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How to set up a proxy on macOS

Open System Settings → Network, select your network service (for example Wi-Fi), click Details, then Proxies. Turn on Web proxy (HTTP) and Secure web proxy (HTTPS), enter your CleanProxies host and port in each, turn on Proxy server requires password, add your username and password and click OK.

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What you need

macOS stores proxies per network service, so Wi-Fi and Ethernet each have their own settings. Safari, Chrome and most Mac apps follow them, which makes a dedicated CleanProxies static ISP IP the quickest way to put the whole Mac on a fixed US carrier address.

Your credential line

From the dashboard's proxy manager: host (or IP), port, username and password. Convert lists with the proxy list formatter.

macOS ready

  • macOS Ventura or later for the System Settings path below (on older macOS: System Preferences → Network → Advanced → Proxies).
  • An administrator account to change network settings.

Which proxy fits macOS?

Both products use the same setup in macOS. What changes is how long an IP stays with you.

Static ISP Proxies

Best fit

One dedicated US ISP IP per Mac or per network service, the same address all month. Whitelist your public IP to skip the password, and switch SOCKS5 on if an app prefers it.

starting from$0.75/IP

Dedicated static IPs registered to US and Canadian ISPs. The address stays the same for as long as you hold it, with unlimited bandwidth and HTTP(S) or SOCKS5 access.

Buy NowSee Static ISP Proxies features

Rotating Residential Proxies

Also works

Use a sticky residential line so the IP holds while you browse; a rotating line changes IP between connections and can sign you out of sites. Residential uses the HTTP and HTTPS options with your username and password.

starting from$0.63/GB

Residential IPs in 190+ countries with country, state and city targeting. Rotate on every request or hold a sticky session for up to 90 minutes; GB never expire.

Buy NowSee Rotating Residential Proxies features
credentials

Your CleanProxies credentials

Every product connects over HTTP(S); static ISP and ISP subnet proxies also run SOCKS5 and IP whitelisting. This is what the dashboard gives you to paste into macOS.

Static ISP and ISP subnetHTTP(S)SOCKS5IP whitelist
IP:PORT:USER:PASS

One line per dedicated IP. With IP whitelisting on, the line is just IP:PORT and no password is sent.

Rotating residential and mobileHTTP(S)User:pass
HOST:PORT:USER:PASS

Generated in the proxy manager. The username carries the location and session you pick, so generate a new list to change them.

As a URL, for code and most toolshttp://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORTsocks5://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT

Use http:// even for HTTPS websites; the TLS session still runs end to end. The socks5:// form is for static ISP and ISP subnet proxies.

How to set up CleanProxies in macOS

Four steps, then check the exit IP with the free proxy checker.

  1. 1

    Open the service's proxies

    Choose Apple menu → System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, click the service you use (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), click Details, then Proxies. You may need to scroll down.

  2. 2

    Turn on the HTTP and HTTPS proxies

    Turn on Web proxy (HTTP) and enter your CleanProxies host and port. Do the same for Secure web proxy (HTTPS), so encrypted sites use the proxy too.

  3. 3

    Add the login

    Turn on Proxy server requires password and enter your CleanProxies username and password. With an ISP proxy on IP whitelisting, leave it off.

  4. 4

    Add exceptions and save

    Keep Exclude simple hostnames on, add local hosts to Bypass proxy settings for these hosts & domains (separated by commas), then click OK.

settings

macOS proxy settings

Replace the highlighted placeholders with the values from your dashboard.

macOS + CleanProxies

Set the proxy from Terminal with networksetup

The networksetup command changes the same settings, which is handy for scripts or for several Macs. The service name must match one from the first command exactly.

Turn the proxy onShell
networksetup -listallnetworkservices

sudo networksetup -setwebproxy "Wi-Fi" HOST PORT on USERNAME PASSWORD
sudo networksetup -setsecurewebproxy "Wi-Fi" HOST PORT on USERNAME PASSWORD
sudo networksetup -setproxybypassdomains "Wi-Fi" localhost 127.0.0.1 "*.local"

networksetup -getwebproxy "Wi-Fi"
  • Put - in place of PASSWORD to type it on standard input instead of leaving it in your shell history. With a whitelisted ISP proxy, use off instead of on USERNAME PASSWORD.

SOCKS proxy on a Mac

The SOCKS proxy option works only with CleanProxies static ISP proxies, after you switch SOCKS5 on for the proxy list in the dashboard (same username and password). Residential and mobile proxies are HTTP(S) only, so use the Web proxy and Secure web proxy options for them.

  • Chrome doesn't support SOCKS proxies that need a password. If you browse in Chrome, use the HTTP and HTTPS options instead of SOCKS.
  • FaceTime, calls and other UDP traffic don't go through the proxy; CleanProxies carries TCP only.

Terminal and apps that ignore System Settings

Command-line tools such as curl, pip and Git don't read the Mac's proxy settings. Set https_proxy and http_proxy in the shell instead (the Linux guide covers the variables, which work the same way in the macOS Terminal). Firefox uses the system proxy only while its connection setting is on Use system proxy settings.

For apps with no proxy option at all, Proxifier forces them through CleanProxies.

fix it fast

Troubleshooting macOS proxy errors

Verify your exit IP

Open What is my IP? in Safari: it should show your CleanProxies IP. If Safari shows it but Terminal doesn't, set the shell variables, since command-line tools ignore System Settings.

Open What is my IP? through the proxy to see the address and headers a website receives, or paste up to ten lines into the free proxy checker to test connectivity, latency and exit IP.

Still stuck? Our 24/7 support team answers fast: contact us with the error and the line you used (leave the password out).

macOS error fixes
  • Safari shows the proxy IP, Terminal shows your ownWhy: curl, pip and other CLI tools don't read the macOS proxy settings.Export https_proxy and http_proxy in the shell, or pass -x to curl.
  • Proxy stops working when you switch from Wi-Fi to EthernetWhy: Proxies are stored per network service.Repeat the setup under the other service, or run the networksetup commands for each service name.
  • Repeated password promptsWhy: The username or password in Proxies has a typo or a trailing space.Re-enter them from the dashboard, or whitelist your IP on an ISP proxy and turn off Proxy server requires password.
  • SOCKS proxy doesn't connectWhy: SOCKS5 isn't switched on for that ISP proxy list, or it's a residential or mobile line.Switch SOCKS5 on in the dashboard for ISP proxies; for residential and mobile use Web proxy (HTTP) and Secure web proxy (HTTPS).

macOS proxy guides

Setup guides and best practices from the CleanProxies blog.

Get the latest insightsAll Blogs

More integrations

Setup guides for tools people run next to macOS.

Proxies for sites people reach with macOS
Proxies for Google SearchProxies for streaming geo-testingProxies for Amazon
All integrations

macOS proxy FAQs

Straight answers about running CleanProxies in macOS.

On macOS Ventura and later: Apple menu, System Settings, Network, choose the network service, Details, Proxies. On older versions: System Preferences, Network, Advanced, Proxies.

Got more questions?All FAQs