On this page 9 sections
What the message means
Browsers let extensions change the proxy through an API. In Chrome and Edge it is chrome.proxy, which needs the "proxy" permission (Chrome for Developers: chrome.proxy). Proxy switchers, provider extensions, VPN extensions and some ad blockers or "privacy" add-ons use it.
Only one extension can control the proxy at a time. Each extension can ask the browser who holds the setting, and gets one of four answers (chrome.types: LevelOfControl):
| Level of control | What it means | What you see |
|---|---|---|
controlled_ | this extension holds the proxy setting | the extension works |
controllable_ | nobody holds it; this extension can take it | the extension works once you turn it on |
controlled_ | another extension with higher precedence holds it | the extension says "proxy settings controlled by other extensions" and does nothing |
not_controllable | a policy set by an administrator holds it | no extension can change the proxy |
Chrome's documentation states the rule: "If two or more extensions want to set the same setting to different values, the extension installed most recently takes precedence over the other extensions", and policies set by an administrator override every extension. So the message is not an error in itself. It tells you that the extension you are looking at has lost the setting to another one, or that the browser's own proxy option is overridden by an extension.
Where you see it
- Chrome: Settings > System. Instead of only "Open your computer's proxy settings", Chrome names the extension that controls the setting and offers to turn it off.
- Edge: Settings > System and performance, the same notice.
- Firefox: Settings > General > Network Settings shows that an extension is controlling how Firefox connects to the internet, with a button to disable it.
- Inside a proxy extension's popup: a warning that another extension controls the proxy, so this one cannot apply its profile.
How to fix it in Chrome and Edge
- Open Settings > System (Edge: Settings > System and performance) and read which extension controls the proxy. Select Turn off if you don't need it.
- If no name is shown, open
chrome://extensions(Edge:edge://extensions) and switch off every extension with proxy or VPN features, one at a time, until the message disappears. - Turn back on the one proxy extension you want, if any, and select its profile again.
- Check the result on Settings > System, then open a proxy checker to see the IP that sites see.
Disabling the extension gives the setting back to the system proxy, which Chrome and Edge use by default. More on Chrome's own settings in Chrome proxy settings and browser proxy settings.
How to fix it in Firefox
- Open Settings > General, scroll to Network Settings and select Settings.
- Next to the notice that an extension controls the connection, select Disable Extension, or open
about:addonsand disable it there. - Choose the mode you want: No proxy, Use system proxy settings, or Manual proxy configuration.
Firefox can keep a proxy of its own, separate from the system's; see Firefox proxy setup.
Keep one proxy extension, not two
Two proxy extensions fight over one setting: the one installed most recently wins, and the other only shows the warning. If you use a switcher such as ZeroOmega (it replaces SwitchyOmega, which is disabled in current Chrome), FoxyProxy or Proxy Helper, disable every other extension that touches the proxy, VPN extensions included. Then open the switcher and select its profile again so it takes the setting. Proxy switchers compared helps you pick one.
To use ProxyField in a switcher, add a profile with host gate.proxyfield.io, port 7000 and HTTP as the protocol, then enter your username and password when the browser asks, or allowlist your IP in your account and use the port you set up in the dashboard instead of 7000. The username sets the location, for example <login>-country-us-city-new_york. Chrome does not send SOCKS5 logins, so use HTTP there (proxy authentication).
When a policy controls the proxy
If the browser says the setting is managed by your organization, no extension and no settings page can change it: an administrator's policy sets the proxy. Open chrome://policy and look for ProxySettings or ProxyMode to confirm. On a work device, ask the IT team. On a personal device you never enrolled in management, an unknown policy can come from unwanted software; run a security scan, then remove the policy or reset the browser.
If you didn't install the extension
An extension that controls your proxy without your knowledge can see and redirect your browsing, so treat it as unwanted:
- Remove it in
chrome://extensionsorabout:addons. - In Chrome, Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults disables all extensions and resets the proxy they set.
- Check the system proxy too, and turn it off if you didn't set it: how to turn off a proxy.
- Run your security software, then reinstall only the extensions you trust.
An extension proxy vs the system proxy
An extension changes the proxy only for the browser it runs in. Other browsers, apps and command-line tools keep using the system proxy or their own settings, so the warning in Chrome says nothing about the rest of the device. To see what the system itself uses, check what proxy settings are and the device steps there.
'Your Proxy Settings Are Controlled by an Extension' FAQ
What does "proxy settings controlled by other extension" mean?
ProxyField users see "proxy settings controlled by other extension" when another browser extension already holds the proxy setting, so the extension showing the message cannot point Chrome at ProxyField's gateway (gate.proxyfield.io:7000, residential proxies from $1.95/GB). Chrome lets only one extension control the proxy at a time. Disable the other proxy or VPN extensions, then select your profile again.
Why is Chrome using proxy settings from an extension?
Because an extension with the proxy permission took over Chrome's proxy, and Chrome follows it instead of the system settings. Settings > System names the extension and lets you turn it off.
Why did my proxy authentication extension stop working?
Usually because another extension took the proxy setting, a browser update disabled it, or the proxy password changed. Check the extensions page for conflicts, re-enter the login, and test with a proxy checker.
How do I troubleshoot a proxy extension that isn't working?
Disable every other proxy and VPN extension, reselect the extension's profile, and check Settings > System to see which extension holds the proxy. Then test the same host, port and login with curl to tell an extension problem from a proxy problem.
Do I need a proxy extension?
Only if you want to switch proxies quickly, use a proxy in one browser and not the whole device, or store a proxy login the browser would otherwise ask for. Otherwise, the system or browser proxy settings are enough.
What is a browser extension proxy?
It is a browser add-on that sets the browser's proxy for you, often with saved profiles, per-site rules and stored logins. It changes the proxy for that browser only, not for other apps.
What is the difference between open-source and provider-associated proxy extensions?
Open-source switchers work with any provider's proxies and let you inspect their code; provider extensions are built around one provider's account and locations. Either way, only one of them should control the proxy at a time.
Can a proxy extension read my browsing?
An extension that controls your proxy can send your browser traffic wherever it likes, and many extensions can read the pages you open. Install only extensions you trust, and remove any you didn't install.
Does a proxy extension change the proxy for other apps?
No. A browser extension sets the proxy only for the browser it runs in; other browsers, apps and command-line tools keep the system proxy or their own settings.