Windows Defender Firewall vs Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security

Stigg · Jul 22, 2023

I normally use Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, but I have noticed some entries in Windows Defender Firewall that I cannot see in Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

I have a couple of entries in Windows Defender Firewall that I am trying to remove, but the "Remove" button is greyed out. I searched through the registry to see if I could find anything, but haven't had any success.

So, how do I remove them?

windoc · Jul 23, 2023

The entries you are seeing in Windows Defender Firewall but not in the advanced version are likely system rules that are not exposed through the standard user interface. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security provides more detailed access to firewall rules, but it doesn't necessarily expose all of the system-embedded rules.

If the "Remove" button is greyed out for these entries, it's likely because they are system-level rules. Here's how you can proceed:

Try to disable the rule: Instead of trying to remove the rule entirely, try to disable it. This should effectively prevent it from affecting your system, even if it technically still exists.
Use an Administrator account: Ensure you are using an administrator account when making changes to firewall settings. Some settings may be unavailable if you are using a standard user account.
Use PowerShell or Command Prompt: PowerShell and Command Prompt offer the ability to interact with Windows Firewall in a more detailed manner. You can use the "netsh advfirewall" command to manage rules. Here's a basic example of how to delete a rule:

Code:

netsh advfirewall firewall delete rule name="Name of the rule"

Replace "Name of the rule" with the name of the rule you want to delete. Be cautious with this, as improperly deleting or changing firewall rules can lead to security risks or functionality issues.

Use Group Policy Editor: If the rules are enforced through Group Policy, you'll need to change them in the Group Policy Editor, not just the Windows Firewall interface. Open gpedit.msc and navigate to Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. If there are any relevant policies here, you can change or delete them. Please note that Group Policy Editor is available only in some versions of Windows, like Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise.

Please remember to backup or note down any rules you are deleting or disabling, just in case you need to re-enable them in the future.