Fix 0x80320024: Firewall Filter Action Type Error

That Annoying 0x80320024 Error

You're setting up a VPN or tweaking a firewall rule, and bam — "The action type is not one of the allowed action types for a filter." Code 0x80320024. It's frustrating, but I've seen this a hundred times. The culprit here is almost always a corrupted firewall rule or a busted third-party firewall that left garbage behind.

Quick Fix: Reset Windows Firewall

Don't bother digging through logs or reinstalling drivers. Skip the wizardry. Just reset the firewall. It's the fastest way to clear out bad filters.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Press Windows key, type cmd, right-click it, and pick "Run as administrator".
Run this command:

netsh advfirewall reset

This wipes all custom firewall rules and resets things to default. Your PC will restart the firewall service. Then reboot your machine.

Did That Not Work? Try This

If the reset didn't help (rare, but happens), the issue might be a single stubborn rule. Here's the surgical approach:

Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. Type wf.msc in the Run box (Win+R).
Look in Inbound Rules and Outbound Rules for anything with a red icon or weird status. Sort by the "Action" column. If you see a rule with no action or an action like "Block" in a place it shouldn't be — delete it. Right-click, Delete.
Also check the Connection Security Rules section. Corrupted IPsec rules cause this error too.

Why Does This Happen?

Windows Firewall uses filters with an action type — like ALLOW, BLOCK, or CALL. The error fires when a filter's action field has a value Windows doesn't recognize. Common triggers:

Third-party firewalls — Norton, McAfee, or even old ZoneAlarm leave half-removed rules behind. Their uninstallers are garbage.
VPN software — Some VPNs like old versions of OpenVPN or Cisco AnyConnect mess with the filter table. The error pops up when you try to connect.
Manual registry edits — If someone messed with HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy, you're asking for trouble.

Less Common Variations

I've seen this error show up in a few other places:

Scenario	What Worked
Error when starting a game	Disable the game's firewall exceptions in Windows, then re-enable them. Or run the game as admin.
Error in Docker or Hyper-V	Reset the Windows Filtering Platform. Run `netsh wfp reset` in admin CMD. This clears the whole WFP store, not just the firewall.
Error in a corporate environment	Your IT might have pushed a bad Group Policy. Check `gpresult /h gpresult.html` for firewall settings. Can't delete it? Ask them to fix.

Prevention for Next Time

Here's how to avoid this mess:

Uninstall third-party firewalls properly. Use their official removal tool. For Norton, grab the Norton Remove and Reinstall tool. For McAfee, use MCPR. Don't just delete the folder.
Backup your firewall rules before major changes. Run netsh advfirewall export "C:\backup\firewall.wfw" before installing VPNs or games that mess with the firewall.
Keep Windows updated. Some early Windows 11 versions had buggy WFP code. KB5010414 fixed a chunk of these. Check for updates regularly.
Use Windows Defender Firewall only. It's solid. Third-party firewalls are mostly unnecessary for home users. They cause more headaches than they solve.

That's it. Reset, reboot, and you're done. If you're still seeing 0x80320024 after all that, your system might have deeper corruption. Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to check. But 9 times out of 10, the reset does the trick.