What You Need Before Starting
Clash Verge Rev is a desktop client built around the modern Mihomo core, but it does not provide proxy nodes by itself. Before you begin, you need a subscription URL from a provider, a stable internet connection for the first download, and a Windows, macOS, or Linux account that can approve networking permissions when required. The subscription URL normally contains an encoded access token, so treat it like a password rather than an ordinary web link.
This Clash Verge Rev setup guide follows the complete first-use workflow: install the client, import a subscription, activate a profile, select a proxy group and node, update the profile, and enable the appropriate proxy mode. The labels may vary slightly between releases, but the underlying concepts remain consistent. A profile is the downloaded YAML configuration, a proxy group is the collection of nodes or policies defined inside that configuration, and the selected node is the outbound connection currently used by matching rules.
Do not paste a subscription URL into a public chat, issue tracker, screenshot, or browser bookmark that is synchronized to an account you do not control. If the URL is exposed, another person may be able to download your entire node list and consume your provider traffic. When migrating from another Clash client, copy the original subscription address from its profile manager instead of manually reconstructing it. Providers sometimes use different endpoints for legacy Clash, Mihomo, sing-box, or region-specific exports.
Terminology note: Many providers still call their product a “Clash subscription,” even when the exported configuration targets the Mihomo core. That naming is usually not a problem. What matters is whether the downloaded profile contains valid YAML and uses protocols supported by the active core, such as VLESS, Reality, Hysteria2, or TUIC.
Install Clash Verge Rev and Import a Subscription
Download the installer from a trusted project release page and choose the package that matches your operating system and CPU architecture. On Windows, most users need the x64 build; ARM64 users should select the ARM64 package when one is available. On macOS, Apple Silicon and Intel builds may be separate. Installing the wrong architecture can lead to an immediate launch failure, missing tray integration, or a blank window that is difficult to diagnose.
- Install the application: Run the installer, place the application in the normal program or Applications directory, and launch it once with the required user permissions.
- Open the Profiles page: Locate the profile or subscription management section in the left navigation. This is where remote subscription URLs and local YAML files are stored.
- Add the subscription URL: Paste the complete HTTPS address into the subscription field, give it a recognizable name such as your provider and region, then confirm the import.
- Wait for the download to finish: A successful import should show a profile card, file name, node count, or update timestamp. Do not activate a partially downloaded profile.
- Activate the profile: Click the profile card or its activation control. The active profile should be visually marked, and the dashboard should begin reading its proxy groups.
If the import button does nothing, first check whether the URL was copied completely. Subscription links often contain long query strings, ampersands, or encoded characters that are easy to omit when copying from a mobile app. Paste the address into a private browser window only as a basic connectivity test; do not assume that a browser download proves Clash Verge Rev can parse the result. Some providers return a web landing page when the request lacks the expected user-agent, authorization header, or subscription format.
A failed download can also come from DNS resolution, certificate validation, an expired provider account, or a captive portal on hotel and public Wi-Fi. Check the system clock because a significantly incorrect date can make HTTPS certificates appear invalid. If the provider offers both a short link and a long subscription URL, try the long URL first. Short links may expire, redirect through a blocked domain, or require a browser cookie that the client does not send.
Do not edit the downloaded profile immediately. First confirm that the untouched subscription loads and that at least one group contains nodes. If you change YAML before establishing a working baseline, it becomes difficult to tell whether a failure comes from the provider, the core, DNS, or your local override.
Choose a Proxy Group and Switch Nodes
After a profile is active, open the Proxies or dashboard view. You will usually see several groups rather than one flat node list. Common group names include PROXY, Proxy, 🚀 节点选择, Auto, Fallback, or a provider-specific regional label. The exact name is defined by the profile’s proxy-groups section, so two subscriptions can expose completely different layouts inside the same client.
A group may contain individual nodes, another group, or an automatic policy. A selector group lets you choose manually. A url-test group measures a configured URL and chooses according to latency, while a fallback group normally keeps the first healthy member and changes only when that member fails. These policies are useful, but they are not equivalent to real-world performance. A node with the lowest test latency may still perform poorly for video, large downloads, interactive terminals, or services located in a different region.
| Group or mode | How it behaves | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Manual selector | You choose a specific node and keep it until changing it again. | Debugging, region-specific services, or stable daily browsing. |
| URL test | The client compares members against a test URL and prefers a measured result. | Convenience when you accept automatic switching between healthy nodes. |
| Fallback | The group stays on a preferred member until it becomes unavailable. | Stable work sessions where unexpected node changes are undesirable. |
| Load balance | Traffic is distributed according to the configured balancing strategy. | Advanced use cases, multiple users, or experiments with parallel paths. |
To switch nodes in Clash Verge Rev, select the relevant top-level group and click a node. Allow a few seconds for the selection to propagate through nested groups. If you click a node inside a secondary group but the top-level group still points to another policy, your visible choice may not affect the connection you are testing. Trace the hierarchy from the rule’s target group down to the individual node, especially when the profile contains groups named “Auto,” “Fallback,” or “Select.”
Test one destination at a time after switching. Open a site that should use the proxy, inspect the connection list, and confirm the destination is matched by the expected rule and group. Do not judge a node only by the latency badge. Check whether pages load consistently, images appear, downloads remain stable, and long-running connections survive for several minutes. For development tools, also test the exact domain used by the tool rather than assuming that a successful browser page covers every API endpoint.
If every node appears unavailable, the issue may be higher in the chain. The profile could have expired, the provider API may be temporarily unreachable, or the client may be unable to resolve the health-check URL. If only one region fails, try another node and compare the connection log. If all groups return DIRECT, inspect the profile’s rules and ensure that the active profile is actually selected rather than merely downloaded.
Update the Profile and Control Proxy Mode
Subscription providers change node addresses, certificates, ports, and availability, so an imported profile should be updated regularly. In the Profiles page, use the refresh or update control next to the active subscription. A manual update is useful when a provider announces a new server or when the current node list suddenly becomes empty. Automatic updates are convenient, but choose an interval that fits your provider’s policy. Repeatedly refreshing a subscription every few minutes can trigger rate limits without improving connection quality.
After an update, verify whether your selected node still exists. Some providers rename nodes or replace the entire list, causing a previously selected member to disappear. Also confirm that custom overrides, mixins, or local rule edits still apply. A profile update normally replaces the downloaded YAML; changes made directly inside that generated file may therefore be lost. For persistent customization, use the client’s supported override or merge mechanism rather than modifying the generated subscription file by hand.
System Proxy Versus TUN Mode
For ordinary browser traffic, enable the client’s system proxy control after selecting a working group. This tells the operating system to send supported HTTP and HTTPS applications to Clash Verge Rev’s local listener. It is the simplest mode and is often enough for browsers, office software, and applications that respect system proxy settings.
System proxy is not universal. Command-line tools, game launchers, background services, virtual machines, and applications with their own networking stack may ignore it. TUN mode creates a virtual network interface and captures a broader range of traffic, including programs that never read the operating system’s proxy fields. It may require administrator approval, a helper service, or permission to install a virtual adapter, depending on the platform.
Use TUN mode when you specifically need system-wide coverage, but enable it deliberately. A TUN interface changes how DNS and routing are handled, and a poorly matched configuration can create loops, duplicate routes, or local-network problems. Before enabling it, note the local gateway, printer, NAS, and corporate VPN ranges that must remain reachable. If the client offers options such as auto-route, strict route, or DNS hijacking, begin with the documented defaults and change one option at a time.
Practical test: First verify browsing with system proxy mode. Then enable TUN and repeat the same test. If browsing works in the first mode but fails in TUN, focus on permissions, virtual adapter state, DNS mode, and route exclusions instead of replacing every node in the subscription.
Fix Common Clash Verge Rev Setup Problems
A blank profile list usually means the subscription was never downloaded successfully, not that all nodes are dead. Recheck the URL, provider account status, system clock, and network access. If the profile downloads but shows a parse error, ask the provider for a Mihomo-compatible export and confirm that the response is YAML rather than an HTML error page. A local file can be inspected carefully in a text editor, but avoid publishing its contents because it may include credentials or node secrets.
When the dashboard says connected but websites do not load, check the active profile, the top-level proxy group, and the system proxy toggle in that order. A selected node inside an inactive profile cannot affect traffic. A selected profile with a top-level group set to DIRECT will also appear healthy while bypassing the proxy. The connection view is more reliable than the dashboard badge: look for the destination hostname, matched rule, outbound group, and final node.
Port conflicts are another common first-day problem. If another Clash client, VPN, development server, or local security product already occupies the mixed port, Clash Verge Rev may start without accepting browser traffic. Change the local port only after identifying which applications depend on the old value. Then update any manual browser, terminal, or application proxy settings to match the new address. Running several Mihomo-based clients simultaneously is rarely useful and makes service helpers, TUN adapters, and DNS listeners compete with one another.
For terminal applications, remember that system proxy mode does not automatically configure every process. Some tools need environment variables such as HTTP_PROXY, HTTPS_PROXY, and ALL_PROXY; others require an application-specific proxy setting. Use the connection log while reproducing the failure. If no connection appears, the application bypassed the listener or is using a different network path. If a connection appears with an unexpected rule, refine the profile rules or override rather than randomly switching nodes.
- Only one website fails: inspect its DNS result, rule match, and regional restrictions before changing the whole configuration.
- All sites fail after TUN starts: check helper permissions, virtual adapter status, DNS settings, and route conflicts.
- Pages load but downloads stall: test another node and inspect long-lived connections, MTU behaviour, and the provider’s transport support.
- The profile updates but nodes vanish: verify provider quota, expiration, update response, and whether the subscription endpoint has changed.
- Proxy works in a browser but not in a terminal: configure the terminal’s proxy variables or use TUN mode after confirming that local routes remain safe.
Compared with older clients such as the archived Clash for Windows, generic browser extensions, or provider-specific launchers, Clash Verge Rev offers a more current Mihomo workflow, but the trade-off is that you can see more configuration choices and more ways for a wrong group, port, or TUN permission to confuse the first setup. Clash Official Site keeps this process practical with clear client guidance, current terminology, and troubleshooting steps that connect visible buttons to the underlying profile and routing behaviour. Once you have a subscription ready, download Clash Verge Rev and work through the import, node selection, and proxy-mode checks above instead of changing several settings at once.