Clash Beginner FAQ: 10 Answers on Subscription Import, Proxy Modes, and Auto-Start

The first time you open a Clash-type client, concepts like subscriptions, modes, ports, and TUN all appear at once, which can be overwhelming. The ten questions below are arranged in the order you will actually run into them, covering subscription import, proxy modes, system proxy, and auto-start on boot. Every answer can be followed as-is. The examples use Clash Verge Rev (mihomo kernel); other clients name their menus slightly differently, but the underlying logic is the same.

Subscription Links: Getting, Importing, and Updating

1. Where do I get a subscription link, and where does it go in the client?

Your service provider issues the subscription link in your user dashboard, usually labeled "Clash Subscription", "Subscription URL", or "One-Click Import". Copying it gives you a URL that starts with https. Where to import: in Clash Verge Rev, open the "Profiles" page, paste the link into the input box at the top and confirm — a profile card will be created. In Clash Plus (iOS), create a new config from URL on the profiles page. In ClashX Meta, add it under "Config → Remote Config" in the menu bar. Once the import succeeds, select that profile and the node list loads with it.

2. The node list is empty or the import fails — what should I check first?

Check four things in order. First, paste the link into your browser's address bar and open it directly — it should return a block of text. If it won't open, the link is dead or your current network can't reach the subscription server; switch networks and retry. Second, make sure there are no extra spaces or line breaks at the start or end of what you pasted. Third, confirm you copied a Clash / mihomo format subscription — some providers hand out different links per client type, and the wrong format will fail to parse. Fourth, a few subscription servers themselves require a proxy to reach; enable the "update subscriptions via system proxy" option in the client settings, then pull again.

3. Do subscriptions need manual updating, and how often?

Yes. After the provider adds or removes nodes or adjusts routes, the client only gets the latest list by updating the subscription. Every client has an update button on the profile card — one click does it. Clash Verge Rev also lets you set an auto-update interval for each subscription; 24 hours is fine for daily use. Updating only refreshes nodes and rules — it doesn't change your current mode selection or toggle states, so feel free to run it as often as you like.

Proxy Modes: Choosing Between Global, Rule, and Direct

4. What's the difference between the three modes, and which one is for daily use?

• Rule: matches traffic against a built-in ruleset line by line — sites in mainland China connect directly, traffic outside China goes through the proxy. Recommended for daily use.
• Global: sends nearly all traffic through the currently selected node. Useful for temporarily troubleshooting rule issues.
• Direct: no traffic goes through the proxy — effectively pauses routing.

Beginners should stick with Rule mode. When something breaks, temporarily switch to Global for comparison: if a site opens in Global but not in Rule, it's a rule-matching problem; if it won't open in Global either, the problem lies with the node or the network itself.

5. A site won't open in Rule mode, or a mainland China site ends up going through the proxy — what now?

Rules are matched from top to bottom, and individual sites can hit an unsuitable rule. First find the site's connection record in the client's "Connections" panel to confirm which rule it matched and which policy group it was routed to, then place a more precise custom rule at the very top of the rule list. Example mihomo config:

rules:
  - DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,Proxy     # force this domain through the proxy; replace Proxy with your actual policy group name
  - DOMAIN-KEYWORD,intranet,DIRECT      # force domains containing this keyword to go direct
  # keep the original rules below; rules match from top to bottom

In Clash Verge Rev, put these rules in the prepend-rules field of the "Global Extend Config" — they stay in effect after subscription updates and won't be overwritten by subscription content.

6. What does the latency number in the node list mean — is lower always better?

The latency test is the number of milliseconds the client takes to reach a test address through that node. It only reflects connectivity and responsiveness, not download speed. An 80 ms node may have limited bandwidth, while a 300 ms node may still saturate your broadband. When picking a node, first check whether it responds at all, then judge by real-world experience: web browsing is latency-sensitive, while video streaming and file downloads depend more on bandwidth. Drop any node that times out in the test — don't agonize over it.

System Proxy and TUN Mode

7. System proxy is on — why are some programs bypassing it?

System proxy works by pointing the operating system's proxy server at 127.0.0.1 plus the local mixed port (commonly 7890 or 7897 — check the client's port settings page). Only programs that respect the system proxy get captured. These cases bypass it: a browser with its own proxy extension installed and running the extension's own config; and command-line tools, which don't read system proxy settings and need environment variables set manually:

export http_proxy=http://127.0.0.1:7897
export https_proxy=http://127.0.0.1:7897

In the Windows Command Prompt, use set instead of export: set https_proxy=http://127.0.0.1:7897. Some games and system components also ignore the system proxy. When troubleshooting, first verify the port numbers match, then rule out extensions and environment variables one by one.

8. When should I enable TUN mode?

TUN mode captures all device traffic at the network layer through a virtual network adapter, regardless of whether apps respect the system proxy. Three scenarios justify enabling it: command-line tools and games that ignore the system proxy; apps that need UDP traffic proxied; and environments where you want all traffic routed through the mihomo kernel. Enabling TUN requires installing service mode or granting administrator privileges — Clash Verge Rev offers one-click installation on its settings page. For everyday browsing, system proxy alone is enough; turn on TUN only when a program can't be captured. Both can also run at the same time.

Auto-Start on Boot and Version Maintenance

9. How do I make Clash launch at startup and stay in the background?

Desktop clients usually ship with a built-in toggle: in Clash Verge Rev, check "Auto Launch" under Settings, and pair it with "Silent Start" so the main window doesn't pop up after login; on macOS clients, check "Launch at Login" in preferences. On Linux command-line setups, manage mihomo with systemd — run systemctl enable mihomo to start it with the system. Auto-start only gets the client running; the system proxy toggle state is remembered, so you don't need to re-enable it after every boot.

10. Should I keep the client and kernel up to date — and does the original Clash still work?

The original Clash for Windows is no longer maintained, so switch to a client that's still being updated — for desktop, Clash Verge Rev, whose kernel is the actively maintained mihomo. The kernel usually upgrades along with the client, so regular users don't need to replace it manually; only follow up promptly when release notes mention protocol support or security fixes. Before upgrading or reinstalling, save a copy of your subscription links so you can simply re-import them afterward.

These ten questions cover the most frequent sticking points in a beginner's first two weeks. For fuller interface documentation, see the Usage Guide; for advanced config fields, consult the YAML Handbook.