Resetting the Defaults in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

As a last resort, you may want to restore Windows Firewall with Advanced Security defaults. When you restore default settings, you lose all settings, all firewall rules, and all IPsec connection security rules configured locally on the computer after Windows was installed. Group Policy applied rules and settings are not disturbed. The loss of locally defined rules might cause some programs to stop working that depend on certain rules or settings. Also, if you are remotely managing this computer, the connection is lost when you restore defaults.

Before resetting the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security defaults, make sure that you save the current firewall state. This allows you to restore your settings if necessary.

The steps to save the firewall state and reset Windows Firewall with Advanced Security to its default configuration are as follows:

To save the current firewall state

1. In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security MMC snap-in, click Export Policy in the Actions pane.

2. In the Save As property sheet, provide a name and path for the export file.

3. Click Save.

To restore Windows Firewall with Advanced Security to its default configuration

1. In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security snap-in, click Restore Defaults in the Actions pane.

2. At the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security prompt, click Yes to restore firewall defaults.