How to Reset Default Firewall Settings in Windows 11

What is Windows Firewall?

Windows Firewall acts like a security guard for your computer, blocking unwanted access from the internet or your network. A reset deletes every rule that was added over time, whether you made it or an app installer did. It also puts the Domain, Private and Public network profiles back to their default settings. After that, the firewall is on and blocks unsolicited inbound connections.

Before you start, note three things:

• You need an administrator account. A standard account will be asked for admin credentials or will be blocked.
• Apps that had their own rules, such as games, remote desktop tools or file sharing, will ask for permission again the next time they connect. Choose Allow for the ones you trust.
• If you use a third-party security suite with its own firewall, Windows Security may say the firewall is managed by that program. In that case some options can be missing or greyed out. The same applies to a work PC controlled by group policy. Turn off the other firewall or ask your IT team first.

Method 1Reset Firewall Using the Windows Security App

The Windows Security app is the simplest way to reset the firewall. It works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro, and you don’t need any advanced tools. You open Windows Security from Settings, go to the firewall page, and use the restore option at the bottom. The steps below walk through it, and no restart is needed afterwards.

1. Click the Start button in the bottom-left corner of your screen (or in the centre of the taskbar 🖥️ if you use the default centred layout). The Start menu ⊞ opens.
2. Click Settings (the gear icon). If you don’t see it, type “Settings” into the Start menu ⊞ search box 🔍 and open it from the results. The Settings ⚙️ window opens.

3. In the Settings ⚙️ window, click Privacy & security on the left side. Then click Windows Security. The Windows Security overview page appears on the right.

4. Click the Open Windows Security button. A separate Windows Security window opens, with a list of protection areas on the left and a summary on the right.

5. In the Windows Security app, click Firewall & network protection. You can also open this directly by clicking here. You should see your three network profiles (Domain, Private and Public), with the one currently in use marked as active.

6. Scroll down and click Restore firewalls to default. This link sits near the bottom of the page, below the links for allowing an app through the firewall and for advanced settings. If you can’t find it, check whether another firewall product is managing your PC.

7. When the restore page or pop-up appears, click Restore defaults. This is the step that deletes your custom rules, so make sure you want that before you continue.
8. Click Yes if asked to confirm. This is the User Account Control prompt that asks whether the app may make changes to your device. The reset runs straight away.

Windows 11’s firewall now reverts to its original settings. Standard rules recommended by Microsoft take over again, restoring baseline protection levels.

Then test the app or device that was giving you trouble. There is no undo button in this method. If you need your old rules back, you would have to recreate them, or import a policy file you exported earlier from the Advanced Security console (see the next method).

Method 2Reset Firewall Using Advanced Security

Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security gives you deeper control over your network rules. This management console is built into Windows 11 Home as well as Pro. It lets you restore the default policy directly, and it can also save your current rules to a file first. You open it from the Run box, restore the default policy from the right-hand pane, and confirm. The steps below show how.

Later you can use Import Policy in the same menu to restore it.

1. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run box. A small Run window appears at the bottom-left of the screen.
2. Type wf.msc and press Enter. Approve the User Account Control prompt if one appears. The firewall console opens.
3. In the window that opens, click Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security on Local Computer on the left side. This is the top item in the left pane. Its overview appears in the middle.
4. On the right side, in the Actions pane, find and click Restore Default Policy. A warning appears saying that all Windows Defender Firewall policy changes made since Windows was installed will be lost.
5. Confirm any pop-ups that appear by clicking Yes. The console refreshes and your custom inbound and outbound rules disappear, leaving only the default Windows rules.

Method 3Reset Firewall Using Command Prompt

Command Prompt lets you reset the firewall with a single command, as long as it runs with administrator rights. That is the part people most often get wrong. Without elevation the command fails with an access-denied message. Open the terminal as administrator, run the reset command, and the firewall returns to defaults. This is the fastest text-based method, and it works on both Home and Pro.

Terminal workflows offer speed and direct execution. One line of text handles the complete reversion. They also suit remote sessions and scripts, since you don't have to click through any windows.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows Terminal (Admin). On some newer builds of Windows 11 this entry is labelled Terminal (Admin). Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt. A terminal window opens.
2. If needed, click the down arrow at the top and select the Command Prompt tab. If the terminal already opened in Command Prompt, skip this step. The prompt should show a path such as C:\Windows\System32.
3. Type the following command and press Enter:

Executing this command immediately reverts your Windows 11 firewall to factory defaults. Custom configurations disappear entirely, reinstating standard network protection. No restart is needed. If you see an access-denied message, the window was not opened as administrator. Close it and repeat the steps above.

Method 4Reset Firewall Using PowerShell

PowerShell also resets the firewall with one command, which makes it a good choice if you already work in PowerShell or want to include the reset in a script. As with Command Prompt, the terminal must run as administrator. Open it, switch to the PowerShell tab, enter the reset command, and press Enter to clear all custom settings. It works on both Home and Pro.

The PowerShell environment directly interfaces with firewall APIs. Scripting enthusiasts benefit from this granular approach to restoring default security rules.

1. Open Windows Terminal (Admin) again by right-clicking the Start button, and approve the User Account Control prompt. The terminal window opens.
2. Choose the PowerShell tab. Click the down arrow at the top if it isn't already open. The prompt should begin with PS.
3. Type this command and press Enter:

(New-Object -ComObject HNetCfg.FwPolicy2).RestoreLocalFirewallDefaults()

PowerShell triggers an instantaneous reversion of all firewall properties back to their baseline states. Often it prints nothing and just returns to the prompt, which is normal. To confirm, open Firewall & network protection in Windows Security and check that the firewall is on for your active network.

Summary

You can reset firewall Windows 11 settings using several different approaches, depending on what feels most comfortable for you. Whether you prefer the simplicity of the Windows Security app, the detailed controls in Advanced Security, or quick commands in Command Prompt and PowerShell, all these built-in methods restore your original network security configuration. After any of them, expect some apps to ask for firewall permission again the first time they connect.

• The Windows Security app is the easiest way to reset your firewall.
• Advanced Security gives you more control if you need it, including exporting your rules before you reset.
• Command Prompt and PowerShell are for people comfortable with typing commands, and both must run as administrator.
• Resetting your firewall fixes problems caused by wrong settings. It also removes your custom rules, so export them first if you want to keep them.
• Following these steps keeps your PC safe from threats online. Leave the firewall turned on after the reset.