How to fix 'Windows Defender Firewall has Blocked Some Features of This App' error

While you can click Allow access and continue launching the program, the pop-up can be annoying if it appears frequently.

Fortunately, you can configure Windows Firewall to prevent this message from appearing. Here is why this message appears and how to deal with this security warning in Windows operating system.

What triggers the "Windows Defender Firewall has Blocked Some Features of This App" warning?

Windows Defender Firewall monitors all applications that are trying to connect to the Internet and accepts incoming connections on your PC. When it detects that an application tries to connect to the Internet for the first time, it will block access and display the above message.

If you trust the app, you can click Allow access . If not, click Cancel , and the app will stay on the blocked list until you allow it next time.

This is a precaution to block sneaky applications and threat actors from accessing your computer. On the other hand, this security measure can be annoying if Windows Defender Firewall starts blocking apps frequently.

If this message keeps popping up with apps you've previously allowed, it's better to take a few minutes and investigate the app for problems.

In the case of web browsers, you may have a suspicious plugin trying to access the Internet, triggering a security warning. In other cases, VPN clients are known to trigger this security warning quite often.

How to fix "Windows Defender Firewall has Blocked Some Features of This App" error

Here are a few ways you can try to prevent Windows Firewall security warnings on your PC.

1. Run Windows Firewall Troubleshooter

Let's start with troubleshooting Windows Defender Firewall for incoming connections. Windows 10 and 11 come with a built-in Incoming Connection troubleshooter . It allows you to find and fix problems with incoming connections and Windows Firewall.

To run the Windows Firewall troubleshooter:

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1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Open the System tab in the left pane.
3. Next, scroll down and click Troubleshooter.
4. Click Other troubleshooters.
5. Next, scroll down to the Other section.
6. Locate and click the Run button for Incoming Connection.
7. The troubleshooter will try to detect the problem and ask for some input from you.
8. Select one of the options and click Next. The troubleshooter will now search for issues in the selected area and apply a fix if required.
9. Once done, click Close and look for any improvements.

2. Scan the system for malware related problems

If security warnings keep popping up randomly for a specific app or all apps, it's better to check your system for malware related problems. If you have third-party antivirus software, perform a full scan to detect any malware infections.

To perform a scan using Windows Security:

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1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Open the Privacy & security tab from the left pane.
3. Click Windows Security.
4. Click Virus and Threat protection in the Protection areas section.
5. In the new Windows Security window , click Scan options under Quick Scan.
6. In Scan Options , select Full Scan.
7. Next, click the Scan now button to start scanning. This will check all the files and programs running on your hard drive.

The full scan usually takes a long time to complete depending on the amount of data stored on the hard drive.

3. Disable VPN client

Windows Defender Firewall can block connections to and from VPN clients. If you have a VPN client running, close it and exit the application completely.

To exit the VPN application, click the up arrow icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of the screen), right-click the VPN application icon, and select Exit.

If the problem persists, try disabling the VPN network adapter in Device Manager. Here's how to do it.

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1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open Device Manager.
3. In Device Manager , expand the Network adapters section.
4. You can identify the VPN network adapter by the VPN client name. For example, if you use Hotspot Shield VPN, the adapter will have a similar name.
5. Nhấp chuột phải vào VPN network adapter và chọn Disable device.
6. Nhấp vào Yes để xác nhận hành động.

Sau khi bị vô hiệu hóa, hãy kiểm tra xem sự cố đã được giải quyết chưa. Nếu chưa, hãy tìm các VPN network adapter khác và tắt chúng qua Device Manager.

4. Cho phép ứng dụng chạy qua Windows Defender Firewall

Bạn có thể nhấp vào Allow access để thêm ứng dụng bị chặn vào danh sách được phép trong Windows Defender Firewall. Tuy nhiên, nếu ứng dụng tiếp tục yêu cầu quyền, bạn có thể cho phép ứng dụng theo cách thủ công thông qua Defender Firewall.

Tham khảo phần 2 của bài viết: Cách sử dụng tường lửa trong Windows 10 để biết thêm chi tiết.

5. Khôi phục cài đặt Windows Defender Firewall về mặc định

Incorrectly configured firewalls can behave erratically and block genuine applications. If you have recently made any changes to the Firewall but are unsure of the exact details, you can restore the default settings.

Restoring the default settings will remove all third-party modifications and reset the Firewall to factory defaults.

To restore default settings for Windows Defender Firewall:

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1. Press Win + X and click Run.
2. Type control and click OK to open the Control Panel.
3. Next, go to System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall .
4. In the left pane, click Restore defaults.
5. Click the Restore defaults button.
6. Read the description and click Yes to confirm action.

Note that restoring to default settings will reset all the changes you've made to Windows Defender Firewall since Windows was installed. Therefore, you will need to reconfigure the firewall if necessary.

Windows Defender Firewall security warning is a common warning when using Windows computers. This is a harmless warning that usually appears only once for any given program. If you trust the app, click Allow access and the message will never appear for the same app.

In case the message appears again and again, troubleshoot the system for potential problems, including malware infections and VPN conflicts. If the problem persists and you believe the service/program is genuine, consider temporarily disabling Windows Defender.

Lesley Montoya

Update 22 June 2022