In this guide, we are assuming you already have proxies and Google Chrome installed on your system. If necessary, you can download Chrome on their website and get proxies on our datacenter proxy product page.
Option #1
1. Start up Google Chrome and go to settings
Once Google Chrome starts up, there are two ways to get to the settings. One of them is to type chrome://settings into the address bar and press “Enter”. Just like you would do if you were going to a website.
Another option is to go through the top right corner by clicking on the three vertical dots and selecting “Settings”. After going through either option, a new screen will appear.
2. Open Google Chrome proxy settings
This is a good place as any to inform you that Google Chrome has abandoned native proxy support. In other words, there are no Google Chrome proxy settings. Most operating systems have their own proxy configuration settings, however, and that’s what the browser uses.
Either way, navigate to the left-hand side of the screen, select “Advanced” and click on “System”. A new screen will appear. Pick “Open proxy settings”. Google Chrome will then open your operating system’s proxy settings.
Additionally, you can use the search bar at the top-middle part of the screen. Type in “proxy” and the aforementioned setting will appear as the third option.
3. Set up a proxy server manually
Instead of the Google Chrome proxy settings, you’ll get some advanced settings from the OS. Proxy configuration settings will slightly vary between operating systems, however, integration is always fairly straightforward. Proxies are simply an IP address and port. There’s not much to play with – even the most advanced settings will be basic.
For Windows 10:
Windows will open a new window with proxy settings available. In order to use a proxy server, turn on “Use a proxy server” under the “Manual proxy setup” section. Type in the IP address and port number. Click save.
For Mac:
Setting up a proxy server follows much of the same steps as with Windows 10. Once you click on the “open your computer’s proxy settings”, a new window will appear. If the tab “Proxies” hasn’t been selected automatically, click on it.
From the new tab, select either “Web Proxy” or “Secure Web Proxy”. Your selection will depend on whether your proxy server provider grants HTTPS layer for proxies. If they do, select both. If they don’t only use “Web Proxy”.
The rest is quite simple. Input the IP address and port number of your proxy into the “Web Proxy Server” area. Most providers will give you authentication details, which are usually a username and password. Select the checkmark if needed and use the proxy server authentication details you have been granted.
4. Done!
That’s it, you’re running a Chrome Proxy. It is, however, using your computer’s proxy settings, which can be highly inefficient. Other applications might start running under a proxy, which can cause slowdowns or other issues.
Option #2
Use a Chrome browser addon for proxies
Since Chrome proxy support isn’t available, a lot of developers took it upon themselves to solve the issue by creating extensions. These extensions usually allow users to use many different proxies and a multitude of other beneficial features.
Additionally, they run on Chrome. Proxy settings aren’t being lifted from the computer’s proxy settings and, as such, only the Chrome browser is affected. That may be highly beneficial for those who want to run lots of bots and need different proxies for each.
Unfortunately, writing out a guide for each possible Chrome extension, the proxy settings, and everything else would be nearly impossible. It would also make the article exceedingly long.
While we do have several guides for Chrome proxy settings for specific extensions, we’ll outline the most generic steps that will work on nearly all of them:
1.Download the Chrome extension. Make sure it comes from the official store as otherwise you’re risking quite a bit.
2. If the extension doesn’t automatically appear in the browser toolbar, click the puzzle piece icon at the top right hand corner of the screen.
3. A new menu will appear, where your extension will be visible. Generally, clicking on it will open the proxy settings menu.
4. Usually, most proxy settings menus will have several areas to click. Most extensions work on a profile-basis, therefore you will have to find a way to create a new profile (or a button like “add proxy”).
5. Some extensions will let you upload a PAC file (Proxy Auto-config). If you have one, that’s the best approach.
6. Otherwise, all extensions will allow you to add a proxy server manually. Simply input the IP address and port number wherever the connections tab lets you do so.
7. Save the profile/proxy server settings and you’re done!
Conclusion
There are two primary ways one can use a proxy server with Chrome. You can use the native support, which will redirect you back to the operating system’s settings. While it’s quite easy to use proxies this way, they apply everywhere on the machine, which can slow down operations.
The second option is to go for a Chrome proxy extension. These are highly varied and have lots of different features. Figuring them out might take some time, however, they are a lot more powerful. You can use proxies with much more flexibility without adding a lot of confusion or overhead to the process.
Finally, always remember to acquire proxies from reputable providers. Avoid using free proxies as these are unsafe, unreliable, and slow. You’ll just get more of a headache than anything else. Proxies are a powerful tool, but they are costly to maintain. Using free ones might mean compromising your personal information and data.
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