How to Set Up Proxies on Android

System Apps (Device-Wide)

These applications create a local VPN tunnel on your phone. They allow you to route all traffic (or the traffic of selected apps) through your SOCKS5 proxy with authentication.

1. SocksDroid Recommended

Free, open-source, does not require root access.

Step 1: Download the app from GitHub or F-Droid.
Step 2: Open the app and tap Add Proxy. Select the SOCKS5 type.
Step 3: Enter the Server IP and Port.
Step 4: Check ✅ Enable Authentication and enter your Username and Password.
Step 5: Tap Start in the top corner and allow the Android system to create a VPN connection.
Step 6: Verify your IP on whoer.net or ipinfo.io.

Pros: No root required, extremely lightweight (runs in the background without draining the battery), supports selecting specific apps to proxy (Split Tunneling).

2. Postern Flexible Routing

A popular app with advanced traffic routing rules.

Step 1: Install the app from Google Play.
Step 2: Go to the side menu, select Proxies → Add Proxy. Choose the SOCKS5 server type.
Step 3: Fill in Server Address, Port, Username, Password, and save.
Step 4: Go to the "Rules" section and configure a rule. You can select Match All (proxy everything) or set up rules for specific domains/apps.
Step 5: On the main page, toggle the switch (VPN On) to activate the local tunnel.

Pros: Flexible rules (by domain, by app), supports proxy chains.

3. ProxyDroid Requires ROOT

An old but incredibly powerful app for devices with superuser access. It operates at the iptables level (below the system VPN API), so it does not create a VPN key icon in the status bar.

Step 1: Install the app (Play Store / XDA).
Step 2: Open settings and enter the Host (Server IP) and Port.
Step 3: Select Proxy Type as SOCKS5.
Step 4: Check ✅ Enable Authentication and enter your Username and Password.
Step 5: In the Feature Settings section, choose the mode (Global Proxy for the entire device, or Individual Proxy for specific apps).
Step 6: Tap Proxy Switch to activate and grant Root access when prompted by SuperSU/Magisk.

Cons: Mandatory root access required, outdated interface.

4. Setup via Ki4a

Ki4a is a powerful tool for advanced users that allows you to create SSH and Socks tunnels and inject HTTP headers.

Step 1: Download Ki4a from APKPure and install the APK.
Step 2: Go to the SOCKS tab.
Step 3: Enter the settings in the IP:Port format. In the authentication section, enter your username and password.
Step 4: Activate the VPN-service in settings and tap Connect. Your traffic will be locally routed into SOCKS5 before reaching the network.

5. Setup via Proxifier for Android

The mobile version of the legendary desktop routing solution. Officially absent from the modern Play Store, but you can find installation files.

Step 1: Install Proxifier for Android.
Step 2: Go to Proxy Servers → Tap + (Add).
Step 3: Set Protocol to SOCKS v5. Enter the Server Address and Port.
Step 4: Enable the Authentication function and enter Username / Password. Tap OK.
Step 5: Configure Rules by selecting the Default rule and linking it to the created server. Tap Start on the main screen.

6. Setup via v2rayNG

A very powerful modern client for Android, initially created for bypassing censorship (V2Ray / Xray), but works perfectly with classic SOCKS5.

Step 1: Download the APK from the releases page on GitHub.
Step 2: Tap the ➕ button in the top right corner and select Type manually[SOCKS].
Step 3: Fill in the "Remarks" field (any name), "Address" (IP), and "Port".
Step 4: Enter your username in the "Username" field and your Rich Proxy password in the "Password" field.
Step 5: Tap Save (the checkmark). Select the created profile in the list so it highlights in blue.
Step 6: Tap the round button (V) in the bottom right corner to connect.

7. Setup via SagerNet

A universal and modern client built on the sing-box/v2ray core. Supports almost every existing protocol, including SOCKS5 with authentication.

Step 1: Install SagerNet from Google Play or F-Droid.
Step 2: Open the Profiles tab, tap + and select Add manually → SOCKS.
Step 3: Fill in the Server Name, Address (IP), and Server Port.
Step 4: Toggle the "Authentication" switch and enter your Username and Password.
Step 5: Select this profile in the list so that a checkmark appears on it, go to the Home screen, and start the VPN connection.

App-Specific Setup

If you don't need to proxy your entire phone, many applications have their own built-in settings for connecting to SOCKS5. This is the safest and fastest method.

Telegram for Android

Go to Settings.
Select Data and Storage.
Scroll down and select Proxy Settings.
Tap Add Proxy and choose the SOCKS5 type.
Enter: Server (IP), Port, Username, and Password. Tap the checkmark to save. The connection will verify automatically, and a shield icon will appear in the Telegram header.

Torrent Clients (Flud, LibreTorrent)

Proxying P2P traffic is critically important for anonymity when downloading.

Go to Settings → Network.
In the "Proxy Settings" section, select the SOCKS5 type.
Enter the Host (IP), Port, Username, and Password.
Important: Ensure the Use proxy for peer connections (P2P) checkbox is enabled; otherwise, your real IP will "leak" to other participants in the swarm.

Setup in Mobile Browsers

Firefox for Android (Native Support)

Firefox is the only major mobile browser with full engine-level support for SOCKS5.

Method A: Via browser system settings (about:config)

Enter about:config in the address bar.
Use the search to find and modify these parameters:
- network.proxy.socks → Enter the IP address.
- network.proxy.socks_port → Enter the port.
- network.proxy.socks_remote_dns → Set to true (to prevent DNS leaks).
- network.proxy.type → Set to 1 (Activate manual settings).
When you try to load any webpage, a standard browser popup will appear asking you to enter the proxy Username and Password.

⚠️ Important: In regular stable Firefox, about:config access is disabled by Mozilla developers. To use this method, you will need to download Firefox Nightly or Fennec F-Droid.

Method B: Via Add-ons

Install the FoxyProxy, SOCKS5 Proxy Filter, or Socks Proxy add-on from the "Add-ons" tab in Firefox. Enter the IP, Port, Username, and Password in the extension's interface.

Google Chrome / Edge / Samsung Internet

These browsers are Chromium-based and on Android they do not support using a SOCKS5 proxy with a username and password directly, as they rely entirely on the OS system settings.

Solution: To proxy them, you must use VPN tunnels like SocksDroid or Postern (outlined in Section 1).

Setup via Termux (For Advanced Users)

Termux provides a full Linux terminal on Android without root access. This is the optimal method for running scripts, parsers, and utilities.

Using Proxychains-ng

Step 1: Install Termux, update packages: pkg update && pkg upgrade
Step 2: Install Proxychains: pkg install proxychains-ng
Step 3: Edit the config: nano $PREFIX/etc/proxychains.conf
Step 4: Scroll to the very end of the file, comment out socks4 127.0.0.1 9050 by placing a # before it, and add a line with your data:
socks5 192.168.1.1 1080 user1 pass1
Step 5: Press Ctrl+O to save and Ctrl+X to exit.
Step 6: Run the desired utility (e.g., curl) with the prefix: proxychains4 curl https://ipinfo.io

What NOT to do

Avoid the following mistakes so you don't waste time or put yourself at risk:

System Wi-Fi Settings

Settings → Wi-Fi → Advanced → Proxy → Manual. There is NO system-level option to authenticate via a password when selecting the SOCKS protocol here. If you try to enter login:password@IP directly into the "Host" field, it will not work! The URL format is not supported by the Android system daemon.

Entering Proxies Directly Into The Address Bar

Constructs like socks5://user:pass@ip:port typed into the address bar of mobile Chrome or Firefox are interpreted by the browser as search queries, not as commands to change network settings.

Free No-Name Proxy Apps With Ads

Hundreds of free "VPN Proxy" utilities on Google Play intercept your traffic with their MitM certificates, selling your personal data to marketers (or worse). Use only open-source software from GitHub or trusted profile solutions from our list.

Security Recommendations

Password Protection: Do not save your proxy credentials in third-party modded APK clients downloaded from forums. There is a real risk of access leaks.
Choosing a Provider: Use premium SOCKS5 proxies from Rich Proxy. Free open (public) SOCKS5 servers almost always log absolutely all traffic passed through them and steal passwords.
Split Tunneling: In apps like SocksDroid and v2rayNG, use the "Per-App Proxy" feature to route only necessary software (e.g., Telegram) through the SOCKS5. This saves battery life and won't slow down background updates for the rest of your Android OS.
DNS Leaks: Mobile Android might bounce your DNS queries outside the SOCKS tunnel. After enabling SocksDroid, always open dnsleaktest.com in your browser and ensure only your proxy provider's DNS servers are listed.

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Tip:

With the evolution of the industry, many proxy providers release their own proprietary Android clients that fully automate the authentication process (you simply enter a purchase key / token), download up-to-date lists of geo-servers, and let you switch IPs "in one click". Always check for this functionality in your control panel before pursuing a manual setup.

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Connect Proxy on Android