How to Access Notion and Figma from Restricted Countries: Set Up a Proxy Without Technical Knowledge

Notion has stopped opening, Figma shows a connection error, and the deadline is tomorrow — a familiar situation for designers, marketers, and SMM specialists from Russia, Belarus, and other countries affected by restrictions on Western services. VPNs do not always help: they slow down the connection, conflict with corporate networks, and regularly "drop" at the most inconvenient moments. Proxies solve this problem precisely — without unnecessary traffic load and without conflicts with the work environment.

In this article, we will discuss which proxies are suitable for Notion and Figma, how to set them up in 10–15 minutes, and what mistakes to avoid to not lose access again.

Why Notion and Figma are unavailable — what is really happening

After 2022, dozens of Western SaaS services restricted access for users from Russia and Belarus. Figma blocked accounts of users from these countries in September 2022 in accordance with US sanctions legislation. Notion limited the registration of new accounts and periodically blocks sessions based on the geolocation of the IP address.

The blocking mechanism works simply: the service sees your device's IP address, determines the country, and either denies access or terminates an existing session. This happens at the company's server level — there is no Russian "registry" involved. That’s why the solution is also simple: you need the service to see an IP from a country where there are no restrictions — for example, from Germany, the Netherlands, or the USA.

It is important to understand: the problem is not with your internet provider or router settings. Your provider can see the Figma and Notion servers perfectly — they simply deny you a connection on their end. This means that any solution must replace your real IP with a foreign one before the request reaches the service's servers.

VPN vs proxies for work tools: what’s the difference

Most users first try VPNs — this is logical because VPN applications are easier to install. However, for professional work with Notion and Figma, VPNs have serious drawbacks that become obvious after just a few days of use.

The main advantage of proxies for work tasks is precision. You configure it only for Figma and Notion, while all other traffic (messengers, email, banking applications) goes directly through your provider. This is important because some Russian services — for example, banks — block connections through foreign IPs.

Which type of proxy is suitable for Notion and Figma

Not all proxies work equally well with modern SaaS services. Figma and Notion are smart platforms: they analyze not only your IP but also its "reputation." An IP from a data center used by thousands of users may be flagged as suspicious and blocked even with the correct geolocation.

Residential proxies — the optimal choice

Residential proxies use IP addresses of real home users from the selected country. For Figma and Notion, this is the ideal option: such an IP looks like an ordinary person from Germany or the Netherlands who opened a browser and accessed the work tool. No red flags, no suspicions.

Residential proxies are especially well-suited if you are working with Figma in editing mode (not just viewing) — the service checks the IP with every save of changes.

Mobile proxies — for maximum reliability

Mobile proxies operate through IPs of mobile operators (4G/5G). This is the most "trusted" type of IP from the perspective of any service: mobile addresses rarely end up in blocklists because hundreds of real users of the operator can be behind one IP. If you need guaranteed stability throughout the workday — this is the best choice.

Data center proxies — only for testing

Data center proxies are the fastest and cheapest, but they are poorly suited for Figma and Notion. Figma actively blocks IP ranges from major cloud providers (AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner) because attacks and mass registrations come from them. If you try to access Figma through a data center proxy, there is a high probability of receiving an access error even with a European IP.

Setting up a proxy in the browser: step-by-step guide

The easiest way is to set up a proxy through a browser extension. This takes 5–7 minutes and requires no technical knowledge. We will break it down using Google Chrome and the Proxy SwitchyOmega extension (free, over 2 million users).

Step 1: Install the extension

Open the Chrome Web Store, search for "Proxy SwitchyOmega," and click "Add to Chrome." After installation, an extension icon — a gray circle — will appear in the upper right corner of the browser.

Step 2: Create a proxy profile

Click on the extension icon → "Options" → in the left menu, click "+" (New profile) → enter a name, for example, "Figma_Notion" → select the type "Proxy Profile" → click "Create."

In the opened form, fill in the fields:

• Protocol — select SOCKS5 (recommended) or HTTPS
• Server — paste the proxy server address (provided upon purchase)
• Port — port number (usually 8080, 3128, or 1080)
• Username / Password — login and password for authentication

Click "Apply changes" — the profile is saved.

Step 3: Set rules for specific sites

To make the proxy work only for Figma and Notion (and not for the entire browser), create an "Auto Switch" profile: in the left menu, click "+" → "Auto Switch Profile." Add the following rules:

• Condition Type: "Domain wildcard" → Condition: *.figma.com → Profile: "Figma_Notion"
• Condition Type: "Domain wildcard" → Condition: *.notion.so → Profile: "Figma_Notion"
• Default: "Direct" (all other traffic goes directly)

Save and activate the "Auto Switch" profile by clicking on the extension icon. Now Figma and Notion will open through the proxy, while banking sites and Russian services will connect directly.

Step 4: Check the connection

Open figma.com — if the page loads without errors, everything is set up correctly. For additional verification, visit whatismyipaddress.com with the proxy active — it should display an IP from the selected country (Germany, Netherlands, etc.).

Setting up through an anti-detect browser for the team

If you work in a team or manage multiple work profiles (for example, accounts for different clients in Figma), it is more convenient to use an anti-detect browser. This allows each team member to have a separate browser profile with their own proxy — no mixing of sessions and cookies.

Popular anti-detect browsers for this task include Dolphin Anty, AdsPower, GoLogin, Multilogin. All of them support the Russian language and have free plans for small teams.

Setting up a proxy in Dolphin Anty (example)

Dolphin Anty is one of the most popular anti-detect browsers in the Russian-speaking community. Setting up a proxy takes less than a minute:

1. Open Dolphin Anty → click "Create profile"
2. In the "Proxy" section, select the type: SOCKS5 or HTTP
3. Enter the proxy data: host, port, login, password
4. Click "Check proxy" — the system will show the country and connection speed
5. Save the profile and launch the browser
6. In the opened window, go to figma.com or notion.so

For the team, create a separate profile for each employee with individual proxies. This is especially important for Figma: if several people log in from one IP, the service may consider it suspicious and block the account.

Features of working with Figma through a proxy

Figma is a more connection-demanding service than Notion. This is due to the fact that Figma operates in real-time: all changes are continuously synchronized with the server. Here’s what to consider:

Figma Desktop vs browser version

The Figma desktop application uses the system proxy settings of the operating system. For it to work through a proxy, you need to set the proxy at the system level (Windows: "Settings → Network → Proxy") or use a special tool — Proxifier or similar. This is more complicated than setting up an extension in the browser.

For most users, it is easier to use the browser version of Figma (figma.com) — it is fully functional and works through the proxy extension in the browser without additional settings.

Is high speed necessary?

For comfortable work with Figma, a speed of 5–10 Mbps through the proxy is sufficient. If the speed is lower — delays will be noticeable when moving objects and loading images. Residential proxies with European IPs (Germany, Netherlands, Poland) usually provide speeds of 20–50 Mbps — this is more than enough.

Figma and WebSocket

Figma uses WebSocket for real-time synchronization. Most HTTP and SOCKS5 proxies support WebSocket without issues. If you see a "Connection lost" error or your colleagues' cursors do not appear — try switching from HTTP to SOCKS5 proxy. SOCKS5 handles WebSocket connections better.

Features of working with Notion through a proxy

Notion is less demanding on the connection than Figma but has its nuances. The service periodically checks the geolocation of the IP and may request reauthorization if the IP has changed since the last login.

Static IP vs rotating

For Notion, it is critically important to use a static (sticky) IP, not a rotating one. Rotating proxies change the IP with every request or every few minutes — Notion perceives this as suspicious activity and blocks the session, requiring re-login. With a static IP, you log in once and work uninterrupted all day.

Notion Desktop App

The Notion desktop application (Windows and macOS) also uses the system proxy settings. If you prefer to work in the desktop application, set the system proxy:

• Windows: Start → Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy → "Use a proxy server" → enter the address and port
• macOS: System Preferences → Network → select connection → Advanced → Proxies → enable SOCKS proxy → enter the data

After this, the Notion desktop application will automatically use the proxy. Remember that the system proxy applies to all applications — if you do not want this, use the browser version with the extension.

Notion AI and integrations

Notion AI features and integrations (Google Drive, Slack, GitHub) also work through the proxy without additional settings — provided that the proxy is set at the browser or system level. Exception: if the integration requires OAuth authorization through a third-party service (for example, Google), make sure that this service is also accessible through the chosen proxy.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Over several years of working with proxies for work tools, a list of typical mistakes made by beginners has accumulated. Let’s break down each one:

Mistake 1: Using free proxies

Free proxies are the most common source of problems. They are slow (100–500 ms latency compared to 20–50 ms for paid ones), unstable (disconnect without warning), and unsafe — your work traffic, including authorization cookies, passes through them. For Figma and Notion, where commercial projects are stored, this is an unacceptable risk.

Mistake 2: Rotating proxies instead of static

Rotating proxies are designed for scraping and mass requests — they constantly change IPs. For Figma and Notion, this is a disaster: services consider IP changes a sign of account hacking and require reauthorization. Always choose a static (sticky) IP with a session duration of at least 24 hours.

Mistake 3: Incorrect country selection

Choose EU or US countries — there, sanctions do not apply to users from blocked regions. The best options for speed and stability are Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Avoid exotic countries — proxies from Nigeria or Bangladesh may be blocked by Figma for other reasons.

Mistake 4: One proxy for the entire team

If 5–10 people simultaneously log into Figma from one IP — it looks like a botnet or mass hacking. Figma may block this IP, and the entire team will lose access. Allocate a separate proxy to each team member or at least to different accounts.

Mistake 5: Ignoring DNS leaks

A DNS leak occurs when the browser sends DNS requests directly through your provider, bypassing the proxy. As a result, the service sees that DNS requests are coming from Russia, even though HTTP traffic is from Germany. This can raise suspicions. To check, use dnsleaktest.com — all DNS servers should be from the proxy's country.

Checklist: check your setup in 5 minutes

Use this checklist after setting up the proxy to ensure everything is working correctly:

What to do if Figma still doesn't open

If Figma still shows an error after setting up the proxy, try the following:

1. Clear the browser cache and cookies (Ctrl+Shift+Delete) — old cookies with a Russian IP may interfere
2. Try another IP from the same country — the current IP may already be on Figma's blocklist
3. Switch from HTTP to SOCKS5 protocol
4. Check for DNS leaks via dnsleaktest.com
5. Try another country — for example, choose the Netherlands instead of Germany

Conclusion

Gaining stable access to Figma and Notion from restricted countries is a solvable task, and it does not require deep technical knowledge. Key takeaways from this article:

• Proxies are better than VPNs for work tools: they work precisely, are faster, and do not conflict with corporate networks
• For Figma and Notion, you need residential or mobile proxies — data center ones are blocked by these services
• Always use a static (sticky) IP — changing the address interrupts the session
• Setting up through the Proxy SwitchyOmega extension takes 5–7 minutes and requires no coding knowledge
• For teams, it is more convenient to use an anti-detect browser (Dolphin Anty, AdsPower) with a separate proxy for each profile

If you plan to use Figma or Notion for professional work — we recommend starting with residential proxies: they provide a stable connection, look like an ordinary home user from the perspective of any service, and are suitable for both individual work and small teams. If you need maximum reliability without a single connection drop throughout the workday — consider mobile proxies: they use IPs from mobile operators, which rarely end up in blocklists.