How to disable Avast Antivirus - Cybernews Aug 2, 2022 · How to temporarily disable Avast: 3 steps Deactivating Avast entirely means you’ll be left with no protection; it’s like having no antivirus at all. That’s great if you’re having trouble opening a certain file (that you’re sure isn’t malware), but it should be used temporarily and sparingly. Here’s how to pause Avast antivirus: