VPNFish Setup Guide

Create an account and open your dashboard

Open the VPNFish account creation page, enter a username and password, and follow the on-screen instructions. No email address is required; you can create an account with a username and password. Choose a username that’s easy to remember but doesn’t reveal your identity. Use a unique password and store it in a trusted password manager.

Once your account is created, open the dashboard and make sure you can see your account overview. You don’t need to enter your username and password in the client. Use the dashboard to manage your plan, orders, and subscription; the client connects using the subscription configuration you’ll get later. These are separate steps. Confirming dashboard access now makes it easier to come back and troubleshoot import issues.

If you already have an account, use the login option at the top of the page instead of creating another one. The dashboard will show your existing plan and subscription details. Sign in to the same account if you switch browsers or devices. Keep a record of the username you chose, and don’t mistake a client configuration name for your login username.

Choose a plan and confirm it’s active

Once your account is ready, open the plans section in the dashboard. VPNFish offers monthly plans and data packages: monthly plans are ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, and ¥28/month for 500GB. Data packages are ¥158 for 300GB, ¥358 for 1000GB, and ¥658 for 3000GB. Data is available until used and never expires. Consider how often you’ll use the service before comparing data allowances; it’s a better way to find the right fit than looking at price alone.

If you regularly use AI tools, join video calls, or stream video, consider a monthly plan based on your expected usage. Monthly data resets on the plan’s activation date each month, not at the start of the calendar month. If you use the service occasionally and want unused data to remain available, consider a data package. Plans allow use on any number of devices, but that doesn’t mean data is unlimited. Keep an eye on your remaining balance when using multiple devices.

On the confirmation page, check the plan name, data allowance, billing method, and price. Pay using one of the options shown, such as Alipay, WeChat Pay, or USDT. When payment is complete, return to the dashboard and check the order status and that your plan is active. Don’t repeatedly reimport your subscription just because you closed the payment page. If the status hasn’t updated, refresh the page and check your order history. If you still have questions, submit a support ticket from the dashboard.

VPNFish offers 7-day no-questions-asked refunds. See the refund policy for how to request one. If you upgrade a monthly plan before it ends, the price difference is converted into remaining days; check the details shown in your dashboard before confirming. To compare the two billing options, see plan pricing before continuing.

Get your subscription ready to import

After confirming that your plan is active, open the account overview in your dashboard and find the subscription details. The subscription link lets your client retrieve the servers and rules available to your account; it isn’t a regular website homepage or an installer. If the dashboard offers a quick import option for your client, follow its instructions. Otherwise, use the copy option to get the full link.

Next, switch to the subscription or configuration page in your client. Don’t paste the link into a username or server address field, or into a browser search box. Manual import usually asks for a configuration name and subscription URL. Choose any name that helps you identify it, but use the URL from your own dashboard and copy it in full. Don’t remove trailing parameters or rely on incomplete text transcribed from a screenshot.

Your subscription link is account information. Don’t post it in public chats, forums, or troubleshooting screenshots, and don’t import a link provided by someone else. To set up another device, copy the link again from your own dashboard. If you think the link may have been exposed, check whether the dashboard offers a reset option and follow its instructions. After resetting, update the link in any clients already in use.

Import the client for your platform

Read the section for your device. First, open the client downloads section in the dashboard to get a VPNFish client and instructions for your system. You can sign in to download the Windows, macOS, Android, or Linux client without a paid plan, but you’ll need an active subscription to connect. iOS has different requirements; see below. Don’t start troubleshooting with an installer from an unverified source.

Windows: Add the link from the subscription or configuration page

For Windows, use the desktop client provided in the dashboard. Check that the download is compatible with your system, install it, and open the main window. Look for “Subscription,” “Configuration,” or a similar option. If the dashboard offers quick import, make sure the client is installed, then start the import from the dashboard. If your browser asks whether to open an app, check the client name before allowing it.

For manual import, choose “Add subscription” or “Import from link” in the client, paste the full subscription URL you copied, save it, and update the subscription. The import is complete when you see the configuration name and selectable server locations. Select that configuration and open the connection page. If your system asks for network permissions, verify which app is requesting access and grant permission as directed by the client. Don’t run another proxy app at the same time.

macOS: Grant system permissions before loading your subscription

For macOS, use the desktop client provided in the dashboard. The first time you open it, macOS may ask you to confirm the app’s source or allow a network extension. Follow the system prompts to open the relevant settings, and grant permission only to the client you just installed and verified. Don’t disable system security settings just to dismiss a prompt. Once permissions are set, return to the app and check that you can open configuration management.

Add a remote subscription from “Subscription” or “Configuration,” paste the link, save it, and update the configuration list. If you use quick import from the dashboard, check that the app received the subscription and displays a new configuration; opening the app alone doesn’t confirm a successful import. Once the servers appear, select the configuration and get ready to connect. If no permission prompt appears, or the connection still fails after permission is granted, see the FAQs instead of repeatedly reinstalling the client.

Android: Import a remote configuration and allow the connection request

For Android, use the mobile client provided in the dashboard. Sign in, download the installer from the downloads section, and follow the system prompts. If Android asks whether to allow app installs from this source, first confirm that the file came from the dashboard, then decide whether to grant permission. Once installed, open the client and look in configuration management for “Add,” “Import from link,” or a remote subscription option—not an option to add a single server manually.

Paste the subscription URL, save it, and update the subscription. Wait for the server locations to appear, then select the configuration. The first time you connect, Android will ask to create a VPN connection. Check the app name and confirm. If the connection later drops when the app moves to the background, check the system’s background activity settings for the app. For initial setup, keep it in the foreground until you’ve completed the connection test below.

iOS: Get the right client from the dashboard

On iOS, sign in to the dashboard and open the client downloads section. If your plan is active and hasn’t expired, the dashboard will show the corresponding App Store link. Other accounts should follow the dashboard instructions for their plan. Use the app and access method shown in the dashboard. You don’t need to look for an installer on this page, and shouldn’t use configuration profiles from unfamiliar websites.

After installing the client, return to the dashboard and use the import option for your app, or paste the subscription link into the app’s subscription or configuration manager. Save and update the subscription, check that the server list has loaded, then select the configuration and connect. If iOS asks to add a VPN configuration, verify the app’s source and follow the system prompts. Even if the VPN indicator appears, check the app you want to use; the indicator alone doesn’t confirm that every request is using the intended route.

For Linux, get a compatible client from the dashboard and follow its import instructions. Configuration names may vary between platforms, but use the subscription from the same account. For more platform setup details and ongoing maintenance, see the complete guide.

Choose a server and test the connection

Once the server list has loaded, start by choosing a location that suits your needs. AI tools, streaming services, and everyday international websites may have different location requirements. Check the server types described on the servers page, then choose based on the destination service’s regional rules. Connecting through a particular location doesn’t guarantee that a third-party platform will be accessible; its account requirements, content availability, and service policies also matter.

Select a server in the client and click Connect. Wait for the status to show that you’re connected. Make sure you’re using the configuration you just imported, not an old or temporary one. If the client offers different routing modes, start with the settings recommended in the dashboard for everyday use. Avoid changing the server, mode, and system network settings all at once; otherwise, it’ll be hard to tell which change made a difference.

Open the website or app you actually want to use and check that it loads and the sign-in process works. To check your exit location, visit My IP to see the exit IP used by your browser. With split routing, different websites may use different routes, so consider the IP lookup alongside how the target app works. Don’t treat the result from one lookup page as proof of how all your traffic is routed.

If you can’t access a site, first check that your plan is active and you have data remaining. Then update the subscription in your client and make sure you’ve selected the right configuration. Try another server for the same purpose, reopening the target page after each change. If only one app fails, first check its own location and account requirements. If nothing works, check system permissions, your network connection, and possible conflicts with other proxy tools.

Once the connection is verified, keep the configuration for everyday use. If the server list changes later, update the subscription; there’s no need to start over by creating an account. If you need help, note your operating system, client name, the step where the issue occurred, and any error message. Before sharing a screenshot, hide your subscription link, username, and other account details. Then submit a ticket through the dashboard support system. Check the FAQs for common connection issues, or see the complete guide for maintenance and renewal information.