How to Set Up a Proxy on macOS Sonoma and Sequoia: System Preferences, Terminal, Safari, and Chrome

If you are working with multiple accounts, monitoring competitor prices, or just want to access the internet through a different IP — you need to properly set up a proxy on macOS. Apple regularly changes the interface of system settings, and what worked on Monterey or Ventura looks completely different on Sonoma and Sequoia. In this article, we will explore all current methods: through system settings, terminal, and for specific applications.

What You Need to Know Before Setting Up

Before diving into the settings, make sure you have all the data from the proxy server at hand. Without it, nothing will work. Here’s what you will need:

• IP address or hostname — the address of the proxy server (for example, gate.proxycove.com)
• Port — usually 3128, 8080, 1080, or another specified by the provider
• Protocol — HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS5
• Login and password — if the proxy requires authentication (most paid ones)

It is also important to understand the difference between types of proxies, as macOS configures them differently:

For most tasks — working with advertising accounts, managing social media accounts, monitoring marketplaces — SOCKS5 or HTTPS is optimal. HTTP proxies only work with browser traffic and do not intercept requests from applications. Keep this in mind.

Setting Up Through macOS Sonoma and Sequoia System Settings

This is the simplest method — the proxy applies to the entire system at once. Safari, most applications, and system services will automatically use the specified proxy. Let's break it down step by step.

Step 1. Open System Settings

Click on the Apple icon () in the upper left corner of the screen → select "System Settings". In Sonoma and Sequoia, this is a single section with a sidebar — do not confuse it with the old System Preferences from macOS Monterey.

Step 2. Go to the "Network" Section

In the sidebar, find and click "Network". You will see a list of network interfaces: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Thunderbolt Bridge, and others. Select the one that is currently active — usually, this is Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Step 3. Open Connection Details

Click the "Details…" button next to the active connection. In the window that opens, go to the "Proxies" tab.

Step 4. Select Proxy Type and Enter Data

You will see a list of protocols. Check the box next to the desired type:

• Web Proxy (HTTP) — for HTTP proxies
• Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS) — for HTTPS proxies
• SOCKS Proxy — for SOCKS5

After checking the box, fields for input will appear on the right. Fill in:

• Server — IP address or hostname of the proxy
• Port — port (for example, 1080 for SOCKS5)
• If authentication is needed — check the box "Proxy server requires password" and enter the username/password

Step 5. Exceptions (Bypass Proxy Settings)

In the "Bypass proxy settings for these Hosts & Domains" field, you can add addresses that will be opened directly, without the proxy. Usually, localhost, 127.0.0.1, and local network addresses like 192.168.0.* are added there.

Step 6. Save Settings

Click OK, then in the main network settings window, click "Apply". The proxy will start working immediately — no reboot is required. Check that the IP has changed by visiting any IP check service, for example, 2ip.ru.

Setting Up Proxy Through Terminal

The terminal is needed in two cases: when you want to quickly switch proxies without entering system settings, or when working with command-line tools (curl, wget, git, npm, and others) that do not automatically pick up the system proxy.

Setting Proxy via networksetup

macOS has a built-in utility networksetup, which allows you to manage network settings from the terminal. This achieves the same result as through the GUI, just faster.

Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal) and execute the desired command:

For HTTP Proxy:

networksetup -setwebproxy "Wi-Fi" 123.45.67.89 3128
networksetup -setwebproxystate "Wi-Fi" on

For HTTPS Proxy:

networksetup -setsecurewebproxy "Wi-Fi" 123.45.67.89 3128
networksetup -setsecurewebproxystate "Wi-Fi" on

For SOCKS5 Proxy:

networksetup -setsocksfirewallproxy "Wi-Fi" 123.45.67.89 1080
networksetup -setsocksfirewallproxystate "Wi-Fi" on

Replace "Wi-Fi" with the name of your interface (if you are using Ethernet — write "Ethernet"). You can find the list of interfaces with the command:

networksetup -listallnetworkservices

Disable Proxy:

networksetup -setwebproxystate "Wi-Fi" off
networksetup -setsecurewebproxystate "Wi-Fi" off
networksetup -setsocksfirewallproxystate "Wi-Fi" off

Environment Variables for Terminal Utilities

If you are using curl, wget, pip, npm, or git — they read the proxy from environment variables. Add them to the current terminal session:

export http_proxy="http://login:[email protected]:3128"
export https_proxy="http://login:[email protected]:3128"
export all_proxy="socks5://login:[email protected]:1080"

To have these variables applied automatically every time you start the terminal, add them to the ~/.zshrc file (if you are using Zsh, which is the default in macOS):

echo 'export http_proxy="http://login:[email protected]:3128"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export https_proxy="http://login:[email protected]:3128"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

After this, all command-line utilities will automatically use the proxy. You can check with the command:

curl -s https://api.ipify.org

If you receive the IP of the proxy server in response — everything is set up correctly.

Proxy for Safari: How to Set Up Separately

Safari is the only browser on macOS that does not have its own proxy settings. It fully uses the system settings of macOS. This means that if you set up a proxy through System Settings → Network → Proxies, Safari is already working through it.

However, if you need to open the proxy settings directly from Safari — this can be done through the browser menu:

1. Open Safari
2. In the top menu, click Safari → Preferences (or ⌘ + ,)
3. Go to the "Advanced" tab
4. At the very bottom, find the line "Proxies: Change Settings…"
5. Click — the network system settings will open, on the Proxies tab

This is just a shortcut to the same system settings. There are no separate proxies just for Safari. If you need isolation (one browser through a proxy, another directly), Safari is not suitable for this. In that case, use Chrome with an extension or an anti-detect browser.

Proxy for Google Chrome on macOS

Google Chrome on macOS also uses system proxy settings by default — just like Safari. But Chrome has several additional configuration methods that provide more flexibility.

Method 1. Through System Settings (Default)

If the proxy is set in System Settings → Network → Proxies, Chrome will automatically pick it up. You can check the current settings by opening the address chrome://net-internals/#proxy in Chrome — it will display which proxy is being used.

Method 2. Through an Extension (Recommended for Flexibility)

Extensions allow you to switch proxies with one click, without going into system settings. Popular options include:

• Proxy SwitchyOmega — the most popular extension. Allows you to create profiles with different proxies and switch between them from the icon in the toolbar. Supports HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5.
• FoxyProxy — an alternative with similar functionality, available for both Chrome and Firefox.

How to Set Up Proxy SwitchyOmega in Chrome:

1. Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store
2. Click on the extension icon → Options
3. In the left menu, click "New profile"
4. Name the profile (for example, "Proxy US")
5. Select type: Proxy Profile
6. Specify the protocol (SOCKS5/HTTP/HTTPS), server, and port
7. If authentication is needed — enter the username and password
8. Click Apply changes
9. Click on the extension icon in the toolbar and select the created profile

The main advantage of extensions is that Chrome operates through the proxy, while all other applications on Mac continue to use a direct connection. This is convenient when isolation is needed only for the browser.

Method 3. Launching Chrome with Command Line Parameters

You can launch Chrome with a specific proxy through the terminal — useful for automation or testing:

/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome \
  --proxy-server="socks5://123.45.67.89:1080" \
  --proxy-bypass-list="localhost;127.0.0.1"

When launched this way, Chrome will use only the specified proxy, ignoring system settings. Convenient for quickly testing a new proxy.

Proxy for Other Applications: Telegram, Zoom, Torrent Clients

Many applications on macOS ignore the system proxy and require separate configuration within themselves. Let's break down the most popular ones.

Telegram

Telegram has built-in support for proxies. To set it up:

1. Open Telegram → Settings (⌘ + ,)
2. Go to the "Privacy and Security" section
3. Scroll down to "Proxy Settings"
4. Enable "Use Proxy"
5. Select type: SOCKS5 or MTProto (the latter is only for Telegram)
6. Enter the server, port, username, and password
7. Click "Save"

Zoom

Zoom uses the system proxy settings of macOS, but you can also configure it manually:

1. Open Zoom → Settings
2. Go to "Network"
3. Click "Configure Proxy…"
4. Select "Use proxy server manually"
5. Enter the address and port

Torrent Clients (qBittorrent, Transmission)

Torrent clients usually support SOCKS5 — this is the preferred option as it redirects all traffic, including UDP.

qBittorrent: Settings → Connection → Proxy Server → select SOCKS5 type, enter the data.

Transmission: Settings → Network → "Proxy" tab → enable and enter the data.

For tasks that require directing all Mac traffic through a proxy without exceptions (including all applications), special tunnel clients are used: Proxifier, ProxyCap, or Surge. They intercept traffic at the system level and force it through the specified proxy.

Anti-detect Browsers on Mac: When System Settings Are Not Enough

If you are an arbitrageur, SMM specialist, or work with multiple accounts on one platform — system proxy settings will not solve your problem. Here’s why:

• The system proxy only changes the IP but does not change the browser fingerprint
• Facebook, Instagram, TikTok track not only the IP but also the Canvas fingerprint, User-Agent, screen resolution, time zone, and dozens of other parameters
• If you log in with two accounts with the same fingerprint — the platform will link them and block both

For multi-accounting, anti-detect browsers are used, which create a separate isolated profile for each account — with its own fingerprint, cookies, and proxy. The following work on macOS:

How to Add Proxy in Dolphin Anty on macOS

1. Open Dolphin Anty → go to the "Proxy" section in the left menu
2. Click "Add Proxy"
3. Select type: SOCKS5 or HTTP
4. Enter host, port, username, and password
5. Click "Check" — Dolphin will show the country and IP
6. Save the proxy and link it to the desired browser profile

For working with Facebook Ads and Instagram through an anti-detect browser on Mac, it is recommended to use mobile proxies — they have IPs from mobile operators, which social networks trust significantly more than data centers.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Let's discuss typical problems encountered when setting up a proxy on macOS Sonoma and Sequoia.

❌ Proxy is set, but IP does not change

Causes and Solutions:

• You did not click "Apply" after saving the settings — click Apply in the network settings window
• Incorrect proxy type — if you set HTTP, but the site works over HTTPS, you need to enable Secure Web Proxy separately
• The application ignores the system proxy — configure the proxy within the application itself
• The proxy is not working — check the data, it may have expired or the password is incorrect

❌ Sites do not open after enabling the proxy

• The proxy server is unavailable — check the ping to the proxy IP with the command ping 123.45.67.89
• Incorrect port — confirm the correct port for the chosen protocol with the provider
• The macOS firewall is blocking the connection — temporarily disable it in System Settings → Network → Firewall for testing
• The proxy requires authentication — check the box "Proxy server requires password" and enter the username/password

❌ Proxy works in the browser but not in the terminal

Terminal utilities (curl, git, npm) do not automatically use the macOS system proxy. You need to explicitly set the environment variables — as described in the terminal section above.

❌ macOS Sequoia resets proxy settings after an update

This is a known issue after major macOS updates. Solution: after each system update, check the proxy settings in System Settings → Network and re-enter the data if necessary. To automate, you can create a shell script with networksetup commands and add it to startup.

❌ Chrome shows the error ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED

• Check that the proxy server is running and accessible
• Ensure you have selected the correct protocol (HTTP vs SOCKS5)
• Try opening chrome://net-internals/#proxy and click "Re-apply settings"
• If using an extension — try switching to "Direct connection" and back

Which Type of Proxy to Choose for Your Task

Configuration is only half the battle. It is important to choose the right type of proxy for a specific task. Incorrect choices lead to blocks, slow performance, or unnecessary costs.

Protocol: HTTP vs SOCKS5 — Which to Choose?

If your provider supports both options — choose SOCKS5. Here’s why:

• SOCKS5 works with any type of traffic: HTTP, HTTPS, UDP (needed for games and VoIP)
• SOCKS5 does not add headers to requests and does not expose the real IP through X-Forwarded-For headers
• HTTP proxies only work with web traffic and sometimes add identifying headers
• SOCKS5 is supported by all anti-detect browsers and most applications

The exception is corporate networks and some specific tools that only support HTTP. In other cases, SOCKS5 is the preferred choice.

Conclusion

Setting up a proxy on macOS Sonoma and Sequoia is a task that can be accomplished in several ways depending on your goals. If you need to route all system traffic through a proxy — use System Settings → Network → Proxies. For terminal tools — use environment variables or the networksetup utility. For Chrome with flexible switching — use the Proxy SwitchyOmega extension. For multi-accounting in Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok — use anti-detect browsers with a separate proxy for each profile.

The main rule: the system proxy changes the IP but does not make you anonymous and does not protect against bans when working with multiple accounts. For serious tasks, a combination is needed: the right type of proxy + anti-detect browser.

If you plan to work with social networks, advertising accounts, or monitoring marketplaces from your Mac, we recommend paying attention to residential proxies — they provide real IPs of home users, minimal risk of blocks, and support for geo-targeting by country and city. For working with Facebook Ads and TikTok Ads, the optimal choice will be mobile IPs — platforms trust them significantly more than server addresses.