This article contains instructions for troubleshooting common activation error messages in Avast applications. Refer to the relevant section below according to the error message or issue:
My Avast application is asking me to purchase a subscription again.
This issue may occur for the following reasons:
- You need to reactivate the application because you have renewed or changed your subscription.
- You need to renew your subscription to continue using the application because your paid subscription (or free trial) has expired.
We recommend first checking the subscription status via your Avast Account:
- Sign in to your Avast Account using the link below:
- Click the Subscriptions tile to open a list of your active and expired subscriptions.
- Check the Subscription status for the relevant application. You may see one of the following statuses:
- Expired: Your subscription has expired. Click the Renew Now button to purchase a new subscription.
- Subscribed / Expiring: You already have a valid subscription. To continue using the purchased application, you need to activate your subscription. For detailed activation instructions, refer to the relevant article below according to your device and app:
If you still see the error message after activating or renewing your subscription, contact Avast Support.
"Incorrect code. Please try again or sign in with your Avast Account."
This error commonly occurs when you have mistyped your activation code. Ensure that you have correctly entered your activation code (including hyphens). We recommend copying and pasting your activation code directly from an order confirmation email or your Avast Account.
Alternatively, you can try activating your subscription by signing in to the relevant Avast application with your Avast Account credentials. For detailed activation instructions, refer to the relevant article below according to your device and application:
If you still see the error message, contact Avast Support.
"Please connect to the internet."
This error occurs when your Avast application cannot connect to the internet to verify your activation code. Check that your internet connection is working, then try to activate the app again.
If you continue to see this error message, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, our screen didn't load."
This error commonly occurs when there are conflicts with Windows services configuration. It means that the Avast Antivirus app is unable to load, but you are still protected.
To troubleshoot this issue, follow the steps below:
- Click Refresh this screen on the error message to try and reload Avast Antivirus.
- If you still see the error message, restart your Windows device.
- If you still see the error message, try repairing Avast Antivirus. For instructions, refer to the following article:
- If you still see the error message, ensure that the relevant Windows services are set to run automatically. For instructions, refer to the following article:
If you still see the error message, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, our servers aren't responding now. Please try again later."
This error occurs when there are temporary problems with our servers and your Avast application cannot connect to verify your activation code. Wait a while before trying to activate your app again.
"Sorry, something went wrong."
This error commonly occurs when there is a problem with your device's DNS settings. To change your DNS settings so that your Avast application can communicate with the appropriate server, refer to the following article:
If you still see the error message after changing your DNS settings, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, this code has expired."
This error occurs when the subscription associated with the activation code you entered has expired. To purchase a new subscription, click Get another in the error message.
If you think your subscription is still valid, follow the steps below to check the expiration date of your subscription:
- Sign in to your Avast Account using the link below:
- Click the Subscriptions tile to open a list of your active and expired subscriptions.
- Check the Subscription status for the relevant application. You may see one of the following statuses:
- Expired: Your subscription has expired. Click the Renew Now button to purchase a new subscription. You can also see the date that the subscription expired.
- Subscribed / Expiring: You have a valid subscription. Try activating the application again by copying and pasting the activation code directly from your Avast Account. Alternatively, you can try activating your subscription by signing in to your purchased Avast app using your Avast Account credentials. For detailed activation instructions, refer to the relevant article below according to your device and application:
If you still see the error message, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, this code is for a different app. Check the email you received after purchase to download the correct app."
This error occurs when the activation code you used is for a different application. You can confirm which app you purchased using one of the methods below:
- Avast Account: Sign in to the Avast Account that is linked to the email address you provided during the subscription purchase. Click the Subscriptions tile to see a list of the Avast subscriptions you have purchased.
- Order confirmation email: Locate the order confirmation email that you received after purchase. Scroll to the Your products section to verify the valid apps and platforms.
If you need to change your subscription to a different application, contact Avast Support.
"This code is not valid."
This error may occur when you try to activate a third-party reseller code in a different app.
To troubleshoot this issue, follow the steps below:
- Exchange the reseller code for an activation code in your Avast Account:
- Activate your Avast application using your activation code:
If you still see the error message, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, this code is no longer valid."
This error commonly occurs when your account has been temporarily suspended for violating the terms of our End User License Agreement. To reactivate your account, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, we've crashed."
This error commonly occurs when there are conflicts with Windows services configuration. It means that Avast Antivirus is not running. We recommend immediately following the steps below to re-enable protection:
- Click Restart AntiVirus on the error message to try and reload the application.
- If you still see the error message, restart your Windows device.
- If you still see the error message, try repairing Avast Antivirus. For instructions, refer to the following article:
- If you still see the error message, ensure that the relevant Windows services are set to run automatically. For instructions, refer to the following article:
If you still see the error message, contact Avast Support.
"Sorry, you've used this code too many times."
This error occurs when too many devices are already using the activation code you entered. You can verify how many devices your subscription is valid for using one of the methods below:
- Avast Account: Sign in to the Avast Account that is linked to the email address you provided during the subscription purchase. Click the Subscriptions tile, then verify the device limit for the relevant subscription next to Available for.
- Order confirmation email: Open the order confirmation email that you received after purchase from no.reply@avast.com. Scroll to the Your products section to verify the device limit for each application next to Devices.
If you have already reached the device limit, but you want to start using the subscription on a new device, you can transfer the subscription from one device to another by following the steps below:
- Uninstall the application from the original device.
- Install the application on the new device.
- Activate your subscription on the new device.
The exact steps vary according to application. For more information, refer to the following article:
If you think you are seeing this error message by mistake, contact Avast Support.
"This code is for a different application. Check your after purchase email to find out which one you need."
This error occurs when the activation code you used is for a different application. You can confirm which app you purchased using one of the methods below:
- Avast Account: Sign in to the Avast Account that is linked to the email address you provided during the subscription purchase. Click the Subscriptions tile to see a list of the Avast subscriptions you have purchased.
- Order confirmation email: Locate the order confirmation email that you received after purchase. Scroll to the Your products section to verify the valid apps and platforms.
If you need to change your subscription to a different application, contact Avast Support.
"Well, this is embarrassing."
This error commonly occurs when there are conflicts with Windows services configuration. We recommend the following:
- Restart your Windows device, then try to open your Avast application again.
- If you still see the error message, ensure that the relevant Windows services are set to run automatically. For instructions, refer to the following article:
If you still see the error message, contact Avast Support.
- All paid Avast consumer applications.
- All supported operating systems.
Updated on: 23/09/2025