How to Enable or Disable Networking in Windows Sandbox Windows Sandbox is a secure, disposable environment for testing apps safely. By default, Sandbox networking is enabled, letting you access the internet. But for added isolation or security, you may want to turn it off. In this video, we’ll show you how to manage Windows Sandbox networking using multiple methods Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT video hub for more tech content like this. Method 1: Configuration File (Per Instance) This is best for individual sessions or temporary changes. Open Notepad and paste the following: Save it with a .wsb extension, such as Sandbox-NetworkingOff.wsb. Run the file to launch Windows Sandbox without network access. Method 2: Group Policy For enterprise environments, Group Policy enforces networking settings across all users. First, press Win +R, type gpedit.msc, and click Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor. Next, go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Sandbox. Double-click Allow networking in Windows Sandbox and select your preferred configuration: To allow networking inside Sandbox, choose Enabled. To prevent networking access inside the Sandbox, choose Disabled. To enable networking unless a configuration file explicitly overrides it, choose Not Configured. Click Apply, then OK, and run gpupdate /force or restart the PC to apply changes. Registry Editor This method changes the Sandbox networking system-wide. First, press Win +R, type regedit, and click Enter to open Registry Editor Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\ Microsoft\Windows\Sandbox If the Sandbox key does not exist, right-click the right-hand pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowNetworking. Create or edit the AllowNetworking value. Set the value to 1 to enable networking or 0 to disable it. Close Registry Editor and restart your device to apply changes. PowerShell Run PowerShell as Administrator and enter the appropriate script. Press Win + R, type powershell, and press Enter. Then run it as Administrator. To disable Windows Sandbox networking, run: To enable networking, run the following script instead: reg file Users can also create a .reg file to configure Windows Sandbox networking To create the file, open Notepad and paste the appropriate script. Use this script to disable Sandbox networking: To enable networking, use this script instead: Save the file as Sandbox_NetworkingOff.reg. Right-click the file and select Run as administrator. Restart your PC to apply changes. For more information, check out our official blog post on How to Enable or Disable Networking in Windows Sandbox linked in the description below.