---
title: "What Is err_proxy_connection_failed and How to Fix It"
description: "err_proxy_connection_failed means Chrome could not reach the proxy server it uses. How to switch the setting off, and what to check if you use a proxy."
url: https://proxynet.io/blog/err-proxy-connection-failed
date: 2026-10-07
author: "Acar Diveroli"
category: "Tutorial"
lang: en
---

# What Is err_proxy_connection_failed and How to Fix It

You type an address in Chrome and get a grey page instead of the site: "No internet" at the top, "There is something wrong with the proxy server, or the address is incorrect." underneath, and `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` at the bottom. Yet the Wi-Fi is connected, the same site opens on your phone and every other program on the computer works. You may not even know what a proxy is; or, the other way round, you have just typed in the details of a proxy you bought and this is the first page you saw.

This post is written for both readers. If you never set up a proxy, it explains how the setting got onto your computer and how to switch it off in Windows, macOS, Android and Chrome. If you use a proxy on purpose, it walks through five checks: address, port, server status, IP authorization and port type. In between, we measured which code Chrome shows in which situation, using small test proxies running on our own machine.

> **Note: Short answer**
>
> `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` means Chrome could not connect to the proxy server it is configured to use: either the address is wrong or nothing is answering at that address. The website never received your request, so the problem is not the site. If you do not use a proxy on purpose, open Settings › Network & internet › Proxy in Windows, switch off the manual proxy and the setup script, and remove VPN and proxy extensions. If you do use one, re-enter the address and port exactly as your provider's panel shows them, and make sure the server is up and your plan has not expired.

## What does ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED mean?

The code says the browser failed at the very first step on the way to the proxy. A proxy is a server that sits between your browser and the internet and forwards your requests on your behalf. When a proxy is configured on your computer, Chrome does not go to the site itself; it first connects to the proxy's address and asks it for the site. If that connection cannot be made, Chrome gives up without ever knocking on the site's door.

In the Chromium project's [list of network errors](https://github.com/chromium/chromium/blob/main/net/base/net_error_list.h) this is error -130. Its description names two causes: either the proxy's name could not be turned into an IP address, or a connection to that address could not be opened. The same description draws a line: problems that happen after the proxy has been reached are not this code. Edge, Opera and Brave share Chrome's engine and show the same code.

The "No internet" heading is misleading. Your internet is usually fine; Chrome simply cannot get out to any site because it cannot reach the proxy. That is also why the error appears on every site rather than on one.

## How does the error happen, step by step?

1. **Chrome reads the proxy setting.** Unless a company policy, an extension or a startup switch in a shortcut says otherwise, it reads the proxy setting of Windows or macOS.
2. **It looks up the proxy's address.** If the setting holds a host name, Chrome has to turn it into an IP address. A wrong or vanished name fails here.
3. **It connects to the proxy.** Chrome opens a TCP connection to the proxy's address and port. The port is the door number of a service on a server. If the door is closed, the server is down or a firewall blocks the way, the connection fails and `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` appears.
4. **If the connection is up, it sends the request.** For plain `http://` addresses it asks the proxy for the page directly; for `https://` addresses it asks the proxy to open a tunnel to the site.
5. **It acts on the proxy's answer.** If the proxy asks for a username and password (407), Chrome opens a login prompt. If the proxy cannot reach the site, Chrome shows `ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED`. If all goes well, the page loads.

The order also tells you what will not help. Clearing the browser cache, deleting cookies or opening the site under a different address does not change step 3; Chrome never got to the site. What has to change is the proxy setting itself.

## How does it differ from similar proxy errors?

Chrome uses a separate code for each point on the proxy path where things can stop. The code you see tells you where to look:

| Code | Where it stops | First step |
|---|---|---|
| `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` | The proxy could not be reached | Check the proxy address and port |
| Password prompt or HTTP 407 | Proxy reached, it asked for credentials | Username, password, IP whitelist |
| `ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED` | Proxy reached, it could not open the tunnel | Balance, target site permission, server status |
| `ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE` | Proxy took the connection and said nothing | A SOCKS port may be in the HTTP box |
| `ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED` | No proxy; the site itself refused | Address and port, site status |

The last row is the one people mix up: a proxy that is down does not produce "connection refused" in Chrome. In our test, pointing the proxy setting at a port nobody was listening on gave `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED`; opening the same closed port directly, without a proxy, gave `ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED`. Chrome keeps failures on the way to the proxy apart from failures on the way to the site. The tunnel error has its own post: [How to Fix err_tunnel_connection_failed in Chrome and Edge](/blog/err-tunnel-connection-failed).

## Where does Chrome take its proxy setting from?

Chrome's own settings page has no box for a proxy address; Chrome uses the operating system's proxy setting. The **Open your computer's proxy settings** link under Settings › System takes you to the Windows or macOS screen. So a proxy error you see in Chrome is really a setting of the computer, and it shows up in other browsers that read the same setting, such as Edge.

Three things can override that setting. An extension can take over Chrome's proxy, so the error continues even though the system setting is clean. Chrome may have been started with a switch in its shortcut that points it at a different proxy. On a work or school computer the proxy is set by company policy and the toggles appear greyed out; the fix there belongs to the IT team.

## If you never set up a proxy, where did the setting come from?

A proxy setting does not appear on its own; in most cases software you no longer use left it behind. The setting stays, and one day that address stops answering and every site goes down with it. The usual sources:

- **A VPN or proxy app that has shut down.** Some free VPNs and "unblock this site" tools write their own address into the system proxy setting to capture traffic. When the program closes or is uninstalled, the address stays and nobody answers it.
- **A browser extension.** VPN and country-switching extensions take over Chrome's proxy setting. Chrome keeps trying to connect even when the extension's server has gone or its free period has ended.
- **A setup script.** Work and school networks hand out a small file (a PAC file) that says which site goes through which proxy. When you bring the laptop home, the script and the proxy address inside it stay in the settings, and that address cannot be reached from your home network.
- **Malware or unwanted software.** Some programs route your traffic through their own server to inject ads. When that server disappears, your internet stops. An address you do not recognise in the proxy box is reason enough for a security scan.
- **An old manual setting.** An address typed in for a game, an experiment or a friend's tip can resurface months later.

"Automatically detect settings" is not on this list. According to Chromium's [proxy documentation](https://github.com/chromium/chromium/blob/main/net/docs/proxy.md), that option first asks the network itself and then DNS whether a proxy setting exists; on the great majority of home networks nothing answers and Chrome connects directly. The same document adds a rule: if a setup script cannot be downloaded or run, Chrome silently falls back to a direct connection unless company policy makes the script mandatory. So a script only produces this error when the proxy address inside it is down.

## How to switch off the proxy setting in Windows, macOS and Android

Removing a proxy means checking the system screen first and the browser's extensions second. When you are done, close Chrome and open it again; a changed proxy setting does not always reach open tabs straight away.

**Windows 11 and 10.** Open the screen Microsoft describes on its [use a proxy server in Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-a-proxy-server-in-windows-03096c53-0554-4ffe-b6ab-8b1deee8dae1) page: Settings › Network & internet › Proxy. Under **Manual proxy setup**, if **Use a proxy server** is on, note the address and switch it off. If **Use setup script** shows an address, switch that off too. **Automatically detect settings** can stay on; it is harmless on a home network.

**macOS.** Apple's [change proxy settings on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-proxy-settings-on-mac-mchlp2591/mac) page gives the path: Apple menu › System Settings › Network, select the network you are on (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), then **Details** › **Proxies**. Switch off whichever of **Web proxy (HTTP)**, **Secure web proxy (HTTPS)** and **SOCKS proxy** is on, and if **Automatic proxy configuration** holds a script address, remove it.

**Android.** The proxy setting belongs to the Wi-Fi network, not the device. Go to Settings › Network & internet › Internet, tap the gear next to the connected network, then the edit (pencil) icon. Under **Advanced options**, the **Proxy** row should read **None**. Its position varies by manufacturer; on Samsung and Xiaomi phones it often sits directly on the network details screen. Mobile data has no proxy setting, so if the error only appears on Wi-Fi, this row is the likely cause.

**Chrome.** Type `chrome://extensions` in the address bar and remove extensions with VPN, proxy or "unblock" in their name; merely disabling some of them does not clear the setting they left. In the properties of Chrome's desktop shortcut, the target line should end with `chrome.exe"`; if anything starting with `--proxy-server` follows, delete it. For the Windows steps in detail and a check that proves the proxy is gone, see [How to Remove a Proxy from Chrome and Windows](/blog/remove-proxy-chrome-windows).

## If you set up the proxy yourself: five checks

If you see this error right after entering a proxy you bought, the cause is almost always in the details you typed or in the state of the server. Go through these in order:

**1. Address and port.** Copy the address and port from your provider's panel and paste them again. The most common slips are a missing letter, an `http://` added in front of the address and the wrong number in the port box. In our test, a proxy name that could not be resolved and a closed port produced the same code.

**2. Is the server up?** A proxy is a program on the provider's server, and it can go down for maintenance, a fault or a move. Check the status page or the server status in the panel. If the proxy worked yesterday and you changed nothing, this is the first suspect.

**3. Plan period and balance.** The port of an expired or unpaid proxy may be closed: the server is still there, but nothing is listening on your port, and Chrome shows the same code. Check the plan's end date in the panel.

**4. IP authorization.** Some providers only let connections into the proxy from IP addresses you registered in advance and drop connections from unknown addresses at the door. Your home internet's IP address can change when the router restarts, which is how a proxy that worked yesterday gets turned away today. Add today's IP in the panel or switch to username and password authentication. On fixed-IP products such as [ISP Proxy](https://proxynet.io/static-isp-residential-proxy), an IP whitelist is a common option, and the panel shows which address is on the list.

**5. Port type.** Providers give different ports for HTTP and SOCKS5. The proxy box in the browser and the operating system expects an HTTP proxy; if you put the SOCKS5 port there you get not this error but, as in our test, `ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE`. The reverse happens too: define a plain HTTP proxy as an "HTTPS proxy" in an extension and Chrome expects an encrypted handshake, the proxy does not understand it, and `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` lands on the screen. The type that works in browsers without fuss is [HTTPS Proxy](https://proxynet.io/https-proxy); check your provider's panel for which port is given for which type.

If all five look right, trying the proxy outside the browser is the fastest next step. [Is My Proxy Working? How to Test a Proxy](/blog/how-to-test-a-proxy) shows how without any code. If it fails there too, send your provider's support team the exact error text and when it started.

## Which code did Chrome show in which case in our test?

We built each situation with small test servers running on our own computer and opened it with Chromium 141. The target was a simple page on the same machine, so each code could only come from the proxy setting.

| Situation | Code Chrome showed |
|---|---|
| Nothing listening at the proxy address (closed port) | `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` |
| Proxy name cannot be resolved (typo) | `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` |
| Plain HTTP proxy defined as an "HTTPS proxy" | `ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` |
| Proxy reached, asked for username and password (407) | Login prompt; `ERR_INVALID_AUTH_CREDENTIALS` in automation |
| Proxy reached, could not open the tunnel to the site (502) | `ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED` |
| SOCKS5 port entered in the HTTP box | `ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE` |
| No proxy, the site's port is closed | `ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED` |

In the first three rows Chrome's page was identical: the heading "No internet", the line "There is something wrong with the proxy server, or the address is incorrect." and two suggestions, contacting the system admin and checking the proxy address. Chromium's proxy documentation adds a detail: an unreachable proxy is marked "bad" for five minutes, and if the setting lists a second proxy Chrome tries the next one. Home setups have a single proxy, so the error appears at once.

## Advanced: see with one command whether the proxy can be reached

This section is for readers comfortable with a command line. `curl`, which ships with Windows 10 and 11 and with macOS, tries to connect to the same proxy the way the browser does and reports the result in one line. In Windows PowerShell type `curl.exe` instead of `curl`.

```bash
curl -v -x http://user:pass@pr.proxynet.io:8000 https://example.com
```

Replace `user:pass` and the address with the details from your panel. When we pointed the command at a port on our machine that nobody was listening on, the output ended like this (curl 8.5.0):

```text
* connect to 127.0.0.1 port 33599 from 127.0.0.1 port 47580 failed: Connection refused
curl: (7) Failed to connect to 127.0.0.1 port 33599 after 0 ms: Couldn't connect to server
```

The line ending in `(7)` means "the proxy could not be reached" and is the counterpart of Chrome's code. For a proxy whose name cannot be resolved you see `curl: (5) Could not resolve proxy` instead. If the output gets as far as a line like `CONNECT tunnel established` or a `407`, the proxy was reached, and the problem is not the address but the password or the proxy's own decision.

## Where do you run into this error?

On a home computer the error usually means some tidying is due: a VPN tried months ago or an "unblocker" extension left its setting behind, and its server no longer exists. Once switched off it does not come back; if it does, a program is writing it again.

On a work laptop opened at home the error is almost expected: the company proxy can only be reached from the company network. Connecting to the company VPN usually solves it, because the path to the proxy opens inside the VPN.

For a proxy customer the error shows up in the first minute of setup (address and port) or on the day the service ends (plan period and payment). Automation tools log the same code as `net::ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED`, with the same meaning: the tool could not reach the proxy.

## Common mistakes

- **Resetting the browser.** Resetting or reinstalling Chrome does not touch the system proxy setting; the error stays exactly as it was.
- **Disabling the extension instead of removing it.** Some extensions leave their setting behind when disabled. Remove the extension, then look at the proxy screen again.
- **Writing `http://` in front of the address.** The proxy boxes in Windows and macOS want only a name or an IP; adding a scheme stops the address from resolving.
- **Putting the SOCKS5 port in the HTTP box.** It gives a different code, but the fix is the same: take the HTTP port from the panel.
- **Fixing only one place.** The same setting affects both Chrome and Edge; on Android every Wi-Fi network has its own proxy row.
- **Cache and DNS cleanups.** Chrome never went to the site, so the site's cache or DNS record has nothing to do with this error.

## Decision guide

| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You do not know what a proxy is and every site fails | Switch off the toggles on the system's proxy screen, remove extensions |
| The proxy box holds an address you do not recognise | Switch it off and run a security scan |
| The error appears only on Wi-Fi, not on mobile data | Check that network's proxy row on Android or macOS |
| Work laptop, you are at home | Connect to the company VPN or ask IT |
| You entered the proxy a moment ago | Copy the address and port from the panel again |
| It worked yesterday and you changed nothing | Server status, plan period, whether your home IP changed |
| You see a password prompt or a tunnel error | Not this post; the proxy was reached, look at the next step |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED caused by the website?

No. Chrome never reached the site; it failed earlier, connecting to the proxy server. If the same site opens on your phone, that confirms the site is fine.

### I do not use a proxy, so why do I get a proxy error?

Because your computer holds a proxy setting you are not aware of. It was usually left behind by an old VPN app, a browser extension or a setup script from a work network. The system's proxy screen shows in seconds whether the setting is there.

### Does clearing the cache or flushing DNS help?

Usually not. Chrome never got to the site, so the site's cache and DNS record are unrelated to the error. If the proxy's name is misspelt, no cache cleanup will make it right.

### Do Edge, Opera and Brave show the same error?

Yes. All three use Chrome's engine (Chromium) and show the same code, and on Windows they read the same system setting. Firefox can keep its own proxy setting and says "The proxy server is refusing connections" in the same situation.

### Is the net::ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED from Playwright or Puppeteer the same error?

Yes, the code and the meaning are the same: the tool could not connect to the proxy. In automation the usual cause is a typo in the `--proxy-server` value or the wrong port; when the proxy asks for a password, no prompt can open and you see `ERR_INVALID_AUTH_CREDENTIALS` instead.

### What does it mean when the error comes and goes?

Whatever writes the proxy setting is running intermittently: a VPN app that starts and stops, an extension that connects now and then, or a proxy row tied to one particular Wi-Fi network. Note the moment the error appears; the program that starts at that moment is the source.

## Summary

`ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED` means Chrome could not connect to its configured proxy server at all; the site never received your request. If you do not use a proxy, switch off the toggles on the proxy screen of Windows, macOS or Android and remove VPN or proxy extensions. If you do, copy the address and port from the panel again, make sure the server is up and the plan has not expired, add today's home IP if you use an IP whitelist, and make sure you are on the HTTP port. Our [proxy page](/proxy) compares the proxy types and which ones belong in a browser and which in applications.