Your proxy, on the whole computer
A free client that takes a SOCKS5 or HTTP proxy and puts it where you need it: on one program, on everything except a few, or on the whole machine. Proxies from any provider work, and an account is optional.
- Platforms
- Windows x64 and macOS on Apple Silicon
- Price
- Free, with or without a Proxya account
- Proxies
- SOCKS5 and HTTP, from any provider
- Interface
- English, Russian and Chinese
Two ways to connect
Both send the same traffic to the same proxy. They differ in how programs are caught and in what they ask of the system.
| Tunnel | System proxy | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Every program, the terminal included | Programs that read the system proxy setting |
| Administrator rights | Once, to install the service | Not needed |
| UDP and QUIC | Yes, when the proxy carries UDP | No |
| Kill switch | Windows | Not applicable |
| Beside another VPN | Routes compete, so use the other mode | Works |
Beside another VPN the two tunnels compete for the same routes and the narrower one wins. On Windows the app checks which adapter carries the traffic after connecting and disconnects with an explanation instead of showing a connection that is not in effect.
What it does
Rules per website
Send chosen sites through the proxy and keep the rest direct, or the other way round. Addresses and whole subnets can be listed too.
Rules per program
All programs, all except the ones you pick, or only the ones you pick. The list is built from what is running and from any file you point at.
Handshake masking
The proxy handshake and the first packet are split across two segments with a short random pause, so neither the destination address nor the site name travels whole. On by default. It is not encryption.
DNS of your choice
By default names are resolved by the proxy, which keeps lookups inside the proxy connection. Cloudflare, Google, Quad9 and AdGuard are available over DNS over HTTPS through the proxy.
UDP and QUIC
In tunnel mode UDP goes through the proxy when the proxy supports it, which is what video calls and HTTP/3 need. The app checks for UDP before connecting.
Kill switch
On Windows, traffic that is not on the tunnel adapter is blocked while the switch is armed. A dead engine means no connection rather than a quiet fallback to the open network.
Any proxy, checked before it is saved
Paste a proxy in the format your provider gives you, including host:port:user:pass and a full socks5:// address. The clipboard button takes a whole list at once.
Check dials the proxy before it is saved and prints where the address sits, how fast it answers and whether UDP passes through it.
Residential proxies without leaving the app
Sign in to a Proxya account and the app generates residential proxies from your traffic balance. Pick the country, a sticky address for a chosen time or rotation, and UDP.
Signing in also brings in your datacenter, ISP and mobile orders, so an order is one click from being connected. Without an account the app works the same way on proxies you add by hand.
Residential proxiesInstalling it
Windows
Run the installer. It installs for the whole machine. Builds are not signed with a certificate yet, so SmartScreen shows an unknown publisher. Compare the checksum first, then choose More info and Run anyway.
macOS
Open the disk image and move the app across. The build is ad hoc signed and not notarized, so the first launch needs the steps in the installation guide.
The tunnel service
Tunnel mode needs a small service that runs as the system account, because that is what a virtual adapter requires. The installer registers it and the system asks once. System proxy mode needs neither.
Limits worth knowing before you download
- The kill switch is available on Windows and not on macOS.
- The macOS build supports Apple Silicon. Intel Macs are not supported.
- IPv6 is off by default and should stay off unless the proxy carries IPv6.
- Beside another VPN, use system proxy mode.
- Which destinations and ports are reachable depends on your proxy provider.
Frequently asked
Is Proxya Desktop free?
Yes, and a Proxya account is optional. Add proxies from any provider by hand and the app never asks you to sign in. Signing in adds your Proxya orders and the residential generator.
Does it work with proxies from another provider?
Yes. It takes any SOCKS5 or HTTP proxy with or without a password. The account part of the app is the only piece tied to Proxya.
Is it a VPN?
The tunnel is a local VPN in the sense that it creates a virtual network adapter on your own machine, and the traffic leaves through your proxy. There is no server of ours in the middle.
Can I put one program on the proxy and leave the rest alone?
Yes. Choose Only the chosen in Routing and add the program. Everything else keeps the ordinary connection.
Does it work next to another VPN?
In system proxy mode yes. In tunnel mode the two compete for routes, and on Windows the app detects that and disconnects with an explanation rather than pretending to be connected.
Where are proxy passwords kept?
Encrypted on disk, with the key in Windows Credential Manager or the macOS Keychain. Copying the folder to another machine carries neither the passwords nor the account session.
