How to Turn off Your Firewall in Windows 7

Think carefully before turning off the Windows 7 firewall because this may put your computer at risk.

Firewalls offer protection from hackers using malicious software to access personal computers connected to the Internet. The Microsoft Windows 7 operating system ships with an integrated firewall that is automatically enabled to stop hackers from forcing their way into the computer system. Firewalls can sometimes prevent legitimate software on the computer from accessing the Internet and you might need to temporarily or permanently disable it. Turning off the Windows 7 firewall is straightforward, but doing so may put your computer at risk.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" on the computer desktop quick launch toolbar. Select "Control Panel."

2. Type "firewall" into the search box.

3. Click "Windows Firewall" from the displayed search results.

4. Click "Turn Windows Firewall On or Off." Enter your computer password, if prompted. This opens the firewall settings window that contains a list of each of the network locations on the computer. On most home computers this is usually the broadband Internet connection and local home network.

5. Click the "Turn off Windows Firewall (Not Recommended)" option under each listed network location that you want to stop protecting. Click "OK."

Tips & Warnings

• Use an anti-virus program in addition to a firewall to protect your computer.

• Avoid switching off the Windows 7 firewall unless you have another firewall enabled. Leaving a computer without firewall protection makes it vulnerable to hackers and malicious software.

References

• Microsoft Windows 7: Turn Windows Firewall On or Off