How to View Proxy Contracts on Block Explorers
The key to inspecting a proxy contract lies in the Read as Proxy or Write as Proxy tabs on the contract page. If these tabs appear, the contract is a proxy that hides the actual logic implementation contract behind it.
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Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Find the target contract address and open its page
Enter the contract address you want to check into the search bar of a block explorer (such as Etherscan) and go to the contract's detail page. Then locate and click the Contract tab in the middle of the page.
What success looks like: You have reached the "Contract" page and can see options like Read Contract or Write Contract.
Step 2: Locate the proxy contract indicator
Case A: The
Read as Proxy/Write as Proxytabs appear at the top of the page — This means the contract is a proxy. You need to use the "as Proxy" tabs to interact with the actual logic behind it.Case B: A button or prompt like "Is this a proxy?" appears at the bottom of the page — This means the contract might be a proxy. Click the button to let the explorer automatically verify and locate the underlying implementation contract. If verification succeeds, the page will refresh and display the required "as Proxy" tabs.
Since March 2026, Etherscan has supported automatic detection of most mainstream proxy contracts. In most cases you no longer need to manually trigger verification — the "as Proxy" tabs will be displayed directly.
Step 3: Use the tabs to find the underlying "implementation contract"
Click the Read as Proxy or Write as Proxy tab. The ABI (interface) loaded on the page usually comes from the implementation contract. To view the specific implementation contract address, scroll down to find the Implementation field on the contract page, or look for the "Implementation Contract" link under the "Contract" tab.
What success looks like: You have successfully located the implementation contract address and understand that the Read as Proxy functionality you see is interacting with the code behind that address.
Advanced Feature: View the full upgrade history
If the proxy contract you are interested in follows a mainstream proxy standard, you can also see its complete upgrade record. Find and click the Historical Proxy tab on the contract page to view all historical implementation contract addresses this proxy has pointed to and the corresponding upgrade transaction records.
Risk Warning
Special cases where automatic verification fails: The automatic proxy detection mechanism mainly relies on specific bytecode patterns, so it is not 100% accurate. A small number of custom proxy contracts may require manual verification, or may fail to verify due to a lack of historical transactions.
Risk of malicious implementation contracts: Being able to read code through a proxy contract does not mean that code is safe. A proxy can point to any implementation contract, and a malicious developer may, after an upgrade, change the logic to a completely different malicious version. Always carefully evaluate the contract's audit status and team background — trust, but verify.
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How to Confirm You Are Viewing It Correctly
On the Contract tab of the contract page, if you can see the Read as Proxy or Write as Proxy options, you are viewing it correctly. To verify the underlying implementation logic, check the address pointed to by the "Implementation" field, or view all historical versions in the Historical Proxy tab.
