A Step-by-Step Guide to Disabling Firewall on Windows 11

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The post instructs students and new users on how to disable Windows Defender Firewall on Windows 11 while highlighting the essential role it plays in device security. It notes that Windows Defender Firewall self-disables if commercial firewall software is installed. It also advises on allowing specific apps through the Firewall as a safer alternative to…

This post shows students and new users steps to turn off Windows firewalls using Windows 11. Windows 11 comes with a built-in firewall called Windows Defender Firewall.

Windows Defender Firewall, part of the Microsoft Security suite, is there to help protect your computer from external threats, including viruses and malware, from installing on your computer. Windows Defender Firewall is a great alternative to commercial firewall software and should always be enabled.

If you install commercial firewall software, Windows Defender Firewall will automatically detect and disable itself, allowing the other software to protect your computer. If you do not already have another firewall software installed, Windows Defender Firewall will automatically detect that no other firewall software is installed and enable itself.

In some cases, Windows Defender Firewall may block legitimate apps you want to use from connecting to the internet. In similar situations, you may temporarily turn off the Windows firewall to allow the apps to function.

However, figuring out a way to allow a single app through the Firewall is less dangerous than completely disabling the Firewall. Turning off the Windows firewall leaves your system vulnerable to threats and other potentially unwanted apps.

How to disable the Firewall on Windows 11

Use the steps below to learn how to disable or turn off Windows Defender Firewall.

Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. Everything can be done, from system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows from its 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 and search for Settings. Then select to open it.

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

On the Windows Security setting pane, click the “Open Windows Security” button as highlighted below,

That will bring you to the Windows Security home settings pane. From the left menu items, go to Firewall & network protection.

There, you will see up to three network profiles.

  • Domain network: Network at the workplace that is joined to a domain. This is mostly found in business environments
  • Private network: Networks are home or work where you know you trust the devices in your network and where devices are set to be discovered via network discovery.
  • Public network: Network in public areas such as airports, coffee shops and others where devices are not configured to be discovered.

You can go into each network profile above and turn on or turn off the Microsoft Defender firewall for each.

To disable Windows Defender Firewall, select Firewall & network protection on the left menu, select the Public network profile, and toggle the button to the Off position.

This will turn off Windows Defender Firewall on Windows 11.

How to allow apps through Windows Defender Firewall

Instead of completely disabling or turning off Widows Defender Firewall to resolve issues where a particular app isn’t connecting to the internet, you can enable the app to pass through Windows Defender Firewall instead.

To do that, navigate to Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection, and click Allow an app through the Firewall.

Click the Change settings button at the top, then click Allow another app and Browse to locate the app you want to add.

Select the app you want to allow through the Firewall and click OK. The app is now allowed to bypass Windows Defender Firewall.

By all means, Microsoft Defender Firewall should be enabled to receive updates on your Windows computer. The only reason you may want to turn it off is when you have other security products installed, and Microsoft Defender is interfering with them.

If Microsoft Defender Firewall is not impacting your PC performance or interfering with other security suites installed, you should keep both installed and enabled.

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to disable Windows Defender Firewall on Windows 11. Please use the comment form below if you find any errors above or have something to add.

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