As part of its built-in security suite, both Windows 11 and Windows 10 offer a powerful firewall application named Windows Defender Firewall. Whether you want to turn off the Windows Firewall or just to make sure it is running to protect your PC, you first need to know how to access it. Without further ado, let's see all the methods to open the Windows Defender Firewall:

NOTE: This guide covers Windows 11 and Windows 10. If you do not know which version of Windows you have, read this tutorial: How to tell what Windows I have (11 ways).

1. Open the Windows Defender Firewall using the search

Windows Defender Firewall is a simple tool for managing incoming and outgoing connections on your Windows device. If you want to know more about the feature, read this article: Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security: What is it? How to open it? What can you do with it?

The Windows Defender Firewall page

The easiest way to access Windows Defender Firewall is to look for it using the search feature in Windows. For Windows 11, start by pressing Windows + S on your keyboard or by clicking/tapping the magnifier icon on the taskbar, then type “firewall” in the search box, and finally click or tap the Windows Defender Firewall search result.

Use Search in Windows 11 to open Windows Defender Firewall

In Windows 10, the steps are similar. Press Windows + S or just type in “firewall” in the search box located on the taskbar, then select the Windows Defender Firewall search result.

Open Windows Defender Firewall in Windows 10 by using the Search feature

TIP: You can also use the Start Menu to initiate a search. Simply open it by pressing the Windows key or clicking the Start button on the taskbar, then start typing.

2. Start the Windows Defender Firewall using Control Panel

The Windows Firewall can be accessed from the Control Panel too. Open the Control Panel and go to System and Security. Next, click or tap on Windows Defender Firewall.

Open Windows Defender Firewall from the Control Panel

Alternatively, you can input “firewall” in the Control Panel search box located in the top-right corner of the window. Then, in the list of search results, click or tap Windows Defender Firewall.

Use the search box in the Control Panel to locate the Windows Defender Firewall page

3. Open Windows Defender Firewall using the Settings app

You can also reach the Defender Firewall page by opening the Settings app, then typing “firewall” and selecting Windows Defender Firewall in the drop-down result list. Here’s how it looks in Windows 11:

Search for Windows Defender Firewall in the Settings app in Windows 11

In Windows 10, the steps are the same: open Settings and type “firewall” in the Search box, then click the appropriate result.

Locating the Windows Defender Firewall using the Settings app is similar in Windows 10

4. Start the Windows Defender Firewall using the Run window

Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run window. Then, type “control firewall.cpl” in the Open field and hit Enter or press OK.

Open Windows Defender Firewall from the Run window

TIP: Typing “control /name Microsoft.WindowsFirewall” in the Open field will yield the same result.

5. Use Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal to open the Windows Defender Firewall

If you are a fan of the command line, you can use Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal to open Windows Defender Firewall. Type the same command as the one used in the Run window, followed by Enter:

This immediately opens the Windows Defender Firewall page.

Windows Defender Firewall can be opened by using a command-line interface

You can also use the command

with the same outcome.

Do you use the Windows Defender Firewall?

You have learned five different ways to open the Windows Defender Firewall. Before closing this tutorial, we have a question for you: do you use Windows’ built-in firewall or do you prefer a third-party application for managing your network connections? Why is that? Comment below and let's discuss.