How to Get Rid of a Proxy on Windows, macOS, Chrome, iPhone & Chromebook
To get rid of a proxy, switch it off in the network settings of the device: four steps on an iPhone, five on Windows, macOS, Chrome or a Chromebook. The server address stays saved after that, so removing the proxy also means clearing it.
The instructions cover Windows 11 and 10, macOS 13 to 27, Chrome on a computer, iPhone and iPad, and ChromeOS.
How to turn off a proxy on Windows
Windows 11 and Windows 10 keep three proxy switches on one Settings page, and all three must be off.
1. Open Windows Settings
Click Start and choose Settings, the gear icon, or press Win + I.
2. Open the Proxy page
Select Network & internet in the left menu, then click Proxy: the page shows the Automatic proxy setup and Manual proxy setup blocks. In Windows 10, Proxy is in the left-hand menu of Network & Internet.
3. Turn off automatic proxy setup
Switch Automatically detect settings off. Then click the button on the Use setup script row, turn the toggle off in the Edit setup script dialog and click Save. A script address is a PAC file that picks a proxy per site, so it works even when the manual switch is off.
4. Turn off the manual proxy server
Click the button on the Use a proxy server row to open the Edit proxy server dialog. To remove the proxy and not only turn it off, clear the address and port fields first. Then turn Use a proxy server off and click Save. In Windows 10 the toggle is on the Proxy page itself.
5. Check that the proxy is off
Reopen the Proxy page: all three settings should be off. Run netsh winhttp show proxy in Command Prompt: Direct access (no proxy server) means Windows Update and other services connect directly too; otherwise run netsh winhttp reset proxy as administrator. To bring a proxy back, see how to set up a proxy on Windows 11.
How to turn off a proxy on macOS
To disable a proxy on a Mac, change it for each network service: Wi-Fi, Ethernet and every VPN keep separate proxy lists.
1. Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and choose System Settings (System Preferences on macOS 12 and earlier).
2. Select your active network
Click Network in the sidebar, then click the service you are connected through, Wi-Fi or Ethernet, in the list on the right. Click Details (Advanced on macOS 12) to open its settings.
3. Open the Proxies tab
Click Proxies in the window that opened: it lists the proxy switches for this service only. Safari stores no proxy of its own and uses this panel too; see how to set up a proxy server in Safari on Mac OS.
4. Turn off every proxy protocol
Turn off Web proxy (HTTP), Secure web proxy (HTTPS), SOCKS proxy, Auto proxy discovery and Automatic proxy configuration. The last one loads a PAC file from a URL, so the three manual switches alone do not stop it.
5. Save and check the connection
Click OK (on macOS 12, also Apply). Run networksetup -getwebproxy "Wi-Fi" in Terminal: it prints the server, port and enabled value for that service, which should show the proxy is off. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for Ethernet: a Mac on cable uses the proxy saved for that service.
How to turn off a proxy in Chrome
Chrome on Windows and macOS stores no proxy of its own: it follows the system unless an extension, a launch flag or a policy overrides it.
1. Open Chrome settings
Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of Chrome, choose Settings and open the System section. The address chrome://settings/system opens the same page.
2. Open your computer's proxy settings
Click Open your computer's proxy settings. Chrome on a computer uses the system proxy, so the Windows Proxy page or the macOS Proxies panel opens. If the row names an extension instead, go to step 4. Chrome on Android takes the proxy from the Wi-Fi network; see how to set up a proxy on Android.
3. Turn off the proxy server
Turn off the three Windows switches: Automatically detect settings, then Use setup script and Use a proxy server through the buttons on their rows, with Save in each dialog. On a Mac, turn off Web proxy (HTTP), Secure web proxy (HTTPS), SOCKS proxy and Automatic proxy configuration, then click OK.
4. Remove proxy extensions
Reopen the System page. If the row says Chrome is using proxy settings from an extension, click Disable next to its name, or delete it under Extensions > Manage extensions with Remove. The Proxy Control extension can switch the proxy off from its own menu and keep the saved list; its settings list an Off proxy hotkey.
Hotkeys block in Proxy Control settings, from the 2022 guide in the project PDF. Re-capture in the current version of the extension.
5. Check that Chrome connects directly
Reload chrome://settings/system: the row should read Open your computer's proxy settings again. Then open chrome://version and check the Command Line row. A --proxy-server flag there comes from the shortcut and overrides system settings, so delete it from the shortcut's Target field and restart Chrome.
How to turn off a proxy on iPhone
On an iPhone or iPad the proxy belongs to one saved Wi-Fi network and is changed on that network's details screen.
1. Open Wi-Fi settings
Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi. Stay connected to the network whose proxy you want to turn off.
2. Open your network details
Tap the round (i) icon to the right of the network name. The network's details screen opens.
3. Set Configure Proxy to Off
Scroll down to HTTP Proxy and tap Configure Proxy. Select Off and tap Save. The proxy is set for each Wi-Fi network separately, so repeat this on every network where one was entered. If the setting returns, check Settings > General > VPN & Device Management: a VPN app or a management profile can apply it again.
4. Check the connection
Go back one screen: the Configure Proxy row should show Off. Load a page in Safari; it should open without a proxy sign-in prompt. Cellular data never used this proxy. To enter one again, see how to set up a proxy on an iPhone or iPad.
How to turn off a proxy on a Chromebook
ChromeOS on a Chromebook saves a proxy separately for each Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
1. Open Chromebook settings
Select the time in the bottom-right corner of the screen, then select Settings, the gear icon.
2. Select your network
Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet in the Network section, then the network you are connected to. Its details page opens; a proxy saved for another network is not shown there.
3. Open the Proxy section
Scroll down the network page and expand Proxy. If the section shows Your admin is enforcing the following proxy, a school or employer manages the device, and chrome://management names the managing domain.
4. Switch to Direct Internet connection
Open the Connection type list and choose Direct Internet connection. The other values, Automatic proxy configuration and Manual proxy configuration, keep a proxy in use. Repeat for every other saved network.
5. Check the connection
Reopen the Proxy section and confirm that Connection type still reads Direct Internet connection, then load a page. If a proxy remains, an extension may set it: Settings > System preferences > Reset > Safety reset turns off extensions and resets settings without deleting local files, which should clear such a proxy.
Wrapping up: getting rid of a proxy on any device
You have turned off the automatic and manual proxy in Windows, every protocol on a Mac, the system proxy and extensions in Chrome, Configure Proxy on an iPhone and the connection type on a Chromebook. If the cause was a slow connection or an address that sites reject, replace the proxy instead: Proxys.io rents individual IPv4 proxies given to one person from $1.47 per month, with HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS.
FAQ
Why does my proxy keep turning back on?
A program with higher priority rewrites it: a VPN client that manages the system proxy on each reconnect, a browser extension or a management profile. On Windows, unwanted software can do the same; Microsoft recommends a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
Why are my proxy settings greyed out?
An organization controls them: the Group Policy setting Prevent changing proxy settings in Windows, a configuration profile on a Mac or iPhone, a policy listed at chrome://policy in Chrome. Only its administrator can lift it.
Is turning off a proxy the same as removing it?
No. A proxy that is turned off keeps its address and port, and one switch brings it back; removing it means clearing those fields or deleting the extension or profile behind it. curl, git and npm keep theirs in HTTP_PROXY variables or config files, outside the system switch.
How do I know if a proxy is still active?
Open any IP-check page: an IP or country other than the one your internet provider assigned means traffic still passes through a proxy. The Chrome error ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED is another sign: settings still point to a proxy that no longer answers.