Managing the native Windows Firewall can be a complex task, often requiring navigation through multiple system menus. Windows Firewall Control simplifies this process, providing an intuitive interface to enhance your system’s security. This powerful utility extends the default firewall’s capabilities, offering granular control over network connections.
The application runs discreetly in the system tray, allowing quick access to its comprehensive features. Users can easily switch between various filtering modes, tailoring protection levels to specific needs. Acquired by Malwarebytes, Windows Firewall Control remains a free solution, actively maintained and supported.
In This Post
Why It Stands Out
Configuring Filtering Profiles
- Open Windows Firewall Control from the system tray.
- Navigate to the Profiles section in the left menu.
- Select your desired filtering level: High Filtering, Medium Filtering, Low Filtering, or No Filtering.
- Confirm your selection in the pop-up dialog.
Why: Adjusting filtering profiles is crucial for balancing security with connectivity. High Filtering offers maximum protection by blocking all traffic, ideal for critical tasks. Medium Filtering blocks unapproved outbound connections, providing a secure default. Low Filtering allows most outbound traffic, suitable for less restrictive environments.
Managing Advanced Firewall Settings
- Launch Windows Firewall Control.
- Click the Tools icon in the left sidebar.
- Select Windows Firewall Advanced Security to open the native Windows Firewall management console.
- Alternatively, choose Windows Firewall Control Panel for basic settings.
Why: Accessing the advanced security console directly from Windows Firewall Control allows power users to configure highly specific rules, such as port-based restrictions or IPsec policies. This integration streamlines complex firewall management tasks.
Creating New Firewall Rules
- Open the Windows Firewall Control main panel.
- Go to the Rules Panel.
- Click the option to create a new rule.
- Define the rule’s parameters, including program path, direction (inbound/outbound), and action (allow/block).
Why: Custom firewall rules are essential for controlling individual application access to the network. This granular control prevents unauthorized data transmission and protects against potential threats. The intuitive interface simplifies rule creation.
Download Windows Firewall Control
File size: 3.42 MB
OS support: Windows
Windows
System Requirements
Minimum
- OS: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 (x86 and x64)
Software Specifications
| Software Name | Windows Firewall Control |
|---|---|
| Version | 6.38.0.0 |
| License | Free |
| File Size | 3.42 MB |
| OS Support | Windows |
| Language | English |
| Developer | Binisoft |
| Homepage | https://www.binisoft.org |
| Changelogurl | https://www.binisoft.org/changelog.txt |
| Last Updated | October 29, 2026 |
Notable Features
- Four Filtering Modes: Switch between Low, Medium, High, and No Filtering modes with a single click to control how outgoing connections are handled when no matching rule exists.
- Learning Mode: Automatically allows digitally signed programs and provides notifications for blocked outgoing connections, reducing manual rule creation for trusted applications.
- Outbound Connection Notifications: Displays real-time alerts when a program is blocked from making an outgoing connection, with options to allow or block permanently from the notification.
- Comprehensive Rules Management: Create, modify, delete, merge, and duplicate firewall rules through an intuitive interface that also highlights invalid or duplicate rules automatically.
- Lock Feature: Prevents unauthorized changes to Windows Firewall Control settings and the underlying firewall configuration by requiring a password to unlock.
- Shell Integration: Adds a right-click context menu entry for executable files, allowing quick rule creation for any program directly from File Explorer.
- Import and Export Rules: Backup or transfer partial rule sets between machines, making it easy to replicate firewall configurations across multiple systems.
- Connection Log Viewer: Browse recently allowed and blocked connections from the Windows Security log and create new rules directly from log entries.
What’s New in Latest Version
- Added support for Grouping in the Rules Panel and Connections Log.
- Improved right-click context menu copying of remote addresses and properties in Connections Log (now sorted ascending).
- Improved multi-selection in Connections Log to Customize and create a new rule (ports and IP addresses sorted ascending).
- Automatic refresh of the Rules Panel when Secure Rules disables a firewall rule.
- Fixed notification selection bug when creating a new rule while multiple notifications are displayed.
- Fixed mouse navigation in notifications to click the entire square button instead of just the arrows.
- Fixed Secure Rules status display inconsistency where it may remain disabled but appear enabled.
Changes in 6.36.0.0 (2026-10-07)
- The Application packages list now includes all packages from all user accounts.
- Search functionality in Rules Panel now includes Application package and Local user owner properties.
- Fixed: Combo box template does not contain the top margin.
Changes in 6.34.0.0 (2026-09-21)
- Reverted: Exporting/importing to/from *.wfw file (Windows Firewall format) was added back, working similarly to WFC 6.34.0.0 or earlier.
- Reverted: Extended properties checkbox column was added back in Rules Panel to highlight Windows Store rules.
- Fixed: Notifications exceptions right-click context menu entries are enabled even if the software runs in read-only mode.
- Fixed: OpenFileDialog generates multiple error messages in WFC log complaining about missing satellite resource assemblies.
- Fixed: PageUp and PageDown do not work correctly in Connection Log data grid.
- Fixed: Better handling of Process.Start exceptions during install/update.
- Fixed: Added new locks to ensure thread-safe operations.
Changes in 6.33.0.0 (2026-09-14)
- New: Added support for wildcards in notifications exceptions, including editing and converting existing exceptions
- New: Rule creation source and timestamp now added to the Description property of new rules
- New: Support for creating and editing firewall rules for application packages
- New: Two new columns Local user owner and Application package replace the Extended properties column in Rules Panel
- Improved: Connections Log entries for missing files now display in red text
- Improved: Default WFC recommended rules for ICMPv4 and ICMPv6 inbound are now defined for LocalSubnet
- Improved: Automatic trimming of empty spaces from remote/local ports and addresses
- Fixed: Application no longer restarts after importing user settings
- Fixed: Internal hotkey list no longer doubles on each Main Panel close
- Fixed: Thread-pool starvation and race conditions in service code resolved
- Fixed: Rules Panel and Connections Log windows now open correctly with stored column settings
Installation Steps
Installation Steps
- Click the download button above to get the installer for your operating system
- Locate the downloaded file (wfc6setup.exe) and double-click to run the installer
- Follow the on-screen installation wizard; elevated privileges are required only during installation
- Launch Windows Firewall Control from the system tray and select your preferred filtering mode
Compatibility: Requires Microsoft.NET Framework 4.8, Windows Firewall service enabled, and DNS Client service enabled for notifications. Compatible with all x86 and x64 versions of Windows 7 through 11 and Server 2012 through 2025.
Problem Solving
- Issue: Installation fails → Solution: Run the installer as administrator
- Issue: Notifications not appearing → Solution: Ensure DNS Client service is running
- Issue: Cannot change filtering mode → Solution: Verify Windows Firewall service is started
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