Chrome says ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED: clear it in five steps
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ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED means Chrome is configured to send traffic through a proxy and could not open a connection to that proxy's address. The proxy never replied, which separates this from a 407 login error. In practice the device is usually pointing at a proxy that has stopped, or at a port where nothing listens.
What the error looks like under the hood
We started Chromium with --proxy-server=http://203.0.113.10:8080 (a documentation address) aimed at a port that had no proxy running. Chrome's net-log recorded ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED, caused by ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED: the remote machine replied that the port takes no connections.
The same address gives connect failed in the proxy checker and curl: (7) Failed to connect to 203.0.113.10 port 8080 after 0 ms: Couldn't connect to server in curl. Three tools, one message: nothing is listening at the ip:port you configured.
Typical reasons
- An old proxy is still switched on. You set one up in Windows or macOS, stopped using it or let it expire, and never turned the setting off. Chrome follows the operating-system proxy on both systems, so every page fails at once.
- One digit off in the port or IP. A single typo sends Chrome to an address where no proxy runs.
- A proxy or VPN extension. SwitchyOmega, FoxyProxy and VPN add-ons can override the system setting and are easy to forget about.
- Software you did not choose. Some adware and so-called network accelerators write a proxy into system settings. If you have never configured one yourself, keep this possibility in mind.
Device-by-device fixes
| Where | What to do |
|---|---|
| Windows 10/11 | Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. Turn off manual setup if you want no proxy, or match IP and port to your dashboard order. The turn off proxy guide walks through it. |
| macOS | System Settings > Network > choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet > Details > Proxies. Turn off Web Proxy (HTTP) and Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS) when you do not need them. |
| Android | Edit the Wi-Fi network you are connected to, open the advanced options and set Proxy to None. If only one Wi-Fi shows the error, the proxy is stored on that network. |
| Chrome extensions | Open the extensions page and switch off proxy and VPN extensions one by one, reloading after each, until the culprit shows itself. |
| Microsoft Edge | Also built on Chromium and also reads the Windows proxy, so correcting Windows fixes Edge as well. |
You still want the proxy: check the line itself
Paste the exact line into the checker. connect failed on a proxy you just bought usually means the IP or port was copied wrongly, or the order is no longer active; check its status and expiry under Orders in the dashboard. If the checker connects but Chrome still fails, your device holds a different value from the one you tested, so copy it again from the dashboard. In antidetect browsers this fault appears as a proxy check that fails at once; see GoLogin proxy setup.
Step by step
- 1
Decide if you need a proxy right now
If not, skip ahead and switch it off. If so, keep your proxy line from the dashboard open for comparison.
- 2
Open the system proxy settings
Windows: Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. macOS: System Settings > Network > Details > Proxies.
- 3
Turn it off or correct it
Disable the manual proxy, or type the exact IP and port from your order and save.
- 4
Rule out extensions
Disable every extension that manages proxies or VPNs, reloading the page after each one.
- 5
Verify with the checker
Run the line through the proxy checker. When the result is no longer
connect failed, Chrome should load pages again.
Frequently asked questions
Is ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED a sign of malware?
Not usually. It simply means Chrome cannot reach the proxy it was told to use, and a forgotten setting is the normal cause. Only suspect unwanted software if you never set a proxy yourself.
The proxy is off but Chrome still shows the error.
Look at extensions with proxy permissions and, on Android, at the settings of the specific Wi-Fi you are on. Quit Chrome fully and reopen it so it picks up the new settings.
What separates this from ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED?
Here Chrome never reached the proxy. With the tunnel error, Chrome did reach it, but the proxy did not open an HTTPS tunnel. See ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED.
Firefox says the proxy server is refusing connections. Is that related?
It is the same underlying fault, a port that accepts no connections, worded the Firefox way. See proxy server refusing connections.
A fixed address for the whole rental
A ProxyV4 proxy keeps the same IP and port for as long as the order is active, and you can see its status in the dashboard.
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