Hiddify on Windows and other platforms: setup, subscriptions, and errors

What is Hiddify and what you need to use it

Hiddify is a proxy and VPN client for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iPhone. It supports VLESS (including Reality), VMess, Trojan, Hysteria, TUIC, WireGuard, SSH, and accepts subscriptions in V2Ray, Clash, and sing-box formats. Under the hood, it uses the sing-box core. It used to be called Hiddify Next, a name you might still see in older guides.

Hiddify is open-source and hosted on GitHub. It has no ads, is completely free, and relies on donations.

Hiddify doesn't provide servers. On its first launch, it asks you to add a profile—a subscription link from a VPN service that downloads the server list. We explain how this link differs from a standard vless:// key in our article on VLESS keys and subscriptions.

How to install Hiddify on Windows

Hiddify works on 64-bit Windows 10 (version 1809 and newer) and Windows 11. Current versions won't run on Windows 7 or 8. Only download files from the GitHub releases page, where you'll find three Windows options.

1. Download Hiddify-Windows-Setup-x64.exe and run it.
2. When Windows asks if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device, click 'Yes'.
3. If you see a blue 'Windows protected your PC' screen, click 'More info' and then 'Run anyway'. This is just the SmartScreen filter reacting to a program that hasn't built up a reputation with Microsoft yet.
4. Choose an installation folder, optionally check the boxes for a desktop shortcut and auto-start, and finish the installation.
5. If the app doesn't open automatically, launch it from the desktop shortcut.

If Windows says a file like MSVCP140.dll is missing on launch, download and install the Visual C++ Redistributable for x64 from Microsoft's website, then try again. You can also install Hiddify via winget, the Windows package manager. The package still uses the old name:

winget install Hiddify.Next

Antivirus warnings

Antivirus software sometimes flags VPN and proxy clients as suspicious because they change network settings and install virtual adapters. This happens with Hiddify too. Some GitHub users report Windows Defender deleting the installer or MSIX package.

It's up to you to trust the file. The safest approach is to ensure you downloaded it directly from the hiddify/hiddify-app GitHub repository, check it on VirusTotal, and avoid disabling your antivirus entirely. Never install Hiddify from file-sharing sites or Telegram channels, as you can't verify what's inside.

How to add a subscription in Hiddify

On its first launch, Hiddify asks you to choose a language and region. The region is usually detected automatically based on your time zone. Ensure 'Russia (ru)' is selected if you need specific local routing for Russian sites (more on this below). Then click 'Start'.

1. Copy the subscription link from your VPN provider. It should start with https://.
2. On the Hiddify home screen, click '+' ('New Profile').
3. Select 'Add from clipboard'. Alternatively, click 'Add manually', enter any name in the 'Name' field, paste your link in the 'URL' field, and click 'Save'. On mobile, there's also a 'Scan QR code' option.
4. The profile will appear on the main screen. Click the large connection button in the center. Once connected, it will turn green and say 'Connected'.

If Hiddify says 'Invalid URL' or 'Failed to add profile', the link is almost always the culprit. You probably copied it incompletely or included extra spaces. Copy it again. Byte VPN's dashboard, by the way, recommends Hiddify for Windows: you can copy the subscription link with one click and add it following this guide.

How to update the subscription and select a server

Hiddify updates your subscription automatically. You can change the interval in the profile settings ('Update Interval'). To update manually, click the update icon on the profile card or use the 'Update Subscriptions' command. Do this if your provider announces new servers or if the connection suddenly drops.

By default, Hiddify picks the server with the lowest latency. To choose one manually, connect to the VPN, open the 'Proxies' tab, and click a server. The latency in milliseconds is shown next to each. A timeout means that server is currently unreachable.

Everyday settings you might need

In 'Settings' → 'General', you'll find 'Start on Boot' and 'Silent Start'. These let Hiddify launch quietly with Windows. There's also an 'Automatically check IP address' toggle, which shows your current public IP on the home screen so you instantly know if the VPN is working.

Hiddify prompts you to install new updates automatically. You can check manually in the 'About' section by clicking 'Check for Updates'. If you installed it via winget, update it with winget upgrade Hiddify.Next.

The quick settings menu also features a WARP toggle. This is Cloudflare's free service, and you don't need it to use your VPN provider's subscription. Leave it off unless your provider says otherwise: every extra link in the chain is another point of failure.

System proxy or VPN: which mode to choose on PC

The most important Hiddify setting on PC is the service mode. You can switch it in the quick settings (the slider icon next to '+' on the home screen) or under 'Settings' → 'Inbounds' → 'Service Mode'.

A simple rule of thumb: start with the system proxy. If an app doesn't 'see' the VPN, switch to VPN mode. You can verify how your traffic is routed using IP checking tools. Learn how to use them and spot DNS leaks in our article on testing your VPN.

The 'Inbounds' section also has advanced VPN mode settings, like 'TUN Implementation' and 'Strict Route'. Developers recommend leaving these on default unless your provider advises otherwise.

How to run Hiddify as an administrator

VPN mode needs to create a network adapter, which a standard app doesn't have permission to do. Without rights, Hiddify will display 'VPN mode requires administrator privileges' or the 'failed to start background core' error. Running it as an admin once is easy:

1. Close Hiddify entirely, including the system tray icon near the clock.
2. Right-click the Hiddify shortcut and select 'Run as administrator'.

To avoid doing this every time, open the shortcut's 'Properties', go to the 'Compatibility' tab, check 'Run this program as an administrator', and click 'OK'. If you don't have admin rights (e.g., on a work laptop), stick to system proxy mode, which doesn't need them.

Hiddify errors: failed to start background core, timeouts, and more

failed to start background core

The 'core' is the part of Hiddify that maintains the connection. On Windows, this error has three common causes.

• VPN mode without admin rights. Run Hiddify as an administrator or switch the service mode to system proxy.
• Port in use. The logs will mention port 12334 and denied socket access. Go to 'Settings' → 'Inbounds', change the 'Mixed Port' to any free number between 10000 and 60000, and reconnect.
• Another VPN client is running. Two tunnels are conflicting. Close the second client completely, including its system tray icon.

On Android, this same error appears if you deny Hiddify notification permissions. Allow them in your phone's settings: 'Apps' → Hiddify → 'Notifications'. On macOS and Linux, VPN mode also requires admin rights.

Timeout

A 'connection timeout' or a timeout during a server latency test means Hiddify didn't receive a response. Troubleshoot in this order:

1. Turn Hiddify off and check if your internet works without it.
2. Update the profile. The server addresses might have changed.
3. Try connecting to two or three different servers from the list.
4. Toggle 'Use xray-core if possible' in 'Settings' → 'General' and re-import the subscription. This changes how Hiddify parses server links.
5. Try the same subscription in another client, like Happ. If it works there but not in Hiddify, the app is the issue. As of October 2026, GitHub has bug reports regarding timeouts on VLESS with Reality in version 4.1.1 for Android and iPhone. You can use a different client temporarily.

If nothing helps, the issue is likely with your network or the VPN service. We cover general troubleshooting steps in our article VPN is not connecting.

Hiddify closes, crashes, or shows a black screen

If the window disappears but the VPN is still running, Hiddify just minimized to the system tray. When you close the window, the app asks, 'Hide or exit?'. If you checked 'Remember my choice', it won't ask again. You can change this in 'Settings' → 'General' → 'Action on Close'.

If you've spent too long tweaking settings and now nothing works, start fresh. The 'Settings' menu has a 'Reset Settings' option that restores the defaults. Keep your subscription link handy before resetting just in case—you can always recopy it from your provider.

A black screen on startup in older Windows builds was a known bug in 4.0.x versions. The developers removed the component causing it in 4.1.0, so make sure you update to the latest version from GitHub. If the app crashes immediately upon launch, check if the Visual C++ Redistributable is installed. You can send the core logs to your provider's support team from Hiddify's log section.

Split tunneling: how to route local sites directly

Banks, government portals like Gosuslugi (Russia's public services portal), and marketplaces often block access from foreign IP addresses. To avoid turning off your VPN for every payment, you can route specific traffic outside the tunnel. In Hiddify, this is handled via the region setting.

1. Go to 'Settings' → 'Routing'.
2. Under 'Region', select 'Russia (ru)'.
3. Reconnect to apply the rules.

With this setting, Hiddify routes .ru sites and IPs listed as Russian in the hiddify-geo project directly, while sending everything else through the VPN. This is hardcoded into Hiddify's core. A Russian service on a .com domain will only bypass the VPN if it's explicitly included in those lists.

Choosing specific apps to bypass the VPN is only available in Hiddify 4.1.1 on Android: 'Routing' → 'Per-app Proxy'. There are three modes: 'All' (everything goes through the VPN), 'Proxy' (only selected apps), and 'Bypass' (all except selected). 'Bypass' is usually better for banking apps: select them, and they'll connect directly. On Windows, you have to exclude programs using other methods, which we cover in our article on Windows split tunneling.

It's easy to verify the rules are working. With the VPN on, visit an IP checking site on a .ru domain: it should show your actual ISP IP. At the same time, an international IP checker should display your VPN server's address.

The same section includes 'Bypass LAN'. Enable this if your VPN is blocking access to your local printer, network drive, or smart TV.

Hiddify on Android, iPhone, and Mac

Android. Hiddify is available on Google Play, and you can find APK files on GitHub: a universal one and specific builds for ARMv8 and ARMv7 processors. It requires Android 7.0 or newer and works on Android TV. You add a subscription the same way (via the '+'), and the default mode on mobile is VPN. Make sure to enable 'Disable Battery Optimization' under 'Settings' → 'General': some custom Android skins aggressively kill background apps, which will disconnect your VPN.

iPhone and iPad. A version for iOS 15 and newer is on the App Store, though as of October 2026, it's missing from the Russian store. We explain what's happening with VPN clients in the Russian App Store and what to use instead in our article on VPNs for iPhone.

macOS. The GitHub page hosts .dmg and .pkg files for macOS 10.15 and newer, supporting both Apple Silicon and Intel processors. MacOS might block the app on its first launch; allow it via 'System Settings' → 'Privacy & Security'. Just like on Windows, VPN mode requires administrator privileges.

Linux. Hiddify provides an AppImage and a .deb package for 64-bit systems. Here too, VPN mode won't start without root privileges.

Hiddify vs. Happ: which one to install on PC

Both clients are free and accept the same subscription links, so you can test them at your own pace or even keep both installed. Here are the main differences.

• Hiddify is fully open-source. Happ only open-sources its Xray core; the app itself is closed-source.
• Hiddify runs on sing-box, while Happ runs on Xray. They usually perform identically with the same subscription, but if one struggles to connect, the other might work.
• Hiddify's latest stable release (4.1.1) came out in March 2026. As of October 2026, Happ for PC receives updates several times a week.
• On Windows, Hiddify only supports split tunneling by region. Happ offers customizable routing profiles and lets you select specific apps to bypass the VPN.

If Hiddify works well for you, there's no reason to switch. But if you're hitting timeouts on VLESS with Reality or want to bypass the VPN for specific desktop apps, give Happ a try. You can find a setup guide in our article on Happ. For a side-by-side comparison of seven popular clients, check out our piece on VLESS apps.