Proxy settings are the few fields that tell a device, a browser or an app to send its internet traffic to a proxy server first, instead of straight to the website. They hold the proxy’s address and port, the protocol it speaks, an optional username and password, a list of sites that should skip the proxy, and sometimes an automatic setup script instead of a fixed address. This guide explains what each field means, what “configure proxy” asks you to choose, where the options live on Windows 11, macOS, iPhone, Android, Chrome, Edge, Firefox and the command line, what to enter for a ProxyEmpire proxy, and how to turn a proxy off again. For a browser-only setup, see our guide to Chrome proxy settings.
The short version
Proxy settings are a pointer: a host, a port and a protocol, plus an optional login and exceptions, that route traffic through an intermediary server so websites see the proxy’s IP address instead of yours. If you didn’t set up a proxy on purpose and your employer or school doesn’t require one, they should be off. Windows, macOS, iPhone and Android keep them in network settings; Chrome and Edge use the system’s values, while Firefox and command-line tools can keep their own.
What are proxy settings?
The meaning, in one paragraphA proxy server is a computer that makes requests on your behalf. Proxy settings are the configuration that tells your software to use one. When they are on, a browser or app connects to the proxy, the proxy connects to the website, and the reply comes back the same way. The website sees the proxy’s IP address, not the address your internet provider gave you. When they are off, the device talks to websites directly.
Microsoft’s own description is a good plain definition: with a proxy in use, your web traffic goes through the proxy server instead of coming directly from your PC. Organisations use proxies to filter and log traffic, schools use them to block sites, and individuals and businesses use commercial proxies to appear from another location, to spread automated requests across many IP addresses, or to keep work identities apart.
“Configure proxy” means the same thing seen from the menu: the device is asking how it should find a proxy. The usual answers are off (no proxy), manual (you type the address), or automatic (a script or the network tells the device what to use). The phrase appears as Configure Proxy on the iPhone and as Manual proxy configuration in Firefox.
browser or app
| reads its proxy configuration: host, port, protocol
v
proxy server v2.proxyempire.io:5000
| checks the username and password, then connects out
v
website --> sees the proxy's IP address, not yoursKey takeaways
- The core fields are host, port and protocol; a username and password are added when the proxy needs a login.
- A bypass list sends chosen sites direct, and a PAC script or auto-detect replaces the fixed address.
- Each layer can hold its own values: the operating system, the browser, an extension and each app.
- Chrome and Edge follow the system configuration by default; Firefox has its own dialog.
- Command-line tools usually read environment variables such as
https_proxyinstead. - If you didn’t add a proxy on purpose, the fields should be empty and switched off.
What each proxy field means
Host, port, protocol, login, bypass, PAC, auto-detectEvery operating system labels the fields a little differently, but they all describe the same handful of things. The table uses the names you will see most often, with the other labels in brackets.
| Field | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Host (server, address, Proxy IP address, hostname) | Where the proxy is: a domain name or an IP address. It is the proxy’s address, never the website you want to visit. | v2.proxyempire.io |
| Port | The numbered door on that server the proxy listens on. The provider tells you which one. SOCKS proxies traditionally use 1080; web proxies often use 8080, 3128 or a provider-specific number. | 5000 |
| Protocol (type, scheme) | The language spoken between you and the proxy. HTTP proxies handle web traffic and open a CONNECT tunnel for HTTPS sites; SOCKS5 relays any TCP connection. It must match what the server accepts. | HTTP or SOCKS5 |
| Username and password (authentication) | The login the proxy asks for before it forwards anything. Some forms have fields for it; others, like Windows and Android, leave it to the browser’s sign-in box or to an app. | From your provider’s dashboard |
| Bypass list (exceptions, No Proxy For, no_proxy) | Hosts and domains that should skip the proxy and connect directly, such as local devices or an intranet. | localhost; *.example.internal |
| PAC script (setup script, automatic configuration URL) | A web address of a proxy auto-config file: a small JavaScript function that picks a proxy, or no proxy, for each URL. | http://wpad.example/proxy.pac |
| Auto-detect (WPAD, Automatically detect settings, Auto proxy discovery) | The device asks the local network, over DHCP or DNS, where its PAC file is. You type nothing; the network decides. | On or off |
Host and port
These two always go together. The host is written without http:// in most forms, and the port goes in its own box. If a form has only one box, the usual format is host:port. curl, for example, treats a proxy string without a port as port 1080, which is a common reason a copied address fails when the port was left off.
Protocol: HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5
The Chromium project’s proxy documentation is the clearest source on what each protocol does. An HTTP proxy can carry http://, https:// and WebSocket URLs; for HTTPS pages it forwards the encrypted TLS exchange through a CONNECT tunnel, so the page stays encrypted end to end, although the site’s hostname is visible to the proxy when the tunnel opens. An “HTTPS proxy” in the strict sense is different: the link from you to the proxy is itself encrypted, and Chromium notes it generally can’t be set through system configuration. SOCKS5 wraps a TCP connection and, in Chrome, always resolves host names on the proxy side. Chrome supports no login for SOCKS5, so a SOCKS5 proxy that needs a username and password won’t work in Chrome’s own configuration.
In practice, “Web proxy (HTTP)” and “Secure web proxy (HTTPS)” on a Mac both usually point at the same ordinary HTTP proxy: the second field just says which proxy to use for HTTPS sites. Firefox makes this explicit with its Also use this proxy for HTTPS tick box.
Username and password
Commercial proxies usually need a login. macOS has a Proxy server requires password switch, and the iPhone has an Authentication switch. Windows’ manual setup has only an address and a port, and Chromium documents that Chrome ignores credentials embedded in manual configuration: it asks through the normal sign-in flow instead. So on Windows, Chrome and Edge show a sign-in box the first time they reach the proxy. Android’s Wi-Fi proxy has no login fields at all, which is why an app is the practical route there.
Bypass list
Windows calls it the exception list and uses semicolons with * as a wildcard (*.contoso.com; *.adatum.com). macOS calls it Bypass proxy settings for these hosts & domains and uses commas. Firefox calls it No Proxy For and accepts <local> to skip every host name without a dot. Windows’ Don’t use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses and macOS’s Exclude simple hostnames do the same job as <local>. Chromium also bypasses localhost and link-local addresses on its own, without being told.
PAC files and auto-detect (WPAD)
A proxy auto-configuration file defines one function, FindProxyForURL(url, host). For each request it returns a string such as DIRECT, PROXY host:port or SOCKS host:port, and it can list several in order so the next one is tried if the first fails. That is how one laptop can send intranet traffic direct and everything else through a company proxy without anyone typing an address.
Auto-detect uses the Web Proxy Auto-Discovery protocol (WPAD) to find that file. Chromium tries DHCP first and then DNS, looking up a host literally called wpad. Its documentation warns that DNS-based WPAD can be slow and, if your DNS search list includes a domain outside your control, can hand your traffic to a PAC file chosen by someone else. Leave it on where IT relies on it; switch it off where nothing needs it.
Off, manual or automatic: what “configure proxy” asks
The same three choices, different labels| Where | No proxy | Manual | Automatic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | All switches off | Use a proxy server | Automatically detect settings; Use setup script |
| macOS | All proxy types off | Web proxy (HTTP), Secure web proxy (HTTPS), SOCKS proxy | Auto proxy discovery; Automatic proxy configuration |
| iPhone, iPad | Off | Manual | Automatic (PAC URL) |
| Android | None | Manual | Proxy Auto-Config |
| Firefox | No proxy | Manual proxy configuration | Auto-detect proxy settings for this network; Automatic proxy configuration URL; or Use system proxy settings |
Manual is what you use with a commercial proxy: you know the host, port and login, and you type them in. Automatic belongs to managed networks, where the PAC file lives on a company server. Mixing the two is where confusion starts: on Windows, a setup script or auto-detect can keep sending traffic to an office proxy even after you switch the manual proxy off, so check all three switches.
Where to find proxy options on each device
Menu paths from Microsoft, Apple, Google and MozillaThese paths come from each vendor’s current help pages, linked in the references. Labels can differ slightly by version or phone maker.
Windows 11 and Windows 10
- Open the Settings app and select Network & internet > Proxy.
- For a commercial proxy, go to Manual proxy setup and, next to Use a proxy server, select Set up.
- In Edit proxy server, turn on Use a proxy server and fill in Proxy IP address and Port.
- Optionally add exceptions separated by semicolons, and tick Don’t use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses.
- Select Save.
The same page holds Automatically detect settings and Use setup script under Automatic proxy setup. A VPN connection has its own separate proxy: Microsoft’s path is Network & internet > VPN, select the connection, Advanced options, then Edit next to Proxy settings for this VPN connection. Services and installers may use a third store, WinHTTP, which you can read with netsh winhttp show advproxy. Our Windows proxy server guide covers the Windows side in more depth.
macOS
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings and click Network in the sidebar.
- Click the network service you use, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then Details, then Proxies.
- Turn on Web proxy (HTTP) and Secure web proxy (HTTPS), or SOCKS proxy, and enter the server and port for each.
- If the proxy needs a login, turn on Proxy server requires password and enter the user name and password.
- Add any hosts to bypass, separated by commas, then click OK.
The values belong to that network service only, so a Mac on Wi-Fi and then on Ethernet can behave differently.
iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, then tap the info button next to your network.
- Scroll to HTTP Proxy and tap Configure Proxy.
- Choose Manual, enter the server and port, turn on Authentication for a username and password, and tap Save.
The proxy applies to that Wi-Fi network only. Apple’s system-wide Global HTTP Proxy exists, but only on devices enrolled in device management. Our iPhone proxy guide has screenshots.
Android
- Open Settings and tap Network & internet > Internet.
- Tap your network, then Edit > Advanced options.
- Under Proxy, tap the down arrow and pick the configuration type, enter the proxy hostname and port, and tap Save.
That is Google’s Pixel path; Samsung and other phones use similar menus under Wi-Fi. The setting is per Wi-Fi network, has no login fields, and Android’s developer documentation notes that only some network stacks pick it up automatically, so many apps ignore it. The free ProxyEmpire Proxy Manager app for Android fixes all three: it stores the username and password, works on mobile data too, and routes all apps or only the ones you choose over HTTP or SOCKS5, without root. See our Android proxy guide for both methods.
Chrome and Edge
Chrome has no proxy form of its own. The Chromium project chose to use the system’s network configuration so that users and administrators control every app in one place, and Microsoft documents the same default for Edge. In Chrome, open Settings > System > Open your computer’s proxy settings; in Edge, open Settings and more > Settings > System and performance and use the same link. Both open the Windows or macOS page above.
A proxy just for the browser, or for one profile, needs either a command-line flag such as --proxy-server, a policy, or an extension. ProxyEmpire Proxy Manager, our free Chrome extension, sets the proxy for Chrome only, saves the username and password, keeps several profiles you switch with one click, and adds WebRTC leak protection and a kill switch. It works with HTTP proxies from any provider.
Firefox
- Click the menu button and select Settings.
- Select Privacy and security, go to Connection and software security, click Advanced settings and go to Proxy settings.
- Click Configure proxy. The Connection Settings dialog opens.
- Choose Manual proxy configuration, enter the HTTP proxy host and port, and tick Also use this proxy for HTTPS. Click OK.
Firefox asks for the username and password when you open the first page. Choosing No proxy here affects Firefox only; choosing Use system proxy settings makes it follow Windows or macOS. The dialog also lists any extension that controls the connection, with a Disable Extension button. More detail is in our Firefox proxy guide.
Proxy configuration on the command line
Environment variables for curl, wget, pip, git and npmTerminal tools don’t open a settings window. Most look for environment variables before they connect. curl checks for variables named after the scheme, such as http_proxy and https_proxy, plus ALL_PROXY for everything and NO_PROXY for exceptions. curl accepts http_proxy only in lower case, for a security reason tied to CGI scripts, so lower case is the safe choice everywhere. wget, pip and git read the same names, and npm honours them through its networking library while also offering its own proxy and https-proxy config keys. Our npm proxy guide shows how to set them with a username and password.
# Linux and macOS (bash, zsh)
export http_proxy="http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@v2.proxyempire.io:5000"
export https_proxy="$http_proxy"
export no_proxy="localhost,127.0.0.1"
curl https://ifconfig.me # prints the proxy's IP address
unset http_proxy https_proxy no_proxy # turn it off again
# Windows PowerShell
$env:http_proxy = "http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@v2.proxyempire.io:5000"
$env:https_proxy = $env:http_proxy
Remove-Item Env:http_proxy, Env:https_proxy # turn it off again
# Windows Command Prompt
set https_proxy=http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@v2.proxyempire.io:5000Two details catch people out. If the password contains characters such as @ or :, encode them in the URL (%40, %3a); curl decodes them before it signs in. And an export lasts only for that terminal: a line added to a shell profile keeps applying long after you forget it, which is a common cause of a proxy that won’t go away. For per-command use, curl’s -x option overrides the variables; our curl with proxy guide covers it, along with SOCKS5 and socks5h://.
What to enter for a ProxyEmpire proxy
One gateway, one login, every formProxyEmpire’s rotating residential and mobile proxies use a single gateway. Get your username and password from the ProxyEmpire dashboard: open Proxy Manager, then Connection Builder, pick residential or mobile, and choose the country, region, city or ISP and whether the IP should stay the same or rotate. Those choices are built into the username it gives you, so the host and port never change. Authentication is by username and password only; there is no IP whitelisting to set up.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Protocol / type | HTTP (web proxy). SOCKS5 works on the same host and port for apps that can send a SOCKS5 login. |
| Host / server | v2.proxyempire.io |
| Port | 5000 |
| Username / password | The pair from Connection Builder. Where the form has no login field, the browser asks for it on the first page. |
| Secure web proxy (HTTPS) | The same host and port as the HTTP proxy, or tick “Also use this proxy for HTTPS”. |
| Bypass list | Empty, or local hosts only. |
| Auto-detect and PAC script | Off. |
https_proxy, or pass it to the tool’s own proxy option.Two network rules help when you test. Only ports 80 and 443 are open by default, and there is no UDP, so ordinary web traffic works while other ports and UDP-based apps won’t go through. Financial, government, crypto exchange, bank and payment sites are blocked on every proxy type; unblocking them needs KYC and a review of your use case. Behind the gateway you get 30M+ rotating residential IPs in 179 countries and territories and 4M+ mobile IPs in 174 countries, with city, ISP and ASN targeting at no extra charge.
Should proxy settings be on or off?
A plain answer for home, work and proxy users- Home computer or phone, no proxy service: off. Manual proxy off, setup script off. If nothing on your network needs auto-detect, it can be off too.
- Work or school device: leave what IT set. Managed devices often receive a PAC file or a fixed proxy, and changing it can break access to internal sites or be undone by policy at the next sign-in.
- You use a proxy service on purpose: on, with the host, port and login from your provider, and only in the place you need it. A browser extension or an app is often better than a system-wide proxy, because it doesn’t send every program’s traffic through the proxy.
A proxy you don’t recognise is worth investigating rather than ignoring. Something set it: an extension, a VPN or security app, an old office configuration, or unwanted software. While it is active, the owner of that proxy can see which sites you visit and read any unencrypted traffic. Remove it, then check where it came from before it comes back.
How to turn a proxy off everywhere
Check every layer, not just one switch| Where | How to turn it off |
|---|---|
| Windows 11 / 10 | Settings > Network & internet > Proxy: turn off Use a proxy server, Use setup script and, if not needed, Automatically detect settings. Check the VPN connection’s own proxy too. |
| WinHTTP | Read it with netsh winhttp show advproxy; netsh winhttp reset proxy in an administrator prompt sets it back to direct. |
| macOS | System Settings > Network > your service > Details > Proxies: switch off every proxy type, for each network service you use. |
| iPhone / iPad | Settings > Wi-Fi > info button > Configure Proxy > Off > Save, on each network that had one. |
| Android | The network’s Advanced options > Proxy > None > Save. In a proxy app, tap Stop. |
| Chrome / Edge | Turn off the system proxy above, then disconnect or disable any proxy extension on the extensions page. |
| Firefox | Connection Settings > No proxy (or Use system proxy settings), and disable any extension the dialog lists. |
| Terminal | unset http_proxy https_proxy all_proxy, then remove the lines from your shell profile or tool config (.npmrc, git’s http.proxy). |
When the proxy is off, your public IP falls back to whatever your network gives you. To confirm, open an IP lookup page: it should show your own provider and location again.
Common proxy errors and what they mean
Browser codes, sign-in loops and apps that ignore the proxy| What you see | What it means and the fix |
|---|---|
| ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED (Chrome, Edge) | The browser couldn’t reach the proxy itself, either resolving its name or connecting. Check the host and port for typos, or turn off a proxy you no longer use. |
| ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED | The proxy answered but couldn’t open a tunnel to the HTTPS site. Check the login, try another site, or get a new IP; with ProxyEmpire, the site may be on the blocked list or use a port other than 443. |
| 407 Proxy Authentication Required, or a sign-in box that keeps coming back | The proxy wants a login and didn’t get a valid one. Copy the username and password again from the dashboard, without spaces. |
| ERR_SOCKS_CONNECTION_FAILED | The SOCKS proxy couldn’t connect to the site. In Chrome, remember SOCKS5 can’t sign in; use the HTTP proxy instead. |
| ERR_MANDATORY_PROXY_CONFIGURATION_FAILED | A required PAC script couldn’t be fetched or run. This is a managed-device setting; contact IT. |
| No internet on one Wi-Fi network only | A manual proxy is still saved on that network. Set it to Off or None. |
| The browser works, an app or terminal doesn’t | The app doesn’t read the system proxy. Set its own proxy option, the environment variables, or use a VPN-based proxy app. |
| Traffic still goes through a proxy after you switched it off | Another layer is still set: a setup script, auto-detect, an extension, a VPN, WinHTTP or an environment variable. |
For the full list of HTTP status codes and browser errors, see our guide to proxy error codes. ProxyEmpire’s support team is available 24/7 and staffed by real people if you want someone to test the connection with you.
FAQ
Short answersWhat does proxy settings mean?
They are the values that tell a device or app to send traffic through a proxy server: host, port, protocol, an optional login, exceptions, or an automatic script.
What does “configure proxy” mean on an iPhone?
It asks how the Wi-Fi network should find a proxy: Off, Manual (you enter server, port and optional login) or Automatic (a PAC file URL).
What should my proxy settings be?
At home without a proxy service: everything off. On a work device: what IT set. With a proxy service: the host, port and login your provider gives you.
Is it safe to turn off proxy settings?
Yes on a personal device; websites simply see your own IP again. On a managed device, turning it off can block internal sites or be reversed by policy.
Do all apps use the system proxy?
No. Chrome and Edge do by default, Firefox can use its own, many phone apps ignore Wi-Fi proxies, and command-line tools usually read environment variables.
What is the difference between auto-detect and a PAC file?
A PAC file is the script that chooses a proxy per URL. Auto-detect (WPAD) is how the device finds that script on the network by itself.
What port should I use for a proxy?
The one your provider gives you. There is no universal proxy port; for ProxyEmpire it is 5000 on v2.proxyempire.io.
Is a proxy setting the same as a VPN?
No. A proxy setting points certain apps at a proxy server; a VPN tunnels the whole device’s traffic through an encrypted connection. Windows keeps a separate proxy per VPN connection.
References
Primary documentation, checked 1 October 2026- Microsoft Support — Use a proxy server in Windows. support.microsoft.com/windows/use-a-proxy-server-in-windows
- Microsoft Learn — Netsh commands for WinHTTP. learn.microsoft.com/windows/win32/winhttp/netsh-exe-commands
- Microsoft Learn — Microsoft Edge proxy settings. learn.microsoft.com/deployedge/edge-learnmore-cmdline-options-proxy-settings
- Apple Support — Change proxy settings on Mac. support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlp2591
- Apple Support — Manage Wi-Fi settings on iPhone. support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphw5gjwl8k2
- Apple Support — Global HTTP Proxy device management payload settings. support.apple.com/guide/deployment/dep7ba46fcd
- Google Pixel Help — Manage advanced network settings (set up a proxy). support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/9655181
- Android Developers — ProxyInfo. developer.android.com/reference/android/net/ProxyInfo
- The Chromium Projects — Network Settings. chromium.org/developers/design-documents/network-settings
- Chromium source — Proxy support in Chrome (net/docs/proxy.md). chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/HEAD/net/docs/proxy.md
- Chromium source — Network error list (net_error_list.h). chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/HEAD/net/base/net_error_list.h
- Mozilla Support — Connection settings in Firefox. support.mozilla.org/kb/connection-settings-firefox
- MDN Web Docs — Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) file. developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/HTTP/Guides/Proxy_servers_and_tunneling/Proxy_Auto-Configuration_PAC_file
- curl — man page (–proxy) and Everything curl, proxy environment variables. curl.se/docs/manpage.html · everything.curl.dev/usingcurl/proxies/env
- pip, git and npm documentation — proxy options. pip user guide · git-config (http.proxy) · npm config
- IETF — RFC 9110, HTTP Semantics (CONNECT, 407 Proxy Authentication Required). rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9110
- ProxyEmpire Proxy Manager — Chrome Web Store and Google Play listings. Chrome Web Store · Google Play
One host, one port, one login, on any device
30M+ residential IPs in 179 countries and territories and 4M+ mobile IPs in 174 countries through v2.proxyempire.io:5000, with country, city, ISP and ASN targeting at no extra charge, a free Chrome extension and Android app, and 24/7 support from real people. Residential starts at $3.50/GB and drops to $1.50/GB; the $1.97 trial includes 100 MB of residential and 50 MB of mobile traffic.
