Best for Google Chrome
Residential proxies
from $0.27/GB
Sites see a home connection in the country you pick, and sticky sessions up to 24 hours keep one IP while you stay logged in.
Browsers & operating systems
Google Chrome Proxy Setup on Windows, macOS, Linux and Extensions
Google Chrome works on
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- iOS
Key facts
Where Chrome's proxy setting is
Chrome has no proxy form of its own: Settings > System > Open your computer's proxy settings opens the Windows or macOS proxy screen. For a Chrome-only proxy, use --proxy-server or an extension.
Incognito windows
The system proxy also applies in Incognito. An extension proxy applies there only after you turn on Allow in Incognito on the extension's details page.
Work computers
On a managed device your IT team can set the proxy by policy. Chrome then ignores the system settings and anything you change.
Ways to connect Chrome to a proxy
A system proxy also covers other apps that read the Windows or macOS settings, such as Edge and Safari. A flag or an extension changes Chrome only.
| Name | Works In | Auth | Blocking Resistance | Best For | Where To Get |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System proxy (Windows, macOS or Linux settings) | Chrome on Windows, macOS and Linux, plus other apps that follow the system proxy | HTTP/HTTPS: Chrome Sign in dialog | Set by the IP type. Sites still see your cookies and Google sign-in | One proxy for the whole computer | Geonode residential, ISP or datacenter proxies (HTTP endpoint); Geonode free list |
| --proxy-server command-line flag | Desktop Chrome; overrides the system proxy for that Chrome process only | HTTP/HTTPS: Sign in dialog; SOCKS without login only | Same as the IP type; a fresh --user-data-dir profile starts with no cookies | A second Chrome with its own IP next to your normal browser | Geonode residential, ISP or datacenter proxies; Geonode free list |
| Proxy extension (Geonode extension, FoxyProxy) | Desktop Chrome, per profile; the operating system and other apps are not affected | Saves the HTTP proxy login for you | Same as the IP type. If a site blocks the proxy, one click turns it off | Switching between proxies or countries without opening system settings | Geonode browser extension (free with a Geonode account) or FoxyProxy from the Chrome Web Store |
Which proxy type to use with Chrome
Chrome works with all four. The sites you open decide which one gets through.
Best for logins
ISP proxies
from $1.25/IP
One fixed IP, so Google, shops and social sites see the same address every time you sign in.
Public pages only
Datacenter proxies
from $0.14/GB
Cheap per GB, but Google Search and many shops show CAPTCHAs or an unusual traffic page to datacenter ranges more often.
Testing only
Free public proxies
Free
Whoever runs a free proxy sees which sites you open, so use one to test the setup and never to sign in to an account.
How to set up a proxy for Google Chrome
Copy the host, port, proxy username and proxy password from your provider's dashboard before you start.
In Chrome, click the three-dot menu, then Settings.
Click System, then Open your computer's proxy settings. Windows opens Network & internet > Proxy.
Under Manual proxy setup, next to Use a proxy server, click Set up.
Turn on Use a proxy server.
Enter the host in Proxy IP address and the port in Port.
Optionally tick Don't use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses.
Click Save.
Open any site in Chrome. When the Sign in dialog appears, enter the proxy username and password.
Check detailed instructions on our blog:
Read the blog postHow to check that Chrome uses the proxy
Open geonode.com/what-is-my-ip in Chrome. You should see the proxy's IP and country, not your own.
Type chrome://net-internals/#proxy in the address bar. It lists the proxy settings Chrome actually applies and any proxies it has marked as bad.
How to turn the proxy off in Chrome
Windows: go to Settings > Network & internet > Proxy, click Set up next to Use a proxy server, turn off Use a proxy server and click Save.
macOS: go to System Settings > Network, select the service, click Details > Proxies, turn off each proxy type and click OK.
Extension or flag: turn the extension off in chrome://extensions, or quit Chrome and start it again without --proxy-server.
Common Chrome proxy problems and fixes
"There is something wrong with the proxy server" error
- Chrome shows it with the code ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED. Wrong host or port, a dead free proxy, or a system proxy left on after the plan ended
- Compare the host and port with your dashboard, then test the proxy in the Geonode proxy checker. If you no longer need it, turn the system proxy off.
CauseFixSign in dialog keeps coming back, or sites return error 407
- Wrong username or password, or the account login entered instead of the proxy credentials
- Enter them again, copied from the proxy dashboard. Your Geonode account email and password will not work here.
CauseFixA SOCKS5 proxy with a username and password does not connect
- Chrome does not support SOCKS5 authentication in any setup method, including extensions
- Use the HTTP endpoint of the same proxy plan. Keep SOCKS5 for apps that accept a SOCKS login.
CauseFixProxy settings locked by an extension or your organization
- A VPN or proxy extension, or a device policy, has taken over the proxy
- Open chrome://extensions and turn off proxy and VPN extensions one by one, then restart Chrome. On a work computer, ask your IT team.
CauseFix
More for Google Chrome users
Google Chrome proxy FAQ
No. Settings > System > Open your computer's proxy settings opens the Windows or macOS proxy screen. For a Chrome-only proxy, use the --proxy-server flag or a proxy extension.
Set the proxy host and port in your operating system's proxy settings, then enter the proxy username and password in Chrome's Sign in dialog. A proxy extension does both inside Chrome.
Open chrome://net-internals/#proxy to see which proxy Chrome uses. Turn the system proxy off if you don't need it. If pages load only with the proxy off, allow Chrome in your firewall or antivirus.
Yes, but only without a username and password, because Chrome does not support SOCKS5 authentication. For a proxy that needs a login, use its HTTP or HTTPS endpoint.
For Geonode proxies, the Geonode extension is free with a Geonode account: pick a saved proxy and click Connect. FoxyProxy works with any provider. Add a proxy with host, port, username and password, then pick it in the toolbar popup, or set URL patterns so only some sites use it.
Chrome on phones has no proxy setting, so it follows the phone's Wi-Fi proxy. That proxy is HTTP only; Android usually has no username and password fields, while iOS has an Authentication toggle.
