Proxy servers are handy ways to keep yourself private online, and it’s easy to set one up on Windows. However, there may be times you want to turn your proxy server off, only to forget how you got it going in the first place.
If you want to go back to using your default settings, here’s how to reset the proxy server settings on Windows 11, and why you might want to.
What Is a Proxy Server?
A proxy server is a server that acts as an intermediary between a client and another server. A client connects to the proxy server and asks it to make a request on its behalf. This could be something like downloading a file, connecting to a web page, or accessing other resources available from a different server.
People use a proxy server for many reasons. For one, browsing the internet through a proxy server means that all the websites you visit will see the IP address of the server you’re connecting through, rather than your own. For instance, someone in the US can use a proxy server from Germany to browse a website, and the website will see the German server’s IP instead of the user’s.
In a similar vein, proxy servers can skirt around regional blocks. If a website only allows people with German-based IP addresses to connect to it, people can use a German-based proxy server to “trick” it into letting them in.
To use a proxy server on Windows, you need to tell the operating system to connect through a specific IP. This is done through the proxy settings, which we’ll be disabling in this piece.
Why Might You Want to Disable Your Proxy Settings on Windows?
There are several reasons why you might want to disable your proxy settings. Maybe you’re no longer using a proxy server, or maybe you’re troubleshooting connection issues and need to rule out the proxy as the cause.
In any case, disabling the proxy is easy. In fact, you can even disable the proxy settings page altogether if you’d like. Here’s how to do both on a Windows device.
How to Turn Off the Proxy Settings on Windows 11
If you just want to go back to your default connection settings, you can do so using System Settings or the Control Panel.
1. How to Turn Off the Proxy Settings Using System Settings
Proxy settings on Windows can be disabled in a few different ways. The most common way is to disable them through the System settings. This can be done by navigating to the Settings tab and turning off the proxy settings. The steps are as follows:
- Press Win + I to open the Settings menu.
- Go to the left pane and select Network & internet.
- Select Proxy from the right-side menu.
- Under Automatic proxy setup, turn off Automatically detect settings.
- Scroll down to Manual proxy setup and click on the Setup button (next to “Use a proxy server”).
- Next, toggle off the Use a proxy server slider.
After disabling your proxy settings, your computer will no longer use the proxy server. In order to enable proxy settings again, navigate back to the same page and enable the same sliders that you disabled previously.
2. How to Turn Off the Proxy Settings Through Control Panel
You can also disable proxy settings on Windows via the Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open Control Panel (see ways to open Control Panel on Windows).
- Go to the upper right corner of the Control Panel and change “View by” to Large icons or Small icons.
- Click on Internet Options.
- Go to the Connections tab, and then click on the LAN settings button.
- Next, uncheck the boxes for Use a proxy server and Use a proxy server for your LAN.
- Click OK to save the changes
- In the Internet Properties window, click Apply and OK.
Once you perform the above steps, the proxy settings on your computer have now been disabled.
How to Disable the Proxy Settings on Windows 11
If you’d rather disable the proxy settings altogether to prevent other people from adding them without your permission, here’s how to do that on Windows 11.
1. How to Disable Proxy Settings By Tweaking the Registry
There is another way to disable proxy settings in Windows by tweaking the Windows registry. The process is relatively simple, but if you are unfamiliar with editing the registry, it may result in permanent damage to your computer. The best thing to do in this situation is to leave it to a professional if you have no experience with it.
If you’re going in by yourself, be sure to check out how to back up your Registry before you begin. Once you’re done, here are the steps to disable feedback notifications:
- Open the Registry Editor (see how to open the Registry Editor if you need help.)
- In the Registry Editor window, go to the following path:
Computer\HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings - Now right-click on “Internet Settings” and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Assign the name ProxySettingsPerUser to the newly created DWORD.
- Double-click the new DWORD and set 1 as its Value data.
- Click OK to save these changes.
After completing the above steps, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
2. How to Disable Proxy Settings via the Local Group Policy Editor
It is also possible to disable proxy settings on your Windows computer using the Local Group Policy editor. This tool only works with Windows Professional and Enterprise editions, so if you’re using Windows Home edition, you won’t be able to access the Local Group Policy editor. For these steps to work, you must first activate Windows Home’s Group Policy Editor.
To disable proxy settings via the Local group policy editor, follow these steps:
- Open the Run dialogue box (see how to open the Windows Run command dialog box for more information.)
- In the search box, type “gpedit.msc” and press Enter.
- Navigate to the following path in the Group Policy Editor window:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer - Double-click on the Prevent changing proxy settings policy in the right pane.
- Choose Enabled from the dialog box that appears.
- Once you’ve made your changes, click Apply and OK.
- Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
After completing the steps, you won’t be able to access the proxy settings in the Settings app or through the Control Panel.
Disable the Proxy Settings With Ease on Windows
Although a proxy server is an intermediary server, it may not be needed at all times. Maybe you’re no longer using a proxy server, or maybe you want to diagnose connection problems without a proxy. No matter what your reasons are, you can turn off or disable the proxy through System Settings, Control Panel, Group Policy, or the Registry Editor.