Cloudflare Boost & macOS Boost
Cloudflare Boost and macOS Boost (Mac Boost) let you choose a connection profile for your Elite ISP Proxies and Elite subnets. The idea is simple: help your proxy's connection match the way you use it.
What is TCP fingerprinting?
Before a website loads, your connection sends a small introduction called a TCP handshake. Windows, macOS, and Linux handle this introduction slightly differently. Those details form a TCP fingerprint.
When you use a proxy, the website sees the proxy's TCP connection. Your browser might identify itself as a Mac, while the proxy's connection looks like a Linux server. A matching connection profile can help reduce that mismatch.
How Boost helps
When your browser says "Mac," a matching proxy connection gives the website a more consistent picture.
The illustration uses macOS Boost. Cloudflare Boost also focuses on the proxy connection, with a profile intended for Cloudflare-protected sites.
Which Boost should I choose?
| Setting | When to use it | Example username |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare Boost | Try this profile when you encounter challenges on websites protected by Cloudflare. | youruser-cfboost |
| macOS Boost | Use this profile when your browser or app identifies itself as running on macOS. | youruser-macboost |
| Both off | Use your usual proxy connection. | youruser |
For Mac Boost, match the profile your browser or app actually uses. Simply owning a Mac does not mean every app on it presents a macOS profile.
You can select one Boost at a time. Turning one on automatically turns the other off.
How to turn it on
- Open Dashboard → Proxies → Elite ISP Proxies.
- Enable Cloudflare Boost or macOS Boost.
- Copy or download your updated proxies.
- Replace the old proxy list in your browser or app, then reconnect.
The dashboard adds -cfboost or -macboost to the username for you. Your IP, port, and password stay the same. If you edit credentials yourself, use only one suffix, at the end of the username.
Your selection is remembered in this browser. Lists you already copied into other apps need to be updated manually. To return to normal, turn off the active Boost, copy the list again, and reconnect.
These controls apply to Elite ISP Proxies and Elite subnets. PK1 and residential proxies are unaffected.
What should I expect?
Boost focuses on the proxy connection. Your browser or app still controls its own browser identity and settings.
A different connection profile may help compatibility, but it cannot guarantee access or remove every challenge. Cloudflare also checks browser signals and request patterns.
Try a small test on the website you use. Compare the result with Boost off and with your chosen profile, keeping the rest of your setup the same.
