Hint: Print these instructions out for easier reference!

1. Click on this link and then click on "Download Now".

2. On the next page, the download will start, but possibly, depending on your settings, Internet Explorer will show a message on the top of the page like this:

Click on that text and select "Download File…"

3.  A new dialog should appear:
Download Security Warning
You can save the file to a directory of your own choice if you want, or just run the setup program directly from the download. When selecting "Save", you will be prompted for a folder in which you want the file to be saved. But also rename the suggested file from "setupeng.exe" to some more obvious name, like "avastsetup.exe", and don’t forget the ".exe" at the end, otherwise the program will not start!

3. The download will begin:
Avast Setup Program Download Dialog
Make sure the checkbox "Close this dialog box when download is complete" is NOT checked!

4. When the download is finished and you have selected to "Run" the program without saving it (as in step 2), it will be started automatically. Otherwise you have to click on the "Open"-Button to launch it.

5. A new dialog box comes up, asking for "permission" to run this program:
Security Warning
Click on "Run" and the Setup will start:

6.  The setup program will ask you a couple of questions, but just keep hitting "Next" to accept the default settings, apart from the license text, where you have to click on "I accpet."

7.  When the installation is finished, Avast will ask you to perform a "boot time antivirus scan" - which is strongly recommended to do, so please click on "Yes".

8. Now you can decide whether to restart your system right now or later to complete the installation:
Avast Setup Final dialog

When your computer restarts, it will do a full antivirus scan, do not switch off the machine, it will take quite a while, depending on the amount of files on your harddrive.

At the last step, you should uninstall your old Antivirus-Software:

  1. Go to "Start", select "Control Panel" on the right
  2. a) In Windows XP, select "Add or Remove Programs"
    b) In Windows Vista, select "Programs and Features"
  3. Select your old Antivirus program (McAffee, BullGuard, AVG, etc.) and uninstall it.
Otherwise, both programs might block each other or might cause other, unwanted side effects.

Please use the "Comments" button below freely for any questions, remarks, information!