Menu names and button positions differ between platform clients, and the same feature may be called Subscription, Configuration or Config file depending on the version. This guide follows the common order — sign in, import the subscription, pick a route, connect. If a name doesn't match, look for the equivalent entry; where versions differ, trust what the client actually shows.
Step 1 · Create an account
Open the site and click Log In in the top right corner to reach the user panel, then switch to the sign-up view on the login page. You can also click the First Month Free button at the top of the page, which lands you straight on the sign-up form. The form asks for two things: a username and a password. Pick a username you'll remember that doesn't contain personal identifying information, and use a password of at least 12 characters mixing upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. No email address is needed at any point; submitting the form creates the account and signs you in automatically.
The first time you enter the panel you land on the account overview. There's no plan on the account yet, so the overview shows that no subscription is active — that's normal, not a failed sign-up. The overview is also where you'll copy your subscription link later, so it's worth remembering the spot.
Account security settings and password recovery are covered in the Help Center and aren't repeated here, to keep the main path short.
PathSite home→Log In→Sign Up→Username + password→Done
Step 2 · Choose a plan
While signed in, open the plans view in the panel, which lists monthly subscriptions and data packs by tier. There are three monthly tiers: ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB and ¥28/month for 500GB, with data resetting each month on your activation date. If you want to move up mid-cycle, the difference is prorated by remaining days, so you don't have to start a new period. Data packs are a separate product: ¥158 for 300GB, ¥358 for 1000GB and ¥658 for 3000GB, valid until used up and never expiring — a good fit if your usage fluctuates or you just want to top up.
Pick a tier by how you use it. For web pages, documents, email and light video, 60GB is enough. If you watch 4K streaming often, move large files, or keep AI tools running for hours, 250GB is more comfortable. For several devices online at once, or a household sharing one subscription, go straight to 500GB. The number of devices isn't limited, so the only real difference between tiers is data.
Payment options are Alipay, WeChat and USDT. Choose a tier and follow the on-screen steps; the order status changes to paid and the subscription takes effect immediately, with no manual review. Refunds within 60 days, no questions asked — the exact terms are on the Terms page.
PathPanel→Plans→Choose tier→Pay→Subscription active
Step 3 · Get your subscription link
Once payment completes, go back to the account overview. The Subscription section shows a subscription link and a row of import buttons. The link carries your plan details and is what the client uses to pull the route list, so treat it as an account credential: don't forward it, and don't post it in public groups or screenshots. If someone else uses your link, it consumes data from your plan.
The link looks roughly like this. The value below is an example, not a working address:
Example subscription link (fake value)https://example.com/sub?token=YOUR_TOKEN
There are two ways to use it. Click Import to client in the section and the panel tries to launch the client installed on your machine and fill it in automatically. Or click the copy button and paste the link into the client to import it manually. Manual import usually lives under Add Subscription, Subscription Profile or Import from clipboard — different names, same job.
If you paste the link straight into your browser's address bar and get back a block of configuration text, or a prompt to download a config file, the link works — that's exactly what the client reads. If you get a blank page or an error, copy it again from the overview page and check that you didn't drop the parameters at the end.
PathPanel→Overview→Subscription→Copy link
Step 4 · Import the subscription in your client
Get the client from the download page in the user panel; downloads are available once you're signed in. Windows, macOS, Android and Linux don't require an active plan; on iOS the download entry only appears when the account has an active plan. The first time you open the client after installing, it usually asks you to sign in or import a subscription — either route pulls down the routes.
Below is where to find the import entry on each platform. Menu names can change between versions; look for the equivalent item.
Desktop · Windows
Windows client
After installing, open the main window: the route list is on the left, the current connection status on the right. On first use, click the + in the top right or Import Subscription in the menu, paste the link you copied in the previous step and save; the client pulls the route list automatically. Once imported, routes appear on the left grouped by region, and they sync on every launch — if you switch links, click Update Subscription manually.
Desktop · macOS
macOS client
The client lives in the menu bar. On first launch, open the Subscription page in preferences, paste the link and save; routes then appear in the menu bar dropdown. On macOS you can enable launch at login and connect on demand — with those on, opening your browser establishes the connection automatically, and closing the browser doesn't disconnect.
Mobile · Android
Android client
The first time you connect after installing, the system shows a VPN authorization prompt. You must allow it, or the client can't take over traffic. The import entry is on the Configuration or Subscription page in the app; paste the link, save, then go back to the main screen to pick a route. On some devices you also need to add the client to the system's battery optimization allowlist, otherwise the connection drops when the app is cleared in the background.
Mobile · iOS
iOS client
Open the client: the main screen has the connect switch and route selection, while subscriptions are imported on the settings page — paste the link, save, then return to the main screen. iOS allows only one VPN configuration to be active at a time, so if you've installed other clients before, disconnect first and then switch, to stop the two configurations fighting over the connection.
Linux builds come from the same place as the other desktop platforms: sign in and grab the installer from the download page, and the import entry is the same as on the desktop client. Command-line setup is documented in the Help Center.
PathPanel→Download→Install→Import subscription
Step 5 · Connect and verify
Back on the client's main screen, pick a route from the list. On your first try there's no need to overthink it: start with the region closest to you, or pick a route marked as a dedicated line, since stability comes first. To watch streaming from a specific region, choose a route in that region; to use AI tools, any stable route will do. You can switch routes in the client at any time without re-importing the subscription.
Click Connect. When the status changes to connected and a connection indicator appears in the system tray or status bar, the client has established an encrypted tunnel to the route. Traffic is then forwarded according to the mode you chose: global sends everything through, rule-based sends only the domains on the list. Pick whichever you need.
There are two easy ways to confirm it's working. First, open an overseas site that normally won't load — if it opens, traffic is going through. Second, search for my IP address; the location returned should match the region of the route you picked. If the location hasn't changed, the mode is probably set to direct, or the client isn't actually connected — check the status on the main screen and try again.
When you're done, just click Disconnect — there's no need to stay connected all the time. When switching routes, disconnect first and then connect, so a stale connection doesn't confuse the routing rules.
PathClient→Choose route→Connect→Verify exit
Stuck? Check these first
Here are the four most common situations at the setup stage. The full troubleshooting order is in the Help Center; this is just the direction.
Connected but pages won't load
Try another route first. If the behaviour is the same after switching, it's usually DNS or routing rules — work through the Connection & Troubleshooting category in the Help Center in order.
Client says the subscription is invalid
Go back to the overview page and copy the full link again, check that the parameters at the end aren't missing, and paste it once more. Use the copy button rather than typing it by hand.
Speeds fluctuate
Compare route types: dedicated, relay and direct routes behave differently at the same time of day. At peak evening hours prefer dedicated routes; at other times any stable route will do.
Want to understand routes and protocols
How route types, native IPs and streaming region splits work is covered in the Streaming guide; for a region-and-type comparison before choosing, see the route list page.
What to read next
Once the five steps are done, everything works. To go deeper, pick an article that fits.