
Muninder Adavelli
Updated · May 31, 2023
Updated · May 09, 2023
Entrepreneur and online business supporter with more than 10 years experience in SEO and content mar... | See full bio
The status of Google Chrome as the world’s leading web browser is indisputable. Like the iPhone’s swift rise, Chrome experienced rapid adoption and overtook more established browsers in terms of usage share—just as ubiquitous as Google itself. No wonder it’s the first platform developers think about when building web apps.
Chrome's popularity stems from its parent's strong brand recall and its intuitive design and neat configurability. The Chrome proxy settings are a fitting testament to this.
Short for proxy server, a proxy is a specialized computer that acts as a bridge between end-user devices and the open internet. This intermediary isn’t necessary for surfing the Web, but routing your traffic to one has merits.
A proxy is a good pit stop to hide your internet protocol (IP) address.
Public IPs are numbers internet service providers assign to a batch of devices in an area. In contrast, private IPs are numbers routers automatically assign to the local network's individual devices.
A public IP doesn’t reveal your identity per se, but it can expose your vague location.
Learning about your device’s IP is a good starting point if someone wants to know more about you. When combined with other information—such as browsing activity—your IP can help profile you for advertising purposes.
Unless you don’t mind third parties watching your every move online, you’d want to hide your IP. Fortunately, you can do this on Chrome.
To be clear, Google Chrome doesn’t have proxy configuration settings. So you’d need to set up a proxy on the operating system (OS) level. Once this is in place, you’d be able to browse the internet with Chrome without broadcasting your public IP.
You don’t need to be paranoid about your internet privacy to find Chrome proxy server setups advantageous. For instance, they can be a godsend for businesses that need to get around IP blockers.
Configuring a proxy isn’t the only way to mask your actual IP address. There’s a bit of a trade-off between performance and cost, so you can’t go wrong with it. But it’s arguably the most viable way to stay under the radar online.
Smartproxy is a top-rated proxy provider trusted by many. Its 40 million+ proxies from 195+ locations help bypass CAPTCHAs, geo-blocks, and IP bans. It offers a free trial and has a high rating of 4.7 on Trustpilot with 89% 5-star ratings, making it one of the best in the industry.
The following is everything you need to know about rerouting your Chrome traffic to a proxy.
First and foremost, you must have a proxy. But this is easier said than done.
Various types of proxies are available—each suitable for a particular purpose. So you should know how to identify the nature of the different options on the market. Only then can you select the right one for the job.
An in-depth discussion of all Google Chrome proxy classifications is outside the scope of this guide. But the following is a list of the most common ones.
Once you understand each main proxy classification, you’ll be able to compare the merits of one product over another.
Instructions for adjusting Chrome proxy settings for a PC and Mac are slightly different because they run distinct OSs.
5. Go to System;
6. Click ‘Open your computer’s proxy settings’ to launch the Network & Internet dialog box;
7. Toggle off ‘Automatically detect settings’ under ‘Automatic proxy setup’;
8. Toggle on ‘Use a proxy server’ under ‘Manual proxy setup’;
9. Enter the IP address and port numbers in their respective fields;
10.Click Save.
Suppose you don’t wish to use your proxy for Chrome when sending requests to particular servers. In that case, you can make exceptions by entering their addresses in the appropriate field and separating them with semicolons.
If you prefer:
You can also set your proxy to ignore simple hostnames and bypass specific hosting service providers and domains.
If you take the manual setup route, you’ll need to redo everything to change the proxy settings for Chrome, which can be quite inconvenient—especially when you want to use a high volume of proxies for your online activity.
To avoid frequent manual proxy setup reconfiguration, install a proxy manager. You can seamlessly switch servers whenever you want using a Google Chrome proxy manager extension.
Chrome extensions have a reputation for easy customizability. So you should be able to set up all your proxies with little technical knowledge.
Chrome proxy addresses many legitimate concerns when surfing the Web, but it’s not a cure-all for online threats.
Consider the following merits of using a proxy.
Instead of revealing your public IP to site owners, you’d be using the proxy provider’s address, which can help keep your privacy intact. It can give you peace of mind if you’re uncomfortable with broadcasting your actual location online.
Geo-blockers exist to enforce licensing agreements, ban certain content, and segment international markets. Geo-restrictions do serve logical purposes. But you’d view them as unethical if you firmly believe in an open and free internet.
Without proxies, you wouldn’t get far. Sites would immediately notice what you’re doing and blacklist your IP.
Proxies have limitations, which may compound if you pick the wrong provider.
Setting a proxy in Chrome can enhance your online experience on many levels. But you must understand where its benefits end to neutralize its inadequacies.
Fortunately, you can avoid most of the risks of proxy usage by only using trusted providers. So exercise your due diligence in choosing a vendor to make the most of proxies to achieve goals.
No, it doesn’t. You’d need to configure a proxy at the OS level, which isn’t as technical as it sounds.
There’s no such thing as Chrome proxy settings. If you want to hide your IP when using Chrome, you must change your Windows or macOS proxy settings. Manual setup involves 8 to 10 steps, which should only take a few minutes to complete.
By default, your computer would send your traffic directly to web hosts' servers. So there's no need to bypass proxy settings. But if you configure a proxy, you can create exceptions to access specific sites as usual—only enter their IP addresses during setup.
Artem Minaev
Entrepreneur and online business supporter with more than 10 years experience in SEO and content marketing. Building a portfolio of digital assets: Websites, Blogs, NFTs & Crypto. Currently, working on the Web3 educational resource and knowledge base CryptoDose (https://cryptodose.net/).
Latest from Author
Your email address will not be published.
Muninder Adavelli
Updated · May 31, 2023
Updated · May 31, 2023
Muninder Adavelli
Updated · May 31, 2023
Muninder Adavelli
Updated · May 30, 2023