Creating a kill switch in your Windows computer could one day turn out to be a life-saver for your online security. If you keep tabs on the latest cybersecurity developments, you probably already know why that is. But if that sounds too dramatic, don't worry; we'll explain all.

In what follows, we'll take a deep dive into what a kill switch is, what its relevance is for Windows and cybersecurity, and how you can create a kill switch in your Windows computer right away.

What Is a Kill Switch, and Why Does It Matter?

A kill switch is a fairly popular term, used mostly in the cybersecurity world and, more specifically, when dealing with VPNs.

A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a program that protects your online privacy by tunneling your data through its own servers. However, as useful as VPNs are for your online security, they're also susceptible to get dropped at times for various reasons.

In situations such as these, even a short amount of time is enough to give away your real IP and, with it, your personal information. Now, this won't be a big deal if you're simply browsing geo-blocked content or other similar light stuff.

Related: Top VPN Myths You Shouldn't Believe

But if you're in a politically unstable environment or are surfing the dark net with a masked identity, things can get dangerous. This is a huge problem for many users and VPN companies alike. To get around this difficulty, VPN companies came up with a solution called "the kill switch."

A kill switch is a mechanism that works by instantly cutting off your internet connection to prevent your IP information from leaking to the public. This ensures that your identity remains private until the VPN connection gets restored.

When dealing with Windows, the same problems persists. Luckily, just as in VPNs, you can use a kill switch in your Windows PC as well. But unlike VPNs, the kill switch doesn't come pre-built with your Windows. What does exist, though, is a manual method that involves creating a kill switch through a Windows shortcut. This 'manual' kill switch works by disabling your network adaptor and thus cutting off your internet connection.

So whenever you need to cut off your Window's internet connection, all you have to do is launch the kill switch shortcut, and it will disable your network adaptor.

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How to Create a Kill Switch in Windows

To create a Windows kill switch, follow the steps below:

  • Open Settings (Win + I).
  • From there, open the "Network and Internet" page and note the network adaptor's name from the status tab. For most wireless connections, the name will be "Wi-Fi." For wired ones, it'll be "Ethernet."
  • Now go to your desktop and create a new shortcut.
  • In the location bar under the shortcut configuration window, enter the following text:
    C:\Windows\System32\netsh.exe interface set interface name="XXX" admin = disabled
    Replace the XXX with your adaptor's name, and you're all set.
  • Click on Next and enter a catchy name for your kill switch.
  • Now right-click on the shortcut, go to Properties and check the Run as administrator option. Click on OK
setting up the kill switch shortcut

And your Windows kill switch shortcut will be created. Now, whenever you want to instantly disconnect your PC from the Internet, simply launch the shortcut, and it will take care of the rest.

But what do you do when you want to get your internet access back? For that, you'll need a reconnect switch. Here's how you create one.

How to Create a Reconnect Switch in Windows

To regain your internet access after you've hit the kill switch, you'll need a reconnect switch. Follow the steps below to create one:

  1. Create a new shortcut on your desktop. Right-click on desktop and select New > Shortcut.
  2. In the shortcut dialog box, enter the following code:
    C:\Windows\System32\netsh.exe interface set interface name="Wi-Fi" admin = enabled
  3. Again, XXX here refers to the name of your network adaptor.
  4. When you're done, click on the Next button. Name your shortcut as you please. We've named it "reconnect."
  5. Now, right-click on the shortcut and select Properties.
  6. From there, select Advanced, check the Run as Administrator option on the next page and click on OK.
setting up the reconnect switch shortcut

That's it. Launch this shortcut whenever you want to regain your internet access again.

Creating Kill Switches in Windows

If you have any reason to believe something sneaky is happening with your online connection, do not hesitate to use the kill switch. It just might save you from a lot of later trouble on.

And while kill switches are a handy tool as a last-gasp solution, you should always strive to follow the best practices for online privacy. Nothing fancy. Just using a trusted VPN, avoiding fishy links, using a strong antivirus, etc., will go a long way to protect you from online threats.