Portable simplewall (Wfp Tool) is a free, open-source, and exceptionally lightweight network filtering application for Windows developed by Henry++. It provides a clean and streamlined user interface to configure the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP). This set of system APIs hooks directly into the Windows networking stack.
Unlike many third-party firewalls, simplewall is not a skin or a wrapper for the default Windows Defender Firewall. It functions entirely independently at a low level in the network stack, giving you highly granular control over your machine’s inbound and outbound traffic. 💻 Key Features
Zero Pop-Ups: It controls network activity quietly without annoying, intrusive notifications.
Rule Customization: You can create unique global rules (affecting all apps) or special rules (targeting specific executables).
Built-in Blocklists: Includes native filters to instantly block Windows telemetry, data collection, and system spy features.
Comprehensive Tracking: Logs dropped and allowed packets to a local file, making it easy to see exactly what your apps are sending.
Broad Support: Works seamlessly with Windows Services, Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, and the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
Low Footprint: The entire application is highly optimized, weighing in at less than a single megabyte. 📦 The Value of the Portable Edition
The portable version allows you to run simplewall without using a traditional installer. This makes it ideal to run directly from a USB flash drive or a cloud folder across multiple computers.
No Registry Clutter: It stores its settings locally inside its own directory rather than scattering configuration data across the Windows registry.
Activating Portable Mode: If it is not configured automatically, you can manually activate portable mode. Simply create a blank text file named simplewall.ini inside the main application folder, or move your existing profile from %APPDATA%\Henry++\simplewall into the root application folder. ⚠️ Important Usage Notes
Administrator Rights Required: Because it hooks directly into low-level Windows network APIs, simplewall must be executed with administrator privileges to function.
The Default Block State: When you first activate filtering, simplewall defaults to blocking all outbound network activity. You will need to explicitly check the boxes next to your trusted web browsers, chat applications, and system processes to allow them to access the internet.
Persistent Rules: Once configured, your rules remain actively enforced by the operating system’s WFP layer even if the simplewall user interface application is closed.
You can download the latest official releases directly from the henrypp simplewall GitHub Repository. henrypp/simplewall: Simple tool to configure … – GitHub