How does one add Network Discovery to the Windows Defender Allowed apps list?

Question

In Window 10, I do not see Network Discovery as an option to pass through the Windows Defender firewall.

I see there is a button called Allow another app, located on the Windows Defender Allowed apps screen. However, I do not know what file to navigate to in order to add Network Discovery to this list.

I'm hoping someone can point me to the right file or a method of adding Network Discovery to the list.

Answer 1

Based on what I have known Windows 10, Network Discovery is not a standalone app with an .exe file you can manually add through the "Allow another app" button. Instead, it is a set of services and rules controlled by Windows Firewall and Advanced Sharing Settings.

So you can ensure Network Discovery is enabled and properly allowed through the firewall:

- Turn On Network Discovery

• Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center.
• Click Change advanced sharing settings.
• Under Private network, ensure the following options are enabled:
  • Turn on network discovery
  • Turn on file and printer sharing

-> Do the same under Guest or Public if you are on a public network, though this is not recommended unless needed.

- Allow Network Discovery Through Firewall

• Search for and open Windows Defender Firewall.
• Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
• Click the Change settings button (you may need admin rights).
• Scroll down and make sure these two items are checked for both Private and Public:
  • Network Discovery
  • File and Printer Sharing

-> If "Network Discovery" is not listed, continue to next one.

- Enable Firewall Rules Manually

• Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security:
  • Press Win + R, type wf.msc, press Enter.
• In the left pane, click Inbound Rules.
• Look for the following rule groups and ensure they are enabled (green check icon):
  • Network Discovery (NB-Name-In)
  • Network Discovery (NB-Session-In)
  • Network Discovery (NB-Datagram-In)
  • Network Discovery (LLMNR-UDP-In)
  • Network Discovery (UPnP-In)
  • Network Discovery (WSD-In)

-> If they are disabled, right-click → Enable Rule.

Then do the same under Outbound Rules if needed, based on your own risk.

Answer 2

See my comment dated Jun 18, 2025, 5:51 PM in this post.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2283783/one-pc-sees-the-other-on-network-but-not-vice-vers

I shared 2 Powershell scripts that I put together to test (CheckNetworkDiscovery.ps1) and set (FixNetworkDiscovery.ps1) Network Discovery.