How to turn on or off the Windows Vista Firewall

There are cases when, for different reasons, you might need to disable or enable the Windows Vista’s firewall. In this short tutorial we will show you how this can be done. Just follow the steps described below and you will be done in no time.

The easiest way to find the Windows Vista Firewall is to type the word firewall in the Start Menu search box. You will see these two results: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and Windows Firewall. Click on the second result and the main window of Windows Firewall will open.

Windows Firewall

Now, click on the Turn Windows Firewall on or off link, from the left, or click the Change settings link, from the right. Both links will open the Windows Firewall Settings window.

Windows Firewall

By default, the On (recommended) setting will be enabled. Select Off (not recommended) to turn off Windows Firewall and then click on OK.

Windows Firewall

This is how the main window of Windows Firewall will look like after you have turned off the firewall. If you want to revert to the old settings and enable Windows Firewall, click on the Update settings now link.

Windows Firewall

Related articles:
Windows Firewall
Windows Vista Security Center

17 thoughts on “How to turn on or off the Windows Vista Firewall”

  1. Windows firewall
    I have McAfee Security Centre and am confused as to whether I turn off Windows Firewall? If it’s turned off I keep getting your computer is not secure, check your security settings.

  2. Security Center Alerts
    Diwith, if you want to disable the alerts you receive when the firewall is off (like “your computer is not secure…”) go to the Windows Security Center (type in the Start Menu search box “security center” to find it) and click on the “Change the way Security Center alerts me” link. Choose the last option and you should be “alerts free”. 🙂

  3. Vista firewall
    I have Microsoft Live Onecare and hopefully after turning off firewall my computer is protected . It was knocked out by trying to use the Vista firewall at the same time but it does actually recommend you disabling any.Live Onecare works fine now.

  4. Vista Firewall wont trun on
    I have tried everything to turn WIndows firewall back on – I had tried to install Live one care and it did not install correctly so I went back in to turn Windows Firewall back on – and it wont do it – I have tried to restore defaults to turn back on but nothing works?? Any help???

  5. cant turn on firewall
    i uninstall norton internet security by mistake, so during this process i turn off firewall. now i wanna turn it on, i cannot. it gaves me this king of message: windows firewall is not using the recommended settings to protect ur computer. what i must to do? if there is somebody who can help me with this problem , please help me. thanks in advance: Nari

  6. SECURITY SETTINGS PREVENT JAVA DOWNLOAD
    Windows Vista I get error “your current security settings do not allow this file to e downloaded”. I have turnedd of windows firewall. What else? Please advise

  7. Animal Crossing Wild World Errors
    Hello. I am having some trouble with a Dsi Game called Animal Crossing Wild world. I seem to get these note that says:

    Cooper: For some curious reason, you cannot get out right now.
    Error <8640 something-something>

    I have been getting this since i got a router. I also tried what the answer said but still got no results.

  8. help?
    I want to turn off my firewall but when I do, the firewall settings says “for your security, some security are controlled by group policy.” how can I turn if off when it doesnt even allow me to click on or off?

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