If you want to set up a proxy in Chrome, the first surprise is that Chrome has no proxy fields of its own. On Windows and macOS it uses the operating system's proxy settings, so a change there affects every app that follows them. Firefox is different: it has its own connection settings with HTTP and SOCKS5 fields, and they apply to Firefox only. This guide covers both browsers, a Chrome launch flag that keeps the proxy in one window, and the part that trips most people up: authentication.
Before you start: gather four details
From your proxy provider you need:
- Host: an IP address or host name.
- Port: a number such as 8080 or 1080 (yours will be shown with the proxy).
- Protocol: HTTP or SOCKS5. If you are unsure which to use, the SOCKS5 vs HTTP proxy guide explains the difference. For browsers, HTTP is the simplest choice.
- Authentication: a username and password, or an IP whitelist that lets your current public IP connect without credentials.
On Cloudj you find host, port, username and password for each proxy in the console. You can switch the protocol of an order between HTTP and SOCKS5 where the location supports it, or replace password access with an IP whitelist of up to 20 addresses.
The one rule about SOCKS5 and passwords
Browsers handle proxy passwords well for HTTP and poorly for SOCKS5:
| HTTP proxy with password | SOCKS5 with password | Any proxy with IP whitelist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox built-in settings | Works, Firefox prompts for credentials | No credential prompt | Works |
| Chrome | Works, Chrome prompts for credentials | Not supported | Works |
If you must use SOCKS5 in a browser, use an IP whitelist, or an extension that can send SOCKS5 credentials (possible in Firefox, not in Chrome). The whitelist vs password article covers the trade-offs.
Set up a proxy in Firefox
Firefox's settings apply only to Firefox, which makes it a good choice when you want one browser on a proxy and everything else on your normal connection.
- Open the menu (the three lines at the top right) and choose Settings.
- Stay on the General panel and scroll to the bottom, to Network Settings. You can also type "proxy" in the search box at the top of the settings page.
- Click Settings... to open the Connection Settings window.
- Under Configure Proxy Access to the Internet, choose Manual proxy configuration.
- Fill in the fields for your protocol (details below).
- In No proxy for, keep
localhost, 127.0.0.1and add any internal addresses that should bypass the proxy. - Click OK. The change applies at once, no restart needed.
Firefox with an HTTP proxy
- Enter the host in HTTP Proxy and the port in Port.
- Tick Also use this proxy for HTTPS. Without it,
https://sites, which is almost all of them, bypass the proxy. - Leave the SOCKS fields empty.
When you load a page, Firefox asks for the proxy username and password. Enter them once; Firefox can save them in its password manager. If you also tick Do not prompt for authentication if password is saved, the prompt will not reappear on later sessions.
Firefox with a SOCKS5 proxy
- Leave the HTTP and HTTPS fields empty.
- Enter the host in SOCKS Host and the port in Port.
- Select SOCKS v5.
- Tick Proxy DNS when using SOCKS v5, so that domain names are resolved through the proxy instead of by your local network.
This setup expects an IP whitelist, because the Connection Settings window has no place for SOCKS5 credentials and Firefox will not ask for them.
Different proxies in different Firefox profiles
Proxy settings are stored per Firefox profile. To run several identities side by side, open about:profiles, create a profile for each proxy, and set the proxy inside each one. Each profile keeps its own cookies and logins too.
Set up a proxy in Chrome
Chrome offers two practical routes: the system settings, which change the proxy for the whole computer, or a launch flag, which changes it for one Chrome instance only.
Route 1: system proxy settings
- Open Chrome, click the three dots at the top right and choose Settings.
- In the left menu choose System.
- Click Open your computer's proxy settings.
- Chrome opens the Windows 11 proxy page or the macOS network settings. Set the proxy there.
Remember that other apps that use the system proxy, such as Edge, Safari and many desktop apps, now go through the proxy too. The full steps for both operating systems are in how to set a proxy on Windows 11 and macOS.
Route 2: a launch flag for one Chrome instance
Chrome accepts a --proxy-server flag on start-up. Combine it with a separate --user-data-dir so the flag is not ignored by an already running Chrome, and so the proxied browser keeps its own cookies.
On Windows, open PowerShell and run:
& "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --proxy-server="http://HOST:PORT" --user-data-dir="$env:USERPROFILE\chrome-proxy-1"On macOS, open Terminal and run:
open -na "Google Chrome" --args --proxy-server="http://HOST:PORT" --user-data-dir="$HOME/chrome-proxy-1"For SOCKS5, use --proxy-server="socks5://HOST:PORT". The flag does not accept a username and password inside the URL. With an HTTP proxy, Chrome shows a sign-in box the first time you load a page; with SOCKS5, the proxy must allow your IP through a whitelist.
To check what Chrome is actually using, open chrome://net-internals/#proxy in that window.
Route 3: a proxy extension
Proxy-switching extensions let you keep several proxies and change between them from the toolbar, and some fill in HTTP credentials for you. Install only well-known extensions with clear permissions: a proxy extension can see where you browse. Even with an extension, Chrome cannot authenticate to SOCKS5, so the whitelist rule still applies.
Check that the proxy works
- Open a "what is my IP" page and confirm it shows the proxy's IP and country.
- Open a normal HTTPS site to confirm encrypted pages load.
- If the page does not load, check the table below.
For a browser-free check, the test a proxy with curl guide shows one-line commands that print the exit IP.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Proxy IP shows on some sites, your real IP on others | Firefox HTTPS box not ticked | Tick "Also use this proxy for HTTPS" |
| Login prompt appears again and again | Wrong username or password, or password was rotated | Copy fresh credentials from the console |
| SOCKS5 connection fails in Chrome | Chrome does not send SOCKS5 credentials | Whitelist your IP or switch the order to HTTP |
| Works at home, fails at the office | Whitelist contains your home IP only | Add the office IP, up to 20 addresses |
| Chrome ignores the flag | Chrome was already running with that profile | Use a separate --user-data-dir |
Where Cloudj proxies fit
Cloudj sells dedicated proxies: each IP belongs to one customer. Dedicated IPv4 proxies, static IPs registered to an ISP, are available in Vietnam, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom; static residential proxies, home-broadband IPs that stay the same, are available in the United States and Vietnam. If you are still choosing a type, read the dedicated proxy guide and dedicated vs shared proxy first.
FAQ
Does Chrome have its own proxy settings?
Not in the settings page. On Windows and macOS it uses the system proxy. To give Chrome a proxy without touching the system, use the --proxy-server launch flag or an extension.
Can I use a SOCKS5 proxy with a password in Chrome?
No. Chrome does not support SOCKS5 authentication. Use an IP whitelist or an HTTP proxy.
Why does Firefox keep asking for my proxy password?
The saved credentials are wrong or were rotated. Update them in Firefox's saved passwords, or remove the old entry so Firefox prompts once more.
Will the proxy apply to Chrome on my phone?
No. Mobile browsers follow the phone's Wi-Fi proxy setting; see the guide for Android and iPhone.
Get your proxy details
Once you know which browser and protocol you will use, pick HTTP with a password or any protocol with an IP whitelist, and the setup takes a few minutes. Order and manage proxies in the Cloudj console, and see live per-IP prices on the pricing page.