Android's proxy story is frustrating. The built-in WiFi proxy settings look like they should work, but in practice they barely do anything. After testing dozens of apps and configurations, here's what actually works.

The Built-in Way: WiFi Proxy Settings

Android has a proxy setting buried in the WiFi configuration, but it's essentially useless for anything beyond browsing:

  1. Open Settings → WiFi
  2. Long-press your connected network → Modify network
  3. Expand Advanced options
  4. Set Proxy to Manual
  5. Enter gw.snowpad.io as host and 9999 as port
  6. Enter your Snowpad credentials if prompted

What this actually does: It only works with apps that check the system proxy — basically just Chrome and Firefox. Everything else ignores it. This isn't a bug; it's how Android's networking stack works.

SocksDroid (No Root, System-Wide)

SocksDroid is my top recommendation for non-rooted devices. It uses Android's VPN API to create a virtual network interface and routes all traffic through your SOCKS5 proxy.

Setup:

  1. Install SocksDroid from Google Play
  2. Open the app → tap Add Proxy
  3. Protocol: SOCKS5
  4. Server: gw.snowpad.io
  5. Port: 9999
  6. Username/Password: Your Snowpad credentials
  7. Tap Connect
  8. Accept the VPN permission prompt

SocksDroid supports per-app routing, auto-reconnect on network changes, and DNS leak protection. It works on Android 5.0+ without root.

ProxyDroid (Root, Per-App Rules)

If your device is rooted, ProxyDroid gives you iptables-based routing with granular per-app control.

Setup:

  1. Install ProxyDroid
  2. Host: gw.snowpad.io
  3. Port: 9999
  4. Proxy Type: SOCKS5
  5. Enable authentication, enter credentials
  6. Tap the power button to start
  7. Use the Apps Filter to select which apps route through the proxy

ProxyDroid's iptables approach means it intercepts traffic at the kernel level — no app can bypass it.

Tun2Socks (TUN-Based Routing)

For a more technical approach, Tun2Socks creates a TUN interface that routes all device traffic through SOCKS5. It's available on Google Play and GitHub. I've written a dedicated guide: Tun2Socks Proxy Setup.

Testing

Open Chrome and visit http://httpbin.org/ip. If you see an Indian mobile IP, the proxy is working.

For a complete overview of proxy types and which one fits your use case, read the types of proxies guide.