What is AvLaunch.exe?

In most cases, AvLaunch.exe is a legitimate process that belongs to the Avast Antivirus by Avast, a software vendor based in the Czech Republic. AvLaunch.exe is used to launch the Avast antivirus program and you have likely encountered it if you have the free antivirus software installed on your computer.

That said, malware creators and hackers, in general, like to name their malicious programs AvLaunch.exe because that way, it is easier to trick victims into installing viruses on their computer.

If your computer gets infected with the AvLaunch.exe malware, you might begin to notice some symptoms:

• Fluctuations in the internet connections
• Unusual slowness on your computer
• Annoying popup ads
• Infections by other malware entities
• Reduced system performance

Does your computer experience any of these symptoms after launching the AvLaunch.exe file? If so, your PC could be infected by a malware entity and it is time that you took steps to remove it.

How to Remove AvLaunch.exe

If you believe that the AvLaunch.exe is a malware entity, then you can use a legitimate anti-malware software to remove it entirely. Outbyte Antivirus is really good at tackling menaces such as the AvLaunch.exe process. It will also make it difficult for the malware to install other malware entities.

You should also know that the file, AvLaunch.exe, may not be the name of the process that will cause your PC to behave in the manner described above. It might be difficult to narrow down the exact files and programs without an anti-malware solution.

While an anti-malware solution should be your first line of defense against the AvLaunch.exe agent, it is not the only option that is available. Here are a few other things that you can do:

1. Remove Files Associated with the AvLaunch.exe Malware.

With the help of the Windows Task Manager, you cannot only quit the AvLaunch.exe process, but you can also use it to locate the location of the files and folders that power that process. After locating the said files, you can then delete them. Here is how to use the Windows Task Manager to quit and remove problematic programs:

1. On the Windows search, type “task manager”. Alternatively, press the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys to launch the Windows security options. Choose Task Manager.
2. On the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for processes associated with the AvLaunch.exe malware.
3. Right-click and go to Open file location. After you ascertain the file location, choose End task.
4. Now, go to the file location and delete all the files and folders associated with AvLaunch.exe.

If the above steps fail to completely remove the malware from your PC, you can still use the next method.

2. Remove AvLauch.exe from Windows Startup.

Windows Startup is a handy feature that allows certain programs to launch automatically when the computer starts. It will save you time, especially if the said programs are commonly used. But it can also slow your computer down if there are too many startup apps or if a malware entity has hijacked the process. Here is how to launch Windows Startup:

1. On the Windows search, type “task manager”. Alternatively, press the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys to launch the Windows Security options. Choose Task Manager.
2. On the Task Manager, go to the Startup tab.
3. Find the AvLaunch component, right-click, and choose Disable.

If there are any other startup items that you are not familiar with, you can also disable them by following the same steps. Disabling AvLauch.exe may, however, not solve the performance issues caused by the malware, so you still have to delete it.

3. Use System Restore.

System Restore is a Windows process that you can use to undo any changes in settings, apps, or updates that have affected your computer negatively. To use System Restore, there has to be a restore point on your computer to begin with.

Here is how to use System Restore on a Windows 10/11 computer:

1. On Windows search, type “create a restore point”.
2. On the System Properties app that appears, go to the System protection tab and click on System restore.
3. Select a restore point from the list of restore points available on your computer.
4. Click Next.
5. Click Finish.
6. Click Close.

The system restore process will give you a chance to go over the apps that will no longer be available once the restore process has been finished. But you still get to keep your files and other apps, so the change will not be that dramatic.

4. Start your Computer in Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is the bare bones version of Windows and is an excellent way of troubleshooting problems with your PC. There are two versions of safe mode: Safe mode and Safe mode with networking. The latter allows you to access network resources such as the internet, or computers within your network.

Here is how to launch your computer on safe mode:

1. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Recovery.
2. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
3. Once your computer restarts, to the Choose an option screen, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup settings > Restart.
4. After your computer restarts, with the Startup Settings menu, choose the 4^th option or press F4 to start your PC in safe mode. To start Safe mode with networking, press 5, or the F5 key.

The safe mode option will remove all the nuisances caused by any problematic app or malware, and with it you can get a few things done such as using Windows apps or accessing the internet.

5. Reset Your Computer

If all other ways of taming a malware fail, you can always restore your computer to its default setting by performing a reset. A reset will remove all foreign programs from your computer, except the most essential usually on Windows apps.

Here is how to perform a Windows 10/11 reset:

1. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. Under Reset this PC, select Get started.

You can also get to Reset this PC option by also taking any of the two alternatives steps below:

2. Restart your PC so as to get into the sign-in screen. Press and hold the Shift key while selecting Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen. Once the computer restarts, select Troubleshoot > Restart this PC.
3. Go to Start, and then press and hold down the Shift key. Click on the Power icon, and then Your computer should start in the recovery mode. After it restarts, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

Resetting your PC should come as the last option because you will likely lose a lot of your apps, settings, and even files. But nonetheless, it is a sure way of getting rid of any malware that might have infected it.

How Did the Avlaunch.exe Malware Infect My Computer?

You might be wondering how the AvLaunch.exe malware infected your computer in the first place. Well, there are many ways that could have happened, and you can begin by asking yourself the following questions:

• Did I visit an unsafe site?
• Did I click on an attachment that I shouldn’t have?
• Did I download an unsafe software package?
• Was the malware installed through portable media?

If you ask yourself these questions, you will likely narrow down the source of the virus and learn to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

Hopefully, this article has been of help to you when it comes to solving any AvLaunch.exe problems that you might be experiencing. If you have any suggestions, comments or questions on the same matter, please feel free to ask in the comment section below.