How to Open a Port on Windows Firewall

Firewall is an essential security feature for any PC that works alongside antivirus software to shield your computer from worms and hackers. But sometimes a program has to communicate with an outside network, which requires you to open an inbound or an outbound port. Windows Firewall wizard allows you to create rules against which it checks permissions for a program to communicate over a specific port.

Once these rules are created, you’ve essentially whitelisted this application from triggering your firewall -- so long as it’s connecting to this port. Here are a handful of fairly simple steps to follow in order to use this feature. 

How to open a port on Windows Firewall

1.

Type Firewall in the search box on the taskbar, clicking the Windows Defender Firewall to open it.

 

2. Click Advanced Settings from the left sidebar in the next window.

3. In the left pane, click Inbound Rule.

4. In the right pane, click New Rule.

5. Select Port under What type of rule would you like to create?

6. Click Next.

7. Type a port number for Specific local ports.

8. Click Next.

9. Select Allow the connection.

10. Click Next.

11. Select any network type you are OK to allow the connection over.

12. Click Next.

13. Type a name for the rule.

14. Click Finish.

Credit: Microsoft