Switching a proxy off, device by device
Updated:
To turn off a proxy, find the layer that set it: the operating system, a single Wi-Fi network, a browser extension, a proxy app or an app with its own setting such as Telegram. Switch it off there and check your IP. A forgotten proxy is a frequent cause of "no internet" right after a proxy order expires, so start with the device that lost its connection.
Windows 10 and Windows 11
Open Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. On Windows 10, set Use a proxy server to Off. On Windows 11, click Edit next to Manual proxy setup, switch Use a proxy server off and click Save. If Use setup script is enabled and you did not set it on purpose, disable it as well. Microsoft Edge and Chrome follow this setting.
A few programs read a separate WinHTTP proxy instead. Viewing and resetting it is covered on checking the proxy and firewall.
macOS
Open System Settings > Network, select the service you are using (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), click Details and open Proxies. Turn off Web Proxy (HTTP), Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS) and SOCKS Proxy if any is on, then click OK. Safari and Chrome connect directly straight away.
iPhone and iPad
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the (i) beside the network you are on. Scroll to Configure Proxy, choose Off and tap Save. iOS stores the proxy per Wi-Fi network, so repeat this on every network where you entered one. A separate proxy app needs to be disconnected inside the app.
Android
Open Wi-Fi settings and choose the current network. Tap the edit or advanced options button (the label depends on the manufacturer), set Proxy to None and save. If the proxy was set over ADB, on an emulator for example, clear it with the command below. Stop any proxy app as well.
adb shell settings put global http_proxy :0
Chrome and browser extensions
On Windows and macOS, Chrome has no proxy setting of its own and uses the system one. Settings > System > Open your computer's proxy settings takes you there; then follow the Windows or macOS section above.
If the proxy came from an extension such as SwitchyOmega, open the extensions page and either disable it or set it to direct connection. When Chrome still shows ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED after the system switch is off, an extension is almost always the one holding the proxy.
Telegram
Telegram keeps its own proxy, separate from the system. On Telegram Desktop: Settings > Advanced > Connection type, then disable the proxy. On the mobile app: Settings > Data and Storage > Proxy, then turn the use-proxy switch off. If Telegram sits on "connecting", the proxy it is set to is usually not answering; see proxy timeout.
Check that it is really off
- Open my IP. It should show your own internet provider's address.
- Still seeing the proxy address? Something else is active: an extension, a VPN, a proxy app, or a proxy saved on a different Wi-Fi network.
- No connection at all with everything off? Work through checking the proxy and the firewall.
Step by step
- 1
Identify the layer
Work out whether the proxy lives in the operating system, a Wi-Fi network, a browser extension, a proxy app or Telegram.
- 2
Turn off the system proxy
Windows: Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. macOS: System Settings > Network > Details > Proxies. iPhone: Settings > Wi-Fi > (i) > Configure Proxy > Off.
- 3
Disable extensions and apps
Switch proxy extensions in Chrome to off or direct, and disconnect proxy apps on phones.
- 4
Restart the app
Fully quit the browser or app and open it again so it reads the new settings.
- 5
Verify
Load my IP and confirm it shows your real address.
Frequently asked questions
Will turning off the proxy cancel my order?
No. The device simply stops using it. The proxy stays in your dashboard until it expires, and you can switch it back on whenever you like.
Why is the internet still down after I turned the proxy off?
Look at VPNs, the firewall and the WinHTTP setting on Windows; the proxy and firewall check walks through them.
Why does my phone use the proxy on one Wi-Fi but not another?
Phones save the proxy per network. A network you set up earlier, such as a café or office, may still have one saved.
How do I remove a proxy from an antidetect browser profile?
That proxy only affects its own profile, not the device. Edit the profile, delete the proxy and save.
Proxy expired? Renew or buy new
Renew only the IPs you still need and keep the same addresses, or order new proxies by country at ProxyV4.
See live prices