How to fix ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED error?

ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED means Chrome, Edge or another Chromium browser was told to send every page through a proxy server and could not reach that proxy at all. On a home PC the proxy is usually one you never meant to use, left behind by a VPN, an extension or a program. Turn it off in Windows proxy settings first.

Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Steps written for Chrome 155 on Windows 11 (screenshots); Windows 11 and Windows 10 22H2 proxy paths from Microsoft Support; Android paths from Google Pixel Help and a Samsung Galaxy guide; error text read from the Chromium source.

What ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED means and what the page says

A proxy server is a middle stop: instead of going to a website directly, the browser hands each request to the proxy, and the proxy fetches the page. When a proxy is set, Chrome does not even try the direct route. If it cannot look up the proxy's name or cannot open a connection to its address and port, every page fails with the same code, Google's own pages included.

In Chromium's list of network errors the code is -130, PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED. The comment in the source adds one detail that matters for fixing it: the code does not cover a proxy that answers and then refuses a site. That case has its own code, -111. So -130 means the proxy itself is unreachable: switched off, removed, mistyped, or blocked.

Heading

No internet

Text

There is something wrong with the proxy server, or the address is incorrect.

Try list

Contacting the system admin. Checking the proxy address. Running Windows Network Diagnostics (on Windows).

Code line

ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED

Help text behind Checking the proxy address

Chrome tells you to open Settings > System > Open your computer's proxy settings, then Network & internet > Proxy, and to deselect Automatically detect settings if you do not think you should use a proxy.

• Persian, Arabic or other language searches for a translation: the code translates as "proxy connection failed". It is a browser message, not a message from the website.
• proxy_connection_failed , -130: this is how the code appears in NetLog files, crash logs and app consoles. Same error, same fixes.
• Edge: Microsoft Edge is built on Chromium and shows the same code. Edge has no proxy box of its own and opens the same Windows proxy page, so Fix 1 is the same.

Why the proxy connection fails, ranked from most to least common

Chrome reads its proxy from four layers, and only the top layer that has a value counts. Each cause below sits in one of those layers, which is why the fix depends on where the proxy came from, not on the network.

How to fix ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED

Fixes 1 and 2 remove an unwanted proxy and solve most home cases in a few minutes. Fix 3 is for people who need a proxy. Fixes 4 and 5 stop a proxy that keeps coming back. Fix 6 is for Android. Fixes 7 and 8 are last tests.

Fix 1. Turn off the proxy in Windows settings

3 minutesLow riskYou use Chrome or Edge on Windows 11 or 10 and did not set up a proxy on purpose.

Chrome and Edge use the Windows proxy settings unless an extension or a policy overrides them. A program that sets a local proxy and then quits leaves those settings pointing at nothing, and every page fails with -130 until they are cleared.

1. In Chrome, type chrome://settings/system in the address bar and press Enter. Select Open your computer's proxy settings. Windows opens Settings > Network & internet > Proxy. You can also open that page from Start > Settings.
2. Before you change anything, write down what is filled in: the address under Use a proxy server and the script address under Use setup script. If it reads 127.0.0.1 or localhost, a program on this PC set it.
3. Next to Use a proxy server, select Set up. In Edit proxy server, turn Use a proxy server off and select Save.
4. Next to Use setup script, select Set up. Turn Use setup script off and select Save.
5. Under Automatic proxy setup, turn Automatically detect settings off. Chrome's own help text for this error suggests it. At home it changes nothing you need.
6. Close Chrome completely with More (the three dots) > Exit, open it again and load a page.

The same settings are in the classic Internet Options window, which some people find quicker. Press Win + R, type inetcpl.cpl and press Enter. On the Connections tab select LAN settings, clear Use a proxy server for your LAN and Use automatic configuration script, then select OK twice.

• Microsoft Edge: Settings > System and performance > Open your computer's proxy settings opens the same Windows page. One change fixes both browsers.
• Windows 10: Microsoft gives the same Network & internet > Proxy path for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows 10 stopped getting security updates on 14 October 2025.
• The address was 127.0.0.1 with a port such as 8080 or 8888: that port belonged to a local program. If you still use it, start it again instead, and the proxy will answer.

Fix 2. Turn off the VPN or proxy extension that controls Chrome's proxy

3 minutesLow riskYou use a VPN or proxy extension in Chrome, or only Chrome fails while Edge works.

An extension with the proxy permission overrides the Windows setting for Chrome only. When its server is down or its sign-in has expired, Chrome still sends every request to it, so the Windows page looks clean while Chrome fails.

1. Open chrome://settings/system. Look at the last row of the System box.
2. If it reads Chrome is using proxy settings from an extension, the extension's name is shown in that row. Turn it off from there, or note its name.
3. Open chrome://extensions and turn off the switch on every VPN, proxy, unblocker or privacy extension, not only the one named. If two extensions set a proxy, the one installed last wins, and the other takes over when you turn it off.
4. Close Chrome with More > Exit and open it again.
5. Load a page. If it opens, turn the extensions back on one at a time to find the one that breaks it, and reconnect it or choose another server in its own menu.

Fix 3. If you need the proxy, check the address, the port and the server

10 minutesNo riskYour workplace, school or a paid service requires a proxy, so turning it off is not an option.

Here the setting is wanted but one part of it is wrong: the name does not resolve, the port is wrong, or the proxy server is down. Chrome also marks a failed proxy as bad for 5 minutes when a backup route exists, which can keep a fixed proxy looking broken.

1. Compare the address and port in Settings > Network & internet > Proxy with the details your IT team or proxy provider gave you. A missing digit in the port is enough for -130.
2. If your organisation uses a setup script, open the address shown under Use setup script in the browser. If it does not load, the script server is down, which is a job for IT.
3. Test from another device on the same network with the same proxy. If it also fails, the proxy server is down, not your PC.
4. In Chrome, open chrome://net-internals/#proxy. Select Re-apply settings, then Clear bad proxies. The page shows no message when it is done.
5. Close Chrome with More > Exit, open it again and load a page.

• Proxy that needs a sign-in: a wrong password brings a sign-in prompt or a different code, because Chromium has separate codes for proxy authentication, such as -127. Code -130 means the proxy could not be reached at all.
• SOCKS proxy: the same failure with a SOCKS proxy shows ERR_SOCKS_CONNECTION_FAILED (-120). The checks are the same.
• Proxy works but some sites fail: that is ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED (-111). The proxy answered and refused the site, which only the proxy's owner can change.

Fix 4. Find what sets the proxy again: policy, shortcut or unwanted program

15 minutesLow riskThe proxy returns after a restart, or Chrome says your administrator controls the proxy.

A policy outranks every other proxy setting in Chrome, and a program that starts with Windows can write the proxy back each time. Until the source is found, Fixes 1 and 2 only last until the next restart.

1. Open chrome://policy and select Reload policies. Look for a policy whose name starts with Proxy, such as ProxySettings. The Source column says whether it comes from the platform (Windows) or the cloud.
2. On a work or school PC, a proxy policy is normal: do not remove it. Send the code and the time to IT.
3. On your own PC, a proxy policy you never set is a warning sign. Run a full scan with Microsoft Defender: How to scan for malware with Microsoft Defender
4. Open chrome://version and read the Command Line row. If it contains --proxy-server=, the shortcut you start Chrome from adds a proxy. Right-click the shortcut, select Properties, and delete that part from Target, or start Chrome from the Start menu instead.
5. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to its startup list and turn off proxy tools, traffic inspectors and VPN clients you no longer use. Step by step: Stop apps from opening at startup
6. Restart Windows and check the Proxy page and chrome://settings/system again.

Fix 5. Check the proxy values in the registry

10 minutesRead the warningThe Windows Proxy page will not save, looks empty while the error stays, or a program keeps filling it.

The Proxy page in Settings and the Internet Options window both store their values under one registry key for your account. Reading the key shows a leftover address or script that a page may not display, and lets you clear it in one place.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter. Select Yes in the permission prompt.
2. Paste this path into the address bar of Registry Editor and press Enter: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
3. Right-click Internet Settings in the left pane and select Export to save a backup file.
4. Double-click ProxyEnable, set Value data to 0 and select OK. 1 means a manual proxy is on.
5. Look at ProxyServer. If it holds an address you do not use, right-click it, select Delete and confirm.
6. Look for AutoConfigURL. This is the setup script address. If you did not set it, delete it the same way.
7. Leave ProxyOverride as it is: it is only the list of addresses that skip the proxy. Close Registry Editor and restart Chrome.

Fix 6. Set the proxy to None on an Android phone

5 minutesLow riskYou see the error in Chrome on an Android phone or tablet, on Wi-Fi or on mobile data.

Chrome on Android uses the proxy saved with each Wi-Fi network and with the mobile data access point. A proxy saved for one network, often by a work setup, a hotspot guide or an app, breaks Chrome only on that network.

1. Pixel and most Android phones: open Settings > Network & internet > Internet and tap the Wi-Fi network you are on.
2. Tap Edit (the pencil), then Advanced options. Under Proxy, choose None and tap Save.
3. Samsung Galaxy: open Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi, tap the gear next to your network, tap View more, then Proxy, and choose None.
4. On mobile data: on a Pixel open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, choose your SIM, open Access point names and tap the active entry. The Proxy and Port fields should read Not set.
5. If the APN Proxy field holds an address, take a screenshot of the whole entry first, then clear the field and save from the menu. Your carrier's own APN settings must otherwise stay as they are.
6. Disconnect any VPN, ad-blocking or proxy app, then reopen Chrome and load a page.

• Work profile or a phone from your employer: the proxy may be pushed by the company's device management. You cannot remove it yourself: ask IT.
• Only one Wi-Fi network fails: the proxy is saved with that network only. Fixing it there is enough; other networks are not affected.
• The menus differ: Google notes that the steps can vary by device. Look for the network's details page and an advanced or more section.

Fix 7. Reset Chrome settings to turn off every extension at once

5 minutesRead the warningYou cannot tell which extension or setting sets the proxy, and Fixes 1 to 5 did not help.

A reset turns off all extensions in one step, including one that sets a proxy and hides itself. It does not touch the Windows proxy, so it separates a Chrome-side cause from a Windows-side cause.

1. Type chrome://settings/resetProfileSettings in the address bar and press Enter. The Reset settings? dialog opens over Settings > Reset settings.
2. Read the list in the dialog. Disable extensions is the line that matters here.
3. Select Reset settings.
4. Close Chrome with More > Exit, open it again and load a page.
5. Turn extensions back on one at a time at chrome://extensions, and leave off the one after which the error returns.

Fix 8. Reset the Windows network settings

10 minutes plus a restartRead the warningNo proxy is set anywhere, chrome://policy is clean, and the error still appears.

This is the last generic step. It rebuilds the Windows network stack and adapters, which helps when a broken network component or a leftover filter driver from an old VPN interferes. It rarely solves this code on its own.

1. Type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes in the permission prompt.
2. Run these commands one at a time and press Enter after each:

   netsh winsock reset
   netsh int ip reset
   ipconfig /flushdns

3. Restart Windows and test Chrome.
4. If the error stays, open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset, select Reset now and confirm. Windows restarts. Full steps: Reset the network and flush DNS

Still broken: record a NetLog and read which proxy failed

The error page never shows the proxy address. Chrome's NetLog does. Chromium's proxy documentation says its Proxy tab shows where the proxy settings came from (policy, command line, extension or system) and which proxies were marked as bad. The Events tab shows each proxy attempt.

1. Open a new tab and go to chrome://net-export/.
2. Leave Strip private information selected and select Start Logging to Disk. Choose where to save the file.
3. Reproduce the error in a different tab. Keep the chrome://net-export/ tab open, or the logging stops.
4. Go back and select Stop Logging.
5. Open the file in the NetLog viewer that Chromium links to, or in a text editor, and search for PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED and for the word proxy. The lines around it name the proxy that failed.

• What to send IT or the proxy provider: the time of the error, the proxy address from the log, your network (office, home, VPN), your Chrome version from Help > About Google Chrome, and the NetLog file.
• Privacy: the log lists the addresses Chrome visited. Send it by email to the person who asked for it. Chromium warns that its own bug reports are public by default.
• When it is not your PC: if every device that uses the same proxy fails, the proxy server is down. No setting on your PC changes that.
• Firefox works but Chrome does not: Firefox can keep its own proxy choice (No proxy, auto-detect, system settings or manual), so it may skip the broken Windows proxy. That points to Fix 1 or Fix 2.

How to keep ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED from coming back

When you uninstall a VPN or proxy program, open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy right afterwards. If an address such as 127.0.0.1 is still there, turn it off before the next browser restart, and the error never appears.

Frequently asked questions

What does ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED mean in plain English?

It means "connection to the proxy server failed". Your browser was set to send every page through a proxy, a middle server, and it could not find or reach that server. The website itself was never contacted. That is why all sites fail at once while other apps on the PC may still work. The message comes from the browser, not from the website you tried to open. The fix is to remove a proxy you do not need, or to repair the one you do need.

What is proxy_connection_failed -130?

It is the same error in Chrome's internal form. Chromium numbers its network errors, and -130 is PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED. You see the number in NetLog files, in app logs and in the developer console of apps built on Chromium, such as chat clients and launchers. The meaning does not change: the proxy server could not be reached because its name did not resolve or no connection could be opened. Apps built on Chromium usually take the Windows proxy too, so Fix 1 applies to them.

How do I fix ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED on Windows 11?

Open Settings, then Network & internet, then Proxy. Turn off Use a proxy server and Use setup script with their Set up buttons, turn off Automatically detect settings, and restart Chrome. That is Fix 1 and solves most home cases. If Chrome's System settings page says an extension controls the proxy, turn that extension off instead. Windows 10 22H2 uses the same Settings path, according to Microsoft, though it no longer receives security updates.

Why do I get ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED on my Android phone when I never set a proxy?

A proxy can be saved with a single Wi-Fi network or with the mobile data access point (APN) without you noticing. Work setups, hotspot instructions and some apps fill it in. Chrome on Android then uses it for that network only. Open the Wi-Fi network's advanced options and set Proxy to None. On mobile data, check that the APN's Proxy field reads Not set. If the phone is managed by an employer, IT may have set the proxy on purpose.

What does "Connection failed. Cannot establish proxy connection." mean?

That message comes from a VPN or proxy extension, not from Chrome itself. Users report it from VPN extensions such as VeePN when the extension's server does not answer. While the extension is on, Chrome sends every page to that server, so Chrome also shows ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED. Pick another server in the extension, sign in to it again, or turn it off at chrome://extensions. If you pay for the service, its support team can tell you whether its servers are down.

Is ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED caused by a virus?

Usually not. Most often a legitimate VPN, ad blocker or download tool set a local proxy and then quit or was removed. Unwanted software can set a proxy to watch or redirect traffic, though. Be suspicious if the proxy comes back after every restart, points to an address you do not recognise, or appears together with a proxy policy in chrome://policy on a home PC. In that case run a full Microsoft Defender scan before you clear the settings again.

Why does Edge show the same error as Chrome?

Microsoft Edge is built on Chromium and uses the same network code and error codes. Like Chrome, it has no proxy field of its own: its System and performance settings open the Windows proxy page. A wrong Windows proxy therefore breaks both browsers at once, and one change in Windows fixes both. If only Chrome fails, the cause is inside Chrome, most often an extension (Fix 2). If only Edge fails, check Edge's own extensions in the same way.

How do I fix ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED on a Mac?

Chrome on a Mac also uses the system proxy. Chrome's own error help for macOS says to open System Settings, then Network, select the active network, click Details, and deselect any proxies that are selected. Then quit Chrome completely and open it again. Fix 2 about extensions applies on a Mac without changes, and so does the NetLog check under Still broken. The Windows registry and network reset steps do not apply to macOS.

What is ERR_MANDATORY_PROXY_CONFIGURATION_FAILED on a Chromebook?

It is a related code, -131. It means a proxy setup script (PAC file) was marked as required and could not be downloaded, read or run. Because the script is required, Chrome is not allowed to fall back to a direct connection, so every page fails. On a school or work Chromebook the script comes from the administrator, who has to fix it. On your own Chromebook, open the network's proxy settings in ChromeOS settings and turn the proxy off.

Is it safe to turn off the proxy?

On a home PC, yes. Home connections do not need a proxy, and turning it off only makes the browser go to websites directly. On a work or school network a proxy may be required to reach the internet or internal sites, so write down the settings before you change them and ask IT first. A VPN is not the same thing: Microsoft notes that a VPN gives a more secure connection than a proxy, and it is set up separately.