How to Restore Windows 11 Firewall to Default Settings

This post shows steps for students and new users to restore the Windows firewall to its default settings.

Suppose there’s a problem in Windows where some apps are not communicating or the internet connection is not working as expected. In that case, you might want to reset the Windows firewall to its default settings.

It might also be where malware or viruses have set up firewall rules to give themselves unlimited access to your systems. Or Microsoft Defender firewall is not filtering access properly. In these situations, resetting or restoring the Firewall to default settings might be something you might want to consider.

When you reset the firewall settings, it will remove all additional Microsoft Defender firewall settings that have been added for all network locations since Windows was installed. Doing this will also stop applications that might have been added legitimately to access the Firewall.

You’ll have to reconfigure apps that need access through the Firewall to get them working again.

Although Windows 11 is new, restoring the firewall settings works like previous Windows versions.

To get started with restoring Windows firewall settings to default, follow the steps below;

How to restore the firewall settings to default in Windows 11

As mentioned above, if you want to resolve network connectivity issues, you might want to restore the Windows firewall. The steps below show you how to do this.

Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. From system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows, all can be done from the System Settings pane.

To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings, as shown in the image below:

Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar to search for Settings. Then select to open it.

Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. In Windows Settings, click PrivacySecurityity and select Windows Security on the right pane of your screen, as shown in the image below.

Click Open Windows Security as highlighted below on the Windows Security settings pane.

Click the Firewall & network protection link on the left in the Windows Security dashboard.

On the Firewall & network protection settings pane, scroll down to the bottom and click the link for “Restore firewalls to default.“

Doing that will launch another screen where you can restore Windows firewall settings. Click the Restore defaults to restore the firewall settings.

Click Yes on the confirmation pop-up to continue restoring the Windows firewall.

Restart your computer, and you’re done.

Conclusion:

• Resetting the Windows firewall to its default settings can resolve various network connectivity issues.
• This process removes all custom firewall rules and applications previously granted access.
• Users must reconfigure any applications that require firewall access after the reset.
• Following the outlined steps will help ensure a smoother operation of your network settings.
• Regularly reviewing firewall settings can help maintain security and system performance.