How to set up a proxy in Windows: step-by-step guide

Before you start

The Windows system proxy is useful when one address should work in Chrome, Edge, Opera, Yandex Browser, and programs that take network parameters from the system. If you want a quick refresher on the difference between HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS, open the proxy types guide.

• If you need a permanent address, you can buy proxies, and free proxies are suitable for a short check. More addresses for manual selection are available in the full proxy list.
• Check the format: IP address or domain, port, HTTP/HTTPS or SOCKS protocol, and username/password for authenticated proxies.
• Open the IP check before setup and remember your regular address. After enabling proxy, it should change.
• During the check, disable VPN, browser proxy extensions, and other network switches so multiple connections do not get mixed together.

Which proxy types Windows supports

In Windows, you can enter HTTP, Secure, FTP, and SOCKS. For websites, you usually need an HTTP proxy with CONNECT support: enter it for HTTP and Secure so both http:// and https:// addresses work.

• HTTP is for plain HTTP requests. Without a separate Secure value, HTTPS sites may connect directly.
• Secure is the field for HTTPS sites. Usually this is the same HTTPS proxy that supports the CONNECT method.
• SOCKS is a universal option for TCP connections. In Windows, SOCKS4/4a/5 is usually entered through the advanced dialog or as socks=IP:PORT.
• FTP is rarely needed now. If the field is present, it usually uses the same address as Secure.

Windows Settings

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, the main path is in the Settings app. It works when you need one HTTP/HTTPS proxy for browsers and programs that pull settings from the system.

1. Press Win+I and open Network & Internet.
2. Open the Proxy section. If automatic detection or a PAC file is enabled, turn it off while you configure the proxy manually.
3. In manual proxy setup, enable Use a proxy server.
4. For HTTP/HTTPS, enter the address without http:// and enter the port in the separate field. Example: address 127.0.0.1, port 8080.
5. For SOCKS, you can enter socks=127.0.0.1:1080 in the address field and leave the port field empty if your Windows version accepts this format.
6. Add exceptions if specific domains or internal network addresses should open directly.
7. Click Save and go straight to the check.

Open Settings and go to Network & Internet; this is where the Windows system proxy is located.

Another fast path: search Windows for proxy settings and open the system result.

At the bottom of the page, click Set up in the manual proxy section, then turn on Use a proxy server in the dialog.

Enter the address without protocol, the port, and exceptions if needed, then click Save.

Disable through Settings

Disabling is done in the same section. This matters after testing: if a non-working address remains enabled, browsers will start showing connection errors.

1. Return to Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy.
2. Turn off Use a proxy server.
3. If automatic settings were enabled only for testing, turn them off too.

To disable it, return to the same place and turn off the manual proxy server.

Internet Options

The old Internet Options window is still useful: you can fill HTTP, Secure, and SOCKS separately, and also configure an automatic PAC file.

1. Press Win+R, enter control panel, and press Enter.
2. In Control Panel, switch the view to small icons and open Internet Options.
3. Open the Connections tab and click LAN settings.

Press Win+R, open Control Panel, then choose Internet Options.

Click LAN settings to open the fields for manual or automatic proxy setup.

Automatic setup

Automatic mode is needed only for a PAC file or corporate auto-configuration. For a regular IP:PORT, this block is usually left disabled.

• If you were given a PAC file URL, enable the PAC script option and paste the URL.
• If you have a regular proxy in IP:PORT format, do not enable PAC and proceed to manual setup.

For automatic setup, disable manual proxy, enable automatic detection or a PAC script, paste the URL, and confirm with OK.

Manual setup in Internet Options

Manual mode in Internet Options is convenient if you need to set HTTPS or SOCKS separately. After entering parameters, click OK in all open windows.

1. For HTTP/HTTPS, enter the address in HTTP and Secure. If the server is the same, the address and port usually match.
2. For SOCKS, click Advanced, clear the shared proxy for all protocols, and fill in Socks.
3. If some domains should load directly, fill in the exceptions field.

For HTTP/HTTPS, fill in address and port in the HTTP and Secure fields, then confirm with OK.

For SOCKS, open advanced fields and enter the address in the Socks row with the required port.

Username and password

Windows usually does not save proxy username and password in advance. If the server asks for login, the window appears when you first open a site through the proxy.

• Enter the proxy username and password exactly as they were issued.
• If the login window appears again, check the access period, keyboard layout, and whether an extra space was copied.
• If authentication is not required but the window still appears, the port is probably wrong or the proxy type does not match.

When you open a site for the first time, enter the proxy username and password; copy them without extra spaces.

Exceptions

Exceptions are needed for addresses that should open without a proxy: router, internal CRM, test server, and service domains.

• Separate entries with semicolons: localhost;127.0.0.1;*.example.com.
• Use * carefully: a broad mask can accidentally disable the proxy for many sites.
• For internal network addresses, enable Do not use the proxy server for local addresses.
• If you are not sure, leave the list empty and add exceptions only after checking.

Check and disable

Check not only whether sites open, but also the external IP. If the IP did not change, the browser is still connecting directly or a VPN/extension is overriding the connection.

1. Open the IP check and compare the address with your regular connection.
2. Check HTTP headers through Proxy Judge if you need to understand whether the proxy is visible at request level.
3. Open one HTTPS site and one regular HTTP address if your task requires both options.
4. To disable the proxy through the old window, clear Use a proxy server and click OK.

To remove proxy through the old window, clear the manual setup and confirm changes.