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What Is a Web Proxy — and How Does It Work?
A web proxy is a website that fetches other websites for you. Instead of your browser connecting directly to, say, YouTube, it connects to the proxy — and the proxy fetches the page and hands it back to you. The destination site sees the proxy's IP address, not yours.
How a web proxy works, step by step
- You open the proxy site (like FreeWebProxies) and type an address.
- Your browser sends that request to the proxy server over an encrypted connection.
- The proxy fetches the page from the destination site.
- The page is rewritten — links, images, and scripts are redirected through the proxy — and delivered to your browser.
To the destination site, every request comes from the proxy server's IP. To your network administrator, every request goes to one ordinary website. Both sides of the connection stay private.
What people use web proxies for
- Unblocking websites on school or office networks — see our guide to unblocking websites at school.
- Privacy — hiding your IP from the sites you visit; use it as a Facebook proxy or Instagram proxy.
- Region choice — appearing to browse from another country, e.g. via a US proxy region.
- Streaming — watching region-blocked or filtered video, like with our YouTube proxy.
Web proxy vs VPN — what's the difference?
A VPN encrypts all traffic from your device and requires installing software. A web proxy works in the browser only — no install — and protects exactly the browsing you do through it. For quick, no-setup access from a locked-down machine, a proxy is usually the right tool. For a full comparison, read proxy vs VPN: which one do you need?
Limitations to know about
Web proxies handle normal websites and most video platforms brilliantly. The classic exceptions are DRM-protected commercial streaming (Netflix-style services block any browser-based proxy — that's true industry-wide, not a limitation of one provider) and, occasionally, very aggressive login flows. Good proxy services solve the latter by running multiple engines and switching automatically, which is exactly how FreeWebProxies is built.
Try it — it's free
There is nothing to install and no account to create. Open the proxy, type an address, and pick a region: United States or Dubai.
Put it to work
YouTube Proxy · Unblock Websites · Free Web Proxy · Open the proxy →