How to Use SOCKS5 Proxy: Setup Tutorial for Mac, Windows, & Mobile

If you have tried entering your SOCKS5 details into your iPhone or Android settings and found that your internet stopped working, you are not alone.

Unlike HTTP proxies, SOCKS5 proxies often require specialized tools, such as proxy managers, to work correctly, especially on mobile devices. In this guide, we show you the correct way to set up SOCKS5 on macOS, Windows, and mobile.

Pro tip: Before you start, ensure your proxy speed isn’t the bottleneck. Our SOCKS5 proxy benchmark shows that Bright Data is the fastest choice, while Decodo offers the best value per GB.

1. How to Use SOCKS5 Proxy on macOS

1. Open the “Apple Menu” and go to “System Preferences“, and click on “Network” in the sidebar.

2. Select the network service you are currently using (e.g., Wi-Fi) and click the “Advanced” button.

3. From the menu, go to the “Proxies” tab.

4. Find the “SOCKS Proxy” and toggle it ON (as shown in the image).
   • In the long box on the right side, enter the Hostname (e.g., pr.oxylabs.io) provided by your proxy provider.
   • In the small box after the colon (:), enter the Port Number (e.g., 1080).
   • If your proxy server uses User/Pass authentication, check the box labeled “Proxy server requires password“. Enter the Username and Password given by your provider.
5. Save: Click OK to apply the proxy server details.

2. How to set up SOCKS5 proxy on Windows

1. Open “Settings” and go to “System” from the dropdown menu.
2. Click “Open your computer’s proxy settings“.

3. Go to “Network & Internet” and enable the use of a proxy by toggling this switch to On.

4. Enter the SOCKS5 server IP provided by your proxy service, and enter the port number.

3. How to use SOCKS5 proxy on iOS & Android

Unlike the macOS or Windows settings we showed earlier, there is no option to select the SOCKS protocol. iOS defaults this connection to the standard HTTP.

Unless your proxy provider states explicitly that their ports support both HTTP and SOCKS modes, you must use a dedicated proxy manager app to ensure a stable SOCKS5 connection.

Otherwise, iOS will label these settings as “HTTP Proxy,” and they often fail to connect with SOCKS5 servers.

4. How to use SOCKS5 proxy only in your browser

For Firefox (native support):

Firefox is distinctive in that it is among the few browsers that support native SOCKS5 proxy configuration, independent of Windows settings.

1. Go to Settings > General and scroll to the bottom.
2. Click Settings under Network Settings.

3. Select Manual proxy configuration.

4. Enter your IP and Port in the SOCKS Host field.

FAQs about SOCKS5 proxy usage

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Gulbahar Karatas

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Gülbahar is an AIMultiple industry analyst focused on web data collection, applications of web data and application security.

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