How to Use Bright Data on macOS

Integrate Bright Data proxies into your macOS network settings for secure, private, and geo-flexible browsing. This guide will walk you through the entire configuration process to help you stay efficient and protected online.

Expand to get your Bright Data Proxy Access Information

Your proxy access information

Bright Data proxies are grouped in “Proxy zones”. Each zone holds the configuration for the proxies it holds.

To get access to the proxy zone:

1. Login to Bright Data control panel
2. Select the proxy zone or setup a new one
3. Click on the new zone name, and select the Overview tab.
4. In the overview tab, under Access details you can find the proxy access details, and copy them to clipboard on click.
5. You will need: Proxy Host, Proxy Port, Proxy Zone username and Proxy Zone password.
6. Click on the copy icons to copy the text to your clipboard and paste in your tool’s proxy configuration.

Access Details Section Example

Residential proxy access

To access Bright Data’s Residential Proxies you will need to either get verified by our compliance team, or install a certificate. Read more…

Targeting search engines?

If you target a search engine like google, bing or yandex, you need a special Search Engine Results Page (SERP) proxy API. Use Bright Data SERP API to target search engines. Click here to read more about Bright Data SERP proxy API.

Correct setup of proxy test to avoid “PROXY ERROR”

In many tools you will see a “test proxy” function, which performs a conncectivity test to your proxy, and some add a geolocation test as well, to identify the location of the proxy. To correctly test your proxy you should target those search queries to: https://geo.brdtest.com/welcome.txt .

Some tools use popular search engines (like google.com) as a default test target. Bright Data will block those requests and you tool will show proxy error although your proxy is perfectly fine.

If your proxy test fails, this is probably the reason. Make sure that your test domain is not a search engine (this is done in the tool configuration, and not controlled by Bright Data).

Maintain a consistent IP throughout your browser session by using the -session parameter in your username. This is essential because BrightData proxies default to rotating IPs with each request. Learn more

New users should begin with ISP or Data Center proxies, as residential proxies are incompatible with browser integration in Immediate-Access mode .

For use-cases related to account management, use a consistent static dedicated IP for each account you are managing. dedicated ISP proxies should be used for this.

Why Use Bright Data on macOS?

Adding Bright Data proxies to your Mac’s network settings provides:

• Enhanced Privacy: Keep your real IP hidden and your online activities more secure.

• Geo-Access Flexibility: Connect through different regions to access location-specific content.

• Stable, Anonymous Connections: Reduce detection risks and maintain reliable browsing sessions across various applications, not just your browser.

Setting Up Bright Data on macOS

1. Prerequisites

   Before you begin, ensure you have:

   1. Bright Data Proxy Credentials:

      • Log in to your Bright Data dashboard to find your Host, Port, Username, and Password.
      • Identify whether you have HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS5 proxies.

   2. A macOS device running a recent macOS version (the instructions below apply generally to macOS 10.12 Sierra and later).

2. Open Network Preferences

   1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
   2. Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).

   

   3. Choose Network and select the network connection you want to configure (e.g., Wi-Fi or Ethernet).

   
3. Go to Advanced Settings

   1. Click the “Details…” button in the top-right corner of the Network pane.

   

   2. In the new window, select the Proxies tab at the bottom.

   
4. Choose Your Proxy Type

   Check the box next to the proxy protocol you need to configure.

   For Bright Data’s HTTP or HTTPS proxies, select Web Proxy (HTTP) or Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS). For SOCKS proxies, select SOCKS Proxy.

   
5. Enter Bright Data Proxy Details

   • Server: Input the Bright Data host (e.g., http://brd.superproxy.io/).
   • Port: Enter the port number from your Bright Data dashboard.
   • Toggle Authentication: Check the option “Proxy server requires password” (or a similar setting) to enable credential fields.
   • Username and Password: Provide your Bright Data proxy credentials. If you need a country-specific exit node, append -country-XX to your username (e.g., your-username-country-US for a US-based proxy).
   • Click OK to close the settings window.
6. Test Your Proxy Connection

   1. Open Safari, Chrome, or another browser on your Mac.
   2. Go to httpbin.org/ip to check your IP address.
   3. Confirm that the displayed IP matches your Bright Data proxy’s IP. If so, your Mac is now routing traffic through the Bright Data proxy.

With Bright Data proxies integrated into your macOS network settings, you can enjoy more secure, private, and flexible browsing across all your applications. Explore geo-restricted content, protect your identity, and enhance reliability—on your Mac, Bright Data makes it easy to stay ahead!