Avast Blocking Email Download – Fix

TL;DR

Avast is likely interfering with your email download process by incorrectly identifying it as a threat. This guide shows you how to temporarily disable Avast’s shields, add an exception for your email client or program, and check your quarantine settings.

Step-by-step Solution

1. Temporarily Disable Avast Shields: The quickest way to see if Avast is the problem is to turn off its protection temporarily.
• Right-click the Avast icon in your system tray (bottom right of your screen).
• Select “Shields Control”.
• Choose a duration for disabling shields – start with 10 minutes. You can always extend this later if needed.

Try downloading your email again. If it works, Avast is definitely the cause.

2. Add an Exception for Your Email Client: Instead of disabling Avast completely, you should add your email program as a trusted exception. This tells Avast to ignore it.
   • Open Avast and go to “Menu” > “Settings”.
   • Select “General” > “Exceptions”.
   • Click “Add Exception”.
   • Choose “File path” or “Folder path”, depending on whether you want to exclude the email program’s executable file or its entire folder.
   • Browse to find your email client (e.g., C:Program FilesMozilla Thunderbirdthunderbird.exe). If unsure, right-click the email program shortcut and select “Properties” – the path will be listed under “Target”.
   • Click “Add Exception”.
3. Check Avast’s Quarantine: It’s possible Avast has already blocked something related to your email download and placed it in quarantine.
• Open Avast and go to “Menu” > “Quarantine”.
• Look for any recently quarantined files that might be associated with your email client or the downloaded emails.
• If you find something, select it and click “Restore”. Be cautious when restoring – only restore items if you are confident they are safe.
4. Check Avast’s Email Settings: Some versions of Avast have specific settings for email scanning.
• Open Avast and go to “Menu” > “Settings”.
• Select “Mail”.
• Ensure that the settings are appropriate for your needs. You might try temporarily disabling “Scan incoming/outgoing emails” to see if it resolves the issue, but remember to re-enable it later.
5. Update Avast: An outdated version of Avast may have incorrect definitions causing false positives.
• Open Avast and click “Check for updates”.
• Install any available updates.
6. Restart Your Computer: After making changes, a restart can help ensure everything is applied correctly.

If you’re still having problems after trying these steps, consider contacting Avast support or checking their online forums for further assistance.