[Feature Request] Machine-Specific Profiles for Synchronized Settings

[Makishima]

Feature Request: Machine-Specific Profiles for Synchronized Settings

Summary

Add support for machine profiles that allow users to maintain different active proxy configurations on different computers while still benefiting from browser sync for the proxy list itself.

Problem Statement

Currently, FoxyProxy synchronizes all settings across devices when browser sync (Firefox Sync or Chrome Sync) is enabled. While this is convenient for keeping the proxy list consistent, it creates a problem for users who need different proxy configurations on different machines.

Use Case Example

A user has:

• Work laptop — needs to use corporate proxy for internal resources
• Home desktop — needs direct connection or a different proxy for personal use
• Travel laptop — needs VPN/proxy for security on public networks

With the current implementation, changing the active proxy mode or settings on one machine immediately affects all other synced machines. This forces users to either:

1. Disable sync entirely (losing the benefit of a shared proxy list)
2. Manually switch settings every time they change machines
3. Use different browser profiles (inconvenient for users who want their browsing data synced)

Proposed Solution

Introduce a Profile system with the following characteristics:

Core Concept

• Profiles are machine-specific configurations that determine which proxies are active and in what mode
• Proxy definitions (server addresses, credentials, patterns) continue to sync across all machines
• Each machine can select which profile to use, and this selection is stored locally (not synced)

Suggested Implementation

1. Profile Management

   • Add a "Profiles" tab or section in Options
   • Allow users to create named profiles (e.g., "Work", "Home", "Travel")
   • Each profile stores:
     • Active mode (disabled, single proxy, pattern-based, etc.)
     • Which proxy/proxies are enabled
     • Profile-specific pattern overrides (optional)
     • Global exclude overrides (optional)

2. Profile Selection

   • Add a profile selector in the toolbar popup
   • Store the currently selected profile in storage.local (not storage.sync)
   • This ensures each machine remembers its own profile selection

3. Sync Behavior

   • Profile definitions sync across machines (so the same profiles are available everywhere)
   • Profile selection stays local to each machine
   • Proxy server definitions continue to sync as they do now

UI Mockup Concept

Toolbar Popup:

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Profile: [Work      ▼]     │
├─────────────────────────────┤
│ ○ Disable FoxyProxy        │
│ ● Corporate Proxy          │
│ ○ VPN Server               │
│ ○ Proxy by Patterns        │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Options → Profiles Tab:

Profiles:
┌──────────┬─────────────────────────┬─────────┐
│ Name     │ Default Mode            │ Actions │
├──────────┼─────────────────────────┼─────────┤
│ Work     │ Corporate Proxy         │ ✏️ 🗑️   │
│ Home     │ Disable                 │ ✏️ 🗑️   │
│ Travel   │ Proxy by Patterns       │ ✏️ 🗑️   │
└──────────┴─────────────────────────┴─────────┘
                              [+ Add Profile]

Benefits

1. Best of both worlds — shared proxy list with machine-specific behavior
2. No manual switching — each machine remembers its preferred configuration
3. Backward compatible — users who don't need profiles can ignore the feature
4. Clean separation — synced data (proxy definitions) vs. local data (active profile)

Alternative Considered

Per-proxy "enabled on this machine" flag — simpler but less flexible; doesn't allow different modes per machine.

Technical Notes

• Profile selection should use browser.storage.local
• Profile definitions can use browser.storage.sync alongside existing proxy data
• Consider adding a "Default Profile" for new machines that haven't selected one yet
• Migration: existing users get a single "Default" profile with their current settings

Related

This feature would complement existing functionality like:

• Container/Incognito proxy settings
• Tab Proxy feature
• Pattern-based switching

---

Environment: FoxyProxy 9.x, Firefox/Chrome with browser sync enabled

Thank you for considering this feature request!

[erosman]

With the current implementation, changing the active proxy mode or settings on one machine immediately affects all other synced machines.

That should not be the case. The proxy mode is not synced.

browser-extension/src/content/app.js

Lines 32 to 33 in 2eb9756

	// not syncing mode & sync (to have a choice), data (will be broken into parts)
	static syncProperties = Object.keys(pref).filter(i => !['mode', 'sync', 'data'].includes(i));

[Makishima]

That should not be the case. The proxy mode is not synced.

Thanks for clarifying about mode being excluded from sync.

My issue is different though. I use the same proxy server on two machines, but need different ports:

• Machine A: proxy.example.com:8080
• Machine B: proxy.example.com:9090

Since proxy definitions sync across machines, I can't have one proxy entry with different ports per machine.

I also ran into something odd: when I renamed a proxy on Machine A, it overwrote the include patterns on Machine B. I didn't expect a name change to affect patterns on another machine.

Current workaround: I can create two separate entries ("Proxy - Home", "Proxy - Work") with different ports. This works but means duplicate entries for what's logically the same proxy.

What would help: Either machine-local overrides for properties like port/hostname while syncing the rest (patterns, credentials), or a profile system to group related proxies instead of a flat list.

Is the pattern replacement behavior expected? That part confused me.

[erosman]

Since proxy definitions sync across machines, I can't have one proxy entry with different ports per machine.

FoxyProxy regards proxy.example.com:8080 and proxy.example.com:9090 as 2 different proxies.
If you have BOTH of them in one machine, then you can select whichever one you want on each machine.

I also ran into something odd: when I renamed a proxy on Machine A, it overwrote the include patterns on Machine B. I didn't expect a name change to affect patterns on another machine.

Proxies are identified by hostname & port. Changing other values should have no bearing here.

[Makishima]

With the current implementation, changing the active proxy mode or settings on one machine immediately affects all other synced machines.

That should not be the case. The proxy mode is not synced.

browser-extension/src/content/app.js

Lines 32 to 33 in 2eb9756
// not syncing mode & sync (to have a choice), data (will be broken into parts)
static syncProperties = Object.keys(pref).filter(i => !['mode', 'sync', 'data'].includes(i));

I got it again today. Disabling the proxy on my home machine also disables it at work.

[erosman]

I got it again today. Disabling the proxy on my home machine also disables it at work.

Could it be that you have deleted a proxy that is used on another machine?

Machine-1

• proxy-1, proxy-2, proxy-3
• mode: proxy-1

Machine-2 (after syncing)

• proxy-1, proxy-2, proxy-3
• mode: proxy-3

If you now delete proxxy-3 on Machine-1, it will be reflected on Machine 2.
Therefore ....

Machine-1

• proxy-1, proxy-2
• mode: proxy-1

Machine-2 (after syncing)

• proxy-1, proxy-2
• mode: proxy-3

Now, the situation is that Machine-2 is set to a proxy that is non-existent/deleted, so it's mode changes to disabled.

[Makishima]

Could it be that you have deleted a proxy that is used on another machine?

No, I just disabled it using the switcher next to the proxy name.

I could switch from Pattern to Disabled at home, too, but honestly, I don't remember.

In theory, could an FF sync have synced all the extension settings?

[erosman]

No, I just disabled it using the switcher next to the proxy name.

Disabling a proxy would be reflected in the sync. Therefore, the other machine will be set to a disabled proxy which is not possible, resulting in the mode to switch to disabled.

The concept of synchronising settings means the proxy-server settings will be the same on ALL machines.

• If a proxy is disabled in one place, it will be disabled everywhere.
• If a proxy is deleted in one place, it will be deleted everywhere.
• If a proxy is added in one place, it will be added everywhere.
• If a proxy is updated in one place, it will be updated everywhere.

Users should aim to keep identical proxy-server settings in all machines, when sync is enabled.