Windows Firewall - Add or Remove an Exception

How to Add or Remove Windows Firewall Exception in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to add or remove a program or feature for each type of network location type (ex: Private or Public) to allow the program or feature through Windows Firewall.

   Warning

When you add a program to the list of allowed programs in a firewall you allow a particular program to send information to or from your computer through the firewall. Allowing a program to communicate through a firewall (sometimes called unblocking) is like opening a tiny door in the firewall.

Each time you allow a program to communicate through a firewall, your computer becomes a bit less secure. The more allowed programs your firewall has, the more opportunities there are for hackers or malicious software to use one of those openings to spread a worm, access your files, or use your computer to spread malicious software to others.

To help decrease your security risk:

• Only allow a program when you really need to, and remove programs from the list of allowed programs that you no longer need.
• Never allow a program that you do not recognize to communicate through the firewall.

Here's How:

1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Windows Firewall icon.

2. Click/tap on the Allow a program through Windows Firewall link in the left pane. (see screenshot below)

3. Click/tap on the Change settings button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the Change settings button is grayed out, then it has already been clicked on.

4. Do step 5, 6, or 7 below for what you would like to do.

5. To Allow or Unallow an Existing Exception
A) On the left side, check the program exception Name box to allow, or uncheck to unallow through Windows Firewall. (see screenshot below)

B) If you allowed the program exception, then check (allow) or uncheck (unallow) the box for each Private or Public network location you want the program to have access through Windows Firewall. (see screenshot below)

6. To Add a Program Exception
A) Click on the Allow another program button. (see screenshot below)


B) If the Program is Listed (see screenshot below step 6D)

• Click/tap on the program to highlight it.
• Go to step 6D.

C) If the Program is Not Listed (see screenshot below step 6D)

• Click/tap on the Browse button.
• Navigate to the program's exe file location, usually in a C:\Program Files folder, and click on the program's exe file to select (highlight) it and click on the Open button.

D) Click/tap on the Add button. (see screenshot below)

E) Do step 5 to allow to unallow this program exception. (see screenshot below)

7. To Remove a Program Exception
A) Click/tap on the program exception name to select (highlight) it and click on the Remove button if not grayed out. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Usually you will only be able to remove a program that you have added from step 6.

B) Click/tap on Yes to approve removing the program from the exception list.
8. When done, click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below either step 5B or 6E)

9. Close the Windows Firewall window if you like. (see screenshot below step 3)



That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Turn Windows Firewall On or Off in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change Windows Firewall Notification Settings in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Restore Default Windows Firewall Settings in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create a Windows Firewall Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Turn Network Discovery On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Backup and Restore All Windows Firewall Settings

 

[meirotstein]

Hi,

I tried to follow up your instructions, but the 'Change Settings' button on the firewall 'allow program' dialog in disabled.

Any ideas?

Thank.

 

[Brink]

Hello Meirostein, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This is normal at step 6. You can still make changes by checking or unchecking what you like, then click on OK when done.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[meirotstein]

Hi Brink,

And what about adding a port exception. how can I do that?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Brink]

They removed that option from the default Windows Firewall, and moved it to Windows Firewall with Advanced Security instead.

1. In the left pane, click Advanced settings. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security dialog box, in the left pane, click Inbound Rules, and then, in the right pane, click New Rule.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions in the New Inbound Rule wizard.

Hope this helps.

 

[meirotstein]

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[katie123]

Remove Programs from Firewall?

I have a question? I uninstalled a printer and I want to remove the program from my firewall - I clicked "Change Settings" and when I highlight the particular program I want to remove, the "Remove" button becomes unusable. As I scroll down the list, it will become usable for some and not for others. How do I get rid of these programs from my firewall list?

Thanks!
Katie

 

[Brink]

Hello Katie, and welcome to Seven Forums.

For those, about the only thing I know that you can do is to uncheck them from the far left side to not have them filtered with the Firewall anymore. I'll look into seeing if there's a way to remove them from the registry, and will post back if I find a way.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[NoN]

Hello Katie, and welcome to Seven Forums.

For those, about the only thing I know that you can do is to uncheck them from the far left side to not have them filtered with the Firewall anymore. I'll look into seeing if there's a way to remove them from the registry, and will post back if I find a way.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

Hi Katie & Shawn, you can also remove unwanted/uninstalled programs left in the Windows Firewall from what's been quoted earlier.
Just search the uninstalled program, highlight it then remove with the red "X".

This way they will be removed from the general Windows Firewall list.

They removed that option from the default Windows Firewall, and moved it to Windows Firewall with Advanced Security instead.

1. In the left pane, click Advanced settings. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security dialog box, in the left pane, click Inbound Rules & Outbound Rules
3. ...Search for the uninstalled/undesired Program, highlight it then remove it from the list

Hope this helps.

 

[soccertrendy]

everytime i turn my comp on i have to make a new inbound and outbound firewall ruke for virtual dj, is there a way i can make these permanent rules instead of having to input them everytime??

thanks in advance people

 

[Neophile]

I am trying to unallow a program from communicating through the internet according to this very well explained tutorial, but it puts itself back as allowed. I changed the marked cases from Public to Private and it changes itself back to public or adds a new allowing entry for public. Then I went to the Advanced Firewall (not on this tutorial) and enabled the firewall for that program for any protocol type and for domain, private and public. It changes itself, creates new entries on both firewall controls (normal and advanced) windows. The simple one has now six entries than cannot be deleted. How can I unallow definitely and keep it that way, please?

 

[Brink]

Hello Neophile,

You might see if using the free version of Windows 7 Firewall Control may help make it easier to set Windows Firewall (advanced) for this.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Neophile]

Thank you very much Brink, and sorry for the delayed answer. It works quite well. It is a very good firewall that allows to control everything, but it took me quite some time and many trials to use. It is complicated because there is no help and it doesn't say what the commands do, to what they correspond, so we have to learn by trial and error. Further more, the little help available, both online or included is very badly written, almost not understandable, what is really a pity for such a good application.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Neophile. The "Windows 7 Firewall Controll" program sure does help to make using and setting "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security" a lot easier to do.

 

[sek0910]

Windows firewall crashes when "Allow another program..."

Itunes can't connect to the Itunes store and it's diagnostics says the program is not allowed by Windows Firewall even though it listed and allowed, both Private and Public.
I wanted to delete it and add it again, but the "Change Settings" button is grayed out for "Remove", and when I click on the "Allow another program..." button, nothing happens other than after a minute or two I get a message that the program is no longer responding and I have to use Task Manager to close it out.

Any suggestions?

 

[Brink]

Hello Sek, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Usually you will not be able to remove a program from the exception list unless you added it from step 6. The only other way is to uninstall and reinstall the program.

Do you have any other antivirus or security program installed that may be blocking it?

 

[sek0910]

Windows Defender and Malware anti malware

 

[Brink]

Nar, those shouldn't be blocking it.

 

[sek0910]

Big question is why Windows Firewall crashes when I try to add another program..
Actually itunes can't connect even when firewall is turned off