Fix: Allow Chrome to Access the Network in Your Firewall or Antivirus Settings

Kevin ArrowsUpdated on December 23, 2023
Kevin is a certified Network Engineer

The Windows Defender Firewall oversees the network requests that your computer sends and receives. If Chrome’s network requests are being blocked, you may see the error message “Allow Chrome to access the network in your firewall or antivirus settings.”

Allow Chrome to Access the Network in Your Firewall or Antivirus Error Message
Allow Chrome to Access the Network in Your Firewall or Antivirus Error Message

Below, we’ll guide you through how to whitelist Google Chrome in the Windows Defender Firewall on your PC and offer tips on configuring your antivirus program to accommodate the web browser.

1. Whitelist Google Chrome in Windows Defender Firewall

To whitelist Google Chrome in the Windows Defender Firewall, follow these steps, which will ensure the browser can communicate over the network without interference—particularly useful in resolving connectivity issues.

  1. Begin by opening the Settings app using the Win + I keys on your keyboard.
  2. Next, go to the Privacy and Security > Windows Security section.
    Navigating to Windows Security
    Navigating to Windows Security
  3. Select the Firewall and network protection option from the Windows Security menu.
    Navigating to Firewall and Network Settings
    Navigating to Firewall and Network Settings
  4. This action will open a new Windows Security window.
  5. Click on Allow an app through the firewall.
    Navigating to the Allowed Apps Window
    Navigating to the Allowed Apps Window
  6. Then, select the Change settings button to modify the list of allowed apps.
    Changing Firewall Whitelist Settings
    Changing Firewall Whitelist Settings
  7. Click on Allow another app….
    Adding another app to the Windows Firewall Whitelist
    Adding another app to the Windows Firewall Whitelist
  8. Navigate to the browser and select the chrome.exe file, typically located at:
    Note: The standard path for a 64-bit Windows system is given below. However, if Google Chrome was installed in a custom directory or if you are using a 32-bit system, the path might be found at ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application’.

    C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application
    Adding Google Chrome
    Adding Google Chrome
  9. After selecting Chrome, click on the Network types… button.
  10. Check both the Public and Private options, and then click OK.
    Selecting Allowed Network Types
    Selecting Allowed Network Types
  11. Click the Add button to finalize the process.
  12. To close the window, click OK.

By completing these steps, you have successfully whitelisted Google Chrome in the Windows Defender Firewall.

2. Whitelist Google Chrome in Antivirus Programs

An antivirus program installed on your computer might block Google Chrome from sending out network requests due to enhanced internet security features.

The method to whitelist Google Chrome may vary between different antivirus programs. Considering the variety of antivirus software available, there isn’t a universal procedure applicable to all.

We recommend referring to your antivirus program’s official documentation for precise instructions. Typically, you would begin in the Settings section of the program.

Avast: Navigate to Menu > Settings > Exceptions, then add the Chrome application folder to the list.

Windows Defender Antivirus: Open Virus & Threat Protection Settings and, under Exclusions, include Chrome as a folder exception.

Malwarebytes: Go to Settings, find Allow List, and add the Chrome folder as a global exclusion.

You should be able to get rid of the “Allow Chrome to access the network in your firewall or antivirus settings” error message with the above methods. If the error message still occurs, reach out to the official support team for Google Chrome. 

Kevin ArrowsUpdated on December 23, 2023
Kevin is a certified Network Engineer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Kevin Arrows


Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.

Comments

6
    VI
    VictorGamerLOL Apr 1, 2019

    what about McAfee?

    Reply
    عم
    عمر Sep 24, 2019

    Check your Internet connection
    Check any cables and reboot any routers, modems, or other network devices you may be using.
    Allow Chrome to access the network in your firewall or antivirus settings.
    If it is already listed as a program allowed to access the network, try removing it from the list and adding it again.
    If you use a proxy server…
    Check your proxy settings or contact your network administrator to make sure the proxy server is working. If you don’t believe you should be using a proxy server: Go to the Chrome menu > Settings > Show advanced settings… > Change proxy settings… > LAN Settings and deselect “Use a proxy server for your LAN”.

    Reply
    VK
    vknuckka May 10, 2020

    So I’ve alread added Chrome to my firewall exceptions and most sites work. But some sites report the same error page. I found that by adding “https://” to the URL, the page will sometimes work. Is there another way to “unblock chrome” in my firewall settings that is escaping me? I currently have it so that any program needs a firewall rule in order to access the internet and letting those that don’t match a rule to be allowed through is too high risk for me (because I was recently a victim of a rootkit that sent my passwords out), what would you suggest?

    Reply
      SW
      Shane Warren Author May 11, 2020

      Are you using a proxy server? if so disable it temporarily and check if that has any effect on the sites.

      Reply
        VK
        vknuckka May 11, 2020

        No proxy. I’ve tried turning auto detect settings on and off for that. I checked if other rules were in place under group policy. What makes it weird is, for example, I was trying to download a new driver on the Nvidia website, all the pages worked fine until I reached the page to download the driver. When it served me the “internet is bring blocked” page, I noticed the URL showed as a secure connection (as I’d expect) but since Chrome hides the url beginning, I decided to try adding https:// and suddenly the download worked but without loading the actually landing page for the download.
        Pages that have worked flawlessly include Google and Google search results. A similar but somewhat different scenario is going to a page that didn’t work on initial visit (whereas the Nvidia pages worked up until the last page) and after numerous refreshes, adding new firewall rules with ports, reviewing internet options, ensuring smart screen was off, no antivirus active, etc. It wasn’t until I went up to the address bar and added https:// that it loaded and the remainder of the pages worked. This happened to be the login page for a webmail account. Not sure if that helps.

        Reply
        VK
        vknuckka May 12, 2020

        Disregard, I found a solution. Rather than just delete and adding back the firewall exception, I reinstalled chrome and it’s working as expected. It turns out, for whatever reason, a sort of “ghost” version of Chrome installed within the AppData folder rather than in the usual Program Files x86 folder. A little worried how that happened but otherwise all is well in the land of surfing web pages. Thank you for your help!

        Reply