Setting a Proxy on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Updated:
Windows proxy setup is done under Settings → Network & internet → Proxy, but that page only covers part of the system. Windows actually keeps separate proxy settings for desktop apps (WinINET), for services (WinHTTP) and for command-line tools (environment variables). Below is which one to change, how to store the proxy username and password, and how to undo it cleanly.
Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy > Manual proxy setup (ip : port)Three proxy layers inside Windows
Changing one layer leaves the others untouched, which is why a browser can show the proxy IP while Python or Windows Update does not.
| Layer | Set in | Used by | Login handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| WinINET | Settings → Network & internet → Proxy | Chrome, Edge, Office, most desktop apps | Windows Security prompt, saved in Credential Manager |
| Environment variables | HTTP_PROXY / HTTPS_PROXY (System Properties or PowerShell) | Python, Node.js, Git, curl | Inside the URL: http://user:pass@ip:port |
| WinHTTP | netsh winhttp set proxy ip:port | Windows Update, system services, .NET HttpClient | IP whitelist or Credential Manager |
| Per-app tools (Proxifier) | Rules per .exe | Only the programs you pick | Username and password in each rule |
The Settings page has no password box
Windows 11 and 10 accept only an address and port on the Proxy page. The login comes later: the first time Edge or Chrome opens a page, a Windows Security dialog asks for it. Tick 'Remember my credentials' and Windows stores them in Credential Manager. If the dialog keeps reappearing, add the entry yourself under Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials → Add a generic credential, using the proxy IP:PORT as the address.
Command-line tools and services
Developer tools ignore the Settings page. Set user-level variables once in PowerShell and open a new terminal. To see what Windows services use, query WinHTTP from an Administrator PowerShell.
bash
# User-level variables for CLI tools (PowerShell)
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('HTTP_PROXY', 'http://USER:PASS@IP:PORT', 'User')
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('HTTPS_PROXY', 'http://USER:PASS@IP:PORT', 'User')
# Show the WinHTTP proxy (Administrator PowerShell)
netsh winhttp show proxy
Only one program on the proxy
The Settings page is all or nothing for apps that follow it. To send a single executable such as Telegram.exe or an Android emulator through the proxy, use Proxifier. For browser-only use, Firefox has its own proxy screen, and antidetect browsers like GenLogin, GoLogin and AdsPower ignore the Windows setting and use the proxy saved in each profile.
Check your exit IP
Open My IP in Edge. It should show the ProxyV4 address and the country of your order, for example a US static ISP proxy. Then run curl https://proxyv4.com/api/my-ip in a new terminal to confirm the variables are picked up too.
Common Windows proxy problems
- Credential prompt on every launch: store a generic credential in Credential Manager as described above. Wrong details produce error 407.
- Microsoft Store and UWP apps lose internet: these run in AppContainer isolation with loopback restrictions. Exempt local intranet addresses, or use the EnableLoopback utility if you route through a local forwarder.
- No internet after the proxy is gone: the WinINET setting is still on. Press Win + R, run
inetcpl.cpl, go to Connections → LAN settings and untick 'Use a proxy server for your LAN'. The turn-off guide has more. - Browsers report ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED: IP or port mistyped, or the order expired; see the fix page.
Step by step
- 1
Open the Proxy page
Press Win + I, go to Network & internet → Proxy and find 'Manual proxy setup'.
- 2
Enter the address and port
On Windows 11 click 'Set up'; on Windows 10 switch 'Use a proxy server' On. Type the proxy IP in 'Proxy IP address' and the port in 'Port'.
- 3
Add local exceptions and save
Put localhost;127.0.0.1;*.local;192.168.* in the exceptions box, tick 'Don't use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses' and click Save.
- 4
Sign in once and remember it
Open Edge or Chrome at https://proxyv4.com/tools/proxy-checker. In the Windows Security dialog enter the proxy username and password and tick 'Remember my credentials'.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I type the proxy username and password in Windows 11?
Not in Settings, which only takes IP and port. Windows asks in a security prompt when a browser first connects, and saves the login to Credential Manager if you tick the box.
Does the Windows proxy apply to Firefox and antidetect browsers?
Firefox follows it while set to 'Use system proxy settings'. Antidetect browsers such as GenLogin, GoLogin and AdsPower use the proxy configured in each profile instead.
Why does Python or Git ignore the proxy I set in Settings?
Command-line tools read HTTP_PROXY and HTTPS_PROXY environment variables, not the WinINET setting. Set the variables and open a new terminal.
How can I proxy one app instead of the whole PC?
Use Proxifier and create a rule for that .exe; everything else keeps the direct connection.
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