A proxy sends selected network requests through an intermediary server. To set one up, use automatic discovery, an administrator-provided configuration script, or server details supplied by your IT department or trusted network provider. The right settings depend on your device, network, and which apps should use the proxy—so don’t guess the address, port, credentials, or script URL.
What proxy settings do
A proxy server sits between a device or application and the destination it contacts. Apple describes it as a computer on a local network that acts as an intermediary and may support security, administrative control, or caching. Those are possible uses, not guaranteed benefits of every proxy. A proxy routes the traffic covered by its configuration; it should not be assumed to encrypt all traffic from a device.
Before changing a setting, establish which traffic needs to use the proxy and who provides its configuration. On a work or school network, ask IT for the approved setup method and values rather than substituting a public proxy. Microsoft specifically advises contacting the organization’s IT department if you do not know the setup script or server details: Use a proxy server in Windows.
Choose the right setup method
| Method | What you need | Typical scope |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic discovery | A network configured to advertise proxy settings; ask the administrator whether this is expected. | Depends on the operating system, network, and management policy. |
| Setup script or PAC file | The URL supplied by the administrator. A PAC file can specify how requests are routed. | Depends on the platform and the script’s rules. |
| Manual configuration | Proxy server name or IP address, port if required, and any approved authentication details or exceptions. | Depends on whether configured for an OS, network service, browser, VPN connection, or managed device. |
Do not treat these methods as interchangeable: an organization may require a particular script or discovery method, and a setting at one level may not cover every application. Ask whether credentials are required and which authentication method the proxy supports. Google documents Basic, Digest, NTLM, and Negotiate for Chrome policies; when a server offers multiple supported schemes, Chrome selects the one with the highest security. Google recommends Negotiate when available, otherwise NTLM, and warns that Basic authentication over non-secure HTTP is insecure. These are Chrome policy details, not a universal authentication rule for every proxy: Set Chrome policies for users or browsers.
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Set up a proxy in Windows 10 or Windows 11
Microsoft documents the controls at Settings > Network & internet > Proxy. The exact choices or labels can vary with Windows version, device management, and organization policy.
- Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy.
- Choose the method your administrator specified: enable automatic detection, enter the supplied setup-script address, or use manual configuration.
- For manual setup, enter the proxy name or IP address and port provided by the administrator. Add only the approved website exceptions, if needed.
- If instructed, enable the option to bypass the proxy for local intranet addresses, then save the settings.
Microsoft’s example uses semicolon-separated exceptions and a wildcard. Follow the current Windows screen and your administrator’s instructions for the exact syntax and scope; do not copy an example as a substitute for an approved bypass list. If the proxy is for a VPN connection, configure it separately in that VPN connection’s advanced proxy settings rather than assuming the general Windows proxy setting applies to it. See Microsoft’s Windows proxy instructions.
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Change proxy settings on a Mac
Apple’s Mac User Guide gives this path: Apple menu > System Settings > Network > [network service] > Details > Proxies. Select the relevant network service; options can differ by service and macOS version.
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Network.
- Select the network service you use, choose Details, then open Proxies.
- Choose the proxy type and enter the supplied values. Depending on the network, options include automatic proxy discovery, automatic proxy configuration (PAC), web proxy (HTTP), secure web proxy (HTTPS), and SOCKS.
- For PAC configuration, enter the file address provided by the network administrator. For manual proxy types, enter the proxy address and port; enter a username and password only if the administrator supplied them.
- Add host or domain bypass entries only when instructed. Apple also provides options to exclude simple hostnames.
Apple’s instructions are at Change proxy settings on Mac and Enter proxy server settings on Mac.
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Chrome and ChromeOS: check who controls the setting
Chrome Enterprise documentation describes direct connection, manual proxy configuration, PAC configuration, and WPAD discovery for managed ChromeOS networks. Depending on the environment, administrators can control settings through device, network, user, or extension policies. If a proxy is required on a managed device, follow the organization’s policy rather than trying to override it: Configure proxy settings on ChromeOS.
ChromeOS has specific traffic and DNS behavior worth checking with an administrator. Google says DNS resolution generally takes place on the proxy server when a proxy is configured, except with SOCKS4; this can conflict with custom DNS configurations. Google also says authenticated proxies on ChromeOS support browser traffic only, not non-user traffic or traffic from Android applications or virtual machines. These qualifications apply to the documented ChromeOS behavior, not necessarily to other operating systems or proxy implementations.
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Use bypass lists carefully
A bypass list names hosts or domains that should connect directly instead of going through the proxy. Windows also offers an option to bypass the proxy for local intranet addresses. Apple supports host and domain exclusions, including wildcard-style domain entries. Since a bypass changes which destinations use the intermediary, confirm the intended entries and scope with the administrator; test only destinations you are authorized to access outside the proxy.
On Windows, exceptions are entered in the manual proxy controls; Microsoft’s example separates entries with semicolons and includes a wildcard. On Mac, use the bypass or exclusion controls in the selected proxy configuration. Consult the current platform guidance for exact syntax: Windows and Mac.
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Proxy settings versus VPN settings
A proxy and a VPN are different configuration choices. A proxy routes the traffic covered by its settings through an intermediary; coverage can depend on whether it is configured for a browser, a network service, the operating system, or a VPN connection. Microsoft documents proxy configuration for a VPN connection separately from general Windows proxy settings. It also says a VPN generally provides a more secure connection than a proxy server. Neither statement means that any particular VPN or proxy is automatically safe; use the method approved for your network and follow its security requirements.
Quick Recap
When settings are unavailable or the connection fails
- The proxy address, port, or script URL is missing: ask the network administrator or trusted provider for the exact configuration. Do not guess.
- Controls are disabled or revert after changes: on work, school, or managed ChromeOS devices, settings may be enforced by organization policy. Ask IT whether the device, network, user, or browser is managed.
- Some apps still do not connect through the proxy: verify the setting’s scope. A browser or network-service proxy may not apply to other device traffic; ChromeOS authenticated proxy support, in particular, does not cover Android apps or virtual machines.
- DNS or internal sites behave unexpectedly: ask whether the proxy type changes where DNS is resolved and whether a destination belongs on the approved bypass list. On ChromeOS, Google documents server-side DNS resolution in general, with SOCKS4 as an exception.
- Authentication fails: confirm that the proxy requires credentials and which authentication schemes it supports. Do not send credentials over a connection or through a method your administrator has not approved.
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