avast! 7.x: Switching between avast! Free Antivirus and avast! Internet Security - Soft Trial

If you are a user of an older version of avast! Free Antivirus and you try to manually perform the Program update, besides continuing with the 'Essential update' to the latest version, you might be offered to 'Try avast! Internet Security for free'. Selecting this option will upgrade existing avast! Free Antivirus to the latest Soft Trial version of avast! Internet Security 7.x which can be used for a free 20-day trial period. You can always switch back to the latest version of avast! Free Antivirus 7.x, or, if you are interested in avast! Internet Security 7.x, you need to purchase and insert a license file to continue to use the product when the 20-day trial period expires. For details please read the instructions below:

• Switching to avast! Internet Security 7.x - Soft Trial
  
  
• Switching back to avast! Free Antivirus 7.x
  
  
  

You can switch avast! Free Antivirus to the Soft Trial version of avast! Internet Security 7.x while manually invoking the Program update. To do so, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the avast! orange ball icon in the system tray, select 'Update' from the menu and then click 'Program',
   
   
   Figure I. A
   
   
   ...or you can click 'Update now' when avast! Information popup tells you about availability of an update above the avast! orange ball icon in the system tray,
   
   
   Figure II. A
   
   ...or double-click the avast! Free Antivirus desktop icon to open the avast! user interface,
   
   
   Figure III. A
   
   ...in the left pane click the 'MAINTENANCE' tab, from the submenu select 'Update', and then click the 'Update program' button.
   
   
   Figure IV. A
   
   
2. When a dialog box offering the Soft Trial version of avast! Internet Security 7.x will appear, click 'Try avast! Internet Security for free' to continue.
   
   Figure V. A
   Note:
   Selecting the option 'Essential update' will proceed only with a normal update to the latest version of avast! Free Antivirus 7.x - for more information please read the following article:
   
   
   • avast! 7.x: Upgrading from an older version of avast! Free Antivirus
     
     
   
   
3. The UPDATE screen in the avast! user interface shows you then an overall progress of the Program update.
   
   Figure VI. A
   
   
4. When it's done, you will be asked to restart your computer. Click 'Yes' to reboot immediately.
   
   Figure VII. A
   
   
5. Once the computer has restarted, you might be offered to install Google Chrome, if it isn't already present. By ticking the checkbox 'Make Google Chrome my default browser', you can also select, if it should be opened as your default web browser when accessing the Internet. For details please read enclosed Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Then click 'Finish' to complete the upgrade.
   
   Figure VIII. A
   
   

If you are interested in avast! Internet Security 7.x, you need to purchase and insert a license file to continue to use the product when the 20-day trial period expires. For more information and detailed step-by-step instructions please read the following article:

• avast! 7.x: Inserting the license file into avast! Internet Security
  

Figure IX. A

Once the license is inserted into the program, you can continue to use avast! Internet Security 7.x and receive automatic updates for 12, 24, or 36 months from the date of purchase, depending on the purchased license. At the end of that time, it will be necessary to purchase and insert a new license file for further use of the program and to remain protected against the very latest threats.

If you wish to switch back from the Soft Trial version of avast! Internet Security 7.x to the latest version of avast! Free Antivirus 7.x, please follow these steps:

1. Double-click the avast! Internet Security desktop icon to open the avast! user interface,
   
   
   Figure I. B
   
   ...in the left pane click the 'MAINTENANCE' tab, from the submenu select 'Subscription', on the bottom of the screen expand the section 'Other options' by clicking the arrow icon on the right, and then click the 'Switch me back to avast! Free' button.
   
   
   Figure II. B
   
   
2. In the meantime, a dialog box offering an upgrade promotion may popup. If you would not be interested in such an offer, just click the 'Switch back' button shown alongside.
   
   Figure III. B
   
   
3. The UPDATE screen in the avast! user interface shows you then an overall progress of the Program update.
   
   Figure VI. B
   
   
4. When it's done, you will be asked to restart your computer. Click 'Yes' to reboot.
   
   Figure V. B
   
   

Once the computer has restarted, the latest version of avast! Free Antivirus 7.x should be back on your computer and ready to use. If you have not registered it yet during 30 days trial period after the initial installation, you need to register to get your free license to continue to use it and stay protected. For more information and detailed step-by-step instructions please read the following article:

• avast! 7.x: Registering avast! Free Antivirus
  

Figure VI. B

Once you have registered the program, you can continue to use avast! Free Antivirus 7.x and receive automatic updates for 12 months from the date of registration. At the end of that time, it will be necessary simply to register for a new free license for further use of the program and to remain protected against the very latest threats.

avast! Internet Security 7.x
avast! Free Antivirus 7.x

Operating systems:

Microsoft Windows 8 / Pro / Enterprise
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic / Home Premium / Professional / Enterprise / Ultimate
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic / Home Premium / Business / Enterprise / Ultimate
Microsoft Windows XP Home / Professional / Media Center Edition