A proxy is an intermediary server that sits between a client application (like Postman) and the destination server that the client is communicating with (like an API). The proxy server acts as a security barrier, making requests on your behalf to websites and other internet resources, and preventing others from accessing your internal network.
By default, the Postman desktop app uses your system's configured proxy to send API requests or access the internet. If needed, you can enter authentication details for the
default proxy
in the Postman desktop app. You can also configure Postman to use the
system proxy
or a
custom proxy
when sending requests. If you haven't already,
download and install the Postman desktop app
to get started.
The steps below show how to configure Postman to use a proxy server when sending requests or accessing online resources. If you want to configure Postman's built-in proxy to capture API requests, see
Capturing request data overview
.
If you have configured a proxy for your local system, the Postman desktop app uses this proxy by default to send API requests or access any online resources. Learn more about
adding a proxy to your operating system
.
You can't configure the default proxy in the Postman web app. Instead, use the
system proxy
or a
custom proxy
for sending requests.
If the proxy server configured for your system requires basic authentication, add the credentials to the Postman desktop app.
To configure the default proxy, do the following:
In the Postman desktop app, select the settings icon
in the header and select
Settings
.
Select the
Proxy
tab.
Under
Default proxy configuration
, select the checkbox next to
This proxy requires authentication
.
Enter the
Username
and
Password
required by the proxy server.
Select
Save and Restart Postman
.
If you have configured a proxy for your local system, Postman can use this proxy to send API requests. Learn more about
adding a proxy to your operating system
.
To configure Postman to use the system proxy, do the following:
Select the settings icon
in the header and select
Settings
.
Select the
Proxy
tab.
Under
Proxy configurations for sending requests
, turn on the toggle next to
Use system proxy
.
(Optional) Turn on the toggle if you want Postman to use the
HTTP_PROXY
,
HTTPS_PROXY
, and
NO_PROXY
environment variables configured for your operating system.
Make sure the
Use custom proxy configuration
toggle isn't turned on. If both the system proxy and custom proxy options are enabled, Postman will use the custom proxy.
Configure a custom proxy to send API requests using a proxy server other than your system proxy. You can send HTTP requests, HTTPS requests, or both types of requests through the custom proxy.
To configure Postman to use a custom proxy, do the following:
Select the settings icon
in the header and select
Settings
.
Select the
Proxy
tab.
Under
Proxy configurations for sending requests
, turn on the toggle next to
Use custom proxy configuration
.
Enter information about the custom proxy:
Proxy type
- Select the type of requests you want to send through the proxy server. Both
HTTP
and
HTTPS
are selected by default.
Proxy server
- Enter the hostname or IP address of the proxy server and the port number. (Don't include the protocol before the hostname or IP address.)
Proxy auth
- Turn on this toggle if the proxy server requires basic authentication. Enter the
Username
and
Password
for the proxy server.
Proxy bypass
- Enter a comma-separated list of hosts. Requests sent to these hosts won't use the custom proxy.
If you're having problems sending requests from Postman, see the topics below for help resolving the issue.
For more help with configuration and request issues, see
Troubleshooting requests
.
Enable the
system proxy option
in Postman and make sure the proxy is configured for your operating system.
Windows
- Open
Settings
, select
Network & Internet
, and select
Proxy
. Under
Manual proxy setup
, turn on the toggle. Enter the proxy address and port, and then select
Save
.
macOS
- Open
System Preferences
and select
Network
. Select your active network connection, select
Advanced
, and select the
Proxies
tab. Select
Web Proxy (HTTP)
and enter the proxy address and port. You can also enter the username and password if needed. Select
OK
and then select
Apply
.
Linux
- (These steps may vary depending on your Linux distribution.) Open
Settings
, select
Network
, and turn on the
Network Proxy
option. Select
Automatic
or
Manual
, and then enter the configuration settings for your proxy.
In Postman, make sure both the system proxy and custom proxy are turned off.
Select the settings icon
in the header and select
Settings
.
Select the
Proxy
tab.
Clear the
Use system proxy
and
Use custom proxy configuration
checkboxes.
If you still can't send requests, the problem might be due to environment variables configured for your operating system. If there are environment variables, Postman will use the system proxy and ignore the proxy settings in Postman. Do one of the following:
Remove the environment variables
http_proxy
,
https_proxy
,
HTTP_PROXY
, and
HTTPS_PROXY
from your shell profile or operating system configuration.
Create an executable file using the code for your operating system. Run the file to open the Postman desktop app without any of the proxy environment variables set.
Windows
- Create a
postman.bat
file with the following code:
set HTTP_PROXY=''
set HTTPS_PROXY=''
set http_proxy=''
set https_proxy=''
start C:\path\to\Postman.exe
macOS or Linux - Create a postman.sh file with the following code:
http_proxy=''
https_proxy=''
HTTP_PROXY=''
HTTPS_PROXY=''
/path/to/postman
Make sure to configure basic authentication for the default proxy in the Postman desktop app.
You can also start Postman with the appropriate environment variables. Create an executable file using the code for your operating system. Run the file to open the Postman desktop app using your proxy configuration.
Windows - Create a postman.bat file with the following code:
set HTTP_PROXY=http://USER:PASS@host:port
set HTTPS_PROXY=https://USER:PASS@host:port
start C:\path\to\Postman.exe
