In plain English: setting a proxy on macOS means most of your Mac's internet traffic goes through it, so Safari, Chrome and plenty of other apps share the proxy's IP address without being set up one by one. One detail catches people out: a Mac keeps proxy settings separately for each connection, which Apple calls a network service. Wi-Fi has its own settings, Ethernet has its own, and so on. The good news is that, unlike Windows, macOS has boxes for your proxy username and password right on the settings page.
Quick start in 3 steps
- Open System Settings → Network, pick your connection and click Details.
- Under Proxies, switch on Web proxy (HTTP) and Secure web proxy (HTTPS), and fill in the host, port, username and password for both.
- Click OK, then open our IP checker to confirm the proxy's address is showing.
Have these to hand
- The proxy host and port, which your dashboard shows as
host:port, plus your proxy username and password. - A Mac on macOS Ventura or later for the steps as written. Older versions keep the same boxes in a slightly different place, covered below.
- To know which connection you use: Wi-Fi, Ethernet or something else. The proxy applies to the one you set and no other.
Set the proxy in System Settings
- Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Choose Network in the sidebar.
- Click the connection you're using, such as Wi-Fi, then Details.
- Choose Proxies.
- Turn on Web proxy (HTTP). Type the host into Server and the number into the port box. Switch on Proxy server requires password and add your username and password.
- Turn on Secure web proxy (HTTPS) and repeat the same details, so secure websites use the proxy too.
- Click OK. If an Apply button appears, click that as well.
On older macOS versions, the route is System Preferences → Network → your connection → Advanced → Proxies. The boxes inside are identical.
Moving from Wi-Fi to a cable, or the other way round? Set the proxy on that connection too, otherwise your Mac quietly goes back to connecting directly.
If you have SOCKS details
SOCKS is a different way of talking to a proxy, able to carry more than web pages. In the same Proxies list, switch on SOCKS proxy, enter the host and port, turn on the password option and add your login. Leave the HTTP and HTTPS switches off so everything travels over SOCKS.
Optional: the Terminal way
Terminal is the Mac's command window. The built-in networksetup tool can set the proxy for you, which is handy if you switch often. For Wi-Fi, run:
networksetup -setwebproxy "Wi-Fi" HOST PORT on USERNAME PASSWORD
networksetup -setsecurewebproxy "Wi-Fi" HOST PORT on USERNAME PASSWORDThe word on after the port turns on the password check, and your username and password follow it. To switch both proxies off later:
networksetup -setwebproxystate "Wi-Fi" off
networksetup -setsecurewebproxystate "Wi-Fi" offIf your connection has a different name, swap "Wi-Fi" for it. To see every name your Mac uses, run networksetup -listallnetworkservices.
Check it worked
Open any browser and go to our IP checker. With the proxy working, it shows the proxy's address and location instead of yours. If you still see your own, you may have set a different connection from the one you're using, or the login may be wrong.
Also run the DNS leak test. DNS is the step where your Mac exchanges a site's name for a number. Even with a proxy on, those requests can go out over your normal connection and show your internet provider which sites you visit. If its name shows up in the results, a SOCKS proxy that resolves names remotely, or different DNS settings, can help close the gap.
Which type should I pick?
- Browsing, research, viewing your own site from outside: datacenter proxies cost less per GB.
- Sites that treat server addresses with suspicion: residential proxies use addresses given to households by their internet providers.
- Checking mobile versions over a phone network: mobile proxies.
- One site that still says no to residential: residential premium.
The proxies overview explains each, and the pricing page lists current prices.
Common mistakes
- Setting only the HTTP box. Most sites use HTTPS, so without the secure box they skip the proxy.
- Setting the wrong connection. If you're on Wi-Fi but set Ethernet, nothing changes. In Network, the connection you're using shows a green dot.
- An error saying "Could not connect to the proxy server". The host or port is wrong, or the proxy can't be reached. Paste the values again and test them in the proxy checker.
- Expecting every app to follow. Some Mac apps ignore system proxies. Set those apps up separately where they allow it.
Is this allowed?
Using a proxy on your own Mac is lawful in most places and is a common privacy step on shared or public Wi-Fi. If the Mac belongs to an employer or school, check before changing network settings, since they may manage them. And the services you use through the proxy keep their own terms; a different IP address doesn't change what you agreed to.
Beginner questions
Does Safari need its own setup?
No. Safari follows the macOS settings, so it uses the proxy as soon as you click OK.
Will my Mac remember the proxy after a restart?
Yes. The settings stay saved for that connection until you switch them off.
How do I go back to normal?
Return to Proxies for that connection and switch the proxy options off, or run the Terminal command that turns them off.
