• Clash ecosystem · mihomo configuration guides

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Choose a client for your platform, use the English-language guides to import subscriptions, and learn about the mihomo core and traffic routing.

  • Open source
  • Rule configuration
  • Subscription management

Clash rules and configuration options

Understand how traffic enters the core before choosing how rules match, policies are selected, and domains are resolved.

How traffic routing works

Rules are checked from top to bottom; the first match selects the policy

In rule mode, the core evaluates domains, destination IPs, and rule sets one rule at a time. The connection uses the policy specified by the first matching rule; later rules are not checked. Put exceptions for individual sites before broader rules, and place the final MATCH fallback at the end. Unlike global mode, which sends everything through one selected route, rule mode lets you direct traffic, proxy it, or reject it as needed. After making changes, check the connection list to see which rule matched. Proxy group names must match their definitions in the configuration, and rule sets must first be declared under rule-providers.

  • mode
  • rules
  • rule-providers
rule mode
mode: rule
rules:
  - DOMAIN-SUFFIX,cn,DIRECT
  - GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
  - MATCH,PROXY

PROXY must match a defined proxy group.

Choose a client for your operating system

The client provides the interface and system integration; the core handles proxy protocols and rules. Before installing, check your platform, processor architecture, and configuration compatibility.

Windows

Start by comparing Clash Plus with Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, and Clash Nyanpasu. Check your processor architecture in system information, then choose the matching installer. On first launch, import a configuration and enable the system proxy. There is no need to enable every traffic-capture option right away.

If websites work in your browser but not in other apps, first check whether those apps use the system proxy, then consider TUN. Launch at login, auto-connect on startup, and service mode are separate settings. Check each one to avoid a situation where the client runs after a restart but traffic never reaches the core.

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macOS

Choose a package for Apple Silicon or Intel. The download center offers Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, and other options. After installation, check network permissions and confirm the configuration imported successfully. The system proxy mainly affects apps that support proxy settings; terminal apps may also need proxy environment variables.

If your connection stops working after switching between Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a dock, check the active network service and default route. With TUN enabled, watch for conflicts with other VPNs. Exit traffic-capture mode normally before stopping the proxy so the system can restore its previous network settings.

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Android

Choose from Clash Plus, Clash Meta for Android, FlClash, or Surfboard, and check that the configuration format is supported by your client. Select the right package for ARM64 or another architecture. On first connection, approve the system VPN request. This lets the app capture network traffic through the VPN interface; it does not mean a working exit has been selected.

After connecting, check the rule mode and proxy group. If the connection drops often when the screen locks, check battery optimization, background activity, and your device maker's power-saving settings. If only certain apps bypass the proxy, check their app-level routing settings. After switching mobile networks, test the target site again rather than relying on the status bar icon.

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iOS

The download center links to Clash Plus on the App Store. The product website is clashplus.io. After installing, import a compatible configuration, approve system VPN access, then choose a rule mode and proxy group. Get subscription links from trusted sources and confirm that the configuration parses successfully.

For your first setup, test browser access, then check specific apps. A connection button showing that the VPN is on only confirms the tunnel has started; you still need to check the exit and routing rules. If problems start after switching networks, reconnect and review the configuration. Avoid running multiple VPN apps that compete to capture traffic.

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Linux

For desktop use, compare Clash Verge Rev and FlClash. On servers or routers, you can deploy the mihomo core directly. Before installing a graphical client, check your distribution's package format and processor architecture. A command-line core also requires you to set up a configuration directory, permissions, and a background service.

The desktop system proxy, terminal environment variables, and TUN routes are three different ways to direct traffic. If a command-line app does not use the proxy, first check whether the current process received the environment variables. For background deployments, record service logs and listening ports. Check each layer: core startup, configuration loading, and whether app requests are working.

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Similar client names do not guarantee the same configuration support

Clash is an ecosystem name, not a single core or interface used by every app. Supported protocols, rule syntax, configuration overrides, and TUN implementations can vary. If you already have a subscription, check its format before choosing a client. Before migrating, keep your existing configuration and compare DNS, proxy groups, and rule sets one by one. The download center lists maintenance status separately from platform options. Archived clients may be useful for reference in existing setups; for new installations, compare actively maintained options first.

Import a Clash subscription and connect

Get a basic connection working before adding custom rules. Each step has an observable result, so you can return to the relevant stage if something goes wrong.

  1. Step 1

    Install a client and import a configuration

    Choose a client from the download center that matches your operating system and processor architecture. Open the configuration or subscription page and import from a link or local file. The section may be called Configuration, Profiles, or Subscriptions. Once imported, make sure the configuration is enabled and that proxy groups and nodes are visible. Installing the client alone does not establish a proxy connection.

    If the import fails, check whether the error is related to the network request, the returned content, or YAML parsing. A web login page, an expired subscription notice, or a node list in another format cannot be used directly as a complete configuration. Keep the original error message, redact personal parameters from the subscription URL, and follow the troubleshooting guide step by step.

  2. Step 2

    Choose rule mode and a proxy group

    Select rule mode, then choose an available node in the group that handles proxied traffic. Group names vary between subscriptions, so identify the group by its purpose instead of looking for a specific name. On desktop, enable the system proxy first; on mobile, approve the VPN interface when prompted. For your first test, keep the configuration's existing DNS and rules to make it easier to identify the cause of any issues.

    Direct means the request uses your local network connection; proxy means it goes through the selected node; reject means the core blocks it. Global mode can help confirm whether a node works, but it should not be used to mask rule problems. Node tests help narrow down potential exits, but you still need to test access to the actual website.

  3. Step 3

    Verify traffic routing and save a working configuration

    Visit one site that should connect directly and another that should use the proxy. Check the connection list for the destination domain, matched rule, and selected proxy group, and make sure they match your expectations. If a site works in your browser but not in another app, check how the app's traffic enters the core instead of replacing the entire subscription. For broader traffic capture, see the TUN permissions and routing guide.

    Once everything checks out, save the working configuration. Then adjust startup behavior, DNS, or custom rules one at a time. Reload the configuration and test again after each change so you can pinpoint and revert problems. Before closing the client, disable traffic capture. If your network does not recover, check the system proxy and any background services still running.

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Open-source cores and the client ecosystem

Understanding how projects relate and where configurations come from helps you assess compatibility and update risks more reliably than app names alone.

Clash, Clash Meta, and mihomo

Clash's configuration model brings proxies, proxy groups, and routing rules together in one file. A range of graphical clients build on this model to manage configurations and integrate with the operating system. After the original project was discontinued, the community continued developing different implementations. mihomo was previously known to users as Clash Meta. It retains related configuration conventions while extending protocol, rule, and networking capabilities. Similar names do not guarantee identical features, so check the current core documentation when using older guides.

A client interface update does not mean the core was updated

The client interface handles subscription imports, proxy group selection, service installation, and system proxy settings. The core processes connections, DNS, and rules. Some clients bundle a core with the installer, while others let you replace it separately. If a configuration is incompatible, check both the app and the core actually running. When migrating configurations, focus on newly supported protocols, rule set formats, and TUN parameters—not just whether the interface has the same toggles.

Source code

MetaCubeX / mihomo

Read source code, license files, and change logs in the project repository. The command below clones the repository into the current directory for browsing or development only. Cloning source code does not install the client or provide proxy nodes.

git clone https://github.com/MetaCubeX/mihomo.git
View repository ↗

Community issue reports can help explain known behavior. Before filing an issue, document the steps to reproduce it, your system environment, and relevant logs. Remove node credentials and personal information from subscription links. A clear minimal configuration is more useful for troubleshooting than uploading a complete private subscription.

Keep a working configuration before updating

App updates, core updates, and subscription updates are separate operations. App updates may change permissions and system integration; core updates may affect configuration parsing and networking; subscription updates may replace nodes, rules, and DNS settings. Before updating, note your current mode, selected proxy group, and override settings, and keep a working copy. Afterward, run a basic connection test before restoring complex rules. If something breaks, revert the most recent change first instead of resetting everything.

Scope of these English-language guides

This site focuses on platform choices, getting started, and configuration guides. Its name does not mean that all upstream clients are developed by the same team. Check each app's documentation and the core documentation for system requirements, licensing, and feature details. Configuration snippets in these guides explain how fields relate; adapt the actual settings to your network. Proxy service availability, traffic limits, and subscription status are determined by the relevant provider. Verify client installation and network access separately.

For configuration field definitions, see the glossary. If a subscription update fails, nodes time out, DNS stops working, or the system proxy has no effect, go to Troubleshooting and check each layer based on the symptoms. For general questions, see the help center. Identify which layer is causing the problem before choosing a fix to avoid unnecessary node changes and repeated reinstalls.

Clash tips and configuration notes

Practical guidance on choosing nodes, diagnosing slow speeds, and understanding differences between cores—beyond the getting-started basics.

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