AVG Antivirus is a powerful security tool designed to safeguard your devices with features like real-time protection, malware scanning, and ransomware blocking. But what happens when AVG’s real-time protection stops working?
This feature is your first line of defense, monitoring files and activity in real-time. If it becomes disabled or fails to activate, your system could be exposed to serious threats.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through why AVG real-time protection isn’t working and how to fix the problem step by step. Let’s get your antivirus running at full strength again.
Why AVG Real-Time Protection Stops Working
Several factors may cause real-time protection to fail or remain disabled in AVG:
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Corrupted installation or update
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Conflicts with other security software
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Expired AVG subscription
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Disabled services or Windows settings
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Malware interference
Fortunately, most of these issues can be resolved without needing advanced technical skills.
Step-by-Step Fixes for AVG Real-Time Protection Not Working
1. Restart Your PC
It sounds basic, but a simple reboot can reset background services and fix temporary glitches causing AVG to malfunction.
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Save your work and restart your computer.
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After restarting, open AVG and check if real-time protection is now active.
If the issue persists, proceed with deeper troubleshooting.
2. Check Your AVG Subscription Status
If you’re using a trial or premium version, ensure your subscription hasn’t expired.
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Open AVG and click Menu > My Subscriptions.
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Check the status of your plan.
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If expired, renew to re-enable full protection features.
Free users should still have basic real-time protection, so if it’s missing, other issues might be causing it.
3. Manually Enable Real-Time Protection
Sometimes, real-time protection gets turned off unintentionally. Here’s how to turn it back on:
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Open AVG Antivirus.
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Go to Menu > Settings > Basic Protection.
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Click on Computer Protection > File Shield.
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Make sure File Shield is enabled.
If the toggle refuses to activate, try running AVG as administrator (right-click the AVG shortcut > Run as administrator).
4. Repair AVG Installation
AVG’s built-in repair feature can fix any missing or corrupted files that are interfering with real-time protection.
To repair AVG:
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Open Control Panel > Programs and Features.
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Locate AVG Antivirus and click Uninstall/Change.
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Select Repair from the installer options.
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Allow the process to complete and restart your computer.
After restarting, check if real-time protection is functioning properly.
5. Disable Conflicting Software
Other antivirus programs or firewalls can clash with AVG, especially those offering similar real-time scanning features.
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Temporarily uninstall any other antivirus or anti-malware tools.
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Reboot your system.
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Launch AVG again to see if real-time protection activates.
Don’t run multiple antivirus tools at the same time—they often interfere with each other and reduce system protection.
6. Update AVG to the Latest Version
Running an outdated version of AVG may cause functionality issues, especially if there’s a compatibility mismatch with your OS.
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Open AVG and go to Menu > Settings > Update.
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Click Check for Updates.
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Allow the update to install, then reboot.
If AVG won’t update, consider reinstalling it from the official website to ensure you’re running the latest build.
7. Check Windows Security Settings
Sometimes, Windows Security Center may interfere with third-party antivirus tools like AVG.
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Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection.
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Click Manage Providers.
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Ensure AVG Antivirus is listed as the active antivirus provider.
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If not, disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus temporarily and restart your PC.
This can sometimes reset priority to AVG, resolving real-time issues.
8. Perform a Malware Scan
Ironically, malware can disable or block antivirus features to keep itself hidden.
If you suspect malware:
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Use Microsoft Defender Offline Scan or download Malwarebytes Free.
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Perform a full system scan.
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Remove any threats, then restart your PC and try re-enabling AVG’s protection.
9. Clean Reinstall AVG Antivirus
As a last resort, a clean reinstall ensures that all settings, corrupt files, and interference are wiped out.
How to clean reinstall:
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Download the AVG Clear tool.
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Boot your PC in Safe Mode.
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Run AVG Clear and remove all AVG files.
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Restart your system.
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Download and install the latest version of AVG from the official site.
This should give you a fresh start with real-time protection fully enabled.
Final Thoughts
If AVG real-time protection isn’t working, your computer’s security is significantly compromised. But the good news is, most of these issues can be solved using simple steps like repairing, updating, or reinstalling the software.
To keep your system protected:
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Regularly update AVG and Windows
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Avoid running multiple antivirus tools
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Scan your system weekly
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Back up important files just in case
With AVG running smoothly and real-time protection active, you can browse, download, and work with peace of mind.
