Complete Beginner's Guide to Clash

What is Clash?

Clash is a rule-based, cross-platform proxy tool written in Go. It supports major proxy protocols including VMess, Trojan, and Shadowsocks, with a powerful built-in rule engine that automatically routes traffic based on domain, IP, and GeoIP conditions.

Unlike traditional VPNs, Clash enables fine-grained traffic splitting: direct connect for local sites (low latency), proxy for overseas sites (unrestricted access).

What Do You Need Before Starting?

• A Clash Client: choose the app for your platform
• A Subscription URL: Clash ships with no nodes — you need to purchase a third-party proxy service and get a subscription URL from them

Step 1: Choose and Download a Client

Visit the Download page to get the latest packages — all from official GitHub Releases, clean and safe.

Step 2: Import Your Subscription Config

Once installed, open the client and find the "Profiles" or "Subscriptions" tab:

1. Copy the subscription URL from your proxy provider's dashboard
2. Paste the URL into the subscription field in the client
3. Click "Download" or "Update"
4. Wait for the config to load, then select it to activate

If the subscription URL is correct, you'll see a list of proxy nodes (servers) to choose from after loading.

Step 3: Enable the Proxy

After successfully importing the config, the last step is enabling the proxy:

1. Find the "System Proxy" toggle in the client and turn it on
2. Set proxy mode to Rule for smart traffic routing
3. Select a node with low latency
4. Open a browser and visit Google or YouTube to verify it works

Tips for Best Results

• Use Rule mode instead of Global — local traffic won't go through the proxy, keeping speeds fast
• Regularly click "Update Subscription" to get the latest nodes
• If a connection fails, try switching to a different node or restarting the client
• If latency tests fail, check that the "System Proxy" toggle is on

Skip the Guesswork — Start with a Tuned Clash Build

This guide walks through every step, but first-time setup still trips people up: picking the wrong client build, subscription formats that won't parse, or forgetting to turn on System Proxy.

We've packaged Clash with sensible defaults — System Proxy ready to enable, common subscription formats pre-tested, and a straightforward node picker. Download, paste your subscription URL, activate. Keep this page and the platform guides bookmarked when you want every option explained in depth.