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Avast’s current support pages call Web Shield Web Guard. In Avast Antivirus for Windows, Web Guard scans web activity and can block malicious URLs or content; its HTTPS scanning checks encrypted traffic for potential malware. Avast says HTTPS scanning is enabled by default on Windows. It adds a layer of protection, not a guarantee that every threat will be caught.
What is Web Shield in Avast?
Web Shield is the former name for Web Guard, Avast’s web-protection feature. Avast says Web Guard scans web activity and can block malicious URLs or content before they reach you. The current name and description appear in Avast’s Web Guard support information and its Scam Guardian Pro FAQ.
That function is narrower than a promise of complete online protection: the documentation describes scanning and blocking capabilities, not a guarantee against every malicious page, download, or other online threat.
What is HTTPS scanning in Avast Antivirus?
HTTPS encrypts the connection between a browser and a website, but encryption does not establish that the page or files delivered through it are safe. Avast describes HTTPS scanning as a Web Guard function that decrypts and checks encrypted traffic for potential malware.
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Avast says this scanning takes place locally on the Windows PC during the connection. Its FAQ states: “All scanning occurs locally on your PC during the HTTPS connection.” That is Avast’s description of its own product behavior, not an independent security assessment. See Avast’s HTTPS scanning FAQ.
Does Avast scan all HTTPS connections?
Avast says Web Guard scans HTTPS connections except for verified safe sites, primarily banking sites. So “all” does not mean every connection without exception. This qualification is also from Avast’s HTTPS scanning FAQ.
How do I turn on or disable HTTPS scanning?
These steps apply to Avast Antivirus for Windows, including the consumer products covered by Avast’s instructions. Avast’s support article was updated February 2, 2026; labels may change, so consult the current Windows instructions if your interface differs.
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Open Avast Antivirus and select ☰ Menu → Settings → Scam Guardian → Web Guard.
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To enable scanning, turn on Enable HTTPS scanning. Avast says the feature is enabled by default on Windows Avast Antivirus.
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To disable it for troubleshooting, turn off Enable HTTPS scanning in the same settings area.
Disabling the feature means Avast cannot inspect malware delivered through HTTPS in the same way: Avast warns that such malware remains hidden behind TLS/SSL encryption and that the computer is more vulnerable. Treat turning it off as a troubleshooting choice, not a general performance setting.
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An exclusion can help investigate a compatibility problem or a false positive, but it also removes scanning coverage for the excluded item. If you need one, keep it limited to the specific trusted site or item causing the problem, and follow the instructions for your operating system and Avast product rather than excluding broadly.
Avast’s managed-product documentation describes web-scanning exclusions and other policy controls in Avast Business Help’s Web Guard guide. The Mac support page says exclusions can help with speed or false-positive detections but are generally not recommended: Managing Core Shields in Avast Security and Avast Premium Security for Mac.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do Web Guard controls differ by platform?
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Product context |
What the documentation covers |
Where to find instructions |
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Avast Antivirus for Windows |
Consumer Web Guard settings, including the HTTPS scanning toggle. |
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Avast Security or Avast Premium Security for Mac |
Web Guard is covered among Core Shields, with Mac-specific secure-connection and URL-exclusion controls. Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
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Avast Business |
Managed policy controls include web and HTTPS scanning, script scanning, URL blocking, downloaded file types, threat actions, site blocking, and exclusions. Business documentation warns that scanning all files may considerably slow scanning and browsing; this caveat applies to the described managed configuration, not necessarily every consumer edition. |
These products do not share one universal settings path. Use the instructions for the specific operating system and edition you have rather than applying a business-policy setting to a consumer installation.
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