How to Open Ports on Windows 10 PCs

Firewall ports are closed by default

How to

Reading time icon 2 min. read

Calendar icon Updated on

by Radu Tyrsina 

updated on

Share this article

Readers help support Windows Report. We may get a commission if you buy through our links. Tooltip Icon

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team. Read more

Key notes

  • Firewalls are meant to protect users from any viruses or threats that could compromise their PCs.
  • The firewall's ports can be manually opened by users.
  • An open port allows programs and apps to communicate with the network.
  • We will show you in our guide how to open ports on Windows 10.
open firewall ports windows 10

If you’re looking for a simple solution for opening firewall ports in Windows 10, you’ll find all the necessary details in this article.

Opening Firewall ports allow apps and programs to communicate with the network. So, if some of your apps and programs fail to launch, opening firewall ports is one of the first troubleshooting solutions that you can use.

How can I open a port in Windows 10?

    Users can manually allow a program to get access to the Internet by opening a firewall port. All you need to know is what port it uses and the protocol to make this function.

  1. 1. Navigate to Control Panel> System and Security > Windows Firewall.

    windows firewall control panel settings

  2. 2. Go to Advanced settings.

    advanced settings windows firewall

  3. 3. Right-click on Inbound Rules > select New Rule.

    windows firewall inbound rules

  4. 4. Add the port you want to open and then click Next.

    firewall port rules control panel

  5. 5. Choose the TCP or UDP protocol and the port number, then click Next.

  6. 6. Select Allow the connection and then hit Next.

    windows firewall port allow connection

  7. 7. Choose the network type, then click Next.

    windows firewall port rule profile

  8. 8. Name the rule and press on Finish afterwards.

    windows firewall rule name

These are all the necessary steps for opening a port in Windows 10. Remember that you can also use this method for blocking programs or ports.

Why should I use a Firewall on my PC?

Firewalls are targeted at protecting your network from various threats coming from outside and trying to get in or threats coming from inside trying to get out. A threat does this by blocking network-enabled ports.

Every time a program tries to communicate through this port, the firewall verifies its database rules to check if it is allowed or not. If it doesn’t know, it will ask the user and that’s why you sometimes see a prompt asking you if a certain program is allowed or not to access the Internet.

A firewall is an essential issue regarding computing and every PC must have one installed. This is the reason why Windows has a firewall bundled and active as standard.

Check out our articles on the best firewalls and the best network security antiviruses to use on Windows for more information.

Windows firewalls must occasionally be told to allow a program to communicate with the network and this is the point where opening ports step into the picture.

We hope that our article helped you open ports on Windows 10 devices. Let us know in the comments section below if you have any questions.

More about the topics: firewall, Windows 10 Guides

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina Shield

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.

User forum

0 messages