This article answers three questions: how to import a subscription into Clash, how to enable it after importing, and why websites may still fail to load in your browser. It also explains how IP addresses, DNS, and browser settings relate to one another. These steps apply to clients that support Clash configurations. Menu names may vary slightly between clients, so look for the equivalent options under “Configuration,” “Subscription,” or “Proxy.”
1. Before importing: Make sure you have a subscription link
Start by installing a trustworthy, actively maintained Clash-compatible client. Check the project’s official release page and documentation, and avoid modified versions from unknown sources. Get a Clash subscription URL from your service provider. If this site’s free nodes page offers a compatible format, you can also follow the instructions there.
A subscription link is not the same as a link for a single node. Links beginning with vless://, vmess://, and similar prefixes usually contain sharing information for a single node and may not work directly in Clash’s subscription field. If the page offers several formats, choose Clash or another format explicitly supported by your client. Subscription URLs may contain authentication tokens, so don’t share screenshots of them or submit them to unknown conversion sites.
2. How to import a subscription into Clash
- Open the client and go to “Configuration,” “Profiles,” or “Subscription Management.”
- Click “Add,” “New,” or “Import from URL.” Enter a name you’ll recognize, then paste the full subscription link. Check that there are no extra spaces or line breaks at either end.
- Click “Download,” “Import,” or “Save” and wait for the configuration to appear. If you get a format error, first check that the link points to a Clash configuration rather than a regular webpage.
- Select the configuration you just imported and enable it. Successfully downloading a configuration doesn’t mean it’s now active, so check the name of the configuration currently in use.
- Go to “Proxy” or “Proxies” and select an available policy group and node. For your first use, “Rule” mode is recommended. Then enable “System Proxy.”
- Open a browser and test a webpage while checking the client’s connection logs. For apps that aren’t covered by the system proxy, consider using TUN mode as described in the client’s documentation. Enabling it for the first time may require administrator privileges.
To refresh your subscription later, click “Update” on the configuration page. You can also enable automatic updates if your client supports them. If an update fails, keep your existing configuration rather than repeatedly deleting and reinstalling it. A temporary network issue doesn’t necessarily mean your current nodes are no longer working.
3. How subscriptions relate to IP addresses, DNS, and browser settings
A subscription provides nodes and routing rules; it doesn’t automatically change the network route for every app. Only requests actually routed through the proxy will use the corresponding proxy exit IP. It’s normal for some websites to connect directly in Rule mode, so the IP address shown by one website may differ from what you see on another.
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. If a node is connected but domains won’t load, check the client logs for resolution errors and see whether your browser has Secure DNS enabled separately. This may change the DNS resolution path, but it doesn’t necessarily mean your DNS is leaking. Test with the client’s default settings first, then adjust options one at a time to avoid changing several things at once.
Browser proxy extensions, existing connections, and cached data may also affect the results. Try temporarily disabling proxy extensions, fully closing and reopening the browser, and testing again in a private window. Private browsing can help reduce interference from cached data and extensions, but it doesn’t guarantee anonymity or automatically change your exit IP.
4. Troubleshoot in this order
If importing fails, first check that the link is complete, hasn’t expired, and uses the right format. If you can’t access websites after enabling it, check in this order: confirm the configuration is selected, the node is working, and the system proxy is enabled; then check the logs for timeouts or DNS errors. Change only one setting at a time to make it easier to identify the cause. If only one browser is affected, check its extensions and separate proxy settings first; there’s no need to reinstall the client right away.