Best for iPhone & iPad
Residential proxies
from $0.27/GB
Sites see a home ISP address. A sticky session holds one IP for up to 24 hours, so you stay signed in
Browsers & operating systems
Proxy for iPhone and iPad Wi-Fi, Cellular and SOCKS5 Setup
iPhone & iPad works on
- iOS
- iPadOS
Key facts
Where the proxy applies
Only on the Wi-Fi network you set it on. Each network keeps its own proxy setting, and cellular data never goes through it.
Apps that ignore it
Safari follows the Wi-Fi proxy, and so do apps built on Apple's standard web connections. Apps that open their own network connections (many games, some VoIP apps) can bypass it.
Work iPhones
A company-managed iPhone or iPad can get a global HTTP proxy from device management that applies to all HTTP traffic, not one Wi-Fi network. A personal iPhone has no such switch in Settings.
HTTP proxy vs PAC file vs SOCKS5 on iPhone
The Settings app takes HTTP proxies and nothing else. For SOCKS5 you need an app.
| Name | Works In | Auth | Blocking Resistance | Best For | Where To Get |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTTP proxy (Wi-Fi, Manual) | Settings > Wi-Fi, one network at a time | Username and password after you turn on Authentication, or none | Low. The link to the proxy is plain HTTP, but HTTPS sites stay encrypted inside the tunnel | Safari browsing and location checks on a home or office network | Geonode residential, ISP or datacenter proxies; HTTP entries from the Geonode free list |
| PAC file (Wi-Fi, Automatic) | Settings > Wi-Fi, one network at a time | The Automatic screen has only a URL field, no username or password | Same as the proxy the PAC file points to | Sending only some sites through the proxy, or networks where IT hands out a PAC address | Your network admin, or a PAC file you write and host yourself |
| SOCKS5 or HTTP in Shadowrocket | Shadowrocket app (App Store, installs a VPN configuration); Wi-Fi and cellular | Username and password, or none | Medium for SOCKS5; the app also supports Shadowsocks, VLESS, Trojan and WireGuard servers for stricter networks | SOCKS5 proxies, cellular data, and routing other apps as well as Safari | Geonode residential or ISP proxies; SOCKS5 entries from the Geonode free list |
Which proxy type to use with iPhone
iOS treats every proxy the same way. The type of IP matters to the sites and apps you open.
Good for one fixed IP
ISP proxies
from $1.25/IP
The address never changes, which suits accounts you always open from the same iPhone
Plain browsing
Datacenter proxies
from $0.14/GB
Cheap per GB, but streaming services and social apps flag datacenter ranges more often
Testing only
Free public proxies
Free
Fine for checking that the Wi-Fi fields are right. Entries die within hours
How to set up a proxy for iPhone and iPad
Have the proxy host and port ready, plus a username and password if the proxy uses them. In the Geonode dashboard all four are listed in the proxy configuration for your plan; use the HTTP port in iOS Settings and the SOCKS5 port in Shadowrocket. For Automatic you only need the PAC file URL.
Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi.
Connect to the network you want to use, then tap the info button (i) next to its name.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Configure Proxy under HTTP Proxy.
Select Manual.
Enter the proxy host in Server and the port in Port.
If the proxy needs a login, turn on Authentication and fill in Username and Password.
Tap Save.
Check detailed instructions on our blog:
Read the blog postHow to check that the proxy works
Open geonode.com/what-is-my-ip in Safari. It should show the proxy's IP and country, not your home or carrier address.
With Shadowrocket, load the same page once on Wi-Fi and once on cellular; both should show the proxy IP.
Open the app you set the proxy up for. If it loads but still shows content for your real location, that app does not use the system proxy.
How to turn the proxy off
Wi-Fi proxy: go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap (i) next to the network, tap Configure Proxy, select Off and tap Save.
Shadowrocket: turn off the switch on the Home tab. To remove it completely, delete the Shadowrocket profile under Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > VPN.
Common iPhone proxy problems and fixes
Wi-Fi shows connected, but no page loads
- A typo in Server or Port, a dead free proxy, or a SOCKS5 port typed into the HTTP proxy fields
- Compare the host and port with your provider's HTTP details, then run them through the Geonode proxy checker. For a free proxy, just take another HTTP entry from the list.
CauseFixSafari shows error 407 or keeps asking for a login
- Authentication is off, or the username or password is wrong
- Turn on Authentication and re-enter the credentials exactly as issued. With Geonode, use the proxy username and password from the dashboard, not your account email.
CauseFixSites log you out or show captchas every few minutes
- The proxy rotates, so each request comes from a different IP
- Use a residential sticky session or an ISP proxy.
CauseFixWhat is my IP shows an Apple or VPN address
- iCloud Private Relay or another VPN profile is active, so Safari reports the relay or VPN exit instead of the proxy
- Turn off Private Relay under Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay, disconnect any other VPN, then load the page again.
CauseFixAutomatic (PAC) is set, but traffic goes direct
- iOS cannot download the PAC file, or the file returns DIRECT for the site you open
- Open the PAC URL in Safari with the proxy off to confirm it downloads, and check that the file returns a PROXY host:port line for that site.
CauseFix
More for iPhone & iPad users
iPhone & iPad proxy FAQ
It is the HTTP proxy setting for one Wi-Fi network. An HTTP proxy is a server that fetches web pages for your iPhone, so sites see its IP instead of yours. Off sends traffic direct. Manual sends it through the server and port you type in, and Automatic reads the rules from a PAC file URL.
The URL field appears only when Configure Proxy is set to Automatic, and it takes the web address of a PAC file, such as one your network admin gives you. A proxy host and port go under Manual instead, in the Server and Port fields.
Yes. Any HTTP entry from the Geonode free proxy list works in the Manual Wi-Fi fields. Other people use the same free proxies, they go offline quickly, and whoever runs one can read unencrypted HTTP traffic. Don't sign in to your accounts through one.
Not from Settings. The built-in proxy fields exist only for Wi-Fi networks. On cellular you need an app that installs a VPN configuration, such as Shadowrocket, or a device management profile on a company iPhone.
The Settings app accepts only HTTP proxies. For SOCKS5 use Shadowrocket, which routes the whole device, or an app with its own proxy field, such as Telegram.
Buy Shadowrocket in the App Store, tap + to add a server, pick SOCKS5 or HTTP, and enter the address, port, user and password. Turn on the switch on the Home tab and allow the VPN configuration iOS asks for. If your provider gives you a subscription or config URL instead, add it with Type set to Subscribe, or under the Config tab, and the app pulls the server list from it.
Telegram has its own proxy setting under Settings > Data and Storage > Proxy, where you add a SOCKS5 or MTProto server. It works on Wi-Fi and cellular and does not depend on the Wi-Fi proxy in iOS Settings.
