In one sentence
ProxyFox is a free, open-source, Manifest V3 Chrome extension for configuring and switching proxy servers you already control. It does not sell proxy access and it is not a VPN.
Core facts
- Modes
- Direct, System, HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5.
- Browser requirement
- Chrome 114 or newer; Manifest V3 service worker.
- License and price
- MIT License; free to use; public source code.
- Data location
- Profiles use
chrome.storage.localin the current Chrome profile. There is no ProxyFox cloud account or sync service. - External code
- No remotely hosted code, advertising, or analytics scripts.
- Import and export
- Versioned ProxyFox JSON. Exports omit usernames and passwords by default; plaintext credentials are included only after an explicit choice.
- Languages
- Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean.
Why the Chrome permissions exist
| Permission | Used for | Not used for |
|---|---|---|
proxy | Reading and applying Chrome proxy settings | Providing or operating a proxy server |
storage | Keeping profiles and preferences locally | Uploading data to a ProxyFox account |
webRequest / webRequestAuthProvider | Supplying credentials only when the challenge host and port strictly match the active proxy | Reading or modifying page content |
<all_urls> | The host scope Chrome requires for cross-site proxy authentication events | Injecting content scripts |
Product boundaries
Good fit
Development and QA route changes, authenticated proxies, internal-network bypasses, predictable manual selection, and users who value rollback on failure.
Not a fit
URL-based auto switching, a PAC rules engine, buying proxy access, an OS-wide VPN, or assigning a different proxy to each tab.
The connection test temporarily applies a candidate profile, makes a test request, and restores the previous state. It is not continuous health monitoring and does not bypass browser TLS validation.