Setting up Clash for the first time boils down to four actions: import a subscription, pick a mode, connect, and verify. This guide walks through them in that order, and at each step you'll know exactly what to click, what you should see, and what comes next. Already handled some of these steps? Use the jump links above to skip ahead. Config internals and advanced tricks aren't covered here — we'll point you to the advanced config guide where relevant.

A note on client interfaces

Clash is a category, not a single app. Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, and Clash Meta for Android all have different layouts and menu names, but the setup flow is identical everywhere: import a subscription, pick a mode, connect. This guide follows that shared flow and calls out where to find each step in specific clients. Haven't installed a client yet? Head to the Downloads page, grab the right build for your platform, then come back here.

STEP 00 · Prep Work

Install a client, get a subscription link

Before you start, you need two things ready: a Clash client installed, and a working subscription link. Once you have both, the rest of the steps go smoothly.

Pick a client based on your platform. On Windows and macOS, Clash Plus or Clash Verge Rev are solid starting points with full feature sets and active updates. Android users typically go with Clash Plus or Clash Meta for Android. iOS users can get Clash Plus from the App Store. Linux desktop users can also run Clash Verge Rev — for a CLI-only setup, check the blog's Linux deployment guide. All platform builds are listed on the Downloads page — just install them the usual way for your OS.

Your subscription link comes from your provider's dashboard. It's usually a URL starting with https and carrying a token parameter, something like https://example.com/api/v1/client/subscribe?token=xxxx. Copy the whole thing from https to the end — don't drop any parameters, and don't try to retype it from memory.

Your subscription link is like a password

Anyone with this link can use up your plan's traffic — don't forward it to anyone, and don't post screenshots in public group chats or forums. If you suspect it's leaked, reset your subscription in your provider's dashboard first, then re-import the new link into your client.

One last check before moving on: your system clock. Some proxy protocols are time-sensitive — a clock that's off by even a minute or two can cause handshake failures or subscription update errors. Sync your system time first if it's off, then continue.

STEP 01 · Import Subscription

Add your subscription link to the client

A subscription link is really just a config distribution address — your client fetches it and downloads a YAML file containing the node list and routing rules. So the import step lives on the config or subscription management page in every client, just under slightly different names.

Open your client and go to the config management page. In Clash Verge Rev, click "Profiles" in the left sidebar; in Clash Plus, click "Config" in the sidebar; in Clash Meta for Android, tap the + button on the "Profiles" page.
Choose to add a new remote profile — some clients call this "Import from URL." Paste the full subscription link into the URL field, and give it a name (your provider's name works well) so you can recognize it later.
Save to confirm. The client immediately fetches and downloads the config from the link. Once it's done, you'll see the new entry in your profile list, usually showing the node count or your plan's remaining traffic.
Click the new profile to make it the active one. Most clients mark the active profile with a highlighted border or checkmark — once you see that, it's enabled.

After importing, your client won't auto-sync when the provider updates their nodes — you'll need to manually refresh the subscription. In Clash Verge Rev, click the refresh icon on the profile card; on mobile clients, long-press the profile entry or tap the update icon. Most update failures come down to network issues, an expired link, or client caching — for a step-by-step breakdown and how to set up auto-refresh, see Fixing Subscription Update Failures.

STEP 02 · Proxy Modes

Rule, Global, or Direct: which mode to use

Clash has three proxy modes that control which traffic goes through a node and which goes direct. You'll usually find the switch at the top of the main window or proxy page: in Clash Verge Rev it's above the "Proxies" page, in Clash Plus it's in the mode bar on the main window, and on Android it's a dropdown at the top of the proxy page.

Mode	How traffic is routed	Best for
Rule	Matches traffic against the rules in your config — local traffic goes direct, traffic matching a proxy rule routes through a node	Everyday use — the right default almost all the time
Global	All traffic routes through the currently selected node; the rule list is ignored	Quick troubleshooting, or when you need everything on one exit node
Direct	All traffic bypasses the proxy entirely; the client keeps running	Baseline testing — checking whether an issue is actually caused by the proxy

For everyday use, stick with Rule mode: domestic sites stay fast on a direct connection, and sites that need a proxy get routed through a node automatically — no manual switching required. Global mode routes even local traffic through a node, which slows things down and eats into your data allowance. Direct mode is effectively the proxy turned off. Use the other two modes only for temporary troubleshooting, then switch back to Rule mode when you're done.

The routing logic behind Rule mode — how rule lists are written, how policy groups are structured, and how GeoIP and GeoSite data fit in — is advanced territory covered chapter by chapter in the Advanced Config guide. Updating GeoIP and GeoSite databases has its own dedicated guide as well — we won't go deeper into it here.

STEP 03 · Connect to a Node

Test latency, pick a node, flip on system proxy

With your config and mode set, two things are left: pick a node with good latency, and turn on the system proxy switch. Do it in that order — test first, then connect — and you'll avoid most common headaches.

Go to the node/proxy page. In Clash Verge Rev, click "Proxies" in the sidebar; in Clash Plus, click "Proxies." Nodes are grouped by policy group, with common groups like auto-select, manual-select, and region-based groups.
Click the latency test button — usually a lightning bolt icon or a "Test" label. The client pings each node, and within a few seconds you'll see a millisecond number next to each one. Skip anything showing a timeout or failure.
In the manual-select group, click a node with low, stable latency. Don't want to pick manually? Set the policy group to auto-select and let the client switch to the best-performing node automatically.
Turn on the system proxy switch. On desktop clients, look for a "System Proxy" toggle in Settings or the main window — once it's on, system-level traffic routes through Clash. On Android and iOS, this runs as a VPN: tap the connect button, approve the VPN permission prompt, and a VPN icon in the status bar confirms the tunnel is up.
Confirm the client shows a "Running" or "Connected" status. Desktop clients default to listening on mixed port 7890 — you usually don't need to change this.

For more detail on that first connection — how to pick a node, how to read latency numbers, how auto-select policy groups decide — see the First Connection Guide. Enhanced modes like TUN and Fake-IP can route apps that ignore the system proxy through Clash too — setup and caveats are covered in the Advanced Config guide.

STEP 04 · Verify It Works

Confirm the proxy is actually active

Turning on the switch doesn't guarantee your traffic is actually routed through the proxy — a 30-second check before you start using it saves you trouble later.

Visit an IP lookup site in your browser, like ip.sb or ipinfo.io. The exit IP shown should match the region of your selected node — pick a Japan node, and it should show Japan. If it still shows your local ISP, the proxy isn't active.
In Rule mode, also verify routing: a domestic site should load instantly over a direct connection, while Google or YouTube should load normally through the proxy. If both work, routing is functioning as expected.
Want more direct proof? Open the client's connection log. Clash Verge Rev's "Connections" page lists each connection in real time — target domain, matched rule, and which node it used. Visit a few sites and watch the entries roll in.

Signs everything is working

IP lookup shows your node's region, domestic sites load fast over a direct connection, blocked sites load fine, and the client's connection log shows live traffic. All four checked off means your first setup is complete.

If verification fails, work through this checklist in order: confirm the system proxy switch is actually on; make sure the mode isn't stuck on Direct; switch to a different node and re-test latency; and check whether your browser has its own proxy extension installed — extensions can override the system proxy, so disable it and test again. Still stuck? Check the subscription and connection troubleshooting articles, or search by symptom in the troubleshooting chapter of the Advanced Config guide.

STEP 05 · Next Steps

Keep the client running smoothly long-term

With first-time setup done, two more settings are worth turning on to make ongoing use much easier.

Launch at startup: in Clash Verge Rev, turn on "Launch at Startup" in Settings; Clash Plus has the same option in its settings page. No more manually starting it every time you boot up.
Auto-update subscription: set the update interval to 12 or 24 hours in your subscription settings, and your node list stays in sync with your provider automatically — no need to remember to refresh manually.
Thinking about switching clients, or want to compare features and use cases across clients? The Client Comparison page has platform-by-platform recommendations.
Ready to go deeper — policy group types, rule-set subscriptions, DNS tuning, TUN and Fake-IP, merging multiple subscriptions — head straight to the Advanced Config guide. It's organized by chapter and built for ongoing reference.

That covers the full flow from install to verified connection. For everyday use, just remember three things: keep your subscription updated, leave Rule mode on by default, and re-test latency and switch nodes if one stops working.

Clash Setup Guide: From Subscription Import to Verified Connection