What the extension does
Webshare offers a Chrome extension, the Webshare Proxy Extension, that routes your browser's traffic through your Webshare proxies without changing system settings. You sign in, pick a proxy or location, and toggle it on or off. Other apps on your computer keep using your normal connection.
It's the quickest way to see a site the way visitors from another country see it, or to check that a proxy works in a real browser.
Setting it up
- Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store (search for Webshare Proxy Extension).
- Sign in with your Webshare account.
- Choose a proxy from your list, or a location if your plan supports it.
- Turn the proxy on and visit an IP check page to confirm the new IP.
Because it uses your account, it works with the free plan's 10 proxies as well as paid plans.
Good uses
- Checking geo-specific content: prices, landing pages, ads and search results from another country. See Webshare for localization testing.
- Quick manual QA of a site's regional redirects and consent banners.
- Verifying a proxy in a real browser before using it in a bot or script.
- Occasional manual research on sites that rate-limit your home IP.
Limits
- Browser only. Other apps aren't proxied. For system-wide setup see Webshare on Windows, Mac and phones.
- One identity per browser. All tabs share the proxy and cookies. For multiple accounts, use separate browser profiles or an antidetect browser. See Webshare with antidetect browsers.
- Bandwidth counts. Browsing with images and video uses data quickly, especially on the free plan's 1 GB.
- Not for automation. Bots and scrapers should use proxies directly. See Webshare with Puppeteer.
Privacy checks
A browser proxy can leak your real IP in a couple of ways:
- WebRTC. Video and voice features can reveal your local or public IP. Check a WebRTC leak test with the proxy on. See WebRTC leaks and proxies.
- DNS. Make sure lookups go through the proxy. See DNS leaks and proxies.
- Logged-in accounts. Sites you're signed into know who you are regardless of IP.
Budget tip: You can test most of this guide for free: Webshare gives every new account 10 datacenter proxies and 1 GB of bandwidth a month without a credit card. Move to a paid plan once the pilot works. See our complete Webshare guide.
Other browsers
For Firefox, you can set a proxy in Firefox's own connection settings or use a proxy-switching extension with your Webshare details. Safari uses macOS system proxy settings. Chromium-based browsers such as Edge and Brave can usually install Chrome extensions. See browser proxy settings.
Extension vs other methods
| Method | Scope | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Webshare extension | Chrome only | Quick manual checks |
| System proxy settings | Most apps on the device | Whole-device use |
| Antidetect browser | One profile per proxy | Multiple accounts |
| Proxy in code | One script | Automation and scraping |
Geonode also has a Chrome extension for switching its proxies; compare in Webshare vs Geonode browser extensions and integrations.
A manual geo-check routine
For marketers and QA testers, a repeatable routine makes extension-based checks reliable:
- Open a fresh Chrome profile with no logins.
- Select a proxy in the target country.
- Confirm the IP and location on an IP check page.
- Visit the page under test and record currency, language, banners and redirects.
- Take a screenshot with the date and location in the file name.
- Switch country and repeat.
Keeping a dedicated profile for checks avoids cookies from your normal browsing affecting results.
Extension and bandwidth
Every page you load through the extension counts against your Webshare bandwidth, including images and video. For long sessions, turn the proxy off when you don't need it, or use a datacenter plan with a higher bandwidth allowance rather than the free plan's 1 GB.
Troubleshooting the extension
- No connection: check that the selected proxy works in cURL; replace it if not.
- Sites still show your country: clear cookies, since some sites remember your location.
- Login loops: some sites dislike IP changes mid-session; log in after enabling the proxy.
- Conflicts: other proxy or VPN extensions can override settings; disable them.
Proxy tip: If your residential usage goes up and down, compare Geonode: its per-GB residential bandwidth doesn't expire, so you only pay for what you use. See Webshare vs Geonode.
When to graduate from the extension
If you're checking the same pages in the same countries every week, automate it with Playwright and save screenshots automatically. See Webshare for localization testing.
A real-world example
A marketing manager wants to check that a holiday campaign's landing pages show the right offers in the UK, Germany and France. Using the Webshare Chrome extension in a clean browser profile, they switch between proxies in each country, load each landing page, and screenshot the result. They find that the German page still shows last month's offer, report it to the web team, and re-check after the fix, all in about 20 minutes and without any code.
If you're still shortlisting, compare this setup with the options in our best proxies guide, and use our cheap proxies guide to estimate what a sensible budget looks like.
Key takeaways
- The Webshare Chrome extension proxies only your Chrome traffic, switchable in one click.
- It's best for quick geo checks, manual QA and verifying proxies in a real browser.
- It's not suitable for multiple accounts or automation.
- Check for WebRTC and DNS leaks, and use a clean profile for geo checks.
- Everything you browse counts against your bandwidth.
FAQ
Is the Webshare Chrome extension free?
The extension itself is free to install; it uses the proxies in your Webshare account, including the free plan.
Does the extension hide my IP from all websites?
From websites you visit in Chrome while it's on, yes, provided there are no WebRTC or DNS leaks. Other apps aren't covered.
Can I use the extension for multiple accounts?
Not safely. Use separate browser profiles or an antidetect browser with one proxy per profile.
Does the Webshare extension work in Edge or Brave?
Chromium-based browsers can usually install Chrome Web Store extensions; check the store listing for compatibility.
Can I use residential proxies through the extension?
The extension uses proxies from your account; check which products it supports in its current version.
Does the extension slow down browsing?
Some added latency is normal, especially for distant locations. Turn it off when you don't need it.
Editorial note: Proxy providers change their pools, features and prices often, so treat any figures here as typical ranges at the time of writing and confirm current terms with the provider before you buy.