4 Ways to Turn Off the Firewall

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 08:07

This wikiHow teaches you how to turn off a computer firewall. Keep in mind that disabling the firewall increases the risk of getting malware on your computer.

Step

Method 1 of 2: Windows 7 Up to 10

Step 1. Open the “Start” menu

Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the screen, or press Win on your keyboard.

Step 2. Type firewall into the “Start” menu

Since the cursor is automatically in the search bar when the “Start” menu is opened, the computer will immediately search for the Firewall program when you type an entry.

Step 3. Click Windows Firewall

This option is indicated by a brick wall icon with a globe behind it. You can find this option at the top of the “Start” menu search window.

Step 4. Click Turn Windows Firewall on or off

This link is on the left side of the page.

Step 5. Check the “Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended)” option

You can do this for the "Private" and "Public" network settings categories.

You may need to confirm the action first by clicking “ OK " or " Yes ” in the pop-up window.

Step 6. Click OK

It's at the bottom of the page. After that, the computer's firewall will be disabled.

Method 2 of 2: Windows Vista

Step 1. Open the “Start” menu

Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the screen, or press Win on your keyboard.

Step 2. Click Control Panel

This option is usually on the right side of the “Start” window. You may need to click “ All Programs first.

Step 3.

Click Security.

This option looks like a colorful shield and appears on the left side of the window.

Click Windows Firewall. It's in the top-left corner of the page.

Click the "Turn Windows Firewall on or off" link. This link is in the top-left corner of the page.

You may be asked to enter an administrator password at this stage

Click the "Off (not recommended)" box. This box is at the bottom of the page.

Click OK. After that, the firewall will be disabled on your Windows Vista computer.

Windows XP

1. Click Start. It's in the lower-left corner of the screen. After that, the “Start” menu will be displayed.

   

   • You may need to hover over the lower-left corner of the screen for the button to appear.
   • You can also press Win key to open the “Start” menu.

2. Click Run. It's on the right side of the “Start” pop-up window.

   

3. Type firewall.cpl into the " Run " text field. This command opens the firewall settings directly.

   

4. Click OK. After that, the typed command will be executed and the firewall settings will be opened.

   

5. Click the "Off (not recommended)" box. This box is at the bottom of the page.

   

   If you don't see this option, click the tab “ General ” which is at the top of the page first.

6. Click OK. After that, the changes will be saved and the firewall will be disabled on the computer.

   

   Mac OS

   1. Open the Apple menu. This menu is indicated by the apple icon in the upper-left corner of the Mac computer screen.

      

   2. Click System Preferences. It's at the bottom of the drop-down menu.

      

   3. Click Security. It's in the top row of icons in the “System Preferences” window.

      

      On earlier versions of Mac OS, this option is labeled as “ Security & Privacy ”.

   4. Click Firewalls. This tab is at the top of the " Security " window.

      

   5. Click the lock icon. It's in the lower-left corner of the window.

      

   6. Enter the administrator password. After that, you can make changes to this menu.

      

   7. Click Turn Off Firewall. It's in the middle of the page.

      

      If you see the message " Turn On Firewall ”, your Mac's firewall has been disabled.

   8. Click the lock icon again. After that, the changes will be saved and protected by a password.

      

      Tips

      • Turn off the firewall only if you are going to perform an action that the firewall interferes with, such as sharing files from a computer. Re-enable the firewall when you're done taking action to keep your computer protected.
      • If you've disabled your firewall but are still having problems sharing files or running certain programs, you may need to disable your existing antivirus program because antivirus programs usually have their own firewall. However, disabling this program is risky because you don't use a firewall to protect your computer.
      • Use an antivirus program to scan your computer at least weekly if you turn off your firewall frequently. Your computer is more at risk for viruses without an active firewall, so you should use an antivirus program frequently to remove threats that may have entered your computer.

      Warning

      Disabling the firewall can significantly increase the risk that software or users can access your information

      1. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201642