How to Permanently Disable Windows Firewall When It Re-Enables Automatically – Bison Knowledgebase

How to Permanently Disable Windows Firewall When It Re-Enables Automatically

📅 29 Dec 2025 📂 General 👁 11 views

In some environments, Windows Firewall turns itself back ON automatically even after being manually disabled. This behavior is intentional and driven by Windows security services, group policies, antivirus integrations, or domain-level controls.

This Knowledge Base article explains why this happens, when it is appropriate to disable the firewall, and how to disable it correctly and persistently using supported administrative methods.

This guide is intended for system administrators, IT engineers, and advanced users managing standalone systems, servers, or controlled LAN environments.

Technical Explanation

Windows Firewall is controlled by multiple system components:

Windows Defender Firewall service (mpssvc)
Group Policy (Local or Domain)
Windows Security Center
Third-party antivirus/firewall software
Network profile enforcement (Public/Private/Domain)

If any one of these components enforces firewall protection, manual disabling via Settings or Control Panel will not persist.

Windows is designed to:

Automatically re-enable firewall for Public networks
Restore firewall if it detects security risk
Obey domain or MDM policies
Defer control to third-party security software

Use Cases Where Firewall Is Disabled

Disabling Windows Firewall may be required in controlled scenarios such as:

Internal LAN-only application servers
Testing or troubleshooting network connectivity
Systems protected by external hardware firewalls
Legacy applications incompatible with firewall filtering
Temporary diagnostics during network issue resolution

⚠️ Firewall should never be disabled on internet-facing systems without alternative protection.

Step-by-Step Solutions (Permanent & Reliable)

Method 1: Disable Windows Firewall Service (Local System)

Best for: Standalone systems not managed by domain policies

Press Win + R → type services.msc
Locate Windows Defender Firewall
Double-click and configure:
- Startup type: Disabled
- Click Stop
Apply and restart the system

Service Name: mpssvc Startup Type: Disabled

? If the service restarts automatically, proceed to Method 2 or 3.

Method 2: Disable via Local Group Policy (Recommended)

Best for: Windows Pro, Enterprise, Server editions

Press Win + R → type gpedit.msc
Navigate to:


Computer Configuration
└─ Administrative Templates
   └─ Network
      └─ Network Connections
         └─ Windows Defender Firewall

Open Domain Profile
Set Protect all network connections → Disabled
Repeat the same under Standard Profile
Run:


gpupdate /force

Restart the system

✅ This method prevents Windows from auto-restoring the firewall.

Method 3: Disable via Registry (Windows Home)

Best for: Windows Home editions (no Group Policy)

⚠️ Backup registry before proceeding

Press Win + R → type regedit
Navigate to:


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\mpssvc

Modify the Start DWORD value:


Value: 4
Meaning: Disabled

Restart the system

Method 4: Command Line (Temporary Only)


netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off

⚠️ This method is not persistent and is overridden by Windows policies.

Common Issues & Fixes

Firewall Turns On After Reboot

Cause: Group Policy or antivirus enforcement
Fix: Disable via Group Policy or antivirus console

Cannot Stop Firewall Service

Cause: System-protected service
Fix: Use Group Policy or Registry method

Firewall Enabled After Windows Update

Cause: Security reset
Fix: Reapply Group Policy settings

Office or Company PC

Cause: Domain controller policy
Fix: Only domain administrator can change firewall state

Security Considerations

Disabling Windows Firewall exposes the system to:

Unauthorized network access
Malware lateral movement
Unfiltered inbound/outbound traffic

If disabling is unavoidable:

Ensure system is behind a hardware firewall
Restrict access via VLAN or IP-based controls
Avoid public or internet-exposed interfaces

Best Practices (Recommended Approach)

Instead of disabling completely:

Disable only Public profile


netsh advfirewall set publicprofile state off

Allow specific ports or IPs
Use firewall rules instead of full disable
Document changes for audit and rollback

Conclusion

Windows Firewall re-enables itself by design to maintain system security. Permanently disabling it requires administrative-level configuration, most reliably through Group Policy or Registry changes, depending on Windows edition.

For production systems, selective firewall rule management is strongly preferred over full disablement. Always assess security risks before making persistent changes.

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