Running Firefox Through a Proxy While the Rest of Your PC Stays Direct
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Firefox proxy settings live inside the browser, not in Windows or macOS, so a proxy entered there changes Firefox's IP and nothing else. That makes Firefox the simplest browser for proxy work. Add Multi-Account Containers and FoxyProxy and you can even give separate tabs separate IPs in one window.
Settings > General > Network Settings > Manual proxy configuration (HTTP / HTTPS)What Firefox does differently from Chromium browsers
| Topic | Firefox | Chrome and Edge by default |
|---|---|---|
| Own proxy screen | Yes: Settings → Network Settings → Manual proxy configuration | No, the button opens the system proxy settings |
| Different proxy per tab | Yes, with Multi-Account Containers and FoxyProxy | No, needs separate profiles or instances |
| Turning off WebRTC | Built in: media.peerconnection.enabled = false | Needs an extension |
| DNS-over-HTTPS | Configured inside Firefox | Follows the system or the Secure DNS setting |
Filling in Manual proxy configuration correctly
The dialog has more fields than you need. Put the proxy IP in HTTP Proxy and its port in Port, then tick 'Also use this proxy for HTTPS'. Without that tick only plain http:// pages go through the proxy and every HTTPS site, which is nearly all of them, connects directly.
Leave SOCKS Host empty: paid ProxyV4 proxies use HTTP(S) with a username and password. Add localhost, 127.0.0.1 to 'No proxy for' so local tools keep working. Firefox asks for the username and password on the first page and offers to save them.
Optional about:config hardening
Two preferences are worth knowing. The first stops WebRTC from exposing addresses outside the proxy; the second switches on DNS-over-HTTPS in Firefox. Change them in about:config only if you understand the side effects (WebRTC off breaks browser video calls).
bash
// about:config
media.peerconnection.enabled = false
network.trr.mode = 2
One window, several IPs with containers
Install Mozilla's Firefox Multi-Account Containers extension and FoxyProxy Standard. Containers keep cookies apart; FoxyProxy (version 8 and later) can bind a proxy to each container. A typical layout: a Personal container on a United States IPv4, a Work container on a Vietnam ISP IP, a Shopping container on a Japan IPv4.
This suits a handful of identities. Containers still share one browser fingerprint, so for many ad or marketplace accounts move to an antidetect browser such as GoLogin. The FoxyProxy guide covers the extension screens.
Test, then troubleshoot
Open My IP in Firefox and in another browser. Firefox should show the proxy address; the other browser should not. Then run the WebRTC leak test.
- Login box returns after every attempt: wrong username or password; see 407 errors.
- HTTP sites show the proxy IP but HTTPS sites show yours: the HTTPS tick box is empty.
- Still your own IP everywhere: Firefox is on 'Use system proxy settings' or 'No proxy' rather than Manual.
- 'The proxy server is refusing connections': host or port is wrong, or the order has expired; see this page.
Step by step
- 1
Open Network Settings
Go to Firefox Settings (
about:preferences), scroll to Network Settings at the bottom of the General panel and click 'Settings...'. - 2
Choose Manual proxy configuration
Select 'Manual proxy configuration', type the proxy IP in 'HTTP Proxy' and the port in 'Port', and tick 'Also use this proxy for HTTPS'.
- 3
Add exceptions and save
Enter
localhost, 127.0.0.1in 'No proxy for', keep SOCKS Host blank, and click OK. - 4
Log in and check
Load https://proxyv4.com/tools/proxy-checker, enter the proxy username and password when Firefox asks, and confirm the IP shown is your proxy.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Firefox manual proxy change the IP of Chrome or other apps?
No. It applies only to Firefox. Chrome, Edge and desktop programs keep using your normal connection.
What happens if I leave 'Also use this proxy for HTTPS' unticked?
Firefox sends only plain http:// pages through the proxy and opens HTTPS sites directly, so most sites will see your real IP.
How do I stop Firefox asking for the proxy password at every start?
Tick 'Save password' in the authentication dialog, or keep the credentials in FoxyProxy, which supplies them automatically.
Should I fill in SOCKS Host for a paid proxy?
No. Paid proxies here are HTTP(S) with username and password, so use the HTTP Proxy field and the HTTPS tick box.
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