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Proxiphy

Proxiphy is a macOS app that routes selected applications through a SOCKS5 proxy without changing the system-wide proxy settings.

type
tool
year
2026
stack
macOS / Network Extension / SOCKS5 / TCP/UDP
linksProxiphy

guide: usage guide

privacy: privacy policy

contact: contact page

contextoverview

Built for situations where only one app needs a specific network route, Proxiphy works below browser or macOS proxy settings by matching selected apps through their signing identifiers. It can apply, start, stop and uninstall the active network configuration, supports optional DNS bypass to a configurable server, and exposes live extension state with throughput, active relays, UDP datagrams, internal drops, write errors and internal latency. The final quality still depends on the proxy in use, including latency, packet loss, UDP support and IPv4 or IPv6 connectivity.

Choose an installed app, apply the network profile, and monitor live TCP and UDP traffic through a native Network Extension.

usage guide

Route selected macOS apps through SOCKS5 without changing the global proxy.

An updated guide to configuring Proxiphy, applying its macOS App Proxy extension, using the menu bar helper and reading live routing metrics.

overview

per-app routing

Proxiphy routes traffic from specific macOS applications through a SOCKS5 proxy without changing the system-wide proxy.

It is designed for cases where only one app should use a proxy while the rest of the system keeps using the normal connection.

01

what Proxiphy does

Proxiphy installs a macOS Network Extension of the App Proxy type. This extension is registered with the system and can remain active even if you close the Proxiphy window.

When you apply a configuration, Proxiphy tells macOS which applications should be intercepted. Traffic from those apps is redirected to the configured SOCKS5 proxy. Other applications are not affected.

The main app is used to configure, apply, stop and uninstall the extension. The optional menu bar icon works as a status indicator and a quick way to open Proxiphy.

02

requirements

  • macOS compatible with Network Extension.
  • A SOCKS5 proxy reachable from the Mac.
  • For applications that use UDP traffic, the SOCKS5 proxy must support UDP Associate.
  • System permissions to install and run a Network Extension.
03

important note about UDP

Many streaming, gaming, remote desktop and real-time communication apps use UDP. For them to work well with Proxiphy, the SOCKS5 server must support UDP correctly.

If the proxy only supports TCP, some apps may open, sign in or show parts of their interface, but fail during transmission, cut out, lose packets or never start the stream.

  • TCP CONNECT.
  • UDP Associate.
  • Good sustained bandwidth.
  • Low latency between the Mac, the proxy and the final destination.
04

basic setup

When you apply the configuration, Proxiphy installs or updates the Network Extension configuration and starts routing.

  1. 01Open Proxiphy.
  2. 02In the Config tab, enter the SOCKS5 proxy host or IP address.
  3. 03Enter the proxy port, for example 1080.
  4. 04Optionally enable DNS bypass and define the DNS server you want to use, such as 8.8.8.8.
  5. 05Under Installed apps, select the application you want to route.
  6. 06Review the Routing targets section.
  7. 07Press Apply & Start.
05

selecting apps

Proxiphy lets you select installed applications and automatically adds the required signing identifiers when possible.

Some apps, especially Electron-based apps or apps with helper processes, use several internal binaries. In those cases, Proxiphy may add several related targets, not only the app's main identifier.

You can also use Advanced identifiers to review or manually adjust the identifiers that will be applied.

06

Current and After Apply

The Routing targets section shows two columns. Current contains the targets currently installed in the Network Extension. After Apply contains the targets that will be applied if you press Apply & Start.

If you change the proxy, DNS or targets, press Apply & Start so those changes are passed to the installed extension.

status

status and live metrics

The Status tab shows the active profile and live statistics from the extension. These metrics help detect performance problems, packet loss or proxies that do not handle UDP well.

Active relays
Connections or flows currently managed by Proxiphy.
Throughput
Approximate traffic passing through the extension.
UDP d/s
UDP datagrams per second.
UDP dropped
UDP datagrams dropped internally.
UDP pending max
Maximum number of pending UDP datagrams in the queue.
Write errors
Errors while writing traffic back to the application.
DNS bypass
Whether DNS bypass is being used by the active configuration.
menu

menu bar

In the Config tab you can enable Show menu bar. This adds a small Proxiphy helper to the menu bar. The icon shows the extension status.

A normal icon means Proxiphy is routing traffic. A dim icon means Proxiphy is not routing or there is no active status.

The menu bar menu lets you view the status and open Proxiphy. Configuration actions such as start, stop and uninstall are managed from the main app.

If you disable Show menu bar, Proxiphy removes the helper from the menu bar.

closing

what happens when you close Proxiphy

Closing the Proxiphy window closes the main app, but it does not necessarily stop the Network Extension.

If the extension is active, it can keep routing traffic even when Proxiphy is not open. This is normal: the extension is managed by macOS.

To stop routing, open Proxiphy and press Stop Routing. To remove the installed configuration, press Uninstall.

system

system settings

After applying a configuration, macOS may show Proxiphy in System Settings under Network, VPN, filters or network extensions, depending on the macOS version.

This means a Network Extension configuration is installed. It does not mean that the global system proxy has been changed.

stop

Stop Routing vs Uninstall

Stop Routing stops the extension but keeps the installed configuration.

Uninstall removes the Proxiphy configuration from the system. Use it when you want to leave the system clean or fully remove the Network Extension configuration.

limits

limitations

Proxiphy depends on macOS Network Extension capabilities. Some applications may use traffic patterns, helper processes or network mechanisms that require adding several targets.

Performance depends heavily on the SOCKS5 proxy. If the proxy has high latency, limited bandwidth, poor UDP support or packet loss, the experience can degrade.

Proxiphy does not turn a TCP-only proxy into a UDP proxy. If an app needs real UDP, the SOCKS5 server must support it.

Proxiphy does not change the global macOS proxy. It only affects the configured targets.

recommendations

recommendations

  • Test the proxy first with Test Proxy.
  • For streaming, games or remote desktops, use a SOCKS5 proxy with UDP.
  • Keep the target list as specific as possible.
  • If an app does not work, check whether it uses helper processes.
  • Use Status to check throughput, UDP dropped and write errors.
  • Use Uninstall if you want to leave the system in a clean state.
quick summary

quick summary

  1. 01Configure the SOCKS5 proxy.
  2. 02Select the app.
  3. 03Press Apply & Start.
  4. 04Check status and metrics.
  5. 05Use Stop Routing to stop.
  6. 06Use Uninstall to remove the configuration.

team

People involved in this one.

The people behind this project.