The outbound mode on the General page decides how the core treats incoming traffic. You can switch at any time; it applies instantly.

Rule: recommended for daily use

Traffic is matched against the profile's rules from top to bottom: domestic sites direct, international sites proxied, ad domains blocked - whatever the rules say. Subscription profiles ship with sensible rules covering common needs. This is the default that balances speed and coverage.

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Global: everything through one node

Skips all rules; every connection goes through the node selected in the GLOBAL group. Useful for:

  • quickly testing whether a specific node works;
  • a blunt fallback when an obscure site is not matched correctly by your rules.

The cost: domestic sites also detour overseas, slowing them down and burning subscription traffic. Not for permanent use. After switching, remember to pick a node in the GLOBAL group at the top of the Proxies page.

Direct: everything straight out

All traffic connects directly - proxying is effectively paused while Clash keeps running. Good for temporarily using the local network (intranet access, ISP speed tests).

Common questions

  • Global still can't open a site: first benchmark the selected node itself, then consider that the destination may block that node's IP.
  • Behavior unchanged after switching back to Rule: established connections are unaffected by mode changes. Close all connections on the Connections page.
  • The mode persists across restarts.
Tip: if you keep reaching for Global as a rescue, the better fix is a custom rule for the site in question - see Writing Custom Rules.