# PowerShell Script: Configure Internet Proxy Settings (Per User)

### 🧾 Purpose:

This script configures **Internet Properties (LAN Settings)** on a Windows machine using PowerShell. It ensures proxy settings are applied at the **user level**, bypassing system-wide Group Policy enforcement that prevents changes from reflecting in the Internet Options UI.

---

### ✅ Features:

* Enables per-user proxy configuration (`ProxySettingsPerUser`)
    
* Disables **"Automatically detect settings"**
    
* Enables **"Use a proxy server for your LAN"**
    
* Sets a custom **proxy server address and port**
    
* Enables **"Bypass proxy server for local addresses"**
    
* Refreshes Internet Settings to apply changes
    

---

### ⚠️ Prerequisites:

* Must be run as **Administrator**
    
* Intended for Windows systems with access to modify the registry
    

---

### 📂 Registry Paths Used:

| Scope | Path |
| --- | --- |
| System (HKLM) | `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings` |
| User (HKCU) | `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings` |

---

### 💻 Script:

```plaintext
powershellCopyEdit# Allow per-user proxy settings by enabling ProxySettingsPerUser
$machineRegPath = "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings"
if (-Not (Test-Path $machineRegPath)) {
    New-Item -Path $machineRegPath -Force | Out-Null
}
Set-ItemProperty -Path $machineRegPath -Name ProxySettingsPerUser -Value 1 -Type DWord

# Define user-specific proxy settings
$proxyAddress = "http=your.proxy.url:8080"  # Replace with your actual proxy
$userRegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings"

# Apply the proxy settings
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name AutoDetect -Value 0                     # Disable "Automatically detect settings"
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name ProxyEnable -Value 1                   # Enable proxy
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name ProxyServer -Value $proxyAddress       # Set proxy server
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name ProxyOverride -Value "<local>"         # Bypass for local addresses

# Optionally refresh Internet settings for immediate effect
rundll32.exe inetcpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 4351

Write-Host "Proxy settings applied. UI should now reflect the changes."
```

---

### 🧪 Post-Execution Verification:

1. Open `regedit` and confirm changes under:
    
    * `HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings`
        
    * `HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings`
        
2. Launch **Internet Properties** → Connections → LAN Settings
    
    * "Use a proxy server" is checked ✅
        
    * Proxy server address is set ✅
        
    * "Bypass proxy for local addresses" is checked ✅
        
    * "Automatically detect settings" is unchecked ✅
        

---

### 📌 Notes:

* `ProxySettingsPerUser=1` is crucial to allow user-level changes and avoid the *"Some settings are managed by your system administrator"* warning.
    
* Changes apply instantly in most cases; if not, log off/log on or restart browser applications.
    

### **Step 1: Enable per-user proxy settings**

```plaintext
powershellCopyEdit$machineRegPath = "HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings"
if (-Not (Test-Path $machineRegPath)) {
    New-Item -Path $machineRegPath -Force | Out-Null
}
Set-ItemProperty -Path $machineRegPath -Name ProxySettingsPerUser -Value 1 -Type DWord
```

* **What’s happening?**
    
    * The first part checks if a specific setting (called `ProxySettingsPerUser`) exists in a special part of your system’s configuration, called the **registry**.
        
    * **Why?** This setting decides if you can change proxy settings just for your own user (which we want) or if they are locked for everyone on the computer.
        
    * If it **doesn’t exist**, the script creates it. Then, it sets the value of `ProxySettingsPerUser` to 1, which means **yes**, you are allowed to modify your own settings.
        

---

### **Step 2: Define proxy server settings**

```plaintext
powershellCopyEdit$proxyAddress = "http=your.proxy.url:8080"  # Replace with your actual proxy
$userRegPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings"
```

* **What’s happening?**
    
    * Here, we’re telling the script the **proxy server’s address** and **port** (like `http=your.proxy.url:8080`).
        
    * The `$userRegPath` is the path where your individual (user) settings are stored in the registry. This is where we’ll apply the actual proxy settings.
        

---

### **Step 3: Apply the actual proxy settings**

```plaintext
powershellCopyEditSet-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name AutoDetect -Value 0                     # Disable "Automatically detect settings"
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name ProxyEnable -Value 1                   # Enable proxy
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name ProxyServer -Value $proxyAddress       # Set proxy server
Set-ItemProperty -Path $userRegPath -Name ProxyOverride -Value "<local>"         # Bypass for local addresses
```

* **What’s happening?**
    
    * The `Set-ItemProperty` command is where we are actually setting or **modifying** the settings.
        
    * The settings are for:
        
        1. **AutoDetect**: We turn off the **"Automatically detect settings"** option (by setting it to `0`), so Windows won’t try to guess the proxy.
            
        2. **ProxyEnable**: We turn **on** the proxy by setting it to `1`.
            
        3. **ProxyServer**: We tell the computer the **address** and **port** of the proxy server.
            
        4. **ProxyOverride**: We tell the computer to **bypass** the proxy for **local addresses** (like your local network).
            

---

### **Step 4: Refresh the settings immediately**

```plaintext
powershellCopyEditrundll32.exe inetcpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 4351
```

* **What’s happening?**
    
    * This command forces a **refresh** of Internet Settings, so the changes take effect right away. It’s like telling your computer to **clear any old settings** and **reload the new ones** you just applied.
        

---

### **Final Message:**

```plaintext
powershellCopyEditWrite-Host "Proxy settings applied. UI should now reflect the changes."
```

* **What’s happening?**
    
    * The script **prints a message** to the screen, telling you that the proxy settings have been applied successfully.