Blocking of app from accessing the internet can be for many reasons in most instances, we may want to prevent an application from connecting to the Internet. This post will show you how to Block a Program from Accessing the Internet.

How to Block a Program from Accessing the Internet

Why Do You Block a Program from Accessing the Internet?

In most cases, people block a program from accessing the internet when they have a software that is not licensed and can be blocked when connected to the internet. Before showing you how to lock your program from connecting online, i trust you are not here by mistake. But if you are, kindly check other contents below and if not, keep reading.

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There are few apps you may not want to have free access to the network and this excludes your web browser (after all of what use is a web browser that can’t connect online).

In this part of the world, Nigeria, Africa, some people might have an application that insists on automatically updating itself, but find that those updates break some functionality and you want to stop them. Some can be as a result of unlicensed software and this we can understand for those who do not have the cash capacity to acquire one. It might be a video game that you’re comfortable with your child playing, but you’re not so comfortable with the kid playing online (and unsupervised) multiplayer elements. And so many other reasons.

Regardless of why you want to stop such a program from connecting online, a trip into the canal of the Windows Firewall is the best way to do so. Let’s take a look at how to block an application from accessing the Internet.

Creating a Windows Firewall Rule to Block a Program from Accessing the Internet

Although we’ll be demonstrating this trick on Windows 10, the basic layout and premise has remained largely unchanged over the years and you can easily adapt this tutorial to earlier versions of Windows.

Step 1:

  1. Launch the Windows Settings app.
  2. Navigate to the Control Panel 
  3. In the left sidebar, select “Network & internet.”
  4. Then, Click “Advanced network settings” and choose “Windows Firewall.”
windows firwall

Step 2:

Click on “Inbound Rules“.

windows inbound rules

Step3:

Now I have used Corel draw as an example of the program to block from accessing the internet.

Right Click on Corel draw and click “Disable Rule

disable in inbound rule

Step 4: You can see i selected Corel Draw x7, it can be any edition of Corel draw or any application.

Click on “New Rule“.

windows inbound rules

Step 5: Select “Programs” and click on Next.

New inbound rule wizard

Step 6:

Select the “This program path” option, and then type (or browse for) the path to the program you want to block.“This program path” click on Browse and locate where the application is. in my case, I used Corel draw x7 installed.

Corel draw default install location is C:/Program Files/Corel/Programs64/CorelDRW.exe

inbound rules to block internet

Step 7:

Click “Block this connection” which in my case is to block Corel draw x7 from accessing the internet.

block the connection

On the “Profile” screen, you’re asked to select when the rule applies. Here, you have three options:

  • Domain: The rule applies when a computer is connected to a domain.
  • Private: The rule applies when a computer is connected to a private network, such as your home or small business network.
  • Public: The rule applies when a computer is connected to a public network, such as at a cafe shop or bank.
connection block

Step 8:

At this point, you need to give your new rule a name. You can give your new rule any name of your choice.

inbound rule naming

If you want, you can add a fuller description. When you’ve filled the appropriate information in, click the “Finish” button.

At this junction, there will be a list of entries at the top of the “inbound Rules” for your new rule. If your goal was blanket blocking you’re all done. If you want to tweak and refine the rule you can double click on the entry and make adjustments— Such adjustments may include adding local exceptions (e.g. the application can’t access the Internet but it can connect so another PC on your network so you can use a network resource or the like).

Trust this post has been helpful?

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