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6 Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions
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19 <a name="AEN2">Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions</a>
22 <sub><a href="copyright.html">Copyright</a> © 2001-2016 by <a
23 href="https://www.privoxy.org/" target="_top">Privoxy
24 Developers</a></sub><br>
27 $Id: faq.sgml,v 2.130 2016/08/26 11:19:37 fabiankeil Exp $<br>
30 <div class="ABSTRACT">
33 This FAQ gives quick answers to frequently asked questions
34 about <a href="https://www.privoxy.org/" target=
35 "_top">Privoxy</a>. It is not a substitute for the <a href=
36 "../user-manual/index.html" target="_top"><i class=
37 "CITETITLE">Privoxy User Manual</i></a>.
43 Privoxy is a non-caching web proxy with advanced filtering
44 capabilities for enhancing privacy, modifying web page data and
45 HTTP headers, controlling access, and removing ads and other
46 obnoxious Internet junk. Privoxy has a flexible configuration
47 and can be customized to suit individual needs and tastes. It
48 has application for both stand-alone systems and multi-user
52 Privoxy is Free Software and licensed under the GNU GPLv2.
55 Privoxy is an associated project of Software in the Public
59 Helping hands and donations are welcome:
65 "https://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#PARTICIPATE"
67 "_top">https://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#PARTICIPATE</a>
72 <a href="https://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE"
74 "_top">https://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html#DONATE</a>
80 Please note that this document is a work in progress. This copy
81 represents the state at the release of version 3.0.26. You can
82 find the latest version of the document at <a href=
83 "https://www.privoxy.org/faq/" target=
84 "_top">https://www.privoxy.org/faq/</a>. Please see the <a
85 href="contact.html">Contact section</a> if you want to contact
95 <b>Table of Contents</b>
98 1. <a href="general.html">General Information</a>
103 1.1. <a href="general.html#WHO-USES">Who should give <span
104 class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> a try?</a>
107 1.2. <a href="general.html#BESTCHOICE">Is Privoxy the best
111 1.3. <a href="general.html#PROXYMORON">What is a <span class=
112 "QUOTE">"proxy"</span>? How does Privoxy work?</a>
115 1.4. <a href="general.html#OTHERSTUFF">Does Privoxy do
116 anything more than ad blocking?</a>
119 1.5. <a href="general.html#NEWJB">What is this new version of
120 <span class="QUOTE">"Junkbuster"</span>?</a>
123 1.6. <a href="general.html#WHYPRIVOXY">Why <span class=
124 "QUOTE">"Privoxy"</span>? Why change the name from Junkbuster
128 1.7. <a href="general.html#DIFFERS">How does Privoxy differ
129 from the old Junkbuster?</a>
132 1.8. <a href="general.html#WHATSANAD">How does Privoxy know
133 what is an ad, and what is not?</a>
136 1.9. <a href="general.html#MISTAKES">Can Privoxy make
137 mistakes? This does not sound very scientific.</a>
140 1.10. <a href="general.html#CONFIGORNOT">Will I have to
141 configure Privoxy before I can use it?</a>
144 1.11. <a href="general.html#LAN">Can Privoxy run as a server
148 1.12. <a href="general.html#BROWSERS2">My browser does the
149 same things as Privoxy. Why should I use Privoxy at all?</a>
152 1.13. <a href="general.html#WHYTRUST">Why should I trust
156 1.14. <a href="general.html#LICENSE">Is there is a license or
157 fee? What about a warranty? Registration?</a>
160 1.15. <a href="general.html#SPYWARE">Can Privoxy remove
161 spyware? Adware? Viruses?</a>
164 1.16. <a href="general.html#OTHERADS">Can I use Privoxy with
165 other ad-blocking software?</a>
168 1.17. <a href="general.html#HELP-THE-DEVELOPERS">I would like
169 to help you, what can I do?</a>
174 1.17.1. <a href="general.html#PARTICIPATE">Would you like
178 1.17.2. <a href="general.html#DONATE">Would you like to
184 1.18. <a href="general.html#SPONSOR">How can I become a
185 sponsor and get my logo or link on privoxy.org?</a>
190 2. <a href="installation.html">Installation</a>
195 2.1. <a href="installation.html#WHICHBROWSERS">Which browsers
196 are supported by Privoxy?</a>
199 2.2. <a href="installation.html#WHICHOS">Which operating
200 systems are supported?</a>
203 2.3. <a href="installation.html#EMAIL-CLIENT">Can I use
204 Privoxy with my email client?</a>
207 2.4. <a href="installation.html#FIRSTSTEP">I just installed
208 Privoxy. Is there anything special I have to do now?</a>
211 2.5. <a href="installation.html#LOCALHOST">What is the proxy
212 address of Privoxy?</a>
215 2.6. <a href="installation.html#NOTHING">I just installed
216 Privoxy, and nothing is happening. All the ads are there.
220 2.7. <a href="installation.html#NOTUSED">I get a <span class=
221 "QUOTE">"Privoxy is not being used"</span> dummy page
222 although Privoxy is running and being used.</a>
227 3. <a href="configuration.html">Configuration</a>
232 3.1. <a href="configuration.html#ACTIONSFILE">What exactly is
233 an <span class="QUOTE">"actions"</span> file?</a>
236 3.2. <a href="configuration.html#ACTIONSS">The <span class=
237 "QUOTE">"actions"</span> concept confuses me. Please list
238 some of these <span class="QUOTE">"actions"</span>.</a>
241 3.3. <a href="configuration.html#ACTCONFIG">How are actions
242 files configured? What is the easiest way to do this?</a>
245 3.4. <a href="configuration.html#AEN418">There are several
246 different <span class="QUOTE">"actions"</span> files. What
247 are the differences?</a>
250 3.5. <a href="configuration.html#GETUPDATES">Where can I get
251 updated Actions Files?</a>
254 3.6. <a href="configuration.html#NEWCONFIG">Can I use my old
258 3.7. <a href="configuration.html#DIFFICULT">Why is the
259 configuration so complicated?</a>
262 3.8. <a href="configuration.html#YAHOO">How can I make my
263 Yahoo/Hotmail/Gmail account work?</a>
266 3.9. <a href="configuration.html#CONFIGFILES">What's the
267 difference between the <span class="QUOTE">"Cautious"</span>,
268 <span class="QUOTE">"Medium"</span> and <span class=
269 "QUOTE">"Advanced"</span> defaults?</a>
272 3.10. <a href="configuration.html#BROWSECONFIG">Why can I
273 change the configuration with a browser? Does that not raise
277 3.11. <a href="configuration.html#FILTERFILE">What is the <tt
278 class="FILENAME">default.filter</tt> file? What is a <span
279 class="QUOTE">"filter"</span>?</a>
282 3.12. <a href="configuration.html#LANCONFIG">How can I set up
283 Privoxy to act as a proxy for my LAN?</a>
286 3.13. <a href="configuration.html#NOSEEUM">Instead of ads,
287 now I get a checkerboard pattern. I don't want to see
291 3.14. <a href="configuration.html#WHYSEEUM">Why would anybody
292 want to see a checkerboard pattern?</a>
295 3.15. <a href="configuration.html#BLOCKEDBYTEXT">I see some
296 images being replaced with text instead of the checkerboard
297 image. Why and how do I get rid of this?</a>
300 3.16. <a href="configuration.html#SRVANY">Can Privoxy run as
301 a service on Win2K/NT/XP?</a>
304 3.17. <a href="configuration.html#OTHERPROXY">How can I make
305 Privoxy work with other proxies?</a>
308 3.18. <a href="configuration.html#PORT-80">Can I just set
309 Privoxy to use port 80 and thus avoid individual browser
313 3.19. <a href="configuration.html#TRANSPARENT">Can Privoxy
314 run as a <span class="QUOTE">"transparent"</span> proxy?</a>
317 3.20. <a href="configuration.html#INTERCEPTING">Can Privoxy
318 run as a <span class="QUOTE">"intercepting"</span> proxy?</a>
321 3.21. <a href="configuration.html#OUTLOOK">How can I
322 configure Privoxy for use with Outlook?</a>
325 3.22. <a href="configuration.html#OUTLOOK-MORE">How can I
326 have separate rules just for HTML mail?</a>
329 3.23. <a href="configuration.html#SNEAKY-COOKIES">I sometimes
330 notice cookies sneaking through. How?</a>
333 3.24. <a href="configuration.html#EVIL-COOKIES">Are all
334 cookies bad? Why?</a>
337 3.25. <a href="configuration.html#ALLOW-COOKIES">How can I
338 allow permanent cookies for my trusted sites?</a>
341 3.26. <a href="configuration.html#MULTIPLES">Can I have
342 separate configurations for different users?</a>
345 3.27. <a href="configuration.html#WHITELISTS">Can I set-up
346 Privoxy as a whitelist of <span class="QUOTE">"good"</span>
350 3.28. <a href="configuration.html#NO-ADBLOCK">How can I turn
354 3.29. <a href="configuration.html#TEMPLATES">How can I have
355 custom template pages, like the <span class="emphasis"><i
356 class="EMPHASIS">BLOCKED</i></span> page?</a>
359 3.30. <a href="configuration.html#BLOCKALL">How can I remove
360 the <span class="QUOTE">"Go There Anyway"</span> link from
361 the <span class="emphasis"><i class=
362 "EMPHASIS">BLOCKED</i></span> page?</a>
367 4. <a href="misc.html">Miscellaneous</a>
372 4.1. <a href="misc.html#SLOWSME">How much does Privoxy slow
373 my browsing down? This has to add extra time to browsing.</a>
376 4.2. <a href="misc.html#LOADINGTIMES">I notice considerable
377 delays in page requests. What's wrong?</a>
380 4.3. <a href="misc.html#CONFIGURL">What are
381 "http://config.privoxy.org/" and "http://p.p/"?</a>
384 4.4. <a href="misc.html#NEWADS">How can I submit new ads, or
388 4.5. <a href="misc.html#NEWADS2">If I do submit missed ads,
389 will they be included in future updates?</a>
392 4.6. <a href="misc.html#NOONECARES">Why doesn't anyone answer
393 my support request?</a>
396 4.7. <a href="misc.html#IP">How can I hide my IP address?</a>
399 4.8. <a href="misc.html#ANONFORSURE">Can Privoxy guarantee I
403 4.9. <a href="misc.html#PROXYTEST">A test site says I am not
407 4.10. <a href="misc.html#TOR">How do I use Privoxy together
411 4.11. <a href="misc.html#SITEBREAK">Might some things break
412 because header information or content is being altered?</a>
415 4.12. <a href="misc.html#CACHING">Can Privoxy act as a <span
416 class="QUOTE">"caching"</span> proxy to speed up web
420 4.13. <a href="misc.html#FIREWALL">What about as a firewall?
421 Can Privoxy protect me?</a>
424 4.14. <a href="misc.html#WASTED">I have large empty spaces /
425 a checkerboard pattern now where ads used to be. Why?</a>
428 4.15. <a href="misc.html#SSL">How can Privoxy filter Secure
432 4.16. <a href="misc.html#SECURE">Privoxy runs as a <span
433 class="QUOTE">"server"</span>. How secure is it? Do I need to
434 take any special precautions?</a>
437 4.17. <a href="misc.html#TURNOFF">Can I temporarily disable
441 4.18. <a href="misc.html#REALLYOFF">When <span class=
442 "QUOTE">"disabled"</span> is Privoxy totally out of the
446 4.19. <a href="misc.html#TURNOFF2">How can I tell Privoxy to
447 totally ignore certain sites?</a>
450 4.20. <a href="misc.html#CRUNCH">My logs show Privoxy <span
451 class="QUOTE">"crunches"</span> ads, but also its own
452 internal CGI pages. What is a <span class=
453 "QUOTE">"crunch"</span>?</a>
456 4.21. <a href="misc.html#DOWNLOADS">Can Privoxy affect files
457 that I download from a webserver? FTP server?</a>
460 4.22. <a href="misc.html#DOWNLOADS2">I just downloaded a Perl
461 script, and Privoxy altered it! Yikes, what is wrong!</a>
464 4.23. <a href="misc.html#HOSTSFILE">Should I continue to use
465 a <span class="QUOTE">"HOSTS"</span> file for
469 4.24. <a href="misc.html#SEEALSO">Where can I find more
470 information about Privoxy and related issues?</a>
473 4.25. <a href="misc.html#MICROSUCK">I've noticed that Privoxy
474 changes <span class="QUOTE">"Microsoft"</span> to <span
475 class="QUOTE">"MicroSuck"</span>! Why are you manipulating my
479 4.26. <a href="misc.html#VALID">Does Privoxy produce <span
480 class="QUOTE">"valid"</span> HTML (or XHTML)?</a>
483 4.27. <a href="misc.html#SURPRISE-PRIVOXY">How did you manage
484 to get Privoxy on my computer without my consent?</a>
489 5. <a href="trouble.html">Troubleshooting</a>
494 5.1. <a href="trouble.html#REFUSED">I cannot connect to any
495 websites. Or, I am getting <span class="QUOTE">"connection
496 refused"</span> message with every web page. Why?</a>
499 5.2. <a href="trouble.html#ERROR503">Why am I getting a 503
500 Error (WSAECONNREFUSED) on every page?</a>
503 5.3. <a href="trouble.html#FLUSHIT">I just added a new rule,
504 but the steenkin ad is still getting through. How?</a>
507 5.4. <a href="trouble.html#BADSITE">One of my favorite sites
508 does not work with Privoxy. What can I do?</a>
511 5.5. <a href="trouble.html#DUN">After installing Privoxy, I
512 have to log in every time I start IE. What gives?</a>
515 5.6. <a href="trouble.html#FTP">I cannot connect to any FTP
516 sites. Privoxy is blocking me.</a>
519 5.7. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXIE">In Mac OS X, I can't
520 configure Microsoft Internet Explorer to use Privoxy as the
524 5.8. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXUNINSTALL">In Mac OS X, I
525 dragged the Privoxy folder to the trash in order to uninstall
526 it. Now the finder tells me I don't have sufficient
527 privileges to empty the trash.</a>
530 5.9. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXIMAGES">In Mac OS X Panther
531 (10.3), images often fail to load and/or I experience random
532 delays in page loading. I'm using <tt class=
533 "LITERAL">localhost</tt> as my browser's proxy setting.</a>
536 5.10. <a href="trouble.html#MACOSXACCOUNTDELETION">I just
537 upgraded to Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) and now <span class=
538 "APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> has stopped working.</a>
541 5.11. <a href="trouble.html#NOHOSTNAME">My logs show many
542 <span class="QUOTE">"Unable to get my own hostname"</span>
546 5.12. <a href="trouble.html#INUSE">When I try to launch
547 Privoxy, I get an error message <span class="QUOTE">"port
548 8118 is already in use"</span> (or similar wording). Why?</a>
551 5.13. <a href="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER">Pages with UTF-8
552 fonts are garbled.</a>
555 5.14. <a href="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER2">Why are binary
556 files (such as images) corrupted when Privoxy is used?</a>
559 5.15. <a href="trouble.html#DEMORONIZER3">What is the <span
560 class="QUOTE">"demoronizer"</span> and why is it there?</a>
563 5.16. <a href="trouble.html#WINDOWOPEN">Why do I keep seeing
564 <span class="QUOTE">"PrivoxyWindowOpen()"</span> in raw
568 5.17. <a href="trouble.html#DNSERRORS">I am getting too many
569 DNS errors like <span class="QUOTE">"404 No Such
570 Domain"</span>. Why can't Privoxy do this better?</a>
573 5.18. <a href="trouble.html#ALLCPU">At one site Privoxy just
574 hangs, and starts taking all CPU. Why is this?</a>
577 5.19. <a href="trouble.html#SLOWCRAWL">I just installed
578 Privoxy, and all my browsing has slowed to a crawl. What
582 5.20. <a href="trouble.html#PREVENTCOMP">Why do my filters
583 work on some sites but not on others?</a>
586 5.21. <a href="trouble.html#SSL-WARNINGS">On some HTTPS sites
587 my browser warns me about unauthenticated content, the URL
588 bar doesn't get highlighted and the lock symbol appears to be
589 broken. What's going on?</a>
592 5.22. <a href="trouble.html#SE-LINUX">I get selinux error
593 messages. How can I fix this?</a>
596 5.23. <a href="trouble.html#GENTOO-RICERS">I compiled <span
597 class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span> with Gentoo's portage and
598 it appears to be very slow. Why?</a>
601 5.24. <a href="trouble.html#TAINTED-SOCKETS">What are tainted
602 sockets and how do I prevent them?</a>
605 5.25. <a href="trouble.html#PCRE-STACK-LIMIT">After adding my
606 custom filters, <span class="APPLICATION">Privoxy</span>
607 crashes when visitting certain websites</a>
612 6. <a href="contact.html">Contacting the developers, Bug
613 Reporting and Feature Requests</a>
618 6.1. <a href="contact.html#SUFFICIENT-INFORMATION">Please
619 provide sufficient information</a>
622 6.2. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-SUPPORT">Get Support</a>
625 6.3. <a href="contact.html#REPORTING">Reporting Problems</a>
630 6.3.1. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-ADS">Reporting Ads
631 or Other Configuration Problems</a>
634 6.3.2. <a href="contact.html#CONTACT-BUGS">Reporting
640 6.4. <a href="contact.html#SECURITY-CONTACT">Reporting
641 security problems</a>
644 6.5. <a href="contact.html#MAILING-LISTS">Mailing Lists</a>
647 6.6. <a href="contact.html#SF-TRACKERS">SourceForge support
653 7. <a href="copyright.html">Privoxy Copyright, License and
659 7.1. <a href="copyright.html#AEN1505">License</a>
662 7.2. <a href="copyright.html#AEN1514">History</a>
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