Rule, Global, Direct: choosing an outbound mode

The Mode selector on the General page decides Clash's overall strategy. There are three options:

• Rule: match the profile's rules one by one — local sites connect directly, foreign sites go through the proxy. The recommended daily mode: fast where possible, proxied where needed.
• Global: every connection goes to whatever node the GLOBAL group has selected, no exceptions. Local sites now detour through an overseas server — slower, and it burns subscription traffic.
• Direct: everything connects directly, as if the proxy were bypassed, while Clash still records connection info.

When to switch

When a site misbehaves under Rule mode, briefly switch to Global to answer one question: is the proxy itself fine? Works in Global but not in Rule → a rule is missing; add one via Mixin ("Appending rules with Mixin"). Broken in both → the node is the problem.

Direct mode suits scenarios that need no proxy at all — corporate intranets, domestic game servers. Remember to switch back.