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.
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.