This guide explains how to import a subscription into Clash, enable it after importing, and troubleshoot why websites still won’t load in your browser. It also covers how exit IPs, DNS, and browser settings affect your connection. Menu names vary slightly across Clash-compatible clients, but the general sequence is: “Subscription or Configuration → Download → Enable → Select a node.”
1. What to prepare before importing
Install a Clash-compatible client for your operating system that is still maintained. Prefer downloads from the project’s official release page, and avoid modified versions from unknown sources. Make sure you have a subscription link that explicitly supports the Clash format. A single VLESS share link may not work as a configuration by itself.
Subscription links usually contain personal access credentials. Don’t share screenshots publicly, post them in group chats, or submit them to untrusted online conversion sites. For free nodes provided on this site, check the format and validity period listed on the relevant page; compatibility can vary between clients.
2. How to import a Clash subscription
- Copy the complete subscription URL. Make sure there are no spaces or line breaks at either end, and don’t use the URL of an introductory webpage instead of the subscription link.
- Open the client and go to “Configurations,” “Subscriptions,” or “Profiles.” Choose an option such as “Add new” or “Import from URL.”
- Paste the URL, enter a recognizable name, and click “Download” or “Save.” If you get a format error, first check whether the provider supports your client.
- After the download completes, select the configuration to make it active. Merely seeing it in the list doesn’t mean it’s enabled.
- Go to “Proxies” and select a node in the policy group used by the active rules. You can test latency first, but a successful test doesn’t guarantee that websites will load.
- Turn on “System Proxy” and start with “Rule” mode. Open the target website in your browser, then check the client’s connection log for the corresponding request.
A successful import doesn’t mean your traffic is going through the proxy. Confirm that the configuration is active, the correct policy group is selected, and the system proxy is enabled. TUN mode captures traffic from more apps, but you can leave it off when using a regular browser to keep troubleshooting simpler.
3. How IP, DNS, and browser settings relate after importing
Your exit IP depends on whether a request goes direct or through a proxy, and on which node you select. In Rule mode, domestic websites may connect directly while other sites use the proxy, so different IP-checking sites may show different addresses. This doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem. Check the connection log for the request to the site you’re testing rather than relying on a single IP-checking page.
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. A “DNS resolution failed” error may be caused by your local network, the client’s DNS settings, or an upstream resolver. In some configurations, your browser’s Secure DNS setting can change how names are resolved, but it doesn’t automatically determine the exit IP for all requests. Don’t copy DNS settings from unknown sources when troubleshooting.
Browser proxy extensions may override the system proxy, and existing connections or cached data can make results harder to interpret. Try temporarily disabling proxy extensions, closing and reopening the browser, or testing in a private window. Private browsing doesn’t guarantee that extensions or separate proxy settings will be bypassed.
4. Troubleshoot common issues in order
- Subscription download fails: Check your local network, whether the link has expired, and the provider’s announcements. If downloading requires a proxy, first use an existing working connection.
- Configuration parsing fails: Verify the subscription format and the client’s supported formats. Back up your existing configuration before updating the client.
- All nodes time out: Refresh the subscription, check your system clock, then test a different network or node.
- Latency test succeeds but websites won’t load: Check the system proxy, policy group, browser extensions, and errors in the connection log.
Change one setting at a time and test again so you can identify the cause. When asking for help, you can share the client version, error message, and redacted logs. Don’t reveal your subscription URL or node credentials.