What is ProxyHandler App on Android?

All Android devices have the ProxyHandler system application that handles proxy network configurations on their device.

There is a growing concern about whether this app is important or an unnecessary application. Some people are even unsure if it’s a virus or some type of malware.

In this article, I’ll explain more about the ProxyHandler app, what is it used for, is it safe and can you uninstall it.

What Does ProxyHandler Mean and What is it Used For?

The ProxyHandler system app handles multiple proxy network configurations, proxy auto-configuration(PAC), and Virtual Private Network(VPN) configurations on Android devices so that your device can connect to a specific proxy server during high traffic load.

Proxies are required to direct traffic to a proxy server instead of the main destination site which keeps your device secure from attacks because your real IP address is hidden and the attacker can only see the IP address of the proxies.

A Proxy Server is a relay router that acts as a gateway between the client and the server. When the user makes a request to open a webpage, the request is first sent to the proxy server where the request is evaluated and once it is cleared from there it is then forwarded to the Internet.

Virtual Private Network(VPN) is also similar to Proxy Server but it is used while connecting to all the websites as long as your device has the VPN option turned ON whereas a Proxy Server is basically used for connecting to a limited number of websites.

The package name of the ProxyHandler app is com.android.proxyhandler. It is present in all Android devices including Samsung, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi, and others. This app works together with the PacProcessor app.

Samsung devices have a KNOX Security Software that has a built-in VPN Proxy Server called KNOXVPNPacProcessor. This app configures all proxy/PAC traffic from devices and Wi-Fi via VPN. It also provides VPN tunneling and VPN gateway.

Is ProxyHandler Safe or Is It a Virus?

ProxyHandler is a safe application and not a Virus, Spyware, or Malware. This app doesn’t cause any damage to your device and is not present to spy or sell your data to third parties. It doesn’t have any suspicious behavior.

However, since ProxyHandler handles PAC files for proxy configuration, hackers can exploit this to inject malware or viruses. But, a secure proxy server or a secure VPN can prevent such attacks.

Even though this app is not a virus or spyware, this app is not something without which your device cannot function properly. So, this app can be considered Bloatware and removing it should be safe.

The ProxyHandler app won’t cause any safety issues but you should make sure not to connect to untrusted Wi-Fi networks like public Wi-Fi networks. Also, don’t install unknown VPN applications on your device and you should not set up a proxy for Wi-Fi settings.

Can You Uninstall ProxyHandler?

Yes, you can uninstall the ProxyHandler app using the Android Debug Bridge(ADB) software, System App Remover application, Titanium Backup app, and the Root Explorer app.

If the ProxyHandler app is removed then your proxy configurations cannot be handled properly but it won’t cause any issues with your device.

You can safely remove this app from your device and you won’t notice any issues while using proxies or VPN to connect to the Internet via cellular data or Wi-Fi.

Here are the four methods to uninstall this app.

(1) Using ADB

ADB allows you to bring up a Unix shell so you can issue commands directly on the Android device. You’ll need a Windows PC to use ADB.

Step 1 – Go to Settings > System > About phone. 

Step 2 – Tap on the Build number 7 times to activate Developer Options.

Step 3 – Go back to the main Settings menu and tap on Developer Options to open it.

Step 4 – Enable USB debugging by tapping on it.

Step 5 – Download ADB on your PC.

Step 6 – Extract the ZIP file into a folder.

Step 7 – After extracting the ZIP file, open that folder.

Step 8 – Press and hold the shift button and right-click in a blank area.

Step 9 – Click on “Open Powershell window here.”

Step 10 – Enter the command adb devices.

Step 11 – Connect your Android device to the PC using a USB data cable and set the USB mode as File Transfer.

Step 12 – You will receive a USB debugging notification on your phone, tap on OK to allow debugging access.

Step 13 – Re-enter the command adb devices.

Step 14 – You should now see the Serial number of your device on the Powershell window.

Step 15 – Run the command adb shell pm uninstall –user 0 com.android.proxyhandler and wait for a few seconds. You’ll notice the app has been uninstalled from your device.

(2) Using System App Remover

This method requires you to gain root access to your device. If you don’t know how to root your Android device then check our Android Rooting guide. After gaining root access follow the steps below to uninstall this system app.

1. Download and install the System App Remover application.
2. Launch the application, search for ProxyHandler and select this app by tapping on the checkbox next to it.
3. Tap the “Uninstall” button to completely remove the app from your device.

(3) Using Titanium Backup

This method also requires you to root your device. You can use our rooting guide mentioned above and after gaining root access follow these steps to uninstall the app.

1. Download and install the Titanium Backup application.
2. Launch this application, search for ProxyHandler and select this app by tapping on it.
3. Tap “Un-install” to completely remove the app and delete its data from your device.

(4) Using Root Explorer

You can remove the ProxyHandler app by deleting the APK file. To do this follow these steps:

• Root your Android smartphone.
• Download and Install the Root Explorer Android application.
• Open the app and browse to /system/priv-app/ProxyHandler/ProxyHandler.apk.
• Delete the ProxyHandler APK file.
• Reboot your device.

What Permissions Does ProxyHandler Require?

The ProxyHandler app doesn’t require any permissions to function properly on your device. If you check the permissions used by the app you’ll find it written as “No Permissions Required.”

You can get all the permissions used by the app from Settings > Apps > Show system apps > ProxyHandler > Permissions.

Does ProxyHandler Consume Too Much Battery?

The ProxyHandler app doesn’t have high battery usage because it has a very small size around 59 KB and uses very little system resources like CPU and RAM so there is no chance of high battery usage.

This app doesn’t run in the background continuously. It only runs when you use VPN, Proxies, or connect to the Internet via Proxy Server by setting a proxy for running for your device while using Wi-Fi. It doesn’t have any cellular data usage.

If you’re seeing high battery usage from the ProxyHandler app then you can clear the app cache and force stop the app to solve high battery consumption issues.

To clear the app cache go to Settings > Apps > Tap three vertical dots symbol in the upper right corner > Show system apps > ProxyHandler > Storage > Clear Cache.

To Force Stop the app go to Settings > Apps > Tap three vertical dots symbol in the upper right corner > Show system apps > ProxyHandler > Force Stop.