A lightweight, portable Windows firewall frontend that alerts users and allows quick blocking of outbound connections without kernel modifications or disabling Core Isolation.
Publisher’s description
What is Minimal Firewall?
Minimal Firewall by Deminimis is open-source Windows software in the firewall & privacy category. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.8.5, released on July 4, 2026. The version history goes back to June 29, 2025: 20 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 20 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (deminimis/minimalfirewall) has 340 stars. Similar programs include OnionShare, DingTalk Workspace CLI and Portmaster.
Project description on GitHub: “A lightweight frontend for Windows Firewall. Harden your security with Lockdown Mode, real-time connection alerts, and rule auditing. No custom drivers or telemetry. Block "phoning home" and stay private.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 20 a year)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Minimal Firewall is an open-source firewall & privacy tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is Minimal Firewall safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
5C3C59E2010C6B37A49F216D351B2498D2ECD4A29595870191C9EADD8E92B96B· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 20 versions ›20 versions over 1 year · about 20 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8.5Latest | July 4, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.8.4 | May 31, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.8.3 | May 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.8.2 | May 25, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.8.1 | May 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.7.5 | May 11, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.7.4 | April 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 2.7.2 | April 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Deminimis.MinimalFirewall -eProgram files (.exe): minimalfirewall.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Deminimis
- Category
- Firewall & privacy
- Licence
- AGPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/deminimis/minimalfirewall
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 2.8.5
- Released
- July 4, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- July 25, 2025
- Versions listed
- 20
- Updates / year
- 19.7
- GitHub stars
- 340
- GitHub forks
- 23
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Deminimis.MinimalFirewall
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Minimal Firewall free?
Yes. Minimal Firewall is open-source software under the AGPL-3.0 licence.
Is Minimal Firewall safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Minimal Firewall with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Minimal Firewall run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Minimal Firewall?
The versions page lists all 20 versions with links to their official installer files, back to June 29, 2025.
Can I use Minimal Firewall without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Minimal Firewall?
OnionShare, DingTalk Workspace CLI, Portmaster, WindowsSpyBlocker and dnscrypt-proxy. The alternatives page compares them.
