Why Does Avast Says I Have Broken Registry Items? (Includes Fix Steps)

My Avast says I have broken registry items. What does that mean? Is it something I’ve manually done from my end, or is it a system-end concern?

If you’ve come across this prompt at least once, then you’re just in the right guide.

We’ve been able to gather relevant information on what’s causing this, what it means, as well as the foolproof guide of fixing it!

If you’re getting Avast broken registry error message, it simply means that there are items or files that were part of the program’s database that are corrupted or deleted. You can fix this by using the Avast Clean-up feature to remove these broken items and stop them from corrupting other files.

In understanding what these all mean, let us first divulge into what broken registry items are.

Let’s look at what these are deeper and more thoroughly to further grasp what these are in the first place.

What Are Registry Files?

Registry files are the items or files that make up the entirety of the program or application.

You can think of these files to be what makes up the database of apps and programs.

It stores information, options, profiles, and other values that are used by the program or application.

A small inconsistency in the registry files or items can result in drastic changes in the program.

What Are Broken Registry Items?

Broken registry items simply are any files or items left as a residue after programs or applications have been deleted, removed, or uninstalled.

They’re broken in the sense that these files wouldn’t function without the rest of the items included in the package.

This is more common in programs and applications that have a large database – antivirus software and programs, for instance.

But what causes certain apps and programs to get the broken registry items message or prompt?

What Causes Broken Registry Items?

The broken registry items error isn’t just a problem that comes out of nowhere. The most probable cause of why this is happening is that of problematic registry fragments or files.

Some of the usual suspects of how this comes to include:

• Duplicate files and items
• Improper uninstallation of programs (residue items and files)
• Virus (spyware and trojan)
• Fragmented Registry

These are just some of the primary culprits of the broken registry error of whatever app or program you’re using.

Should this be what the case is, what does it mean when your Avast antivirus program is telling you that you have broken registry items?

What Does It Mean When Avast Says I Have Broken Registry Items?

The broken registry items that your Avast program has been prompting mean that there are items or files that have been either corrupt, problematic, or damaged.

What this further insinuates is that there are some items that are part of the registry files that could have been broken.

These can be due to improper uninstallation or reinstallation, fragmented registry after an upgrade, or even unexpected system shutdown errors or crashes.  

Some of the most common things listed in broken registry items include:

• App Paths
• Command History
• Installer Folders
• File Extensions
• Shared Dlls

Improper Uninstallation or Reinstallation

If the program has not been uninstalled properly, there could have been a bunch of leftover files that haven’t been erased from the old version of the program.

This, in turn, can cause errors when you reinstall the program back to your system.

Fragmented Registry

The fragmented registry is an issue with duplication keys. This usually happens when you upgrade the software or an app and some files from that new version aren’t carried over properly.

System Shutdown Errors

Last, but most definitely not least is because of shutdown errors. Every time you close the program and shut your system off, it leaves and saves a copy of the registry.

If it happens unexpectedly like when it crashes or freezes, the files that are to be saved might not be complete.

It can be caused by any of these problems and getting to the bottom of it can be difficult. So, what do you do to get rid of the broken registry items prompt or error?

Avast Says I Have Broken Registry Items, How Can I Fix It?

If you want to fix and get rid of the broken registry items of your Avast, you need to make use of the Avast Cleanup Premium feature.

It’s a feature that helps remove old and outdated entries, junk, as well as other stuff that can slow your system or computer down.

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide of how you can use it to resolve the broken registry items prompt:

Step #1: Launch Avast and Select Performance

The first step you want to do is to open and launch your Avast program.

Wait for it to load up, and then select Performance from the list of categories on the left-hand side.

From there, select Scan Now and wait for the system to finish the scan.

Step #2: Examine the Scan

When the scan finishes, it will show you a list of the “threats” or the things that could possibly be endangering your system.

Check each of them so you have an idea of what needs to be fixed.

Step #3: Select Resolve All

When you’re done, choose Resolve All to allow the system to fix whatever issues are there with the registry items, as well as some other things that could be deterring or slowing down the system.

Note: In order to be able to do this, you’ll need to be subscribed to Avast Premium.

After the process, your Avast antivirus software should now be working and functioning properly!

It Still Says It Has Broken Registry Items, What Should I Do?

If you’ve done the clean-up successfully but it’s still saying that your Avast has broken registry items, uninstall your Avast program.

You can do it via the Avast Uninstall tools so that all files will be removed without any leftover or fragmented files.

The Avast broken registry items message is an indication that there are some files or items in the database that are corrupted, broken, damaged, or incomplete. You can fix this via the Avast Cleaner Premium feature. If this doesn’t work, uninstall your Avast program and reinstall it again.

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Final Note

So, if my Avast says I have broken registry items, does that mean that there’s a problem with my system? No, not necessarily.

With this guide handy, you’ll be able to address the problem from its root cause and get rid of whatever’s causing the broken registry items prompt.