Skip to main content

How to install a proxy certificate

Our desktop apps, AdGuard for Windows and AdGuard for Mac, can be used as a proxy for other devices. This means that you can route other devices’ traffic through AdGuard (all traffic or traffic of specific apps and browsers).

note

These devices must be in the same network as the PC or Mac with AdGuard.

HTTP traffic will be filtered in any case, but for AdGuard to be able to filter HTTPS traffic you need to manually install the AdGuard certificate on the connected device.

How to download and install the certificate

Depending on the operating system of the device whose traffic you want to filter, follow one of these instructions:

Windows

  1. Note the IP address of your desktop computer with AdGuard installed.

  2. Make sure that AdGuard protection is enabled. On a Windows computer, check the box Use AdGuard as an HTTP proxy in the Network tab of its settings. For Mac, go to SettingsPreferencesNetwork and enable HTTP proxy.

  3. On the same computer with AdGuard, follow this link: http://local.adguard.org/cert.

  4. Click the Download button. If the download doesn’t start, try another browser, for example Firefox.

  5. Transfer the downloaded cert.cer file to the Windows device whose traffic you want to route through AdGuard. You can use a USB cable, Bluetooth, or cloud services to do this.

  6. On that device, press Win, type Manage computer certificates and press Enter.

  7. On the Certificates — Local Computer page, find the Trusted Root Certification AuthoritiesCertificates folder.

  8. Right-click the Certificates folder and click All TasksImport.

  9. On the Certificate Import Wizard page, click Next.

  10. Click Browse to import the certificate.

  11. Navigate to the cert.cer certificate file, select it, click Open, then Next.

  12. Select the Place all certificates in the following store checkbox.

  13. Make sure that the Certificate store field displays Trusted Root Certification Authorities and click Next.

  14. Click Finish.

  15. Press Win, then open Settings.

  16. Select Network & InternetProxy.

  17. Toggle Automatically detect settings off.

  18. Click Set up in the Use a proxy server tab.

  19. Turn the toggle on. For Proxy IP address, type the IP address of your desktop computer that you noted in step 1. For Port, enter the port chosen in the network settings of the desktop AdGuard app.

  20. Click Save.

Mac

  1. Note the IP address of your desktop computer with installed AdGuard.

  2. Make sure that AdGuard protection is enabled. On a Windows computer, check the box Use AdGuard as an HTTP proxy in the Network tab of its settings. For Mac, go to SettingsPreferencesNetwork and enable HTTP proxy.

  3. Follow this link using a web browser: http://local.adguard.org/cert.

  4. Click the Download button. If the download doesn’t start, try another browser, for example Firefox.

  5. Transfer the downloaded cert.cer file to the Mac device whose traffic you want to route through AdGuard. You can use a USB cable, Bluetooth, or cloud services to do this.

  6. Double-click the downloaded certificate file.

  7. Enter the administrator password and then click Modify Keychain.

  8. Go to Spotlight (the search icon in the top right corner), type in Keychain Access, and then select Keychain Access from the search results.

  9. Under System, highlight the certificate that you added.

  10. Right-click it and select Get Info from the context menu.

  11. Expand Trust to display the trust policies for the certificate.

  12. Under Secure Sockets Layers (SSL), select Always Trust.

  13. Open System PreferencesNetwork and select the active connection at the top.

  14. Click Details... and navigate to the Proxies tab.

  15. Tick two checkboxes: Web proxy (HTTP) and Secure web proxy (HTTPS). In the Server field, type the IP address of your computer that you noted in step 1. In the Port field, enter the port chosen in the network settings of the AdGuard desktop app.

Android

  1. Note the IP address of your desktop computer with installed AdGuard.

  2. Make sure that AdGuard protection is enabled. On a Windows computer, check the box Use AdGuard as an HTTP proxy in the Network tab of its settings. For Mac, go to SettingsPreferencesNetwork and enable HTTP proxy.

  3. From the computer with AdGuard, follow this link using a web browser: http://local.adguard.org/cert.

  4. Click the Download button. If the download doesn’t start, try another browser, for example Firefox.

  5. Transfer the downloaded cert.cer file to the Android device whose traffic you want to route through AdGuard. You can use a USB cable, Bluetooth, or cloud services to do this.

  6. Locate and tap the previously downloaded cert.cer certificate to open the file and follow the instructions to install the certificate.

  7. Android devices do not trust certificates by default, so there will be a warning — you can ignore it. On some phones you may be asked to enter your device password. Do so, then press OK. The certificate will be installed.

  8. Open advanced settings of the active Wi-Fi network.

  9. Change the Proxy type to Manual. For Proxy hostname, enter the noted IP address of your desktop computer you noted in step 1. For Proxy port, enter the port chosen in the network settings of the AdGuard desktop app.

iOS

  1. Note the IP address of your desktop computer with installed AdGuard.

  2. Make sure that AdGuard protection is enabled. On a Windows computer, check the box Use AdGuard as an HTTP proxy in the Network tab of its settings. For Mac, go to SettingsPreferencesNetwork and enable HTTP proxy.

  3. From the computer with AdGuard, follow this link using a web browser: http://local.adguard.org/cert.

  4. Click the Download button. If the download doesn’t start, try another browser, for example Firefox.

  5. Transfer the downloaded cert.cer file to the iOS device whose traffic you want to route through AdGuard. You can use a USB cable, Bluetooth, or cloud services to do this.

  6. On your iOS device, open SettingsProfile Downloaded and tap Install in the top right corner. Enter your password and confirm the installation. Tap Done.

  7. Go to SettingsGeneralAboutCertificate Trust Settings. Enable the switch beside Adguard Personal CA. The certificate is now installed.

  8. On that device, open advanced settings of the active Wi-Fi network.

  9. Change the Proxy type to Manual. For Proxy hostname, type the IP address of your computer you noted in step 1. For Proxy port, enter the port chosen in the network settings of the AdGuard desktop app.