Windows 7 change settings in windows firewall is grayed out

To enable the "Change settings" button that is grayed out in the Windows Firewall settings on Windows 7, you can follow these steps:
1. First, ensure that you are logged in as an administrator on your Windows 7 system.
2. Open the Control Panel by clicking on the Start button and selecting "Control Panel".
3. In the Control Panel, locate and click on "System and Security".
4. Under "System and Security", click on "Windows Firewall".
5. In the Windows Firewall window, you should see the option "Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall" on the left side. Click on it.
6. This will show you a list of programs and features with checkboxes to enable or disable their access through the firewall.
7. Now, if the "Change settings" button is grayed out, you can try the following steps to enable it:
- Close the Windows Firewall window.
- Open the Start menu, type "services.msc" in the search box, and press Enter.
- In the Services window, scroll down and locate the "Windows Firewall" service.
- Right-click on the "Windows Firewall" service and select "Properties".
- In the Properties window, ensure that the "Startup type" is set to "Automatic" or "Automatic (Delayed Start)".
- If the service is stopped, click on the "Start" button to start the service.
- Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes.
- Close the Services window and reopen the Windows Firewall settings.
8. Try accessing the "Change settings" button again in the "Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall" section. It should now be enabled.
By following these steps, you should be able to enable the "Change settings" button in the Windows Firewall settings on your Windows 7 system. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to ask for further assistance!