Block or Unblock Programs in Windows Defender Firewall

By Mitch Bartlett 15 Comments

In Microsoft Windows 10 you can set the Windows Defender Firewall to block or unblock certain applications. Here’s how.

1. Select the “Start” button, then type “firewall“.
2. Select the “Windows Defender Firewall” option.
3. Choose the “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall” option in the left pane.
   
4. Unchecking the box to the left of the application name disallows it from accessing network resources, while checking it allows access. You can also check the boxes to the right of the name labeled “Private” or “Public” to allow and disallow the app on private or public networks respectively.
   
5. If the program you wish to block or unblock is not listed, you can click the “Allow another app…” button to add it. Choose the application in the list and select “Add“. If the program is not in this list, use the “Browse…” button to select the program file manually.

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Filed Under: Windows Tagged With: Windows 10

Reader Interactions

Comments

Susan Olson says

No…I am definitely not a pro…so a little more explanation would be great…say, what about gallery or settings….?

Susan Olon says

Could you give me an example as to what applications should NOT cross the firewall??

Any application can block any crack microsoft office .. can you help me how to block any crack microsoft on my laptop ..

Richard Jordan says

The firewall is blocking access to open areas of the United Nations website. Even public press releases. How do I uninstall Micrsoft Edge, if that is what is blocking me.

So, what’s the meaning of a checked box and an unchecked box?
I am trying to allow zoom to have access but firewall is blocking it.

I’m trying to block Microsoft family features so it won’t send me the annoying pop-ups about signing in.

I’m on the correct thing but I can’t uncheck the box beside it. If I click the box it does nothing,

Do we have any registry settings for the same.

Thanks, it worked

What if when you click “Allow another app” and then Choose the app in the directory and it gives an error about a possible virus?

Josh Everett says

Is there any way to do this without Administrator rights?

Settings for some pro, doesn’t change!
its somehow locked, as if a registry rule is overriding this windows rules.

Richard S Nye says

I have been trying for hours to Block “Fortnite” from my PC windows 10

Edwin Wetzel says

nothing helps. i’ve been trying to hook up my wifi scanner and i’ve been doing this for hours without any success. i’ve followed all the different procedures on line including going into the defender advanced settings and allowing file and printer sharing rules and still does not work.

What if you cant click the “Allow the app or feature through windows defender firewall”?

Mike Bading says

Mitch,
First, I hope this note finds all well with you and yours.
Second, thank you for your effort here.
Third, my question(s):
What do you do when Windows Defender keeps resetting Microsoft Apps you have unchecked/deselected in Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro?
Example: Let’s say I wish to block Cortana (or any other app). I then follow your instructions here and uncheck/deselect all the boxes pertaining to Cortana and then close the window.
Let’s say, that for whatever reason(s), I return to the window in your example only to find that Windows has reset/unblocked Cortana without notice and without my permission. This would happen all the time in Win10Home; and I would like to know if this would happen in Win10Pro and what to do about it if it does.

Respectfully,
Mike Bading

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How to Block a Program with Windows Firewall in Windows 10 [MiniTool News]

By Alisa | Follow | Last Updated March 22, 2021

Summary :

Sometimes you may want to prevent an application from accessing the Internet. This tutorial gives a step-by-step guide to teach you how to block a program with Windows firewall in Windows 10.

Normally you would want your applications to have free access to the network. However, no matter for what reason, you wish to block a program from accessing the Internet, you can check the step-by-step guide below to block program with Windows firewall in Windows 10.

How to Block a Program with Windows Firewall Windows 10

Step 1. Open Windows Firewall window

You can click Start, and type Windows Defender Firewall. Choose the top result to open Windows Defender Firewall.

Step 2. Click Advanced settings

In the Windows Defender Firewall, you can click Advanced settings to enter into Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security app.

Step 3. Enter into Firewall rule creation window

Next you can click Outbound Rules in the left column and it will display all existing outbound Windows firewall rules in middle window.

In the right Outbound Rules Actions column, you can click New Rule option to open a new window in which you can create a new Firewall rule by your own.

Step 4. Create a new Firewall rule

In the new window, you can choose “What type of rule would you like to create?”

You can click Program to get ready to rule controls connections for a program, and click Next.

Step 5. Select the target program

You can tick This program path and click Browse to find path of the target program you want to block.

You can click This PC in the left column, select the hard drive, and open the program’s folder and select the target program.

If you open the program in Firewall, Windows will restructure the path of the file. You can avoid this problem by manually coping and pasting the file path to the box.

Click the address bar to copy the path of the program, and paste it to the box. Please do contain the app’s name and extension at the end of the path.

Step 6. Name the Firewall rule

You can click Next button three times, and input a name for the new Firewall rule. Then click Finish button to create the new Firewall rule to block the program with Windows Firewall in Windows 10 and prevent the program from accessing the Internet.

How to test internet speed? Here are the top 8 free internet speed test tools for you. Check the internet speed on your Windows 10 PC.

How to Temporarily Disable a Program

Step 1. You can click Start and type Windows Defender Firewall. Choose Windows Defender Firewall to open it.

Step 2. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall in the left column. And click Change settings.

Step 3. Find the target program you want to block. If you can’t find the program in the list, you can click Allow another app…-> Browse, locate the program and open it, select the program name and click Add to add it to the list.

Step 4. Make sure the target program is not checked in the left. If a program is not checked, then it means Windows Firewall already blocks the program. Finally, click OK to save the changes and prevent the program from running on your Windows 10 computer.

Bottom Line

With the step-by-step guide above, hope you can easily block a program with Windows Firewall in Windows 10 now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Position: Columnist

Alisa is a professional English editor with 4-year experience. She loves writing and focuses on sharing detailed solutions and thoughts for computer problems, data recovery & backup, digital gadgets, tech news, etc. Through her articles, users can always easily get related problems solved and find what they want. In spare time, she likes basketball, badminton, tennis, cycling, running, and singing. She is very funny and energetic in life, and always brings friends lots of laughs.

Firewall App Blocker

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Что нового

Новое в версии 1.7 (16.04.2020):

• Исправлена проблема закрытия программы при случайном нажатии клавиши Esc
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Firewall App Blocker упрощает процесс блокировки сетевого трафика приложений с помощью встроенного Брандмауэра Windows.

Для блокировки сетевого трафика перенесите исполняемый файл на окно утилиты или используйте кнопку добавления приложения.

Также опцию блокировки (Block in Windows Firewall) и разблокировки (Remove From Windows Firewall) сетевого трафика приложения можно добавить в контекстное меню проводника Windows.

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FIX: Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this app

• The Windows Firewall is the first line of defence against malware that users have.
• However, sometimes it can also block munch-needed app features, and we’ll show you how to fix that.
• Need more expert advice on fixing computers? Head over to our Troubleshooting page.
• To read more about Windows Firewall alternatives, head over to our Antivirus section.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Some users have stated on forums that the Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this app alert keeps popping up on regular basis.

That notification window pops up every time they open specific software (which usually requires a net connection), such as Chrome, iTunes, Spotify, Kodi, Edge, etc.

It is not an error message, but some users need to get rid of the firewall alert that pops up with regularity. These are a few resolutions that might fix the Windows Firewall has blocked some features error.

How do I stop Windows Firewall from blocking app features?

1. Scan for Malware

The Windows Firewall has blocked some features error might be due to malware that resets firewall settings. As such, it might be worth running a malware scan with Malwarebytes.

This product is extremely easy-to-use and efficient, as it can easily detect currently present malware, and block future malware from accessing your PC.

Simply launch it, or set it to launch with system startup, and it will pretty much act as a substitute firewall.

How to remove malware using Malwarebytes:

1. Download and install Malwarebytes
2. Go to the Scan tab and select to perform a PC scan
3. Wait for Malwarebytes to scan you PC, then decide what to do with the malicious files found
4. Restart your PC

Malwarebytes

2. Uninstall VPN software and extensions

The Windows Firewall has blocked some features error can also be due to VPN client software and extensions.

So uninstalling VPN software, might fix the issue if you’ve installed a VPN client. In addition, check if there are any VPN extensions enabled for your browser.

One way to easily get around this issue is to simply have a dedicated uninstaller that will remove any program from your PC, extensions included.

One such tool is IObit Uninstaller 10 Pro, and not only will it remove software, Store apps, and extensions, but it will also remove the residual data that would be normally left behind during a typical uninstall.

The program is easy to use, and once your VPN is completely removed, you can go ahead and try enabling Windows Firewall again.

IObit Uninstaller 10 Pro

3. Open the Windows Firewall Troubleshooter

First, check out the Windows Firewall Troubleshooter for Windows 10, 8.1, 8 and 7. That’s a troubleshooter which can fix numerous WF errors.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

The troubleshooter is not included in Win 10, but you can download it from this webpage. Open the troubleshooter from the folder you saved it to, and click Advanced to select the Apply repairs automatically option.

Then you can click Next to go through the troubleshooter.

4. Turn Off the Windows Firewall

• Open Run with the Windows key + R.
• Enter ControlPanel in Run’s text box, and click the OK button.
• Then enter firewall in the Control Panel’s search box, and click Windows Defender Firewall to open further options.

• Click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off to open the options shown directly below.

• Select both the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall options, and press the OK button.
• Add one of the third-party firewall alternatives included in this article to Windows.

Turning the firewall off might be among the more straightforward resolutions for ensuring the WF alert doesn’t pop up.

You don’t necessarily need the Windows Defender Firewall on as you can replace it with a third-party alternative. This is how you can switch off the Windows Defender Firewall.

5. Allow the Software Through the Firewall

• Press Cortana’s Type here to search taskbar button.
• Enter the keyword ‘firewall’ in the search box.
• Then select to open Allow an app through Windows Firewall.
• Press the Change settings button to adjust the options.

• Select both the check boxes for the software on the Allowed apps list that the “Windows Firewall has blocked some features” alert keeps popping up for.
• Click the OK button.

The Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this app alert window requests that you permit an app through the firewall.

However, you might still need to let an app through the firewall via the Windows Defender Firewall settings to ensure the alert doesn’t pop up for particular software.

6. Disable Network Adapters

• Enter ‘devmgmt.msc’ in Run and press the Return key to open the window below.

• Select Network adapters to expand that device category as below.

• Right-click your VPN network adapter and select Disable device.
• If you’re not sure which one is the VPN adapter, just disable each network adapter one at a time to see if that fixes the Windows Firewall alert.

If you prefer to keep the VPN software, try disabling the VPN‘s network adapter via Device Manager. Some users have confirmed they’ve fixed the issue by disabling a network adapter.

7. Restore the Firewall to its Default Settings

• Open the Control Panel.
• Type ‘firewall‘ in the Control Panel’s search box, and click Windows Defender Firewall.
• Click Restore defaults to open the options shown below.

• Then you can press the Restore defaults button.
• A Restore Defaults Confirmation window will open. Click Yes on that dialog box to restore the default settings.

One, or more, of the above resolutions, will probably fix the “Windows Firewall has blocked some features” alert so that it doesn’t pop up. If you have another fix for the Windows Firewall alert, feel free to share it below.

Разработчик:	Sordum
Лицензия:	Freeware (бесплатно)
Версия:	1.7
Обновлено:	2020-04-16
Системы:	Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 / Vista 32|64-bit
Интерфейс:	русский / английский
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