Configure how Ziflow loads live websites

Dina Bennett
Dina Bennett
  • Updated

When you review a live website in Ziflow, the page can be loaded through a secure proxy or directly from the original site. A proxy is a service that sits between your browser and a website. The proxy allows Ziflow to display pages consistently and add review tools such as comments and annotations.

Not all websites behave the same way when loaded through a proxy. Some pages may not render correctly, fail to load interactive elements, or block access entirely. To handle this, Ziflow lets you control when the proxy is used.

Set the website access method

  1. Log in as a Ziflow administrator.

  2. Select your user avatar and choose Settings > Proofing Settings > Proof Viewer.

    open-settings.png

  3. Under Live websites and Rich Media, choose the Website access method from the drop-down list.

    live-website-proxy-settings.jpg

  4. If you choose Proxy with Allow list or Proxy with Block list, select +Add URL and enter the URLs you want to allow or block. 

You can only add one URL at a time and each must start with https://.
 

To delete a URL in your list, select the trash icon next to it.

Proxy options

You can choose one of the following proxy modes when configuring Live Website proofing.

OptionDescription

Proxy all websites

(not recommended)

(formerly the Force proxy for all sites setting - enabled)

Uses the proxy for all HTTP and HTTPS pages.

Proxying all pages should be used as a last resort. While it guarantees that pages load inside the Proof Viewer, it also increases the risk of:

  • Login failures
  • Cookie issues
  • Broken third-party integrations

If you choose this option, expect functional differences from the live site.

Dynamic

(default and recommended)

(formerly Force proxy for all sites setting - disabled)

 Use when you’re unsure which pages require proxying. 

  • HTTP pages are proxied to ensure secure loading

  • Sites that block iframe embedding are proxied to ensure loading

  • HTTPS pages are loaded directly (no proxy) when possible

Best for:

  • Most review scenarios

  • Mixed-protocol sites

  • Sites where HTTPS pages work correctly without a proxy

  • Reducing proxy use where it’s not required

Proxy with Allow list

Uses the proxy only for the URLs you specify.

Best for:

  • Sites where only certain pages require proxying

  • High-risk or sensitive areas where direct loading is preferred

Proxy with Block list

Uses the proxy for all pages except the URLs you specify.

Best for:

  • Sites where most pages work well with the proxy

  • Specific pages (such as login, checkout, or third-party tools) that break when proxied

URL matching with wildcards

When using Allow or Block lists, you can match URLs using the asterisk (*) wildcard.

  • The wildcard can appear anywhere in the URL

  • It can be used multiple times in a single pattern

Examples

  • https://example.com/*

  • https://*.example.com/admin/*

This allows you to precisely control which pages are proxied without listing every URL individually.

Recommended proxy strategy 

Choose the least intrusive option that works. Not every page needs to be loaded through a proxy. Proxying everything often introduces avoidable issues with authentication, cookies, and third-party services.

For most customers, Dynamic or the Proxy with Allow list options provide the best balance between compatibility and accuracy.

Pages loaded without the proxy are displayed directly from the original website. Some review features such as annotations may be limited due to the site’s security settings. If you cannot use Ziflow review features, use Proxy with Allow list and add the page or site to apply review tools reliably and keep annotations aligned with the content.

 

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