How To Disable Firewall [All Methods Guide]

Many times, you may need to temporarily disable the firewall on your Windows device to allow a specific program or task to run. However, your computer is at risk when the firewall is disabled. Furthermore, you must learn how to disable the firewall properly to prevent doing more harm than good. 

Key Takeaways

• Knowing the potential security risks and weighing the advantages against the drawbacks is essential before turning off the firewall.
• You can disable the firewall using the control panel, command prompt, group policy editor, and more. 
• Your computer could be exposed to security risks if the firewall is disabled. It is recommended to enable the firewall as soon as possible or implement alternative security measures to protect your computer.

How To Disable Firewall In Windows

To disable the firewall, you need to rely on one of the following methods: 

• Using Control Panel
• Using Command Prompt
• Using Group Policy Editor
• Using Windows Security App
• For a Single Program
• Using Windows PowerShell
• Using Registry Editor

Using Control Panel

Here is how to disable the firewall using the control panel. 

Access Control Panel

1. In the lower-left corner of the screen, click the Start button.
2. Go to Start Menu, then navigate to Settings.
3. You will see the Control Panel option there; click on that.

Find The Windows Defender Firewall

1. Select “System and Security” from the Control Panel.
   

   

2. Now, select “Windows Defender Firewall.”
3. If Windows Defender is not installed, click on “Windows Firewall.“

Turn Off The Firewall

1. Click “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off” in the Defender Firewall section.
2. Click “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)” on the next window for private and public network settings.
   

   

3. Click “OK” to save the changes and turn off the firewall.

Using Command Prompt

Following are the steps for using the command prompt:

Access Command Prompt

1. In the bottom-left corner of the screen, click the Start button.
2. Enter “cmd” in the Start menu’s search field.
3. To run as administrator, right-click “Command Prompt” and choose that option.

Using The Command Line Interface

• To turn down the Windows Firewall for all profiles—Domain, Private, and Public—use the following command:

netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off

• To turn off the Windows Firewall for only the Public profile, use the following command:

netsh advfirewall set publicprofile state off

• To turn off the Windows Firewall for only the Private profile, use the following command:

netsh advfirewall set privateprofile state off

• To turn off the Windows Firewall for only the Domain profile, use the following command:

netsh advfirewall set domainprofile state off

• To carry out the command, press Enter.

Turning Off The Firewall

1. If the command were executed successfully, you would see a message that says “Ok.“
2. The firewall for the chosen profile has been turned off.

Using Group Policy Editor

Here are the steps for disabling the firewall through Group Policy Editor:

Accessing Group Policy Editor

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Enter “gpedit.msc” into the dialogue box after typing it in.

Finding The Firewall Settings

1. In Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
2. You can manage the firewall in the Advanced Security area of Windows Firewall.

   

Disabling The Firewall

1. Click “Windows Firewall Properties” in the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security section.
2. In the Windows Firewall Properties window, select the profile for which you want to turn off the firewall (Domain, Private, Public).
3. In the profile section, set the “Firewall state” to “Off.“
4. Click OK to save the changes.
5. The firewall for the specified profile is now disabled.

Using Windows Security App

Following are the steps to follow for the Windows Security app: 

How To Access Windows Security

1. Click on the Start button.
2. Enter “Windows Security.” in the search box after opening the Start menu.
3. Click on “Windows Security” in the results.

Finding The Firewall & Network Protection Section

1. In Windows Security, click on “Firewall & network protection.”

   

2. In the Firewall & network protection section, you will see a list of active firewalls.

Turning Off The Firewall

1. To turn off the firewall, click on the name of the firewall you want to disable.
2. In the next window, toggle the switch for the firewall to the “Off” position.
3. The firewall is now disabled.

Disabling For A Single Program

Step-by-Step Guide to Turning off Windows Firewall for a Single Program:

Open Windows Firewall

1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Follow: Control Panel>System and Security>Windows Defender Firewall.

Allowing A Program Through Windows Firewall

1. In the Windows Defender Firewall window, select “Allow a program through Windows Defender Firewall.”
   

   

2. In the Allowed apps and features window, click on “Change settings.“
3. Locate the application you want to let through the firewall by scrolling down.
   

   

4. Check the box next to the program to allow it through the private and public networks firewall.
5. Click on “OK” to save the changes.

Note: Only allow programs through the firewall that you trust. Allowing untrusted programs through the firewall can increase the risk of security breaches.

Using Registry Editor

Here is a step-by-step guide to disabling the firewall through the Registry Editor:

Accessing The Registry Editor

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
2. In the dialogue box, type “regedit.“

Finding The Firewall Settings

1. In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy.
2. In the FirewallPolicy folder, you will see two keys: “DomainProfile” and “StandardProfile.”

   

Disabling The Firewall

1. Right-click on the key for the profile you want to disable the firewall for (“DomainProfile” or “StandardProfile“).
2. Select “Modify.“
3. Make the value data in the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value box “00000000.”
   

   

4. Click OK to save the changes.

Using Windows PowerShell

Step-by-Step Guide to Disabling Firewall using Windows PowerShell:

Opening Windows PowerShell

1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Click on “Windows PowerShell (Admin).“

Disabling The Firewall

There are different Windows PowerShell commands to disable the firewall for different profiles.

• To turn off the firewall for the Domain profile, use the command:

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain -Enabled False

• To turn off the firewall for the public profile, use the command:

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Public -Enabled False

• To disable the firewall for the Private profile:

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Private -Enabled False

• To disable the firewall for all profiles:

Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain,Public,Private -Enabled False