Understand the three modes

Direct

Chrome connects without an extension proxy. This is the clean baseline when diagnosing a proxy problem.

System

Chrome follows the operating-system proxy. ProxyFox does not choose the host in this mode.

Custom profile

ProxyFox configures Chrome with the protocol, host, port, and optional credentials you enter. It affects this Chrome environment, not OS-wide networking.

Create a first profile

  1. Open ProxyFox settings and choose Add profile.
  2. Use a recognizable name such as “Office QA.”
  3. Select HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4, or SOCKS5.
  4. Enter the host and port; add credentials only when required.
  5. Add bypass rules for local or internal targets that should connect directly.
  6. Run the connection test, save, then activate the profile.
Do not paste a full URL into the host field.Enter only a hostname or IP. Protocol and port have separate controls.

Verify the result

Check the active profile shown in the popup, then visit a test endpoint you trust. ProxyFox's pre-save test temporarily applies the candidate, reports apply and network timing, and restores the previous setting. It is not continuous health monitoring.

Authenticated proxies

Credentials use chrome.storage.local in the current Chrome profile. ProxyFox supplies them only when the challenge host and port strictly match. Local storage is not an encrypted vault; avoid sensitive credentials in a shared OS account.

Troubleshooting order

  1. Switch to Direct and confirm the base connection.
  2. Verify protocol, host, and port.
  3. Confirm the proxy accepts connections from your network.
  4. Check credentials.
  5. Check whether a bypass rule matches the target.
  6. Have an administrator resolve HTTPS certificate warnings; do not weaken browser security.