Where Does simplewall Store Its Rules and Settings?
simplewall keeps its rules, settings and log in %APPDATA% as simplewall.ini and profile.xml, with portable mode beside the exe.
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simplewall is a Windows firewall front end, and it stores its picture of the world in a pair of files. The settings live in simplewall.ini, and the rule profile in profile.xml, both inside the app's folder under AppData. Everything you configure, from allowed apps to notification behavior and logging, lands in those files rather than in Windows Firewall itself. The rules you create are enforced through Windows Filtering Platform, but the source of truth for the interface is this folder.
Backing up is a copy of the folder, and exporting the profile from the settings is the cleaner way to move rules to another PC. Deleting the files resets the app to factory behavior, which helps when a rule has gone wrong, and portable use keeps the same files beside the executable instead. The log file lives here too, when logging is switched on.
Where simplewall stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\Henry++\simplewall
simplewall.ini holds settings and profile.xml holds the app rules. Export or copy profile.xml to move rules to another machine. Portable copies keep the same files beside simplewall.exe, and simplewall.log appears here when logging is enabled.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up simplewall rules?
Use the profile export option in settings to save profile.xml, or copy the whole %APPDATA%\Henry++\simplewall folder while the app is closed. Import or paste the files back on the target machine and the rule set returns exactly as it was.
I blocked an app by mistake and now it has no internet. How do I undo it?
Open simplewall and find the app in the rules list, then switch it back to allowed, or delete the rule for it. A full reset is also possible by closing the app, deleting profile.xml, and letting simplewall rebuild the default profile on launch.
Is there a log of blocked connections?
Yes, once logging is enabled in the settings. simplewall.log and its rotated versions appear in the same folder and record allowed and blocked events with timestamps. The log grows quickly on busy systems, so switch logging off when done troubleshooting.
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