How to turn off Smadav Pro Version (Official Guide)

This guide provides the official and most effective methods for how to turn off Smadav Pro. We will cover the standard temporary disabling process for installing software, the critical role of the admin password feature, and the definitive steps to take if you are locked out or need to permanently remove the program.

You are not a free user. You are a paid, Pro customer. You invested in Smadav Pro because you wanted its premium features: the silent, automatic updates, the blacklisting capabilities, and, most importantly, the advanced settings. You appreciate its role as a specialized, “second-layer” antivirus. But today, it is in your way. You are trying to install a new piece of trusted development software, or a resource-heavy game, and **Smadav Pro** is blocking it with a false positive.

Or, you have encountered a more serious problem. You are in the settings, but all the “Disable” options are grayed out. A small pop-up is asking you for an “Admin Password” that you either do not remember setting or have long since forgotten. Suddenly, the security software you paid for is no longer working for you. It has locked you out.

This is the fundamental difference between the free and Pro versions. The free version is annoying because it wants you to upgrade. The Pro version is formidable because it is designed to resist being turned off. This “tamper-proofing” is a feature, built to stop malware from disabling your protection. This guide will show you how to navigate that feature correctly.

Why Would a Pro User Need to Disable Protection?

Before we explore the “how,” let’s establish the “why.” Disabling an active antivirus is not a decision to be taken lightly, but there are several legitimate, professional reasons for it.

• Resolving Software Conflicts (False Positives): This is the most common reason. Smadav, like many heuristic scanners, can be overzealous. It may flag a new, unsigned, or niche piece of code (like a custom script, a game mod, or a development tool) as a threat. To install or run this legitimate software, you must temporarily pause the real-time guard.
• Maximizing System Performance: Real-time scanning consumes resources. While Smadav is known for being lightweight, its SMARTP.exe process is still actively scanning files. If you are doing a high-stakes, resource-intensive task like 4K video rendering, compiling a massive codebase, or running a demanding flight simulator, disabling your AV for that session can reclaim every last drop of CPU and disk I/O performance.
• System Troubleshooting: If your computer is experiencing random crashes, freezes, or “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) errors, a standard troubleshooting step is to disable all non-Microsoft services to isolate the cause. This includes your antivirus.

In all these cases, the goal is not to abandon security, but to exert granular control.

The Standard Method: How to Turn Off Smadav Pro (When You Have Control)

This is the “official” and simplest method, assuming the admin password feature is not set. This is the correct procedure for temporarily pausing protection to install software.

1. Using the System Tray (Fastest Method):

• Navigate to your Windows system tray in the bottom-right corner of your screen (near the clock).
• Find the green Smadav “S” logo.
• Right-click the icon.
• A context menu will appear. At the top, you will see a checked option: “Disable Protection.”
• Click “Disable Protection.” The checkmark will disappear, and the tray icon will turn red. This is your visual confirmation that the real-time guard is now inactive.

1. Using the Main Dashboard (Clearer Method):

• Double-click the Smadav tray icon to open the main application dashboard.
• On the left-hand side, click the “Protect” tab.
• You will see a large, green “ON” status indicator. Click the button next to it to switch it to “OFF.”
• The interface will turn red, confirming the protection is disabled.

This method is safe, temporary, and easily reversible. The protection will remain off until you manually turn it back on or, in most cases, until you restart your computer.

The Pro Version’s Fortress: Understanding the Admin Password

This is where the Pro experience diverges. In the Smadav Pro “Settings” tab, there is a feature to “Set Admin Password.”

The entire purpose of this feature is to create a digital lockbox. It is tamper-proofing, plain and simple. Once set, no one can change key settings or disable protection without that password. This is designed to stop malware, which is often programmed to try and kill antivirus processes. It is also useful in an office or family setting to prevent other users from changing your security posture.

But what happens when you are the admin, and you have lost the key?

You will find that the “Disable Protection” option is grayed out. When you try to change settings, a password prompt appears. If you cannot provide it, you are completely locked out of controlling your own software. This is a serious problem.

What to Do If You Have Forgotten the Smadav Pro Password

Let’s be very clear: There is no “Forgot Password” link. This is not a cloud service. The password is a local security check. Bypassing it is not an “official” feature.

If you have lost the password, you have only one official recourse: you must uninstall the program.

This creates a paradox. How can you run the uninstaller if the password-protected application is actively blocking you from making changes? This is where we must escalate our methods.

The Definitive Fix: How to Uninstall Smadav Pro

If you know your password, or if you never set one, this process is simple.

1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to “Apps” and then “Installed apps” (or “Apps & features”).
3. Scroll down the list until you find “Smadav.”
4. Click the three-dot menu (…) and select “Uninstall.”
5. Follow the uninstaller prompts. It will remove the program from your system.

However, if the Admin Password is set and you do not know it, the uninstaller itself may be blocked by the program’s “Tamper-Proofing.” This is the ultimate “catch 22.”

To solve this, we must restart the computer in a state where Smadav’s services are not running. We must use Windows Safe Mode.

The Advanced Solution: Safe Mode Removal (The Password Bypass)

This is the only “official” method to remove a locked-down Smadav Pro installation when you have lost the password.

What is Safe Mode?

Safe Mode is a diagnostic state of Windows that loads only the absolute essential drivers and services. It does not load any third-party startup applications or protection services. This means Smadav’s SMARTP.exe (its real-time engine) will be completely inactive. Its self-protection will be offline.

Step 1: Booting into Windows Safe Mode

You can trigger Safe Mode in several ways. The most reliable way is from the login screen or desktop:

1. Click the Power icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard.
3. While still holding SHIFT, click “Restart.”
4. Your computer will restart to a blue “Choose an option” screen.
5. Select “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Startup Settings” > “Restart.”
6. Your computer will restart again to a list of options. Press “4” or “F4” to boot into Safe Mode.

Your screen will look different. The resolution may be low, and the wallpaper will be black, with “Safe Mode” in the corners. This is normal.

Step 2: Uninstalling Smadav Pro in Safe Mode

Now that Smadav is dormant, its defenses are down.

1. In Safe Mode, right-click the Start Menu and select “Apps & features.”
2. Scroll down the list and find “Smadav.”
3. Click it and select “Uninstall.”
4. The uninstaller will now run. Because Smadav’s services are not active, it will not be able to prompt you for the password. It will proceed with the removal.
5. Once the uninstallation is complete, simply restart your computer normally.

When Windows reboots, Smadav Pro will be gone. You have successfully bypassed the forgotten password by removing the entire application.

Security Analysis: The Risk of Disabling Smadav Pro

Now that you know how to turn off Smadav, we must address the final question: what happens when you do?

Smadav is a “second-layer” scanner. It is designed to run with another antivirus, not replace it. On any modern Windows 10 or 11 machine, that primary antivirus is Microsoft Defender.

When you temporarily disable Smadav Pro, you are not left defenseless. Microsoft Defender’s real-time protection remains active. For the 2024–2025 testing cycle, independent labs like AV-TEST continue to give Microsoft Defender perfect scores in protection against zero-day and widespread malware. It is a world-class solution.

The risk you incur is losing Smadav’s specialty. You are temporarily without its aggressive heuristic engine that is specifically tuned for USB “Autorun” threats and local, script-based malware. For the few minutes it takes to install a trusted program, this risk is negligible.

If you have permanently uninstalled it, you are simply placing your full trust in Microsoft Defender. For the vast majority of users in 2025, this is not only a safe decision but a recommended one, as it reduces system complexity and eliminates potential software conflicts.

Ultimately, your Smadav Pro license gives you access to powerful features. But “pro” also means knowing when to use them and when to safely, and officially, set them aside.