diff --git a/aqt/preferences.py b/aqt/preferences.py
index ee6060c5c..8da5e0174 100644
--- a/aqt/preferences.py
+++ b/aqt/preferences.py
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ class Preferences(QDialog):
         else:
             self.connect(self.form.syncDeauth, SIGNAL("clicked()"),
                          self.onSyncDeauth)
-        self.form.proxyHost.setText(self.prof['proxyHost'])
 
     def _hideAuth(self):
         self.form.syncDeauth.setShown(False)
@@ -100,7 +99,6 @@ Not currently enabled; click the sync button in the main window to enable."""))
     def updateNetwork(self):
         self.prof['autoSync'] = self.form.syncOnProgramOpen.isChecked()
         self.prof['syncMedia'] = self.form.syncMedia.isChecked()
-        self.prof['proxyHost'] = unicode(self.form.proxyHost.text())
 
     # Backup
     ######################################################################
diff --git a/aqt/profiles.py b/aqt/profiles.py
index 27f0f8c4f..3cb50abf2 100644
--- a/aqt/profiles.py
+++ b/aqt/profiles.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ from anki.db import DB
 from anki.utils import isMac, isWin, intTime, checksum
 from anki.lang import langs
 from aqt.utils import showWarning, fontForPlatform
-from httplib2 import ProxyInfo
 import anki.sync
 import aqt.forms
 
@@ -53,8 +52,6 @@ profileConf = dict(
     syncKey=None,
     syncMedia=True,
     autoSync=True,
-    proxyHost='', # despite the name, stores full URL
-    proxyType=3,
 )
 
 class ProfileManager(object):
@@ -139,7 +136,6 @@ computer."""))
         if name != "_global":
             self.name = name
             self.profile = prof
-            self.setupProxy()
         return True
 
     def save(self):
@@ -285,44 +281,3 @@ create table if not exists profiles
         sql = "update profiles set data = ? where name = ?"
         self.db.execute(sql, cPickle.dumps(self.meta), "_global")
         self.db.commit()
-
-    # Proxy handling
-    ######################################################################
-
-    def setupProxy(self):
-        prof = self.profile
-        # export proxy settings
-        if prof['proxyHost'] == "off":
-            # force off; override environment
-            anki.sync.HTTP_PROXY = None
-        elif prof['proxyHost']:
-            url = prof['proxyHost']
-            anki.sync.HTTP_PROXY = ProxyInfo.from_url(
-                url, self.proxyMethod(url))
-        else:
-            # set in env?
-            p = ProxyInfo.from_environment()
-            if not p:
-                # platform-specific fetch
-                url = None
-                if isWin:
-                    r = urllib.getproxies_registry()
-                    if 'https' in r:
-                        url = r['https']
-                    elif 'http' in r:
-                        url = r['http']
-                elif isMac:
-                    r = urllib.getproxies_macosx_sysconf()
-                    if 'https' in r:
-                        url = r['https']
-                    elif 'http' in r:
-                        url = r['http']
-                if url:
-                    p = ProxyInfo.from_url(url, self.proxyMethod(url))
-            anki.sync.HTTP_PROXY = p
-
-    def proxyMethod(self, url):
-        if url.lower().startswith("https"):
-            return "https"
-        else:
-            return "http"
diff --git a/designer/preferences.ui b/designer/preferences.ui
index 4d22dbeef..8d161a721 100644
--- a/designer/preferences.ui
+++ b/designer/preferences.ui
@@ -248,33 +248,6 @@
          </item>
         </layout>
        </item>
-       <item>
-        <widget class="QLabel" name="label_13">
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>&lt;b&gt;Proxy&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;If your system needs a proxy to access the internet, enter your details below.</string>
-         </property>
-         <property name="wordWrap">
-          <bool>true</bool>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-       <item>
-        <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_3">
-         <property name="verticalSpacing">
-          <number>6</number>
-         </property>
-         <item row="0" column="0">
-          <widget class="QLabel" name="label_14">
-           <property name="text">
-            <string>URL</string>
-           </property>
-          </widget>
-         </item>
-         <item row="0" column="1">
-          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="proxyHost"/>
-         </item>
-        </layout>
-       </item>
        <item>
         <spacer name="verticalSpacer_2">
          <property name="orientation">
@@ -288,16 +261,6 @@
          </property>
         </spacer>
        </item>
-       <item>
-        <widget class="QLabel" name="label_12">
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>Some settings will take effect after you restart Anki.</string>
-         </property>
-         <property name="alignment">
-          <set>Qt::AlignCenter</set>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
       </layout>
      </widget>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="tab">
@@ -435,7 +398,6 @@
   <tabstop>syncMedia</tabstop>
   <tabstop>syncOnProgramOpen</tabstop>
   <tabstop>syncDeauth</tabstop>
-  <tabstop>proxyHost</tabstop>
   <tabstop>numBackups</tabstop>
   <tabstop>buttonBox</tabstop>
   <tabstop>tabWidget</tabstop>