How to recover the files deleted by Avast antivirus?

How to recover the files deleted by Avast antivirus? What to do if Avast has blocked the program, how to unblock it? Often the Avast antivirus deletes files – it can be personal data or program executable files, declaring them as threats. But what to do if these files and applications are not threats but Avast blocks them by mistake? How to restore the data from the antivirus quarantine? How to recover the data if they were deleted by the antivirus? Let’s look into these and other questions.

How to recover the files deleted by Avast antivirus?

Contents

  1. Why does Avast delete the user files?
  2. Restoring quarantined files
  3. What to do to avoid Avast from deleting files?
  4. Avast quarantine settings
  5. Restoring the files that were fully deleted by Avast

Why does Avast delete the user files?

The well-known Avast antivirus, like any other antivirus, is intended to safeguard our IT security — security of our computers and personal data. During active protection Avast detects the files, that according to its antivirus database, can pose a threat. Usually these are the files infected with viruses. If the files can be disinfected — the antivirus restores them. If not, it moves them to a special Avast virus repositoryquarantine. If the file cannot be quarantined, the antivirus deletes it.

Avast deletes the files without asking us — the users. The antivirus does not need our permission to quarantine or disinfect any suspicious files. We will not be asked anything if a threat is detected. And if Avast does not work in silent mode, where screen notifications are disabled, but it works in regular mode, we will just see the small window with the message “Threat sequred“. That is all.

Threat sequred

Why does Avast delete EXE files? The antivirus can detect threats in various types of files, but most often and with particular distrust is placed on EXE files.

It can be:

  • Program-installers;
  • Launcher-files for portable programs;
  • Command prompt start scripts;

These files can be used to disguise the launch of viruses, Trojans, and spyware.

EXE files are often destroyed by anti-viruses, if this is the case:

  • Pirate cracked programs;
  • Utilities for generating keys to licensed programs;
  • Command prompt start scripts;
  • Mining software;
  • Artisanal Utilities;
  • Running command prompt scripts;
  • Self-written programs;

The first three types are doubtful software. The last three types of EXE antivirus are treated suspiciously because they do not have information about their reputation in their database.

Restoring quarantined files

Not all the files considered by the antivirus as threats are viruses. The antivirus may make a mistake. And if you are 100% sure that your file is safe, you can return it. If you are not 100% sure that your file is safe, check on the Internet for more information about the file. Or ask about the site where you downloaded your file.

Files blocked by the antivirus must be searched for in Quarantine. Avast quarantine is a collection of viruses that Avast has blocked. More precisely, not viruses, but objects that the antivirus has identified as threats, which can include viruses, of course. After Avast intercepts files, they get quarantined by it. This is a secure location – a place isolated from the operating system where these files cannot harm the system or our data. Quarantined files cannot be accessed by users, or third-party programs and processes.

How can I recover a file from Avast quarantine? If we have seen the window with the message “The threat has been resolved“, you can click “See details” on it.

Threat secured -- see details

Then click “Open Quarantine

Open the Avast quarantine

If you did not succeed in clicking this message and it is already gone – open the antivirus and go to the “Protection” section, in the “Quarantine” section.

Avast quarantine

It is the quarantine with all blocked files. To update a file, click on its menu. Then click “Restore” or “Restore and add to exceptions

How to recover the files from the Avast quarantine

The second option is better to use, as in this case, Avast will not remove your file repeatedly afterward. Adding a file to exclude is giving the file the status of exclusionary, to which Avast’s active protection and antivirus scanning will not be applied.

What to do to avoid Avast from deleting files?

How to prevent Avast from deleting files? Certain files, folders, networks, sites, and command prompt scripts can be included in the virus exclusion list beforehand. In the anti-virus menu, select “Settings

The Avast settings

In the “General” section, go to “Exceptions“. There are two options here – “ADD EXCEPTION” and “ADD ADVANCED EXCEPTION

The Avast Exceptions

In the first case, we specify local exception. Just click on “BROWSE“, select the file and press “ADD EXCEPTION

Add Avast Exceptions

In the second case, we can add local, network or Internet addresses to exceptions. Just click the “BROWSE” button, specify folders, individual files, command prompt scripts, or site domains, and click “ADD EXCEPTIONS“. You can also choose for what core shields the exceptions will be applied. Do do this click the desired checkboxes.

Add the advanced Avast Exception

One more way is simply disabling the antivirus when you run files that can be considered a threat. To disable Avast, click “Protection” button and then click “Core Shields

Avast core shields

Then deactivate two switchers near “File Shield” function. You can also disable the “Web Shield” function. It can be a good solution if Avast does not allow you to download a file from any website.

Disabling the Avast core shields

In both cases, it is necessary to specify for what time we want to deactivate Avast.

Avast disabling time

Then your Avast antivirus will be disabled.

Avast quarantine settings

It is possible that the file intercepted by the antivirus will not be quarantined. It happens when a malicious object blocks its placement into quarantine, and then the antivirus is forced to completely remove it from the computer. It can also be the case when the file is larger than the quarantine storage, or it is overloaded. Select the “Settings” in the Avast menu, go to the “Protection” section, and the “Quarantine” section. Here you can see the maximum size of the Avast quarantine. By default, it is 5120 MB, which is little more than 5 GB. If necessary, this size can be increased just by specifying a new size.

Avast quarantine settings

Then, you will be able to recover the file if Avast delete it by mistake.

It is also important not to foul the quarantine storage, as you need to have the free space for the files, which got to the quarantine by mistake. To free up the quarantine space you have to clean it periodically. In the Avast quarantine it can be done with the special button, which looks like the recycle bin.

Cleaning up the Avast quarantine

Restoring the files that were fully deleted by Avast

What can I do if it’s impossible to restore a file in Avast quarantine? If the file is not there. Does it mean that the antivirus deleted the file completely from the computer?

In this case you need to go to the data recovery procedure, and use a special program with good update algorithms. For example, RS Partition Recovery.

RS Partition Recovery

RS Partition Recovery

All-in-one data recovery software

Frequently Asked Questions

Avast, like any other antivirus, may make some wrong actions. For example, it is not uncommon when it removes the safe files instead of viruses. Most often it’s are the files that are not n Avast database.
You can restore the files blocked by Avast in the quarantine. Just select the desired file and click the "Restore" button.
Avast Quarantine is located in the "Protection" section, in "Quarantine" subsection.
If the file is not in Avast quarantine, you can restore the file only with the help of special software for data recovering. You can use the program RS Partition Recovery for this purpose.
Leave a comment

Related Posts

How to Recover Data from VMDK Disks Virtual Machines
How to Recover Data from VMDK Disks Virtual Machines
Virtual machines are becoming increasingly popular for all common purposes. Developers use virtual machines to make, test and debug applications, while many home users employ virtual machines to run alternative operating systems (such as Windows on Mac computers or Ubuntu … Continue reading
Swap file in Windows 10: optimal size, how to change, move, disable or delete it?
Swap file in Windows 10: optimal size, how to change, move, disable or delete it?
Windows users have often heard about some page and swap file. In this article, we will discuss what it is, what it is used for, and how to set it up correctly.
Windows File Systems: What You Need to Know (and Why)
Windows File Systems: What You Need to Know (and Why)
Did you know Windows Phone uses NTFS? Why most memory cards and nearly all USB pen drive are still using the ancient FAT? How come you can store full-length HD movies on some flash drives but not the others? Why … Continue reading
Using Symbolic and Hard Links in Windows
Using Symbolic and Hard Links in Windows
Below we will analyze the notion of hard and symbolic links in Windows, tell you about their primary purpose and key differences. You can also learn how to create links using standard Windows methods or special software quickly.
Online Chat with Recovery Software