Block internet access for an application? This is how!

Windows has a built-in Windows Firewall (also known as Windows Defender Firewall) installed on the operating system.

Windows Firewall is a security application from Microsoft that runs in the background and protects the operating system against various threats. It is essentially an application designed to filter network data transmissions and block programs that initiate malicious communications.

Windows Firewall protects against attacks from the Internet or your local network, but it doesn't prevent you from accessing the Web. Malicious software may also attack your computer via the Internet.

Windows Firewall filters incoming and outgoing connections and blocks unsafe connections. There is a predefined set of rules for private and public networks, which can be edited by the user or the software the user installs.

The Firewall is fine for basic use, it protects against various threats and allows you to configure firewall settings depending on how you use your computer. Many programs require access to the Internet to download updates, allow online purchases, and so on.

These programs can upload your data without your knowledge. Windows Firewall is useful in this regard because it allows you to take control of how and when programs can connect to the Internet. In this how-to, I'll show you how to block both incoming and outgoing Internet traffic for a particular program using the Windows Firewall.

How can you block access to an application in Windows?

Open the start menu and search for “Firewall”, open the result “Windows Firewall with Advanced Security”.

Find the “Outbound Rules” option in the left pane of the Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security window. Click on it to display a list of rules. Click “New Rule…” in the right part of the window to create a new rule for outbound traffic.

The New Outbound Rule window appears. Make sure the “Program” option is selected and click “Next”.

A new window will appear where you can select the program. Select the “This program path” option and type the path to the program you want to block or find.

Most apps can be blocked by selecting the .exe (executable) file that starts the program. In some cases, apps or programs can be launched through the executable file, but the network connection is applied through a different file.

If this is the case, you will need to select a file that will be used to connect to the Internet. For most applications, the “EXE” is the file you need to block. In this example I chose the chrome.exe as the executable file. After you select the file, click “Next”.

In the “Action” section you will see three options: “Allow connection”, “Allow connection if it is safe” and “Block connection”. Select “Block the connection” and click “Next”.

The “Profile” section asks you when you want to apply this rule: when a computer is connected to its corporate domain. When a computer is connected to a private network, such as a home or workplace, and when a computer is connected to a public network location. Select the desired option(s) and click “Next”.

You will be redirected to the last window called “Name”. Here you will need to name your rule, I recommend that you give it a name that you can recognize and remember in the future if necessary. You can add a more detailed description to it if you wish. When you are done, click “Finish”.

Now that you have created a new rule in Windows Firewall, you can test it. In this example we have chosen to deny Google Chrome access to the internet and you can see that it can no longer connect to the internet via the Chrome browser.

As you can see, Chrome reports that our computer or network may be protected by a firewall or proxy and we must ensure that Google Chrome can access the web.

We have thus achieved our goal and blocked internet access for this specific program. Hopefully this instruction has helped you to block programs in Windows from accessing the Internet. Good luck!