Error messages

“Safari can’t connect to the web proxy server” on Mac

A web proxy is set in the network settings, and Safari cannot reach it. Every web page then fails.

Applies to: Safari on macOS 13 Ventura and later. The text was checked on macOS 27.2.Checked: 29 October 2026

Symptoms

Safari says: “Safari can’t open the page … because Safari can’t connect to the web proxy server (HTTP).”
Or it says the same about the “secure web proxy server (HTTPS)”.
Other browsers or apps that use the system proxy fail too.

A proxy app that stopped. A proxy or VPN app set a proxy on 127.0.0.1, then quit or crashed.
An old company proxy. The proxy works only on the company network or VPN.
A wrong address or port. The proxy setting has a typing error.
A PAC file that points to a dead proxy. Automatic proxy configuration can give a proxy that does not answer.

Show the proxy configuration that macOS uses now.
```
scutil --proxy
```
Show the HTTP and HTTPS proxy of the Wi-Fi service. Use your service name if it is not Wi-Fi.
```
networksetup -getwebproxy Wi-Fi
networksetup -getsecurewebproxy Wi-Fi
```
Show the PAC file setting.
```
networksetup -getautoproxyurl Wi-Fi
```
If the proxy is on 127.0.0.1, see if something listens on its port. Replace 7890 with the port.
```
lsof -nP -iTCP:7890 -sTCP:LISTEN
```

Safari's message says to open Safari Settings > Advanced and click Change Settings. This opens the network proxy settings.
Or choose Apple menu > System Settings > Network. Click the service, click Details, then click Proxies.
Turn off each proxy that you do not need. Click OK.
If a proxy app set the proxy, open the app again, or turn off its system proxy option.
On a company Mac, ask the administrator before you change the proxy.

Kilobat's connection doctor tests the site layer by layer: network, proxy, DNS, rules, IPv4, IPv6, TLS and the server. It names the layer that failed.
```
kilobat why https://example.com
```
The doctor reports the system proxy and the PAC file, and it tests the direct path too.
These Kilobat checks are free. AI agents run them through MCP with diagnose_connection and diagnose_network. See Find why one site or API won't connect.

Why do only browsers fail, while Terminal works?

Most Terminal tools do not read the system proxy. They read proxy variables such as https_proxy. See Proxy settings stop apps from connecting on a Mac.

Sources checked on 29 October 2026. Man pages are the ones installed with macOS; open one with man <name> in Terminal.