. For more information, refer to the following article: AVG Secure VPN - Frequently Asked Questions.

How can I add the VPN feature to AVG AntiVirus for Android?

The VPN feature in AVG AntiVirus is available for Android devices with an AVG Mobile Ultimate subscription.

Can I use my subscription for AVG Secure VPN to activate the VPN feature in AVG AntiVirus for Android?

No. In this case you would continue to use AVG Secure VPN as a separate app. However, the activation code from an AVG Mobile Ultimate subscription can be used to activate either the VPN feature in AVG AntiVirus or AVG Secure VPN (for use on up to 5 Android devices simultaneously).

Settings

How do I change the notifications I see in AVG AntiVirus?

To manage notifications in AVG AntiVirus, tap Account ▸ Settings ▸ Notifications.

For detailed notifications information, refer to the following article: Managing notifications and ads in AVG AntiVirus for Android.

How can I disable or customize the permanent notification?

The permanent notification ensures your device's protection by preventing Android from stopping AVG AntiVirus processes. On devices running Android 8.0 or higher, disabling the permanent notification is not an option. However, the notification can be minimized or configured for minimal interruption via your device settings. For more information, refer to the following article: Explaining Android notifications about AVG AntiVirus for Android running in the background.

How can I customize my protection settings?

Protection components in AVG AntiVirus monitor and scan your device to detect suspicious activity and help protect you against malware and viruses.

Tap Account ▸ Settings ▸ Protection to access the following options:

• Automatic scan: Allows you to set a schedule for scanning. Select a day of the week and time for the app to scan your device automatically.
• App Shield: Scans apps after installation.
• File Shield: Scans your device for malicious files.
• Virus database: Shows your app version and update details.

How can I change App Lock timeout settings?

To specify when apps will be locked by the App Lock feature, tap Account ▸ Settings ▸ Lock settings and tap App Lock timeout. The following options are available:

• Immediately: Locks an app immediately after you send it to the background.
• After 10 seconds: Locks an app 10 seconds after you send it to the background.
• After 30 seconds: Locks an app 30 seconds after you send it to the background.
• After 1 minute: Locks an app 1 minute after you send it to the background.
• When screen turns off: Locks an app when your device screen turns off.

When this or another app managed by App Lock is launched within the selected timeout, the countdown stops and restarts. Regardless of the timeout settings, App Lock always locks your apps when your screen turns off.

When one app is unlocked, all other apps managed by App Lock are also automatically unlocked so you can access all your apps within the timeout period.

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

1. Open AVG AntiVirus and tap Account ▸ About.
2. Verify your current app version under AVG AntiVirus.

Where can I find My statistics?

My statistics is available via Account ▸ My statistics.

My statistics allows you to see all activity performed by AVG AntiVirus for Android. This mainly includes updates and scans.

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

To manage your data sharing preferences, tap Account ▸ Settings ▸ Privacy policy. Tap the slider next to one of the following options so that it changes to green (ON) to opt in, or gray (OFF) to opt out:

• Improvements
  • Share threat data
  • Share app-usage data
  • Collect app-usage data
• Offers
  • Share app-usage data (In the free version of AVG AntiVirus, this option is enabled by default and does not appear)

How can I check if my virus database is updated?

The virus database is updated automatically. Tap Account ▸ Settings ▸ Protection ▸ Virus database to check the current virus database version and the date when it was installed. To prevent AVG AntiVirus from updating when you are using mobile data to connect to the internet, tap the slider next to Automatically update over Wi-Fi so that it changes to green (ON). We do not recommend keeping this setting enabled.

Troubleshooting

How can I uninstall AVG AntiVirus from Android?

If you no longer want to use Avast Mobile Security, you need to cancel your subscription before uninstalling the app from your device.

For detailed uninstallation instructions, refer to the following article: Uninstalling AVG AntiVirus.

How can I disable third-party ads in AVG AntiVirus for Android?

To support the ongoing development of AVG AntiVirus, the free version of the app includes third-party ads that do not interfere with app usage. Paid versions of AVG AntiVirus are ad-free and include a range of additional premium features and benefits. Subscribe to a paid version of AVG AntiVirus by tapping Upgrade in the top-right corner of the main app screen.

Alternatively, you can purchase an Ad Free subscription. This option removes third-party ads from AVG AntiVirus, but does not include any additional premium features and benefits. An Ad Free subscription is only available after you have used the Free version of AVG AntiVirus for approximately 40-50 days. When this subscription option is available, the 'Remove ads' panel appears on the main app screen. To purchase an Ad Free subscription, tap the gray (OFF) slider next to Remove ads and follow the on-screen instructions.

What should I do if the Accessibility permission is disabled repeatedly?

To improve performance, some Android devices force apps to stop when your device screen turns off. This often causes apps with the Accessibility permission to lose this permission.

To re-enable the Accessibility permission, open your device settings, search for Accessibility, then grant this permission to AVG AntiVirus.

We recommend changing your system settings to prevent AVG AntiVirus from losing the permission. For detailed instructions, refer to the following article: Preventing your Android device from stopping AVG apps.

How can I reset the PIN for App Lock?

If you forget your App Lock PIN, reset it by following these steps:

1. Tap Explore ▸ App Lock.
2. Tap ⋮ More options (the three dots) in the top-right corner and select Reset PIN.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset the PIN using your Google Account credentials.

What should I do if AVG AntiVirus crashes or stops running?

Try one of the following options:

• Fully uninstall and then reinstall AVG AntiVirus.
• Report the issue to AVG Support so that our support agents can perform a deeper analysis of the issue.
• Join the AVG beta program to test the latest versions of AVG Android apps before public release. This means that you receive app updates and bug fixes earlier.
• If you are running Android 7.9 or lower, ensure that permanent notification is enabled. If it is disabled, Android may kill the AVG AntiVirus process and stop the app. On Android 8 and higher it is not possible to disable the permanent notification.

What can I do when AVG AntiVirus for Android cannot remove malware?

In rare cases, AVG AntiVirus detects malware but cannot uninstall it. This is usually caused by the level of permissions granted to the suspicious app, or by the app being installed as a system app. For more information, refer to the following article: Resolving a malware removal issue in AVG AntiVirus for Android.

How can I report a false positive detection to AVG Threat Labs?

In rare cases, AVG AntiVirus may detect and mark a clean file as malware. You can report false detections to AVG Threat Labs directly from the scan results screen:

1. Tap ⋮ More options (the three dots) next to the detected file that you want to report.
2. Select the Report as false positive option.
3. Type a description of the issue and enter your email address (if you want to be notified when the file analysis is finished).
4. Tap Send.

How can I disable sound alerts for background notifications from AVG AntiVirus?

On certain Honor or Huawei devices, a sound plays each time you receive a notification from AVG AntiVirus. To prevent this, follow the steps below on your Honor or Huawei device:

1. Open your device Settings and go to Apps & notifications.
2. Select Notifications management.
3. Tap AVG AntiVirus for Android, then select Background services.
4. Tap the blue (ON) slider next to Ringtone, so it changes to gray (OFF).

A sound no longer plays each time you receive a notification from AVG AntiVirus.

Why does AVG AntiVirus need so many permissions?

AVG AntiVirus for Android requires many permissions that may initially seem unnecessary. This is because permission classifications in Android are assigned a name based on the most common use case, but does not describe all the kinds of processes that require the permission. For example, the full internet access permission is required to receive updates to malware definitions, and Scan and Web Shield need permission to read phone data so the data can be scanned for threats.

We take your privacy very seriously. The permissions requested are the minimum set that are needed to implement the functionality of AVG AntiVirus for Android. For more information, refer to the following article: Permissions required by AVG AntiVirus for 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.

Report any issues to our support team using the instructions in the following article: Reporting an issue with AVG Android apps to AVG Support.