Discord has no proxy setting: here's what works instead

In plain English: Discord has no proxy box anywhere in its settings, and there's no hidden switch either. Instead, it borrows one from elsewhere: the Discord desktop app uses your computer's proxy setting, and Discord in a web browser uses whatever proxy that browser uses. So you set the proxy outside Discord, and Discord falls in line. One thing won't change, though. Voice chat travels over a kind of connection that a standard web proxy doesn't carry, so think of a proxy as something for text, not calls.

Quick start in 3 steps

1. Decide how far the proxy should reach: the whole computer (Option 1), or one browser profile kept for Discord (Option 2).
2. Put your proxy host and port into the Windows or macOS settings, or into a proxy extension inside that separate browser profile.
3. Check the address with our IP checker in the same browser, then open Discord.

Have these to hand

• Your proxy host, port, username and password, copied from the dashboard. New to all this? Our proxy types page explains the options.
• A clear idea of what you'll use Discord for. Text chat and browsing servers work well through a proxy; voice calls are a different matter, explained below.

Option 1: set the proxy for the whole computer

This is the simplest route. The Discord desktop app and your browsers all pick up the proxy.

On Windows:

1. Open Settings → Network & internet → Proxy.
2. Under Manual proxy setup, switch on Use a proxy server. On newer versions of Windows you click Set up first.
3. Type the host into the address box and the number into Port, then click Save.

Windows has no boxes for a proxy username or password. If your proxy needs a login, either whitelist your IP address in the dashboard so no login is required, or use Option 2, where a browser extension takes care of the login.

On a Mac:

1. Open System Settings → Network.
2. Choose the connection you're on right now (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), then Details.
3. Choose Proxies.
4. Turn on Web proxy (HTTP) and Secure web proxy (HTTPS) and enter the server and port for each. If you have a login, also turn on Proxy server requires password and type it in.
5. Click OK to finish (on an older Mac, Apply as well).

Macs take the username and password on that same screen, so a proxy with a login works without installing anything else.

Option 2: a browser profile just for Discord

Want the proxy for Discord and nothing else? Use Discord's web version inside a separate browser profile. A profile is like a second copy of your browser, with its own bookmarks, extensions and logins, and Chrome, Edge and other Chromium-based browsers let you add one from the profile menu.

1. Create a new profile in your browser.
2. In that profile only, add a proxy extension that supports a username and password.
3. Enter your HOST:PORT details and your login in the extension, then switch it on.
4. Open Discord in that profile, and keep the profile for Discord alone.

Your everyday browsing stays in your main profile, on your normal connection.

Voice and video: why they're different

Discord sends voice over UDP, a type of connection that suits live audio because it doesn't stop to resend bits that get lost. Standard HTTP and HTTPS proxies are made for web traffic, which uses a different type of connection called TCP. In practice, a proxy suits Discord's web app, logins and messages, but it isn't built to carry voice. If your goal is text chat and looking after your own account from a particular IP, an HTTP proxy is the right tool. Routing voice is another job altogether.

Check that it's working

In the browser (or profile) you set up, open our What is my IP page. It should show the proxy's address. Then use the proxy checker to confirm the proxy is answering, and the DNS leak test to make sure your look-ups aren't slipping out over your own connection. To test the login details by themselves, away from any app, run this in Terminal (Mac) or Command Prompt (Windows):

curl -x "http://USER:PASS@HOST:PORT" https://api.ipify.org

If the proxy's IP comes back, the login is fine, and whatever is still wrong sits in the system or browser settings.

Which type should I pick?

• Snappy chat at a low price: datacenter proxies usually respond quicker, which suits messaging.
• An address from a home connection: residential proxies, at the cost of slightly slower replies.
• When a residential address isn't accepted: residential premium.

Our pricing page sets out what each of the four types costs per GB.

Common mistakes

• Hunting for a proxy option inside Discord. There isn't one. Set it in the system or the browser instead.
• Forgetting that Option 1 covers everything. A system proxy is used by your other apps too, not only Discord.
• Mixing up the two routes. The desktop app follows the system setting, not a browser extension. If you chose Option 2, use Discord in that browser profile rather than in the app.
• Expecting voice to go through the proxy. It won't, so use the proxy for text.

Is this allowed?

A proxy is fine with Discord for real privacy and connection reasons, on your own account. Discord's Terms of Service and Community Guidelines still apply in full. A proxy is not a way back in after a ban, and it mustn't be used for self-bots, other automation Discord doesn't allow, or creating accounts in bulk. Any of that puts your account at risk and damages the reputation of the IP addresses you're using.

Switching it off

On Windows, go back to Settings → Network & internet → Proxy and turn Use a proxy server off. On a Mac, reopen Proxies, switch off the HTTP and HTTPS proxies and click OK. If you used a browser profile, turn the extension off or simply stop using that profile.

Beginner questions

Will a proxy improve my ping?

No. A proxy adds a stop along the way, so if anything it adds a little delay. Voice doesn't use it anyway.

Does Discord show that I'm using a proxy?

Not anywhere in the app. To see the address websites see, open our IP checker in the same browser or profile.