Beginner Intro
What is Clash? How does it differ from a VPN?
Clash is an open-source rule-based proxy engine. Unlike a traditional VPN that tunnels all traffic, Clash uses Smart Routing—local traffic stays direct while international services go through the proxy. Learn more in What is Clash?
CFW is discontinued. What should I use in 2026?
Recommended migration by platform:
Are Clash Meta and mihomo the same thing?
Yes. Clash Meta officially rebranded to mihomo in 2024. It is the core engine used by all modern Clash clients, offering features far beyond the discontinued original Clash core, including support for Reality, VLESS, and Hysteria2.
Are Clash clients free and safe?
The clients we recommend (Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, Karing, ClashX Meta) are completely free and open-source. Their code is hosted on GitHub and available for public audit.
Subscriptions & Nodes
How do I import a subscription link into the client?
Basic steps: Go to "Subscriptions/Profiles" → "New" → Paste URL → Save & Update. See our Full Subscription Import Guide for details.
Why are there no nodes or errors after importing?
Common reasons:
All node latencies are red/timeout. Are the nodes down?
In-app latency tests are direct pings from your local machine to the server. Results can be limited by your local network; red doesn't necessarily mean unusable. Try connecting or wait a while. if timeout persists, contact your provider.
Will I lose my custom rules when I update the subscription?
If you edit the subscription file directly, it will be overwritten on update. We recommend using the "Override" feature in Clash Verge Rev to append custom rules that persist through updates.
AI Tool Access
Why can't I access ChatGPT even with the proxy on?
The main cause is IP Drifting—load balancing or auto-switching IPs flags OpenAI's security. Solution: Set a dedicated
fallback group for OpenAI with 2-3 fixed US nodes. See our ChatGPT Anti-Ban Guide.
Seeing "Access Denied" or "Not Available in Your Country" on ChatGPT?
Potential causes:
Do Claude and Gemini also need dedicated routing?
Claude (Anthropic) has strict IP requirements similar to ChatGPT; we recommend using a fallback group. Gemini (Google) is more lenient and typically works with standard proxy nodes.
Advanced Questions
Proxy is on, but git/curl/docker in terminal isn't routed?
System proxies only affect apps that support them (like browsers). Command-line tools don't read system proxy settings. You have two solutions:
Why are local websites slow with the proxy on?
Check if your mode is set to "Global". Switch to "Rule" mode. Also, ensure your config includes
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT to keep local traffic off the proxy.
Does Clash support Reality and Hysteria2 protocols?
Yes, but you must use a client based on the mihomo core. The original (discontinued) Clash core does not support these. Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, Karing, and ClashX Meta all use mihomo and fully support Reality, VLESS, Hysteria2, and TUIC.
What happens if I run two Clash clients at once?
They will fight for the same local port (default 7890), causing both to fail. Only run one client at a time and remember to close the old CFW after migrating.