How to turn off Smadav (All Versions) with 3 Easy Methods

This guide provides 3 easy methods for how to turn off Smadav Antivirus compatible with all versions including Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. We will cover the 5-second temporary “pause,” the advanced two-step process to permanently disable the background service without uninstalling, and the final, clean uninstallation.

You plug in a USB drive, and a bright green window instantly fills the corner of your screen. You download a trusted developer tool, and it is immediately quarantined, flagged as a “false positive.” You open your Task Manager to investigate why your PC is so sluggish, only to find a process named SMARTP.exe at the top of the list, consuming your disk resources.

This is the classic Smadav experience. For years, this popular “second-layer” antivirus was a hero, especially in regions plagued by USB-based autorun viruses. It was the nimble specialist that ran alongside your primary antivirus, catching niche threats that others missed. It was a tool built for the era of Windows XP and Windows 7.

But the digital security landscape of 2025 is a different world. The “second-layer” philosophy is now being questioned. Today’s primary antivirus, especially the Microsoft Defender built into Windows 10 and 11, is a world-class, enterprise-grade powerhouse. The “two-guard” system of running both Smadav and Defender is no longer seen as “double protection.” It is seen as a conflict. This conflict is the source of your lag, your false positives, and your frustration. You need to take back control, and this guide will show you how.

Method 1: The Temporary “Pause” (The 5-Second Fix for All Users)

This is the fastest, safest, and most common method. It is the “polite” way of asking Smadav to step aside for a moment. This method does not permanently change anything; it simply pauses the real-time protection.

You should use this method when:

• You are installing a new, trusted piece of software (like a game or a work application).
• You are playing a high-performance game and want to prevent any lag or stutter.
• Smadav is incorrectly blocking a file or website you know is safe.

This process is identical on all versions of Smadav and Windows.

How to Temporarily Pause Smadav

1. Navigate to your Windows system tray. This is the cluster of icons in the bottom-right corner of your screen, next to the clock.
2. You may need to click the small upward-facing arrow (^) to reveal all the hidden icons.
3. Find the green Smadav “S” logo. The green color indicates that the real-time protection is active.
4. Right-click the Smadav icon. This will open a small context menu.
5. At the top of the menu, you will see a checked option: “Disable Protection.”
6. Click “Disable Protection” to uncheck it.

The moment you click it, the Smadav icon in your tray will turn red. This is your visual confirmation that the real-time scanning engine (SMARTP.exe) is now dormant. You can proceed with your task without any interference.

This is a temporary pause. The real-time protection is designed to re-enable itself automatically the next time you restart your computer. This is a safety feature to ensure you do not accidentally leave your system unprotected.

Method 2: The “Dormant” State (How to Turn Off Smadav Permanently Without Uninstalling)

This is the advanced, permanent solution. This is for the user who is tired of the boot-up lag, the constant pop-ups, and the background resource drain. This method does not uninstall Smadav. It “demotes” it. You will change Smadav from an “always-on” guard to a passive, “on-demand” tool that you only run manually when you want to scan a suspicious USB drive.

This is the true how to turn off Smadav method, and it is a mandatory two-step process. Most users only do the first step and fail, as the “engine” is left running in the background.

Step 1: Disabling the “Face” (The Startup Application)

First, we will stop the user interface (SmadAV.exe), the tray icon, and the pop-ups from loading when you log in. This will dramatically improve your PC's boot time.

For Windows 10 and Windows 11 Users (Task Manager):

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
2. Click the “Startup Apps” tab on the left-hand side (on Windows 10, it is the “Startup” tab).
3. You will see a list of every program that launches with your PC. Find “Smadav” (or “SmadAV-T”).
4. Right-click on it and select “Disable.”

For Windows 7 and Windows 8 Users (msconfig):

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the “Run” dialog.
2. Type msconfig and press Enter. This opens the System Configuration utility.
3. Click on the “Startup” tab.
4. Find “Smadav” in the list and uncheck the box next to it.
5. Click “Apply,” then “OK,” and exit without restarting (we have one more step).

You have now successfully disabled the “Face.” The pop-ups are gone, and your boot time is faster. But the “Engine” is still running.

Step 2: Disabling the “Engine” (The Core Protection Service)

This is the most critical step. We must now disable the SMARTP.exe real-time protection service. This is the part that actually consumes your CPU and disk resources in the background.

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This process is identical for all versions of Windows (7, 8, 10, and 11).

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the “Run” dialog.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter. This opens the Windows Services console, the master control panel for all background processes.
3. You will see a long, alphabetical list of every service on your system.
4. Scroll down and find the service named “SmadAV Protection Service.”
5. Right-click on this service and select “Properties.”
6. A new window will open. In the “General” tab, you need to do two things.
7. First, stop the service that is running right now. Click the “Stop” button.
8. Second, prevent it from ever starting again. Find the “Startup type” dropdown menu. It is currently set to “Automatic.”
9. Change the “Startup type” from “Automatic” to “Disabled.”
10. Click “Apply,” and then “OK.”

You have now done it. You have successfully and completely turned off Smadav without uninstalling it. It will not run, scan, or use any resources. It is now a 100% dormant program, waiting for you to manually run it from your Start Menu if you ever choose to.

Method 3: The “Clean Sweep” (The Final, Recommended Uninstall)

This is the third and final method. This is for the user who has decided that in 2025, a “second-layer” antivirus is no longer a feature. It is bloat. You are ready to permanently remove Smadav and place your full trust in your primary security solution.

This is the cleanest, easiest, and most definitive way to stop Smadav forever.

How to Uninstall Smadav from Your PC

This process is very similar on all versions of Windows.

1. Open your Control Panel. You can do this by clicking the Start Menu and typing “Control Panel.”
2. In the Control Panel, find the “Programs” heading and click the “Uninstall a program” link. (On Windows 10/11, you can also go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features).
3. You will see a list of all software installed on your computer.
4. Scroll through the list until you find “Smadav.”
5. Click on it once to select it.
6. Click the “Uninstall” button that appears.
7. The official Smadav uninstaller wizard will launch. Follow its prompts to remove the program from your PC.
8. Crucial Final Step: After the uninstallation is complete, restart your computer. This is essential to ensure all leftover files and registry entries are fully cleared.

When your PC reboots, Smadav will be gone for good.

Security Analysis: You’ve Turned Off Smadav. Are You Vulnerable?

We cannot, as responsible security advisors, end this guide without answering the most important question: You have learned how to turn off Smadav. Are you now unsafe?

The answer, on any modern, updated Windows 10 or 11 machine, is a definitive no.

The Windows Security ecosystem is designed for this. The instant that Windows detects that a third-party antivirus (like Smadav) has been disabled or uninstalled, Microsoft Defender automatically and immediately moves from a passive “standby” mode to a fully active, real-time protection mode.

In the past, Defender was a basic, weak tool. This is no longer true. In the 2024 and 2025 independent evaluations from world-renowned security labs like AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, Microsoft Defender consistently receives perfect scores for protection, performance, and usability. It is a world-class, enterprise-grade solution that is deeply integrated into your operating system.

The “two-guard” problem you were experiencing was not “double protection.” It was a conflict. By disabling or removing Smadav, you have not created a security hole. You have streamlined your defenses. You have removed a redundant, conflicting, and resource-hungry process, allowing your primary, high-performance antivirus to do its job without interference. Your computer will be faster, more stable, and just as secure.