Scanning your PC for viruses with AVG AntiVirus

AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus FREE provide a range of scans to protect your PC from viruses and malware. This article contains detailed information on different scan types.

Scans overview

AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus FREE include the following scan types:

• Smart Scan: A comprehensive scan that checks your PC for viruses, malware, bad browser add-ons, and other issues.
• Deep Scan: A predefined, in-depth scan of your system that checks your storage drives and memory for malware (including rootkits).
• File or Folder Scan: Scans the folders you select when you initiate the scan. You can also scan a specific folder by right-clicking the folder in File Explorer or on your Windows desktop and selecting Scan selected items for viruses.
• Boot-time Scan: Scans your PC during the next system startup before any malware is launched. Running a Boot-time Scan during startup improves the chances of detecting and removing malware before it can attack your PC.
• USB / DVD Scan: Scans all removable media that is currently attached to your PC, such as USB flash drives and external hard drives.
• Performance Scan: Scans your system for useless data and other issues that may affect the speed and security of your PC. To resolve any issues that are detected, you must first install AVG TuneUp. If you have already installed AVG TuneUp, clicking this option loads the AVG TuneUp dashboard.

Run a scan

• To run a Smart Scan: Open AVG AntiVirus and click Run Smart Scan.
• To run a specialized scan: Open AVG AntiVirus, then click Run other scans and select a specialized scan from the list the appears.

The scan duration depends on the scan type and the amount of data to analyze. To cancel the scan, click Stop scan.

Create a custom scan

To create a custom scan that runs according to your specifications:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus, then click Run other scans and select Scheduled scans.
2. Click Create a new scan.
3. Enter a Scan name that will allow you to easily identify the scan, then use the drop-down menu to define the Scan type.
4. Under Frequency, select how often the scan will automatically run. If you do not want the scan to run without you manually triggering it, select Run manually.
5. If you configured your scan to run automatically, specify exactly when the scan will run by entering a Start time. Depending on the scan Frequency, you may additionally need to specify the Day of the week or the Day of the month that the scan runs.
6. Optionally, configure advanced settings for your scan. For more information about AVG scan settings, refer to the Adjust scan settings section in this article.

8. Click Create to finish and return to the Scheduled scans screen.

The new custom scan appears on your list of Scheduled scans.

The following options are available for all listed scans:

• Adjust scan settings: Hover your cursor over the relevant panel and click the … More options (three dots) that appears. Select Settings.
• Delete a scan: Hover your cursor over the relevant panel and click the … More options (three dots) that appears. Select Delete.
• Run a scan: Click Scan now next to the scan you want to run.

Adjust scan settings

Although customizable settings are available for all AVG scans, we recommend you only modify settings for Custom scans. To configure scan settings:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus and go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings.
2. Select Basic protection ▸ Scans in the left panel.
3. Select the tab for your chosen scan.
4. Adjust the scan settings below according to your preferences.

• Sensitivity: The higher the sensitivity, the higher the protection and potential for false positive malware detection. Lower sensitivity reduces the potential for false positive detections, but may reduce the effectiveness of the scan.
• Notify me about potentially unwanted programs: Scans for programs that are stealthily downloaded with other programs and typically perform unwanted activity.
• Unpack archive files: Enables AVG to unpack compressed files during the scan.
• Follow file-system links during scan: Scans other files used by the files being scanned for potentially harmful content.
• Test whole files: Scans entire files rather than only the parts typically affected by malicious code.
• Scan priority: Higher priority means the scan uses more system resources, but takes less time when other applications are running.
• Installers and archives: Define the types of archived files scanned on your PC:
  • Scan only common installers: Scans commonly used file types such as .zip, .rar, and other executable or installer archives.
  • Scan all archives: Analyzes all archive files, which significantly increases the scan duration.
  • Don't scan archives: Ignores archive files.
• Parts of your PC to scan: Define the areas scanned on your PC:
  • All hard disks: Scans all hard drives on your PC.
  • System drive (Recommended): Scans data that is saved on your hard drive only.
• File Types: Define the types of files scanned on your PC:
  • Content-based types (slow): Scans files that are typically most vulnerable to malware attacks.
  • Name extension-based types (fast): Scans files with only risky extensions, such as .exe, .com, .bat.
  • Scan all files (very slow): Scans all files on your PC for malware.
• Perform automatic actions during this scan: Enables AVG to perform actions automatically each time the scan detects a threat. Otherwise you are prompted to manually select an action for each threat. Specify your preferred automatic action:
  • Fix automatically (Recommended): AVG attempts to repair the file. If unsuccessful, it moves the file to the Quarantine or deletes the file if neither action is successful.
  • Move to Quarantine: AVG sends the file to Quarantine, where it cannot harm your system.
  • Delete: AVG permanently removes the file from your PC.
• Auto start programs: Allows AVG to scan programs that automatically start when you turn on your computer.
• Shut down computer after scan finishes: Enables AVG to turn off your PC after the scan completes.
• Generate report file: Enables AVG to create and store a report file automatically after the scan completes.
• View exceptions: Add file, folder, or URL that will be excluded from all AVG scans and shields. For more information, refer to the following article: Excluding certain files or websites from scanning in AVG AntiVirus.

View scan history

To view a full list of your completed scans:

1. Open AVG AntiVirus, then click Run other scans and select Scan history.
2. To view additional information about a listed scan, hover your cursor over the relevant panel, and click the down arrow that appears.