How to Block an App from the Internet in Windows 10

To block an app from the internet in Windows 10, open Windows Defender Firewall, select Advanced settings, and create a new Outbound Rule for the app’s program file with Block the connection. The app can still open, but it can’t send anything to the internet until you turn the rule off.

Applies to: Windows 10. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so a PC without Extended Security Updates no longer receives security fixes; that program runs until October 12, 2027.

Before you start

• You need to be signed in with an administrator account.
• Find the app’s program file (it ends in .exe). Right-click the app’s shortcut, select Properties, and look at Target. Many desktop apps are in C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files (x86).

Create the outbound rule

1. Select Start, type firewall, and open Windows Defender Firewall.
2. Select Advanced settings on the left. Select Yes if Windows asks for permission.
3. Select Outbound Rules on the left, then New Rule on the right.

4. Choose Program and select Next.
5. Choose This program path, select Browse, pick the app’s .exe file, and select Next.
6. Choose Block the connection and select Next.

7. Leave Domain, Private and Public checked so the rule works on every network, and select Next.
8. Type a name you’ll recognize, such as “Block Contoso Notes”, and select Finish.

Open the app and try something that needs the internet. It should fail to connect.

Block it with a command

This is quicker if you need to block several apps. Open Command Prompt as administrator and type, with your app’s path:

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Block MyApp" dir=out program="C:\Program Files\MyApp\myapp.exe" action=block

In PowerShell, New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Block MyApp" -Direction Outbound -Program "C:\Program Files\MyApp\myapp.exe" -Action Block does the same. The rule appears in Outbound Rules, where you can turn it off later.

Block a Microsoft Store app

1. In Outbound Rules, select New Rule, choose Custom, and select Next.
2. On the Program page, leave All programs selected and select Customize next to Application packages.
3. Choose Apply to this application package, pick the app from the list, and select OK.
4. Continue with Block the connection, choose the profiles, and name the rule.

Let the app back online

1. Go back to Advanced settings > Outbound Rules.
2. Find your rule by name. Right-click it and select Disable Rule to pause it, or Delete to remove it.

If the app still connects

• Some apps use a second program to go online, such as an updater. Make a rule for that .exe too.
• Apps from the Microsoft Store are stored in a protected folder, so the program path method may not work for them. Use the Microsoft Store app steps above instead.
• Check that the rule is enabled (it shows a red block icon) and that you picked the right .exe file.
• Check the firewall is on: open Windows Security > Firewall & network protection. Block rules only work while the firewall is on for your current network.
• Another security app manages the firewall: some antivirus suites replace Windows Defender Firewall. Block the app in that suite’s settings instead.

To cut background data for every app instead of one, set a metered connection in Windows 10. If the firewall check above shows it off, turn the firewall back on in Windows 10.

Frequently asked questions

Does this stop the app from working offline?

No. The app still opens and works with files on your PC. Only its internet connection is blocked.

Is the Windows Security app enough?

Its Allow an app through firewall list controls incoming connections. To block outgoing connections, use Advanced settings as shown above.

Will blocking an app stop its updates?

Yes, if the app updates itself over the internet. Turn the rule off now and then to let it update. Windows Update isn’t affected.

Can I block an app on just one network?

Yes. On the Profile step of the rule, check only Public, for example, to block the app on public Wi-Fi but let it work at home.

How can I tell if the block is working?

Open the app and try something that needs the internet, such as signing in or checking for updates. It should show a connection error. Turn the rule off and the feature should work again.

The Windows Security side of the firewall is covered in Firewall and network protection in the Windows Security app.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.