Microsoft has come a long way since early versions of Windows but it doesn’t mean the latest versions are perfect. Users of Windows 10/8/7 regularly face errors that distract their user-experience.
“Windows could not automatically detect this network’s proxy settings” is a common error that annoys hundreds of Windows users using WIFI routers. If you are also seeing this error, consider yourself in safe hands. Here, we will discuss this error and look at different methods to solve this problem for good.
Quick Overlook
Proxy Issues in Windows 10
Sometimes Windows is unable to autodetect proxy settings of your WIFI router and therefore throws this common error. However, it’s not as simple as it sounds. Windows can have many different proxy-related issues and the error could be due to any of those.
Sounds tricky? No need to worry as we will guide you through all the different proxy issues and what’s causing those issues.
First, let’s take a quick look at the most common proxy-related errors you could face when trying to connect to a network using a WIFI router.
| Windows could not automatically detect proxy server | When you see this message, it means there is a network issue. You will not be able to connect your PC to the internet. |
| Windows won’t save proxy settings | This is the error that typically appears when you cannot make or save changes to the proxy settings on your computer. |
| Windows proxy settings keep changing | This error usually appears when there is a frequent change in the proxy settings of your computer. When facing this error, you won’t be able to modify or change the proxy settings. |
| Windows 10 proxy settings not saving, changing | This is the most disturbing error to appear in the proxy settings. This error means that you are simply unable to configure or save changes to your proxy settings in Windows 10. |
| Windows unable to detect proxy settings | In this error, Windows is unable to detect proxy settings of your PC. Technically, it means Windows can’t read, write, or change any of the proxy settings in Windows 10. |
When you encounter any of these proxy and network errors when using Windows, you will either be unable to connect to a network or face slow connectivity. Sometimes, your Comcast or other devices won’t connect to the internet due to this error. It could frustrate you and make it impossible to use your computer normally.
Below, you will find a list of complete solutions to these proxy problems.
Restart Your Network Adaptor
When you face the error “Windows could not automatically detect this network’s proxy settings Windows 10,” the first thing you do is restart your network adaptor. Almost every other time, this simple hack fixes most network and proxy related errors.
When you reset or restart your network adaptor, it refreshes all connections and assigns new IP configurations to different network hardware including your WIFI router.
If you are not sure how to restart your network adaptor, simply follow the steps below.
- Right-click the network icon in the bottom right corner of your Windows desktop screen
- Choose ‘Open Network and Sharing Center’
- Click on ‘Change adaptor settings’ from the menu on the left
- Locate your network connection
- Right click your network and choose ‘disable’
- Now right click your network again and click ‘enable’ this time
These steps should reset/restart your network adaptor. Hopefully, it solves all your network issues.
Reset TCP/IP
To resolve this network proxy settings issue in Windows 10/8/7, you may have to reset TCP/IP connections. Misconfigured TCP/IP settings could easily be the reason you are unable to connect to the network or facing a slow connection.
Follow these easy steps below to reset your TCP/IP connections.
- Press Windows Key + X
- Select Command Prompt from the menu
- When you see the Command Prompt window, simply type the following command
Netsh.int IP reset resetlog.txt - Press the Enter key on your keyboard
- Restart your computer
Check Proxy Settings of Your Browser
One of the reasons you could be seeing proxy settings error in Windows 10 is the proxy settings of your browser. Resetting these configurations could help you get rid of this error. Here are easy steps to reset the proxy settings of your browser.
- Press Windows Key + R on the keyboard
- The Run dialogue appears, type the following command
Inetcpl.cpl - Now hit Enter
- This should bring up the error ‘Windows 10 can’t detect proxy settings’ as well as Internet Properties window
- Cancel the error for now and go to the Connections tab
- Click the LAN settings button
- A new window will appear
- Click on the Reset button
- Restart your PC for the settings to take effect
System Restore
If the above solutions haven’t worked for you, there is more you can do to fix this proxy network error. Instead of resetting a WIFI router or network adaptor, simply restore your PC to an earlier state before you started seeing the error. Luckily, Windows has a built-in system restore option that lets you perform this operation quickly and hassle-free.
System Restore works like a charm. It can help you solve not only proxy errors but also many other issues that could be the result of bad configurations of some sort. Here are the steps you need to follow to restore your system to an earlier state.
- Press Windows Key + S and enter ‘system restore’ in the search box
- Now select ‘Create a restore point from the list of results’
- A new window will open showing system properties
- Click on System Restore button
- This will bring up a new window
- Click Next on the new window
- Here, you can see a list of recent restore points that your OS automatically created for you
- You can also view additional restore points by clicking ‘Show additional restore points’ under the list
- Select the desired restore point and click on the Next button below
- Simply follow the instructions on the screen to complete the system restore process
It may take a few minutes before this wizard restores your computer to an earlier state. Once done, simply start using it again and see if the error appears again. If you have done everything right, you will not see the proxy error now.
Uninstall Antivirus Software
In some awkward situations, it’s your antivirus that’s causing an issue with proxy settings. As a result, you could be seeing a ‘Windows could not automatically detect proxy settings’ error.
If that’s the case, uninstalling or disabling your antivirus could help. Although not recommended due to security reasons, sometimes, it’s the only solution.
Luckily, Windows 10 comes with a built-in antivirus, Windows Defender, your PC will be relatively safer even after you remove the third-party antivirus you are using for additional security.
If uninstalling or disabling your antivirus helps fix this error, you can simply try another antivirus. We do NOT recommend running a Windows PC without a solid antivirus. The internet is full of harmful code and malware and you may not have technical awareness to fight it on your own.
Enable ‘Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically’
“Windows could not detect this network’s proxy settings” error is a configuration error that pops up due to your bad proxy settings. It could be the result of some DNS settings you tried or maybe some app tried to force them.
In such cases, you can fix the error by simply allowing Windows to automatically fetch DNS settings. Follow the steps below to solve this error using DNS settings.
- Open Network and Sharing Center
- Go to Change Network Adaptor settings
- Locate your network connection
- Right-click on it and choose Properties from the menu
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) from the options
- Now click on the Properties button
- Select Obtain DNS server address automatically
- Click OK to save changes
DO SFC Scan
You can fix “Windows could not automatically detect network’s proxy settings’ by simply using command prompt and performing an SFC scan. Since this error could pop up due to an error with the command prompt configurations, an SFC scan could fix the issue’s root cause. Here is how to do it in a few easy steps.
- Open Command Prompt as a system administrator
- Enter the following command
sfc/scannow - Press Enter
- SFC scan will automatically start
- It may take a long time, anywhere between 10-15 minutes depending on your computer processing speed
- Once the scan is complete, check if the problem still persists
- If you see the error, simply run a DISM scan as well
- To do so, simply enter Command Prompt and type the following command
- DISM/online/cleanup-image/restorehealth.DISM
- This scan can also take 10-15 minutes so be patient and don’t interrupt the process
Once the scan is finished, check if the issue is resolved. If it was due to some problem with Command Prompt, this step should fix it. If not, proceed to the next step.
Reset Internet Settings
When Windows is unable to detect proxy settings, you might think it’s your WIFI or router. To remove all doubts, you can simply reset internet settings. It usually solves the problem if its due to misconfiguration.
Follow these steps below to simply reset your internet settings to default.
- Press Windows Key + S
- Search ‘internet options’
- Now click on Internet Options from the list
- A new window will pop up
- Select Advanced tab
- Check delete personal settings
- Find the Reset button and click on it
Check Proxy Settings of Your Network
You can fix Windows Could Not Detect Proxy Settings error by simply changing and updating the proxy settings of your network. To do so, follow these simple steps.
- Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app
- On the Settings app, simply navigate to Network & Internet section
- Now look at the left pane
- Locate Proxy there and open it
- Now in the next window, see in the right pane and look for a setting to disable ‘Automatically’ detect settings
Sometimes, simply disabling this feature can help you recover your network speed and other proxy issues in Windows 10/8/7.
Network Troubleshooter
Microsoft offers a troubleshooter with all the programs that can self-detect a bug or error in your Windows computer. Most of the time, this troubleshooter utility will also fix the error for you.
However, the Windows troubleshooter isn’t the smartest one out there and it might not always detect the problem at its own. You may have to manually run it. Once you run it, it will try to solve the issue and it will also lookup for a solution online if nothing else works.
If you are not sure how to run the network troubleshooter in Windows 10/8/7, here are the easy steps to follow.
- Open the Settings app and navigate to Update & Security section
- In the left pane, select Troubleshoot
- Select Network Adaptor in the right pane
- Click on ‘Run the Troubleshooter’ and wait for a new window to open
- Now simply follow the instructions on the screen and complete the process
It may take a few minutes before you can guide your troubleshooting utility to the issue you are facing. Be patient and let it find a solution for you. If nothing helps, look for online solutions that the Windows troubleshooter suggests. It should help you finally solve this proxy settings error.