Block connections to your Mac with a firewall (2024)

macOS Sequoia 15

macOS Sonoma 14

macOS Ventura 13

macOS Monterey 12

macOS Big Sur 11.0

macOS Catalina 10.15

macOS Mojave 10.14

Mac User Guide

Welcome
- MacBook Air
- MacBook Pro
- iMac
- Mac mini
- Mac Studio
- Mac Pro
What’s new in macOS Sequoia
- Work on the desktop
- What’s in the menu bar?
- Quickly change settings
- What’s in the Apple menu?
- Search with Spotlight
- Use Siri
- Get notifications
- Open apps from the Dock
- Organize your files in the Finder
- Connect to the internet
- Sign in to your Apple Account
- Set up iCloud
- Browse the web
- Preview a file
- Take a screenshot
- Change your display’s brightness
- Adjust the volume
- Use trackpad and mouse gestures
- Use Touch ID
- Print documents
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Apps on your Mac
- Open apps
- Work with app windows
- Tile app windows
- Use apps in full screen
- Use apps in Split View
- Use Stage Manager
- Get apps from the App Store
- Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
- Install and uninstall other apps
- Create and work with documents
- Open documents
- Mark up files
- Combine files into a PDF
- Organize files on your desktop
- Organize files with folders
- Tag files and folders
- Back up files
- Restore files
- Change System Settings
- Choose your desktop picture
- Add and customize widgets
- Use a screen saver
- Add a user or group
- Add your email and other accounts
- Automate tasks with Shortcuts
- Create Memoji
- Change your login picture
- Change the system language
- Increase the size of what’s on your screen
- How to use Siri
- Customize Siri
- What are Siri Suggestions?
- Use Siri results
- Add Siri Shortcuts
- Set up a Focus to stay on task
- Block pop-ups in Safari
- Use Dictation
- Perform quick actions with hot corners
- Send emails
- Send text messages
- Make a FaceTime call
- Edit photos and videos
- Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
- Start a Quick Note
- Get directions
- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Control your iPhone from your Mac
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video and audio with AirPlay
- Make and receive calls and text messages on your Mac
- Use your iPhone internet connection with your Mac
- Share your Wi-Fi password with another device
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans from iPhone or iPad
- Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
- Use your iPad as a second display
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Sync music, books, and more between devices
- Manage Apple Account settings
- Set your Apple Account picture
- What is iCloud?
- What is iCloud+?
- Store files in iCloud Drive
- Share and collaborate on files and folders
- Manage iCloud storage
- Use iCloud Photos
- Get started with Screen Time
- Set up Screen Time for yourself
- Set up Screen Time for a child
- Track app and device usage
- Set time limits for apps and websites
- Set up content and privacy restrictions
- Set up Family Sharing
- Get Family Sharing recommendations
- Add family members to a Family Sharing group
- Remove family members from a Family Sharing group
- Manage sharing and parental settings
- Share a Photo Library
- Collaborate on projects
- Find content shared with you
- Find your family and friends
- Play music
- Watch and listen together with SharePlay
- Listen to podcasts
- Watch TV shows and movies
- Read and listen to books
- Read the news
- Track stocks and the market
- Play games with your friends
- - Apple Music
  - Apple TV+
  - Apple Arcade
  - Apple News+
  - Apple Podcasts
  - Manage subscriptions in the App Store
  - View your family subscriptions
- Connect an external display
- Use the built-in camera
- Connect a wireless accessory
- Connect a printer to your Mac
- Connect AirPods to your Mac
- Optimize your Mac battery life
- Optimize storage space
- Burn CDs and DVDs
- Control accessories in your home
- Run Windows on your Mac
- Get started
- Vision
- Hearing
- Mobility
- Speech
- Control what you share
- Set up your Mac to be secure
- Allow apps to see the location of your Mac
- Use Private Browsing
- Keep your data safe
- Understand passwords
- Change weak or compromised passwords
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Use Mail Privacy Protection
- Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
- Find a missing device
- Shut down or restart your Mac
- Start up your Mac in safe mode
- Keep your Mac up to date
- Reinstall macOS
- Erase your Mac
Resources for your Mac
Resources for your Apple devices
Copyright

Block connections to your Mac with a firewall (1)

A firewall can protect your Mac from unwanted contact initiated by other computers when you’re connected to the internet or a network. However, your Mac can still allow access through the firewall for some services and apps. For example:

If you turn on a sharing service, such as file sharing, macOS opens a specific port for the service to communicate through.
An app or service on another system can request and be given access through the firewall, or it might have a trusted certificate and therefore be allowed access.

For greater control, you can select apps and services, and specify whether they can have access through the firewall.

Turn on firewall protection

On your Mac, choose Apple menu >System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, then click Firewall. (You may need to scroll down.)
Open Network settings for me
Turn on Firewall.
To specify additional security settings, click Options, turn settings on or off, then click OK. See Change Firewall settings.

Setfirewall access for services and apps

On your Mac, choose Apple menu >System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, then click Firewall. (You may need to scroll down.)
Open Network settings for me
Click Options.
If the Options button is disabled, first turn on Firewall.
Click under the list of applications and services, then select the apps or services you want to add. After an app or service is added, click its up and down arrows and choose whether to allow or block connections through the firewall.
Blocking an app’s access through the firewall could interfere with or affect the performance of the app or other software that may depend on it.
Important: Certain apps that don’t appear in the list may have access through the firewall. These can include system apps, services, and processes, as well as digitally signed apps that are opened automatically by other apps. To block access for these programs, add them to the list.
When your Mac detects an attempt to connect to an app you haven’t added to the list and given access to, an alert message appears asking if you want to allow or deny the connection over the network or internet. Until you take action, the message remains, and any attempts to connect to the app are denied.

See alsoShare the internet connection on Mac with other network usersChange proxy settings on Mac