How to Block a Program with Windows Firewall

This updated guide examines How to Block a Program with Windows Firewall and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Method 1of 2:

Blocking a Program

1. Open Start. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
2. Open Firewall. Type inWindows Defender Firewall, then click Windows Defender Firewall at the top of the Start window.
3. ClickAdvanced settings. It's a link in the upper-left corner of the Windows Firewall window.
4. ClickOutbound Rules. This tab is on the left side of the window.
5. ClickNew Rule…. It's in the upper-right corner of the window. Doing so opens a new window in which you'll create your Firewall rule.
6. Check the "Program" box. You'll find this option at the top of the page.
7. ClickNext. It's at the bottom of the window.
8. Select a program. Before you can block a program, you'll need to select the program to find its path:
   • Check the "This program path" box and click Browse... .
   • Click This PC on the left side of the window.
   • Scroll down and double-click your hard drive's name (e.g., OS (C:) ).
   • Double-click the Program Files folder.
     • If the program you want to block is elsewhere, go to the program's folder instead.
   • Find the folder for your program, then double-click the folder.
   • Select the program file by clicking it once.
9. Copy the program's path. Click the address bar at the top of the window to select the path there, then pressCtrl+Cto copy the path.
   • This is necessary because Windows will restructure the path to the file once you open the file in Firewall, thus breaking your outbound rule. You can bypass this problem by manually pasting in the path to the file.
10. ClickOpen. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window.
11. Replace the path before the app's name with your copied one. Highlight the path in the "This program path" text box all the way up to the last backslash before the app's name, then pressCtrl+Vto paste in your copied path.
    • For example, if you wanted to block Chrome in the path "C:Program FilesGoogleApplicationchrome.exe", you would select all but the "chrome.exe" section and replace it with your copied text.
    • Leaving the app's name and extension at the end of the path is crucial, as failing to do so will leave you with a rule that doesn't block anything.
12. ClickNextthree times. This button is in the lower-right side of the window on each page. Doing so takes you to the final page.
13. Enter a name for your rule. Type whatever you want to name your rule into the top text box on the page.
    • For example, if you're blocking Google Chrome on your computer, you might name your rule "Chrome Block" here.
14. ClickFinish. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so saves and applies your rule; from now until you delete or disable the rule, your program will not be able to access the Internet.

Method 2of 2:

Temporarily Disabling a Program

1. Open Start. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen or press the?Winkey.
2. Open Firewall. Type inWindows Defender Firewall, then click Windows Defender Firewall at the top of the Start window.
3. ClickAllow an app or feature through Windows Firewall. This link is at the top-left side of the Firewall window.
4. ClickChange settings. It's at the upper-right side of the window, just above the list of programs on your computer.
   • You may have to click Yes on a pop-up window after doing this before you can continue.
   • If you don't have administrator privileges on your computer, you won't be able to do this.
5. Locate a program you wish to block. The list of programs in the middle of the page displays all programs that Windows Firewall is either blocking or allowing; you can scroll down it to find your specific program.
6. Add a program to the list if necessary. If you can't find your program in the list, you can add it by doing the following:
   • Click Allow another app... below the list.
   • Click Browse... .
   • Go to the location of the app or program file (usually an EXE) that you want to block.
   • Select the app or program file.
   • Click Open , then select the program's name in the window and click Add if it doesn't automatically add.
7. Click the checkmark to the left of the program. Doing so should remove the checkmark, thereby blocking the program through Windows Firewall.
   • If there is no checkmark to the left of the program, Windows Firewall is already blocking the program.
   • Leave the two checkboxes to the right of the program ("Home/Work (Private)" and "Public") alone.
8. ClickOK. It's at the bottom of the window. This will both save your changes and prevent the program from running on your computer.