You have a proxy address in hand — so what now? This guide explains the steps for getting a proxy working on every popular platform, then how to test that the setup is correct, and how to solve the most common problems.
Before You Start: What Do You Need?
A proxy connection consists of at most four pieces of information: IP, port, username, password. With free addresses there are usually only the first two (such as185.93.68.14:8080 ); in paid packages all four are delivered together (ip:port:user:pass). If you don't have an address, you can pick one from free proxy list and follow this guide.
Proxy Setup on Windows
- Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy — follow this path.
- Under "Manual proxy setup", turn on the Use a proxy server toggle.
- Enter the IP and port, then save.
This setting works system-wide: Chrome, Edge and most applications follow it automatically. For details and advanced options such as PAC files, see our Windows proxy guide .
Setup in Browsers
Chrome
Chrome uses the system setting; the Windows steps above are enough. If you want a browser-specific profile, use an extension — details in our Chrome guide.
Firefox
Firefox has its own independent setting: Settings > General > Network Settings > Manual proxy configuration. For SOCKS5 addresses, fill in the SOCKS v5 row. Details in our Firefox guide.
Setup on Mobile Devices
Android: Long-press the Wi-Fi network → Modify network → Advanced → Proxy → Manual. iPhone: Settings → Wi-Fi → (i) → HTTP Proxy → Manual. On both platforms the setting applies only to that Wi-Fi network; cellular data does not go through the proxy. With step-by-step screen paths: Android and iPhone guides.
Use in Applications and on the Command Line
If you are a developer, you can test the proxy with a single command:
| Environment | Usage |
|---|---|
| curl | curl --proxy ip:port https://api.ipify.org |
| Python requests | proxies={"https": "http://user:pass@ip:port"} |
| Environment variable | HTTPS_PROXY=http://ip:port |
Verifying the Setup
Once you have defined the proxy, be sure to test it:
- My IP Address page — the address shown should be the proxy IP.
- DNS leak test to confirm that your requests are not leaking.
- If privacy is critical, the WebRTC test run it as well.
Common Problems
- "Connection refused": The address may have gone down; use with the proxy checker tool to test it and, if necessary, take a new address from the list.
- Pages are very slow: This is normal with free addresses; prefer low-latency (green-labeled) addresses.
- Authentication prompt: It means you are using a paid proxy; enter your username/password.
- Some sites don't open: The target site may have blocked that IP; try a different address.
Result
Whatever the platform, proxy setup comes down to three steps: get the address, enter it in the settings, verify it. Once you get used to it, the whole process takes less than a minute. When you need a constant and fast connection, switch to paid plans and you will get a far more stable experience with the same steps.