Unblock an app or remove a rule
Open the Rules tab, select the app's block rule and delete it. NetSecWall removes the rule and forgets the block, so it doesn't come back the next time NetSecWall starts.
NetSecWall for WindowsOn this page
To unblock an app, open the Rules tab, select the app's block rule and press Delete. NetSecWall removes the rule and forgets the block, so it doesn't return the next time NetSecWall starts. Timed blocks (10 minutes or 1 hour) expire on their own, and you can end them early the same way.
Unblock an app in the Rules tab
- Open the Rules tab. If it shows Rules are protected, click Unlock… and enter the settings password.
- Set Show: to NetSecWall rules.
- Type the program's name in the Filter (name, program, port)… box.
- Select the app's rule: App Block: (Owner NetSecWall) or WFP block: (Owner NetSecWall · WFP). With the Both engine there can be one of each; select both.
- Press Delete, or choose Delete ▾ ▸ Delete selected.
- Check the list in the confirmation and click Yes.
The app can connect again at once.
Disable or Set to Allow, instead of deleting
Right-click a rule and you also get Disable 1 rule(s) and Set to Allow. Both take effect immediately, but for a NetSecWall app block they are temporary: the app is still on NetSecWall's block list, so the block is created again the next time NetSecWall starts. They are fine for a quick test. To unblock an app for good, delete its rule.
Timed blocks
Block for 10 minutes and Block for 1 hour lift themselves when the time runs out. To end one early, delete its rule as above. Timed blocks aren't remembered, so they never come back after a restart. If you quit NetSecWall before a timed block ran out and the app still seems blocked afterwards, check the Rules tab and delete the rule.
Learning-mode decisions
Answers you gave in the Learning mode pop-up live in the same tab:
| Your answer | How it appears in the Rules tab | Deleting the row |
|---|---|---|
| Block | An app block rule (Owner NetSecWall or NetSecWall · WFP) | Unblocks the app; with Learning mode on, it is asked about again next time |
| No answer in 30 seconds | An app block rule, for this NetSecWall session only | Unblocks it now; a NetSecWall restart would also clear it |
| Allow | Allowed: , Owner NetSecWall · Allowed | Forgets the approval; the app is asked about again |
| Allow once | Allowed: , Owner NetSecWall · Allowed (once) | Same, for this session's approval |
To turn an approval into a block, right-click the Allowed row and choose Block 1 allowed app(s).
Other kinds of block
Not every rule belongs to one app:
- Country blocks are rules named Geo Block: CC 1, Geo Block: CC 2 and so on. Remove them with Unblock CC in the Live tab's By Country view, or delete them here. See block a country.
- Content-category blocks are rules named Content Block …. Deleting them doesn't help: NetSecWall makes them again while the category is set to Block. Untick Block for the category in Protection ▸ Content categories… instead. See block website categories.
- Block all shows as Block All (and Block ALL outbound (panic) for the packet filter). Turn it off from Protection ▸ Filtering mode, as described in cut all internet access.
- Custom rules you made with New rule… only appear when Show: is set to All Windows Firewall rules.
Switching Protection ▸ Filtering mode to Monitor only (no blocking) doesn't unblock anything. It only turns off Learning-mode prompts and Block all outbound. App, category, country and custom blocks keep applying until you remove them.
Why an app may need restarting after unblocking
Some programs give up after a run of failed connections and stay in an "offline" state until they are restarted. If an unblocked app still won't connect, close it completely (check the tray) and open it again. If it still fails, a different rule may be catching it — a category rule on a site it uses, a country rule, or Block all. No internet after blocking something? walks through each one.
Frequently asked questions
I deleted the rule, so why is the app still offline?
Look for a second rule for the same program (the Both engine makes two), a content-category or country rule catching the address it uses, or Block all being on. Then restart the app, since some programs don't retry on their own.
Does switching to Monitor only unblock my apps?
No. Monitor only switches off Learning-mode prompts and Block all outbound. Every app, category, country and custom block stays in force until you delete it.
Can I undo a Block I chose in the Learning-mode pop-up?
Yes. Delete the app's block rule in the Rules tab. NetSecWall forgets the decision, and while Learning mode is on it asks you again the next time the app connects.
Why does the Rules tab ask for a password?
A settings password is set, and the whole Rules tab sits behind it. After you unlock it, it stays open for two minutes while you remain on the tab. See lock NetSecWall with a settings password.