Check both the device’s network settings and the browser’s own configuration, then compare the public IP address as a clue about routing. A proxy can be set automatically, through a setup script, manually, in a browser, or by a VPN or administrator—so one setting alone cannot show how every app or request is routed.
Check the device’s proxy settings first
These steps show what the operating system is configured to use for the network you are checking. They do not establish that every application uses that configuration.
Windows
- Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy.
- Review the automatic proxy detection and setup-script options. Note whether either is enabled and, if a script is configured, whether a script address is shown.
- Review manual proxy setup for an enabled setting and a server name or IP address and port.
- If you use a VPN, inspect that VPN connection’s options separately; its proxy configuration is separate from the general Windows proxy settings.
Windows supports automatic detection, setup scripts, and manual proxy configuration. If the device is managed by an employer or school, do not disable a proxy setting without authorization; ask your IT department if you do not know why it is configured. Microsoft’s Windows proxy instructions describe these controls.
Android
- Open the device’s Settings app.
- Open the details for the Wi-Fi network you are connected to and look for its proxy setting.
- Note whether a proxy is configured and whether the setting shows a host and port or another configuration option.
Menu names and locations vary across Android versions and device makers, and proxy settings may be associated with a particular network. Google’s Android network settings guidance covers advanced network options, including proxy settings.
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Check whether the browser has its own proxy configuration
A browser can use a proxy independently of the operating system’s general setting. For example, Microsoft documents a Dev Proxy setup that can affect one browser instance without changing system proxy settings; Dev Proxy normally registers as the system proxy. That means a clean-looking system setting does not rule out a browser-scoped configuration. See Microsoft’s browser-specific Dev Proxy instructions.
Check the browser’s settings or configuration for proxy-related options, and consider whether an extension, developer tool, or browser-specific launch setup is involved. Exact controls differ by browser, and the sources cited here do not establish a current universal menu path for every browser.
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Work or school Chrome
Chrome policies can set or control proxy behavior on managed browsers. If Chrome is provided or managed by an organization, a policy may determine the effective configuration and prevent local changes. Check with the administrator rather than trying to override a managed setting. Google explains browser and user policy controls in its Chrome Enterprise policy documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use a public-IP comparison as a routing clue
A configured proxy setting indicates intended configuration, not conclusive proof that a particular request passed through that proxy. To check for a route change, use the same browser and network conditions for both checks:
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- With the suspected proxy configuration in place, check your public IP using a reputable IP-check service and record the result.
- If it is appropriate and you are authorized to do so, change or disable the suspected setting.
- Check the public IP again with the same service, browser, and connection.
- Compare the results. A changed IP is evidence that the observed route changed, but it does not identify every intermediary or establish how other apps are routed.
Do not disable an employer-, school-, VPN-, or browser-managed configuration without permission. If the result is unexpected, compare one factor at a time: Wi-Fi versus cellular, the VPN’s own settings versus the device’s general settings, automatic detection or a setup script versus a manual host and port, and browser policy versus a user-controlled option.
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What these checks can—and cannot—tell you
- A proxy option is enabled: the relevant layer is configured to use a proxy, but that alone does not confirm the route for every app or request.
- No proxy appears in system settings: a browser-specific setup, VPN configuration, automatic configuration, or managed policy may still affect traffic.
- The public IP changes: the route observed by that browser and connection changed; the comparison does not prove complete privacy or identify every intermediary.
- The public IP does not change: that result alone does not prove that no proxy is configured or used. Check the other configuration layers and make sure both checks used the same connection and browser conditions.
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