There is only one possibility to export and import firewall rules: as a blob (wfw file) in the firewall console or with a script.
If you want to automate removing or editing a rule from the set there is no (easy) way to do it without using a third party tool or messing with the registry in dangerous places.
The three commandlets ExportFirewallRules, ImportFirewallRules and RemoveFirewallRules export, import and remove complete firewall rule sets in CSV or JSON file format. When importing existing rules with the same display name will be overwritten.
Requires Windows 8.1 / Server 2012 R2 or above.
By Markus Scholtes, 2022
PS C:\> Install-Module Firewall-Manager(on Powershell V4 you may have to install PowershellGet before) or download from here: https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Firewall-Manager/.
See the script version web page too: Powershell scripts to export and import firewall rules.
Export-FirewallRules [[-Name] <Object>] [[-CSVFile] <Object>] [-JSON] [-PolicyStore <String>] [-Inbound] [-Outbound] [-Enabled] [-Disabled] [-Allow] [-Block]
Exports firewall rules to a CSV or JSON file.
-Name Displayname of the rules to be processed. Wildcard character * is allowed. Default: *
-CSVFile Output file. Default: .\Firewall.csv
-JSON Output in JSON instead of CSV format. Default: $FALSE
-PolicyStore Store from which the rules are retrieved (default: ActiveStore).
Allowed values are PersistentStore, ActiveStore (the resultant rule set of all sources), localhost, a computer name, <domain.fqdn.com>\<GPO_Friendly_Name>, RSOP and others depending on the environment.
-Inbound -Outbound -Enabled -Disabled -Allow -Block Filter which rules to export
Import-FirewallRules [[-CSVFile] <Object>] [-JSON] [-PolicyStore <String>]
Imports firewall rules from a CSV or JSON file.
-CSVFile Input file. Default: .\Firewall.csv
-JSON Input in JSON instead of CSV format. Default: $FALSE
-PolicyStore Store to which the rules are written (default: PersistentStore).
Allowed values are PersistentStore, ActiveStore (the resultant rule set of all sources), localhost, a computer name, <domain.fqdn.com>\<GPO_Friendly_Name> and others depending on the environment.
Remove-FirewallRules [[-CSVFile] <Object>] [-JSON] [-PolicyStore <String>]
Remove firewall rules according to the list in a CSV or JSON file.
-CSVFile Input file. Default: .\Firewall.csv
-JSON Input in JSON instead of CSV format. Default: $FALSE
-PolicyStore Store from which rules are removed (default: PersistentStore).
Allowed values are PersistentStore, ActiveStore (the resultant rule set of all sources), localhost, a computer name, <domain.fqdn.com>\<GPO_Friendly_Name> and others depending on the environment.
PS C:\> # Export all firewall rules to the CSV file FirewallRules.csv in the current directory:
PS C:\> Export-FirewallRules
PS C:\>
PS C:\> # Export all inbound and allowing firewall rules to the CSV file FirewallRules.csv in the current directory:
PS C:\> Export-FirewallRules -Inbound -Allow
PS C:\>
PS C:\> # Export all SNMP firewall rules to the JSON file SNMPRules.json:
PS C:\> Export-FirewallRules snmp* SNMPRules.json -json
PS C:\>
PS C:\> # Imports all firewall rules in the CSV file FirewallRules.csv in the current directory:
PS C:\> Import-FirewallRules
PS C:\>
PS C:\> # Imports all firewall rules in the JSON file WmiRules.json:
PS C:\> Import-FirewallRules WmiRules.json -jsonThere might be issues when importing rules for "metro apps" to another computer.
App packet rules are stored as a SID and usually apply only to user accounts whose SIDs are stored in the export file. Those rules will normally not work on another computer since a SID is unique.
- export enum values as string instead of int to JSON files
- new parameter -Policystore
- default file name for JSON data has extension json now
- initial release