How to Disable Proxy Settings in Windows 11/10 Permanently

Published by Nyau Wai Hoe - Updated on

Proxy settings are configuration settings that allow a device to connect to the internet through a specific proxy server. In Windows 11/10, these settings can be changed by malicious programs or incorrect software installation, which can cause connection issues, such as slow webpage loading or the inability to load webpages altogether. It’s important to know how to disable these proxy settings if they are causing issues, which is where this guide comes in.

This guide will show you how to permanently disable any proxy settings you may have in Windows 11/10 through various methods. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your device is configured properly to connect to the internet without any proxy-related issues.

Also see: How to Disable VPN in Windows 11

Disable Proxy Settings in Windows 11 or 10 via Settings or IE

In previous versions of Windows, we had to navigate through Internet Explorer to configure proxy settings. While changing settings through IE still works in Windows 10/11, there is a more straightforward way to do this through the Settings app. Here’s how to disable proxy settings:

  1. Go to the Start Menu or Cortana.
  2. Search for “Settings” and open it.
  3. Select “Network & Internet.”Windows 10 Network and Internet Settings
  4. From the left pane, click on “Proxy.”Windows 10/11 Disable Proxy settings permanently
  5. Under “Automatic proxy setup,” switch on the “Automatically detect settings” option.
  6. Under “Manual proxy setup,” disable the “Use a proxy server” option.How to Disable Proxy Settings in Windows 11/10 Permanently
  7. Close the settings window and restart your PC.

Disabling proxy or configuring any proxy settings through the Settings app is now easier in Windows 10/11 than through Internet Explorer. However, if for any reason you must rely on Internet Options to change the proxy settings, here’s how:

  1. Open Internet Explorer.
  2. Click on the “Settings” icon and select Internet Options.
  3. Go to the Connections tab, then click on “LAN settings.”
  4. Enable “Automatically detect settings” and disable “Use a proxy server for your LAN.”Disable Proxy Settings Automatic IE LAN settings
  5. Click “OK” and reboot your computer.

Some have reported that the automatic proxy settings checkbox will sometimes be grayed out when attempting to set the proxy settings to automatic via LAN Settings in Internet Explorer, making it impossible to apply. If that’s the case, the method using the Settings app above should help to disable the proxy settings and set them to automatic in Windows 11/10.

Disable proxy settings via Registry

If neither of the two methods above works to successfully disable proxy settings in Windows 11/10, you can try the registry method instead. Caution: Registry editing may cause serious problems and may potentially corrupt your operating system if incorrect changes are made. Therefore, it’s recommended that you take caution and back up your registry or create a system restore point before attempting any registry edits.

  1. Press the “Win+R” key to open the Run window.
  2. Type “regedit” and hit Enter to open Registry Editor.
  3. In Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry path:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
  4. Double-click on the “ProxySettingsPerUser” registry.
  5. Change the value to “1“.

Disable Proxy Settings Registry Windows 11/10

If the “ProxySettingsPerUser” registry key doesn’t exist, create it by right-clicking anywhere on the right pane in the Internet Settings registry path, and click on “New” > “DWord (32-bit) Value“. Name it “ProxySettingsPerUser” and set its value to 1. This should disable any proxy settings and set them to automatically detect settings.

Create ProxySettingsPerUser registry value

Close Registry Editor and reboot your PC for it to take effect.

    If your proxy problem persists

    The proxy settings in the Settings app are correlated with the proxy settings in Internet Explorer. So, if the problem persists after trying to disable them, you may want to try resetting Internet Explorer settings. Note that doing so will also reset the security and privacy settings, such as sites you’ve whitelisted and blacklisted, and will wipe the parental control settings as well. Here’s a quick guide on how to reset IE settings:

    1. Open Internet Explorer in Windows and click on Internet Options.
    2. Go to the Advanced tab.
    3. Under “Reset Internet Explorer settings,” click on the “Reset” button.

    Reset Internet ExplorerIf you’re still experiencing connection issues, it may be worth checking your internet connection or contacting your internet service provider to ensure that there are no issues on their end.


    Nyau Wai Hoe
    Nyau Wai Hoe is the Founder and Chief Editor of WindowsDigitals.com. With a degree in software engineering and over 12 years of experience in the tech support industry, Nyau has established himself as an expert in the field, with a primary focus on the Microsoft Windows operating system. As a tech enthusiast, he loves exploring new technologies and leveraging them to solve real-life problems.

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