How to Find Proxy Server Address: Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android (2026)

Whether you're troubleshooting a broken connection, setting up a new device, or verifying which proxy your system is using, the proxy server address and port are stored in a predictable location on every major platform. This guide covers every method β€” system settings, browsers, command line, and provider dashboards β€” across Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

⚑ Key Takeaways

  • On Windows 10/11: Settings β†’ Network & Internet β†’ Proxy.
  • On macOS: System Settings β†’ Network β†’ Details β†’ Proxies.
  • On iPhone: Settings β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ tap network β†’ HTTP Proxy.
  • On Android: Settings β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ tap network β†’ Advanced β†’ Proxy.
  • Chrome and Edge open the OS proxy settings β€” Firefox has its own independent proxy configuration.
  • If you use a paid proxy service like Nstproxy, your address, port, and credentials are available directly in the dashboard.
  • Mobile proxy settings apply per Wi-Fi network only β€” cellular data proxies are managed by carriers, not user settings.

What Is a Proxy Server Address?

A proxy server address is the IP address or hostname that identifies a proxy server on a network. Combined with a port number, it tells your device where to route traffic before it reaches the open internet. When a proxy is active, the target website sees the proxy's address β€” not your real IP.

A full proxy configuration has four components:

  • Host / Address β€” IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.1) or hostname (e.g. gate.nstproxy.io)
  • Port β€” numeric port the proxy listens on (e.g. 8080, 1080)
  • Username β€” for authenticated proxies (most commercial providers require this)
  • Password β€” paired with the username for authentication

If no proxy is configured, your device connects to the internet directly using your ISP-assigned IP. If proxy settings appear blank or show "Off," there is no active proxy on that network interface.[1]

Quick Reference: Where to Find Proxy Settings

Platform Path Command Line Alternative
Windows 10/11 Settings β†’ Network & Internet β†’ Proxy netsh winhttp show proxy
macOS System Settings β†’ Network β†’ [connection] β†’ Details β†’ Proxies scutil --proxy
iPhone (iOS) Settings β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ tap (i) β†’ HTTP Proxy N/A
Android Settings β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ tap network β†’ Advanced β†’ Proxy N/A
Linux Settings β†’ Network β†’ Network Proxy env | grep -i proxy
Chrome / Edge Settings β†’ System β†’ Open computer's proxy settings Defers to OS settings
Firefox Settings β†’ General β†’ Network Settings β†’ Settings Independent from OS
Router Admin panel at 192.168.1.1 β†’ WAN / Advanced ipconfig β†’ Default Gateway

Navigation paths verified against Decodo's 2026 proxy address guide and Oxylabs.

How to Find Proxy Server Address on Windows 10 / 11

Windows maintains two separate proxy configurations: the WinINet proxy (used by most desktop apps and browsers) and the WinHTTP proxy (used by background services and some system components). Both are worth checking when troubleshooting.

πŸͺŸ
Windows Settings (WinINet)
Used by Chrome, Edge, and most desktop apps
  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
  2. Go to Network & Internet.
  3. Click Proxy in the left sidebar.
  4. Under Manual proxy setup, if "Use a proxy server" is toggled on, the Address and Port fields show your proxy details.
  5. Under Automatic proxy setup, a script address (PAC URL) may be listed instead.
πŸ’‘ If both sections are off, no system proxy is active β€” but individual apps (including Firefox) may have their own proxy configured separately.
⌨️
Command Line (WinHTTP)
Used by Windows Update, PowerShell, and background services
  1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator.
  2. Run the following command:
# Show WinHTTP proxy (background services)
netsh winhttp show proxy

# Show WinINet proxy (most apps) β€” reads registry
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyServer
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyEnable
πŸ’‘ WinHTTP and WinINet can have different proxy settings. If a service-level proxy is needed, configure it separately with netsh winhttp set proxy proxy-server="host:port".

How to Find Proxy Server Address on macOS

macOS binds proxy settings to individual network services (Wi-Fi, Ethernet). Switching networks swaps or deactivates the proxy automatically β€” which is why a proxy active on Wi-Fi may not apply on Ethernet.[2]

🍎
macOS Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia
System Settings (not System Preferences on older macOS)
  1. Click the Apple menu β†’ System Settings.
  2. Select Network from the sidebar.
  3. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
  4. Click Details… in the bottom-right.
  5. Click the Proxies tab.
  6. Any checked proxy type (Web Proxy HTTP, Secure Web Proxy HTTPS, SOCKS Proxy) shows its address and port on the right side.
πŸ’‘ If Automatic Proxy Configuration is checked, you'll see a PAC file URL instead of a host:port pair.
# macOS terminal β€” print all proxy settings at once
scutil --proxy

# Check environment proxy variables (set by apps or shell config)
env | grep -i proxy

How to Find Proxy Server Address on iPhone (iOS)

iOS only supports proxy configuration per Wi-Fi network β€” there is no system-wide proxy setting for cellular data. If you are on mobile data, proxy settings are managed by your carrier's APN configuration, not accessible from standard user settings.

πŸ“±
iPhone β€” iOS 16 / 17 / 18
Works only on Wi-Fi β€” cellular proxy is carrier-managed
  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Wi-Fi.
  3. Tap the (i) information icon next to your connected network.
  4. Scroll down to the HTTP Proxy section.
  5. Tap Configure Proxy.
  6. If set to Manual, the Server (address) and Port fields show your proxy details. If set to Automatic, a PAC URL is shown. If set to Off, no proxy is active on this network.
πŸ’‘ Proxy settings are per-network. If you switch to a different Wi-Fi network, you may see different or no proxy configuration.

How to Find Proxy Server Address on Android

Like iOS, Android applies proxy settings per Wi-Fi network. The exact navigation path varies slightly by manufacturer (Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus) and Android version, but the general structure is consistent.

πŸ€–
Android 11 / 12 / 13 / 14
Steps vary slightly by manufacturer β€” Samsung uses "Connections" instead of "Network & Internet"
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Network & Internet (or Connections on Samsung).
  3. Tap Wi-Fi.
  4. Tap the connected network name (or the gear/pencil icon next to it).
  5. Tap Advanced or Advanced options.
  6. Scroll to the Proxy section.
  7. If set to Manual, the Proxy hostname and Proxy port fields show your proxy address. If set to None, no proxy is active.
πŸ’‘ On some Android versions, you may need to long-press the network name and select "Modify network" to access advanced settings.

How to Find Proxy Server Address on Linux

🐧
Linux (Ubuntu / Debian / Fedora)
GUI and terminal methods
  1. GUI: Open Settings β†’ Network β†’ Network Proxy β†’ check if Manual or Automatic is selected and note the address/port.
  2. Terminal (environment variables): Run env | grep -i proxy β€” shows any proxies set in the shell environment.
  3. System-wide config: Check /etc/environment or /etc/profile.d/ for lines like http_proxy=http://host:port.
# Show all proxy environment variables
env | grep -i proxy

# Check system-wide proxy config file
cat /etc/environment | grep -i proxy

# Test if a proxy is in use by checking your exit IP
curl -s https://httpbin.org/ip

Finding Proxy Settings in Browsers

Most browsers delegate proxy configuration to the operating system β€” Chrome and Edge do not store their own proxy settings. Firefox is the exception: it has an independent proxy configuration that can differ entirely from the OS settings.

Browser Proxy Settings Path Independent from OS?
Chrome Settings β†’ System β†’ Open your computer's proxy settings ❌ No β€” opens OS settings
Edge Settings β†’ System & performance β†’ Open your computer's proxy settings ❌ No β€” opens OS settings
Firefox Settings β†’ General β†’ Network Settings β†’ Settings… βœ… Yes β€” fully independent
Safari Safari β†’ Settings β†’ Advanced β†’ Proxies β†’ Change Settings ❌ No β€” opens macOS Network settings

For Firefox, the Network Settings dialog shows one of five modes: No proxy, Auto-detect, Use system proxy settings, Manual proxy configuration (shows host:port), or Automatic proxy URL (PAC file).[3]

Finding Proxy Address via Command Line

Command-line methods are faster for developers and the only option when checking proxy settings on headless servers.

## Windows β€” WinHTTP (background services)
netsh winhttp show proxy

## Windows β€” WinINet (apps/browsers) via registry
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyServer

## macOS β€” all proxy settings
scutil --proxy

## Linux / macOS β€” environment proxy variables
env | grep -i proxy

## Any OS β€” verify your current exit IP (should show proxy IP if active)
curl -s https://httpbin.org/ip

## Any OS β€” test a specific proxy explicitly
curl -x http://user:pass@proxy.example.com:8080 https://httpbin.org/ip

## Windows PowerShell β€” check internet settings
(Get-ItemProperty "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings").ProxyServer

Finding Your Proxy Address from a Proxy Provider Dashboard

If you use a commercial proxy service, your proxy address, port, username, and password are available directly in the provider's dashboard β€” you do not need to search device settings. This is the most common scenario for professional proxy users.

πŸ–₯️

Nstproxy Dashboard

Log in at app.nstproxy.com β†’ select your proxy type (Residential, ISP, Datacenter) β†’ the endpoint, port, username, and password are displayed. For residential proxies, the gateway address takes the form gate.nstproxy.io:port with your account credentials as authentication.

πŸ“‹

PAC File / Auto-Configuration URL

Some enterprise or corporate proxies provide a PAC (Proxy Auto-Configuration) file URL instead of a host:port. Paste this URL into the "Automatic proxy configuration" field in your OS or browser settings. The PAC file contains rules that automatically route different traffic through different proxies.

πŸ”

IP Whitelisting vs Username/Password

Most commercial proxies support two authentication modes. Username/password authentication embeds credentials in the proxy URL: http://user:pass@host:port. IP whitelisting registers your device's IP in the provider dashboard β€” no credentials needed in the request, but your IP must be registered first. Nstproxy supports both from the same panel.

How to Verify Your Proxy Address Is Working

After locating or configuring your proxy address, confirm it is active before relying on it for sensitive tasks:

  • Visit whatismyipaddress.com β€” if the proxy is active, the displayed IP should match the proxy's address, not your real IP.
  • Run curl -s https://httpbin.org/ip in the terminal β€” returns a JSON object with the IP making the request.
  • Use whoer.net β€” shows IP, location, ISP, and whether proxy/VPN usage is detected.
  • Check for DNS leaks at dnsleaktest.com β€” confirms that DNS queries are also routing through the proxy, not your local ISP.

Why You Might Need to Find or Configure a Proxy Address

πŸ”§

Troubleshooting Network Issues

When internet connections behave unexpectedly β€” certain sites blocked, speeds degraded, or connections failing β€” checking the proxy settings is one of the first diagnostic steps. A misconfigured proxy address or stale corporate proxy settings are common culprits for "internet not working" calls to IT.

πŸ›‘οΈ

Corporate and School Network Configuration

Enterprise networks route outbound traffic through a centralised proxy for content filtering, compliance logging, and malware protection. Employees setting up a new device need the proxy address, port, and often credentials to access the internet from inside the network.

πŸ“Š

Web Scraping and Automation

Developers configuring scraping scripts need the proxy host, port, and credentials to route requests through a residential or datacenter proxy pool. The address format for programmatic use is typically http://user:pass@host:port or socks5://user:pass@host:port.

🌍

Geo-Restricted Content and Ad Verification

Marketing teams and QA engineers need to verify how content appears from specific countries. Configuring a residential proxy address from the target region into browser or OS settings routes traffic as if the device were located there.

Using Nstproxy: Getting Your Proxy Address in 2 Minutes

If you are looking for a proxy address to use β€” rather than finding an existing one β€” Nstproxy provides instant access to residential, ISP, and datacenter proxy addresses with full dashboard configuration:

  1. Sign up at app.nstproxy.com.
  2. Select your proxy type: Residential (rotating or sticky), ISP, or Datacenter.
  3. Choose your target country and city for geo-targeted requests.
  4. Copy the generated endpoint, port, username, and password.
  5. Paste into your OS proxy settings, browser, or application using the format: http://username:password@gate.nstproxy.io:PORT

Nstproxy's 110M+ residential IP pool spans 195 countries with city-level targeting. All proxy types support HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 from the same credentials. For integration examples, see the proxy server tools guide.

Get a Clean Proxy Address Instantly with Nstproxy

110M+ residential IPs across 195 countries. Copy your proxy address, port, and credentials from the dashboard in under 2 minutes β€” no configuration needed on your end.

Try Nstproxy for Free β†’

FAQ

Q: Where do I find my proxy server address on Windows?

Go to Settings β†’ Network & Internet β†’ Proxy. Under "Manual proxy setup," if "Use a proxy server" is toggled on, the Address and Port fields show your proxy details. For command-line access, run netsh winhttp show proxy for WinHTTP proxies used by background services.

Q: How do I find my proxy address on iPhone?

Open Settings β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ tap the (i) icon next to your connected network β†’ scroll to HTTP Proxy β†’ tap Configure Proxy. If Manual is selected, your proxy server address and port are displayed. iOS proxy settings apply per Wi-Fi network only β€” there is no cellular proxy setting accessible from user settings.

Q: How do I find my proxy server address on Android?

Go to Settings β†’ Network & Internet (or Connections on Samsung) β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ tap your connected network β†’ Advanced β†’ Proxy. If set to Manual, the Proxy hostname and port are shown. On some Android versions, long-press the network name and select "Modify network" to access these settings.

Q: My proxy settings show "Off" β€” does that mean no proxy is in use?

At the OS level, yes. However, individual applications may have their own proxy settings configured independently. Firefox manages its own proxy configuration separate from the OS. Corporate VPN clients, anti-virus software, and some browser extensions can also route traffic through proxies without appearing in system proxy settings. Check application-specific settings if you suspect a proxy is active but OS settings show "Off."

Q: What is a PAC file URL and how do I use it?

A PAC (Proxy Auto-Configuration) file is a JavaScript file that tells your browser or OS which proxy to use for different destinations. It is provided as a URL (e.g., http://proxy.company.com/proxy.pac). Enter this URL in the "Automatic proxy configuration URL" field in macOS Network Settings, Windows proxy settings, or Firefox's Network Settings. The browser downloads and follows the PAC rules automatically.

Further Reading

Sources

  1. Decodo β€” How to Find Your Proxy Server Address and Port (March 2026)
  2. Byteful β€” How to Find a Proxy Server Address (2026)
  3. Oxylabs β€” How to Find Proxy Server Address