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Fix It Yourself · Troubleshooting

How to fix Windows Firewall error 0x80070422

Updated 22 September 202613 min read
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You try to turn on Windows Defender Firewall and hit a wall: error 0x80070422, 'Windows can't change some of your settings', and the whole thing refuses to start. It's frustrating because you know you need that firewall running to keep your system secure, but Windows won't budge. The good news? This error is fixable, and most of the time it takes less than an hour from start to finish.

What Causes Windows Firewall Error 0x80070422?

Error 0x80070422 is a generic Windows error that translates to 'The service has not been started.' When it appears during firewall operations, it means the Windows Defender Firewall service (or the Base Filtering Engine it depends on) is either disabled or stopped and hasn't been restarted. This can happen for several reasons, and understanding which one is at play will help you pick the right fix.

Sometimes the Firewall service gets disabled accidentally. You might have run a system optimization tool (often called a 'tuner' or 'cleaner') that disabled non-essential services to 'boost performance'. That tool decided Windows Firewall was optional and flipped it off. Other times, a third-party antivirus or firewall product disables Windows Firewall to avoid conflicts. It's trying to be helpful, but it does it without asking. Or Windows Update might have broken something, leaving system files corrupted so the Firewall service won't start even if it's set to Automatic.

In rare cases, the firewall configuration itself becomes corrupted, and no amount of restarting the service will help because the service starts, finds no valid rules to load, and crashes. That's when you need to reset the firewall config entirely, which we'll cover in Tier 3.

The root issue in nearly all cases boils down to one of five things: the service is disabled, dependent services are stopped, system files are corrupted, the firewall policy is mangled, or Windows internals are so broken they need a repair upgrade. Start at the top of the list and work down. Chances are you won't need to go far.

Quick routeStart here

Windows Firewall Error 0x80070422: Quick Fix

1

Start the Windows Defender Firewall Service Easy

  1. Open Services
    Press Windows + R on your keyboard. Type services.msc and press Enter. A window titled Services will open.
  2. Find Windows Defender Firewall
    Scroll down the list. Look for 'Windows Defender Firewall' (some Windows 10 builds call it 'Windows Firewall'). Click on it once to select it.
  3. Open Its Properties
    Double-click on the Windows Defender Firewall entry to open its Properties window.
  4. Set Startup Type to Automatic
    In the Properties window, find the 'Startup type' dropdown. Click it and select Automatic. This tells Windows to start the Firewall service every time you boot.
  5. Start the Service
    Look at the 'Service status' section. If it says 'Stopped', click the Start button. Wait a few seconds while it starts.
  6. Apply and Close
    Click Apply, then OK. The window closes and you're back at Services.
  7. Check Base Filtering Engine
    While you're here, scroll down and find 'Base Filtering Engine'. Double-click it. Ensure its Startup type is at least Manual (preferably Automatic). If it's Stopped, click Start. Click OK.
  8. Restart Windows
    Close the Services window. Restart your PC (Start > Power > Restart). This forces Windows to reload the Firewall service fresh.
✅ After restart, open Windows Settings > Firewall & network protection. You should see the firewall status as 'On' for your connected networks. If so, you're done.
Why this works: In most cases, error 0x80070422 appears because someone (or something) disabled the Firewall service. By setting it to Automatic and starting it manually, you're telling Windows 'this service must run'. The restart ensures it loads cleanly on boot without interference.
Intermediate routeKeep going if needed

More Windows Firewall Error 0x80070422 Solutions

If the quick fix didn't work, your problem is likely deeper. The Firewall service might start but immediately crash, or dependent services are still broken. That points to corrupted system files or a misconfigured firewall policy. Tier 2 is where you run integrity checks and repair tools. This takes a bit longer but has a high success rate.

2

Verify and Start Dependent Services Medium

  1. Open Services Again
    Press Windows + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
  2. Check Four Key Services
    These services must be running for the Firewall to work:
    • Windows Defender Firewall (Startup type: Automatic)
    • Base Filtering Engine (Startup type: Automatic or Manual)
    • Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) (Startup type: Automatic)
    • Remote Procedure Call (RPC) (Startup type: Automatic)
    For each one, double-click it, set Startup type to the value shown above, and if it's Stopped, click Start. Click OK.
  3. Restart Windows
    Close Services. Restart your PC.
✅ After restart, check Windows Settings > Firewall & network protection again. If the firewall is now On, move on. If not, continue to the next solution.
3

Run System File Integrity Checks Medium

  1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
    Right-click the Start button on the taskbar. Select 'Windows PowerShell (Admin)' or 'Terminal (Admin)'. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
  2. Run System File Checker
    Type this command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
    This scans every protected system file and repairs any that are corrupted. It takes 5-15 minutes. Do not close the window or restart during the scan. Wait for the message 'The operation completed successfully' or 'The operation found corrupt files and successfully repaired them'.
  3. Restart If Repairs Were Made
    If repairs were made, restart your PC. If no corruption was found, continue to the next step.
  4. Run DISM Health Scans
    Open PowerShell (Admin) again. Run these two commands, one at a time:
    Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
    Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
    These scan the Windows component store for corruption. The CheckHealth command will tell you if the image is repairable.
  5. Repair the Windows Image (If Needed)
    If either command reported issues, run this command:
    Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
    This can take 10-20 minutes. After it completes, restart your PC.
✅ After restart, test Windows Firewall again. Many cases of corrupted system files get fixed here.
Important: Do not interrupt sfc /scannow or DISM commands. They modify system files, and stopping them halfway can cause serious problems. Let them finish even if they seem to hang (they usually take 10-20 minutes).
4

Reset Firewall Settings to Defaults Easy

  1. Via Windows Security (Easiest)
    Open Windows Settings or search for 'Windows Security'. Click Firewall & network protection. Look for a link on the left side (it may be small) that says 'Restore firewalls to default'. Click it. Then click Restore defaults and confirm with Yes. Windows will reset all firewall rules and profiles to factory settings.
  2. Via Control Panel (Alternative)
    If you don't see the restore option in Windows Security, open Control Panel. Go to System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall. Click 'Restore defaults' on the left sidebar. Click Restore defaults and confirm.
  3. Restart and Test
    Restart your PC. Open Windows Settings > Firewall & network protection and check if the firewall is now On.
✅ If the firewall turns on after a reset, your issue was a corrupted firewall policy. Custom rules will be gone, but you can re-add them manually as needed.
Note: Resetting the firewall to defaults will erase any custom firewall rules you've created. If you rely on custom exceptions, screenshot them before resetting, or use them as a last-resort option.
Advanced routeChange one thing at a time

Advanced Windows Firewall Error 0x80070422 Fixes

At this point, if Tier 1 and Tier 2 haven't fixed the problem, Windows has a deep structural issue. The Firewall service itself is likely corrupted beyond what sfc /scannow and DISM can repair, or there's a third-party firewall actively blocking the Windows version. Tier 3 solutions are more nuclear: we either hard-reset the firewall config from the command line or perform a Windows repair upgrade that reinstalls core system files without wiping your data.

5

Hard Reset Firewall Configuration via Command Line Hard

  1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
    Right-click Start, select 'Windows PowerShell (Admin)'. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
  2. Run netsh advfirewall reset
    Type this command and press Enter: netsh advfirewall reset
    You'll see a message asking if you want to reset the firewall policy. Type Y (or Yes) and press Enter. This command nukes all firewall rules and policies and restores them to Microsoft's factory defaults. It takes only a few seconds.
  3. Restart Windows
    Close PowerShell. Restart your PC. After restart, open Windows Settings > Firewall & network protection.
✅ If the firewall is now On and stays on, the hard reset worked. You'll have to rebuild any custom rules from scratch, but your firewall is operational again.
Warning: netsh advfirewall reset erases ALL custom firewall rules and policies. If you depend on custom inbound/outbound exceptions, document them before running this command. You can re-add them after the reset.
6

Check for Third-Party Firewall Interference Medium

  1. Review Installed Antivirus/Firewall Software
    Open Settings > Apps & features. Scroll through the list and note any third-party antivirus products (Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, etc.) or firewall software (ZoneAlarm, GlassWire, etc.).
  2. Temporarily Uninstall (Test)
    If you find a third-party firewall, uninstall it temporarily. Restart your PC. Test Windows Firewall. If it starts working, the third-party software was blocking it. You can reinstall the third-party product if you prefer it, but you may need to adjust its settings to allow Windows Firewall to also run, or choose one or the other.
  3. Reinstall if Needed
    If Windows Firewall works without the third-party product, you now know the cause. Leave Windows Firewall enabled and either skip the third-party product or adjust its settings to not disable Windows Firewall.
✅ Many error 0x80070422 issues are actually caused by another security product. This test clarifies that.
Reality check: You only need one firewall active at a time. Windows Defender Firewall is built-in and is sufficient for most users. If you prefer a third-party firewall, disable Windows Firewall in Windows Security (use the toggle, don't disable the service), and let the third-party product manage protection.
7

In-Place Repair Upgrade (Nuclear Option) Hard

  1. Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
    Go to the official Windows 10 Media Creation Tool page. Download and run the tool on your PC.
  2. Choose Upgrade This PC
    The tool opens. Select 'Upgrade this PC now'. Click Next.
  3. Accept License and Choose Keep Personal Files
    Accept the license terms. On the next screen, choose 'Keep personal files and apps'. This tells Windows to reinstall system files but preserve your data, installed programs, and user accounts.
  4. Wait for the Upgrade to Complete
    The tool downloads updates, checks your system, and prepares to reinstall Windows. Your PC will restart multiple times. Total time: 20, 45 minutes depending on your system and internet speed. Do not unplug or restart manually during this process.
  5. Test the Firewall After Upgrade
    Once the upgrade finishes and you're back at the desktop, open Windows Settings > Firewall & network protection. The firewall should be On.
✅ An in-place repair upgrade has an extremely high success rate because it reinstalls all core Windows system files and services from scratch. If the Firewall still won't start after this, your hardware or storage is likely failing.
Time-intensive: Plan for 30, 60 minutes. Ensure you have stable power (plug in your laptop) and a stable internet connection. Don't restart or shut down your PC manually during the upgrade.

Why Third-Party Firewalls Cause This Error

One of the most common reasons error 0x80070422 appears is that someone installed a third-party antivirus or firewall product. That product, by design, disables Windows Firewall to avoid conflicts. It wants to be the sole firewall on the system. The problem: if that third-party product is later uninstalled or conflicts with Windows Update, Windows Firewall stays disabled, and when you try to turn it back on, it crashes because its configuration is corrupted or its dependent services were forcibly disabled by the third-party software.

This is why checking Windows Update errors like 0x80070005 is relevant, if Windows can't update, it can't repair system services either, and the Firewall gets caught in that broken state.

When System File Corruption Is the Real Problem

Sometimes the Firewall service itself isn't disabled; it's the files the service relies on that are corrupted. When Windows Firewall tries to start, it loads the Base Filtering Engine, which reads from system files in the Windows image store. If those files are damaged (by a failed update, a bad shutdown, or malware), the service starts briefly, finds a corrupt file, and crashes. Error 0x80070422 appears because the service can't stay running.

This is where sfc /scannow and DISM come in. They scan the entire Windows file system and the component store, find the corrupt files, and replace them with known-good versions from Windows' recovery store. It's like replacing broken puzzle pieces so the picture can come together again. If you suspect deeper Windows corruption like error 0x80004005, these same tools apply.

Preventing Windows Firewall Error 0x80070422 in the Future

1. Avoid Optimizer Tools: Apps that claim to 'boost performance' by disabling services are often the culprit. Windows Firewall is not bloat, it's a core security component. If you use a PC optimizer, verify it won't touch the Firewall service. Better yet, don't use one.

2. Stick to One Firewall: Either use Windows Defender Firewall (built-in, free, solid) or a third-party firewall, not both. If you switch products, uninstall the old one cleanly before installing the new one, then restart. This prevents the disabled-service hand-off that causes error 0x80070422.

3. Keep Windows Updated: Many firewall and service issues are patched by Windows Update. Install cumulative updates as they arrive (usually monthly). Set Windows Update to automatic.

4. Run sfc /scannow Periodically: If your PC starts behaving oddly (crashes, freezes, services failing), run a system file check. Catch corruption early before it cascades into bigger problems.

5. Create Restore Points: Before installing antivirus software, making Group Policy changes, or making big system edits, create a System Restore point (Start > System Restore > Create a restore point). If something breaks, you can roll back to that point.

6. Document Custom Firewall Rules: If you have custom inbound or outbound rules in Windows Firewall, take a screenshot or export them. That way, if you ever need to reset the firewall, you know what to rebuild.

Windows Firewall Error 0x80070422 Summary

Error 0x80070422 is frustrating, but it's almost always fixable. Start with the quick fix: open Services, set Windows Defender Firewall to Automatic, start it, and restart. Most people are done at that point. If that doesn't work, move to Tier 2: verify dependent services are running, run sfc /scannow to repair corrupted files, and reset the firewall to defaults. That catches 90% of remaining cases. Only if Tier 1 and Tier 2 fail do you need to reach for Tier 3 (netsh advfirewall reset or a Media Creation Tool upgrade), which is rare.

The key takeaway: don't let this error linger. Windows Firewall is your PC's first line of defence against network attacks. If it's disabled, you're exposed. Spend 15, 45 minutes fixing it now, and you'll sleep better knowing your system is protected. Most importantly, avoid third-party optimizer tools and stick to one firewall product to prevent this from happening again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Error 0x80070422 means a required service is disabled or not running. For Windows Firewall, it indicates the Windows Defender Firewall service has stopped or is disabled and needs to be restarted and set to Automatic startup so it runs on boot.

Common causes include the Firewall service being disabled (manually or by third-party software), dependent services like BITS or Base Filtering Engine being stopped, corrupted system files, or misconfigured firewall policies. Optimizer tools and third-party firewalls often disable Windows Defender Firewall without warning.

Yes, clicking Restore firewalls to default or running netsh advfirewall reset will reset all firewall rules and policies to factory defaults. If you have custom rules, screenshot or document them before resetting. You can re-add them after the reset is complete.

Yes, both commands are safe and recommended by Microsoft. sfc /scannow scans for and repairs corrupted system files. DISM commands check and repair the Windows image component store. Both require administrator privileges and may require a restart to complete.

If Tier 1 and Tier 2 solutions fail, use the netsh advfirewall reset command in Tier 3. If that doesn't help, perform an in-place repair upgrade using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft. This reinstalls system files and services while preserving your apps and data.

Yes, many third-party antivirus and firewall products disable or replace Windows Defender Firewall. If you've installed security software recently, check its settings or temporarily uninstall it to test whether it's causing the issue.