FAQ - Clash Official

1. What is Clash? How does it differ from other proxy tools?

Clash is a rule-based multi-protocol proxy tool core supporting SS, VMess, Trojan and other mainstream protocols.
It defines routing rules through config files, intelligently routing traffic based on domain, IP and other conditions.
Unlike single-protocol tools, Clash supports mixed multi-protocol usage with greater flexibility.
Clash has an active community ecosystem providing rich config templates and rule set resources.
It is open-source software with transparent code, security reviewed by the community.
Clash supports cross-platform usage on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and other systems.

First confirm your operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS.
Windows users are recommended Clash Verge or Clash for Windows, with friendly UI and comprehensive features.
macOS users are recommended ClashX Pro, supporting enhanced mode and seamless system proxy switching.
Android users can choose Clash Meta for Android, supporting subscription import and rule editing.
iOS users can get compatible clients through TestFlight or App Store.
Download from official GitHub or mirrors provided on this page to avoid security risks from third-party modified versions.

Clash config files are typically in YAML format, containing three core sections: proxies, proxy-groups, and rules.
The proxies section defines your proxy node information, including server address, port, protocol and password.
The proxy-groups section groups multiple nodes, supporting strategies like load balancing and auto-select.
The rules section defines traffic routing rules, matching in order to determine whether traffic goes through proxy or direct.
You can also configure DNS settings and general options (mixed-port, allow-lan, etc.) to customize behavior.
Beginners are advised to refer to community-provided template configs and modify them to suit their needs.

Open your Clash client and find the "Config" or "Profiles" management interface.
Click "New" or "Add", select "URL" type, and paste your subscription link.
Name the config (optional), then click "Download" or "Import" to fetch the remote config file.
After successful import, select the config to activate it, and Clash will run with this configuration.
For subsequent updates, click the "Update" button to re-fetch the latest subscription content.
Some clients support auto-update interval settings, configurable to refresh every few hours automatically.

Shadowsocks (SS): Lightweight encrypted proxy protocol, simple deployment, suitable for basic usage scenarios.
ShadowsocksR (SSR): Enhanced version of SS, adding obfuscation and protocol parameters for better anti-detection.
VMess: V2Ray original protocol, supporting TLS and WebSocket transport with good concealment.
Trojan: Simulates normal HTTPS traffic, difficult to identify by deep packet inspection, high security.
Vless: Lightweight evolution of VMess, removing encryption layer and relying on TLS for security.
Clash Meta core has good support for all above protocols and continues to follow new protocol features.

First check if the network connection is normal, confirming the device can access the internet (direct connection).
Check Clash log output to locate specific error messages (such as connection timeout, authentication failure, etc.).
Confirm whether the proxy node is available, try switching to other nodes to test if it recovers.
Check if node information in the config file is correct, including address, port, password and protocol parameters.
Confirm system proxy settings are correct; some clients require manually enabling the "System Proxy" option.
If the problem persists, try updating the Clash core version or re-importing the subscription config.