Integration · Browsers & operating systems

How to use a proxy in Google Chrome

Q: How do I set a proxy with a username and password in Chrome?

Set the proxy address through the system settings or --proxy-server="http://host:port", then enter the username and password when Chrome's sign-in prompt appears. To store the credentials, use an extension such as FoxyProxy with an HTTP-type proxy.

Chrome has no proxy fields of its own. It uses your operating system's proxy settings (Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings), a --proxy-server flag at launch, or an extension. None of these routes takes a username and password directly: with an HTTP proxy, Chrome shows a sign-in prompt when the gateway asks for credentials, and with SOCKS5 it supports no authentication at all. For saved credentials, use an extension such as FoxyProxy.

Reviewed 30 Oct 2026

your proxy, as a URL1 line

http://USERNAME_pool-arcfast_country-de:PASSWORD@proxy.arcproxies.io:8000

The short answer

Use the gateway as an HTTP proxy in Chrome. Chrome cannot authenticate to SOCKS5 proxies, and ARC rotating plans do not use IP allowlisting.
--proxy-server takes scheme, host and port. Credentials embedded as user:pass@ are ignored; we checked on Chrome 156.
Start the flag with a separate --user-data-dir, so it opens a new Chrome process instead of handing the flag to the one already running.
For scripted browsing, use Playwright or Puppeteer, which answer the proxy's challenge themselves.

Setup

Set up Chrome with a proxy, step by step

01
Option 1: launch a separate Chrome with --proxy-server (macOS)
This opens a second, independent Chrome window that uses the gateway, while your normal Chrome keeps its direct connection. The new profile directory is what makes it a separate process. When the first page loads, Chrome asks for the proxy's username and password.
Terminal (macOS)4 lines
```
open -na "Google Chrome" --args \  --user-data-dir="$HOME/chrome-arc-profile" \  --proxy-server="http://proxy.arcproxies.io:8000" \  --proxy-bypass-list="localhost;127.0.0.1"
```

The same on Windows

Run it from Command Prompt, or put everything after the path into the Target field of a desktop shortcut. Adjust the path if Chrome is installed per user.

Command Prompt (Windows)4 lines

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" ^  --user-data-dir="%LOCALAPPDATA%\chrome-arc-profile" ^  --proxy-server="http://proxy.arcproxies.io:8000" ^  --proxy-bypass-list="localhost;127.0.0.1"

03
Sign in when Chrome asks
Chrome shows a sign-in dialog for the proxy. Enter the full ARC username (pool, country and, for browsing, a session handle) and the password. For a browsing session, a sticky username keeps the exit stable while you click around:
Username / Password2 lines
```
Username: USERNAME_pool-arcfast_country-de_session-k3f9a1x2_sesstime-10Password: PASSWORD
```
04
Check the exit IP
Open an IP echo page in the proxied window. It should show an address in the country from the username, not your own. Testing a proxy's location lists further checks, such as time zone and language headers.
address bar1 line
```
https://api.ipify.org?format=json
```
05
Option 2: system proxy settings
Chrome's Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings opens the operating system's dialog; whatever you enter there applies to Chrome and to other apps that follow the system setting. See the macOS and Windows guides for the exact fields. Chrome will still prompt for the username and password.

Ways to set a proxy in Chrome compared

Method	Scope	Credentials	SOCKS5 with password
System settings	Chrome and other apps that follow the OS	Sign-in prompt	No
`--proxy-server` flag	That Chrome process only	Sign-in prompt	No
Extension (e.g. FoxyProxy)	Chrome, per site or all traffic	Stored in the extension (HTTP/HTTPS types)	No
Playwright / Puppeteer	The automated browser	Passed in code	No (use HTTP)

If Settings shows "Chrome is using proxy settings from an extension" or "from your administrator", that source wins and the system dialog link is replaced by the message.

Why Chrome cannot take proxy credentials directly

Chromium's network stack documents that it does not use credentials embedded in proxy settings; proxy authentication always goes through the normal sign-in flow, the same one used for sites that ask for a password. For SOCKS5, Chromium supports no authentication method at all, so a SOCKS5 gateway that requires a password cannot be used from Chrome. HTTP proxies support Basic, Digest, Negotiate and NTLM.

That is why the gateway should be entered as an HTTP proxy. HTTPS sites are unaffected: Chrome opens an HTTP CONNECT tunnel, TLS runs end to end between Chrome and the site, and the CONNECT line carries the hostname, so the gateway does the DNS lookup.

Proxied Chrome and background traffic

A branded Chrome talks to Google services on its own: update checks, account and safe-browsing lookups. Through a proxy, those requests use the gateway too, and on a per-GB plan they count. In our test with a fresh profile they started within seconds of launch.

A dedicated profile for proxied browsing keeps this small and keeps your everyday cookies away from the proxied identity. For larger volumes, an automated browser with images and media blocked is cheaper; see reducing proxy bandwidth.

The problem

Common pitfalls

The flag does nothing

If Chrome is already running with the same profile, the new command is handed to that process and --proxy-server is ignored. Use a separate --user-data-dir, or quit Chrome completely first.

Credentials in the flag

--proxy-server="http://user:pass@host:port" looks plausible but Chrome drops the credentials. In headless mode, where there is no prompt, every request then fails with a 407.

SOCKS5 selected in system settings

A SOCKS proxy with a password in macOS or Windows settings does not help Chrome: it never sends SOCKS5 credentials. Use the HTTP and HTTPS proxy fields instead.

Rotating username while browsing

A rotating username can move each new connection to another exit, which breaks logged-out multi-page flows and shopping baskets. For manual browsing, use a sticky username with a generous _sesstime-.

FAQ

Questions

Something not covered? Write to contact@arcproxies.io.

How do I set a proxy with a username and password in Chrome?

Set the proxy address through the system settings or --proxy-server="http://host:port", then enter the username and password when Chrome's sign-in prompt appears. To store the credentials, use an extension such as FoxyProxy with an HTTP-type proxy.

Where are the proxy settings in Chrome?

Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings. Chrome opens the operating system's proxy dialog, because it uses the system setting unless a flag, an extension or an administrator policy overrides it.

Does Chrome support SOCKS5 proxies with authentication?

No. Chrome can use a SOCKS5 proxy only if it requires no username and password. With a gateway that authenticates by credentials, use HTTP mode, which Chrome supports with a sign-in prompt.

Can Chrome use a different proxy per site?

Not with built-in settings; the system proxy and the flag apply to everything except the bypass list. Extensions such as FoxyProxy route by URL pattern, and a PAC file can do the same.

Is a proxy in Chrome the same as a VPN?

No. The proxy setting only moves Chrome's web traffic, and only for apps that follow it; a VPN tunnels the whole device. Proxy vs VPN compares the two.

Sources & review

Last reviewed 30 October 2026 by the ARC Proxies team. Prices are read from the live catalog at build time.

[1]Chromium: Proxy support in Chrome (net/docs/proxy.md)
[2]Chromium: Run Chromium with command-line switches
[3]Chromium: Chrome settings strings: "Open your computer's proxy settings"

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Integrations

Other browsers & operating systems

FirefoxConfigure a proxy in Firefox: manual HTTP proxy, the password prompt, SOCKS v5 with Proxy DNS, and why SOCKS credentials need an extension.macOSSet an authenticated proxy on a Mac: System Settings → Network → Details → Proxies, the networksetup commands, bypass lists and which apps follow it.WindowsSet a proxy in Windows 11 and 10: Network & internet → Proxy, the credential prompt, netsh winhttp for services, and PowerShell and curl.exe tests.FoxyProxyAdd an authenticated proxy to FoxyProxy in Chrome or Firefox: stored username and password, Proxy by Patterns per site, SOCKS5 and per-port credentials.

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