Choose a client for your OS, use the mihomo core to handle proxy connections, manage requests with rule-based routing, and follow the English documentation to configure it.
MIHOMO CORE · GPL-3.0 OPEN SOURCE · RULE-BASED ROUTING
Protocol names describe how connections work, not a guaranteed speed. Server settings, network paths, and client cores must be compatible. After importing a subscription, make sure the active core recognizes its protocol fields.
Use the protocol and transport settings provided by the server. Parsing the configuration is only the first step; also check that TLS, the transport layer, and proxy group references are all configured correctly.
Check how connections recover when switching networks, and account for background restrictions. QUIC-based protocols require UDP connectivity; the protocol name alone cannot tell you how much battery it will use or how stable the connection will be.
Desktop clients focus on their interface and OS integration; servers need manageable services and maintainable configuration. Explore the protocol and core reference →
The GUI handles subscription management, proxy switching, and OS integration. The core parses rules and establishes connections. Choose a package for your device, then check that the core supports the protocols your configuration requires.
Choose a GUI client such as Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, or FlClash. Check your processor architecture in system information first. After installation, start by testing the system proxy; if you need to route apps that ignore it, follow the guide to configure the TUN service.
Go to downloads Windows client→Choose the build for Apple Silicon or Intel. System proxy and network extension permissions are managed in different places; follow the prompts when you first launch the app. Back up your configuration before updating. Reinstalling is no substitute for diagnosing subscription or rule issues.
Go to downloads macOS client→Choose from Clash Plus, Clash Meta for Android, FlClash, or Surfboard. Check your device architecture and configuration format. On first connection, allow the app to set up a VPN. If the connection drops when you switch apps, check Android's background activity and battery restrictions for the client.
Go to downloads Android client→Install Clash Plus from the App Store. Its official website is clashplus.io. After importing a configuration, allow the app to add a VPN configuration, then choose a proxy group. The app interface differs from desktop clients; when troubleshooting, check the connection status, active configuration, and matched rules.
Go to downloads iOS client→For desktop Linux, choose Clash Verge Rev or FlClash and download the package for your distribution. On a headless host, run mihomo directly and use a service manager to keep it running. Also check configuration directory permissions, listening addresses, and service logs.
Go to downloads Linux client→Each request passes through local inbound, rule matching, and outbound selection in turn. Configure these stages in order to verify the result more easily than by toggling several settings at once.
mixed-port: 7890
allow-lan: falseDOMAIN-SUFFIX,github.com,PROXY
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
MATCH,DIRECTRule mode doesn't send every connection through the same node. The core checks domains, addresses, or rule sets from top to bottom, then routes each request to the policy that matches. A policy can send traffic directly or select a proxy group. When editing your configuration, put specific conditions first and the fallback MATCH rule last. Make sure every referenced group exists. Unlike global mode, rule mode lets different types of traffic take different routes, but the outcome depends on your rules. If an app uses the wrong route, check the matched rule in the connections list and adjust that condition rather than switching all your nodes repeatedly.
rules:
- DOMAIN-SUFFIX,github.com,PROXY
- GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
- MATCH,DIRECTA mixed port accepts both HTTP and SOCKS proxy connections, giving browsers, terminals, and developer tools a single local entry point. The port number isn't fixed; use the value in the active configuration. If you change mixed-port, update any apps where you've entered the proxy address manually. allow-lan controls whether devices on your LAN can connect, but reachability also depends on the bind address and system firewall. Leave it off for local use. The external controller port is for communication between the client and core, not proxy traffic. Don't enter it as a browser proxy or expose it directly to the public internet.
mixed-port: 7890
allow-lan: false
external-controller: 127.0.0.1:9090The system proxy depends on apps reading the OS proxy settings. TUN uses a virtual network interface and routes to capture eligible traffic, making it useful for apps that don't support explicit proxies. Before enabling it, make sure the client service is running and required permissions are granted, then check that DNS settings match your routing setup. Exclusions, interface settings, and platform behavior still affect which traffic is captured; turning on the switch doesn't guarantee that all traffic goes through the proxy. If domains fail to load but direct IP connections work, check DNS resolution first. Avoid running multiple tools that modify routes or DNS at the same time, as they may overwrite each other's settings.
A subscription may provide a full configuration or just a list of nodes; these are different kinds of input. After importing, check which configuration is active and whether its proxy groups contain selectable nodes. For rules or port changes you need to keep, use the client's override or merge features where available. Direct edits to remote files may be overwritten on update. An automatic group switches nodes based on probe results; a manual group keeps the outbound route you select. If an update fails, keep the current working configuration and check subscription URL reachability, response format, and core parsing logs separately.
Remote subscription → local overrides → active core configuration
The subscription text shown in the client may differ from the configuration ultimately passed to the core. When troubleshooting, check the merged configuration too.
Node speed tests typically measure response time to a specified probe URL; they aren't sustained download tests. A node with a fast response may still be limited by bandwidth, server load, or the destination site. For a fair comparison, use the same network and test target at roughly the same time, changing only one variable. If a browser works but a terminal doesn't, first check whether the terminal reads proxy environment variables rather than assuming the node is at fault.
First determine whether the failure is subscription download, configuration parsing, DNS resolution, or the connection to the destination, then check the relevant settings. Temporarily increasing log verbosity can help. Before sharing logs, remove subscription URLs, authentication fields, and personal addresses. Recording the active configuration, mode, and steps to reproduce the issue is often more useful than reinstalling repeatedly.
For your first setup, keep the default ports and enable only the network mode you need. Check the status after each step before moving on.
Add the subscription URL on the client's subscription or configuration page. Once it downloads, select that configuration. Make sure the file parses and its proxy groups contain selectable options before continuing. Subscription URLs often include access credentials, so don't post them publicly. If the import fails, first check whether the response is configuration data or an error page.
Start with rule mode and select an available node in your main proxy group. On desktop, enable the system proxy; on mobile, allow the VPN when prompted by the OS. Don't run multiple proxy apps at once or change DNS, ports, and routes together before verifying a basic connection.
Open the app you want to test, find its domain or process in the connections list, and check the matched rule and actual outbound route. An enabled switch alone doesn't mean requests are reaching the core. If the app doesn't appear in the list, check the proxy entry point first. If it appears but fails, check DNS results, the node connection, and the destination service.
Here, Clash refers to an ecosystem of clients and cores that share configuration concepts; not every app is developed by the same team. Similar interfaces don't guarantee identical protocol support or configuration behavior.
Clash uses YAML to define proxies, proxy groups, and rules. GUI clients build on this model to offer imports, switching, and OS integration. After the original project was discontinued, other projects in the ecosystem continued to evolve. The name Clash Meta is part of the project history leading to mihomo, so you'll see both names in older guides. To check whether a feature is supported, look at the core currently in use rather than relying on whether the app name includes Meta.
The mihomo core is licensed under GPL-3.0. You can review its source code, issues, and commit history in the project repository. GUI clients, system service components, and configuration tools may have their own repositories and licenses; the core's license doesn't automatically apply to all of them. Before modifying, distributing, or integrating code, read the relevant project's license and dependency notices. For everyday use, start with the download page to check maintenance status and system requirements.
Basic rules and some proxy fields in older configurations may still work, but newer protocols, rule types, and advanced DNS fields require support in the core. Before copying a configuration to another client, check whether it accepts full YAML or only node subscriptions, and whether it automatically merges default settings. If parsing fails, address the fields identified in the logs one by one. Avoid deleting unfamiliar settings in bulk just to make the file load.
Updating the client mainly changes its interface, platform integration, and bundled components. Updating the core affects protocol implementations and rule parsing. Updating a subscription changes remotely provided nodes or configuration. These updates solve different problems. Keep a recoverable copy of your configuration before updating; afterward, check the active configuration, listening ports, and system proxy status. If a connection changes, compare what was updated before deciding whether to roll back a setting or adjust the configuration.
The quick-start guide gets your first connection working, the technical reference explains protocols and cores, and topic guides walk through how to investigate specific issues. Note what you're seeing, then choose the guide that fits.
Trace how three generations of cores evolved and compare their protocol support, rule types, and configuration fields to see whether your existing configuration can be reused as-is.
Read article →Diagnose browser extensions that override proxy settings, terminals that ignore the system proxy, and missing environment variables separately, with steps to verify each fix.
Read article →Starting with virtual network interfaces and routing tables, this guide explains how TUN mode captures traffic from apps that ignore the system proxy, with platform-specific setup steps and permission requirements.
Read article →