I’m trying to figure out how to make Google Drive work with my company’s proxy server that requires authentication. From what I understand, Google Drive doesn’t have built-in support for authenticated proxies, which is really frustrating.
I work in an office environment where all internet traffic goes through a proxy that needs username and password authentication. Other apps work fine, but Google Drive just won’t sync because it can’t get through the proxy barrier.
Has anyone found a workaround for this issue? Maybe there’s a way to modify some configuration files on Windows or change some registry entries that would allow Google Drive to use proxy credentials? I’ve been searching everywhere but can’t find a reliable solution.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated since I really need Google Drive to work in this network setup.
i had the same issue before! what solved it for me was using Proxifier to tunnel traffic through the proxy. it takes a bit of setup, but once done, google drive works perfectly! worth the effort if you need it to sync.
Corporate proxy authentication with Google Drive is a nightmare that never ends. I’ve dealt with this at three companies now.
Every workaround breaks eventually. Windows updates kill registry tweaks. IT pushes new policies that wipe your fixes. Proxifier dies after security patches.
What fixed it? I ditched the desktop client entirely and built automated workflows using APIs instead.
Now I’ve got workflows that upload files, sync folders, share docs, and organize everything automatically. They run in the cloud, so corporate networks can’t touch them.
No more proxy headaches. No begging IT for exceptions. No broken syncing after every update.
I trigger uploads from my machine, get notifications when files are shared, and automate backups to other storage. Way more reliable than fighting proxy settings every few weeks.
Latenode makes this setup super easy. Beats playing registry roulette with Google’s stubborn desktop app.
Had this exact problem at my last job. Skip the third-party apps and use netsh commands instead - they work way better. Set up the WinHTTP proxy with credentials stored in Windows Credential Manager. Run netsh winhttp set proxy proxy-server="your-proxy:port" and add your credentials through Control Panel. Google Drive plays much nicer with system-wide settings than app-specific ones. Don’t forget to restart the Google Drive service afterward or it won’t stick.
I’ve fought this Google Drive proxy nightmare for years across different companies. Drive ignores proxy settings that work perfectly for everything else. Here’s what actually works: Set the proxy at machine level through Internet Options instead of trying to force Drive directly. Hit Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings and configure your proxy with auth there. Then tweak the registry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings to make sure proxy credentials stick. You want Drive inheriting system-wide settings, not fighting them. Also worth checking - does your IT team have group policies blocking apps from using proxy credentials? Sometimes it’s not a tech issue, just policy. You might need to ask for a Drive exception.
Proxifier works, but there’s a cleaner way that doesn’t need third-party software on your work machine.
Google Drive’s desktop client just sucks with proxy authentication. Instead of fighting it, I moved everything to automated workflows.
I’ve got scenarios handling file syncing, sharing, and organization automatically. Now I can access and manage all my Drive files without any proxy headaches. The workflows run in the cloud, so they completely bypass corporate network restrictions.
You also get way more control. My workflows auto-organize uploads, create backup copies, and sync between multiple cloud storage providers.
Took about 30 minutes to set up initially, but now everything works seamlessly regardless of network restrictions.
you can also try modifying the google drive shortcut to include proxy settings. just right-click the drive icon and add --proxy-server=yourproxy:port to the target field. this worked for me when other fixes wouldn’t stick.