Labels may differ between platforms and client versions. This guide uses common terms such as “Subscription,” “Configuration,” and “Import from link” to describe where to find each option. Follow the prompts in your dashboard and client. You can download clients and get your subscription from the user dashboard.
Create an account
Start at the account creation page in the VPNTie user dashboard. No email address is required; just choose a username and password. You’ll use the username to sign in, so pick one that’s easy to recognize but doesn’t reveal sensitive personal information. Set a unique password you don’t use on other sites. Before submitting, check your details and save them in a trusted password manager.
Once your account is created, open the user dashboard and make sure it shows the new account before choosing a plan. If you’re taken to a sign-in page, log in with the username and password you just saved; there’s no need to create another account. If you already have a VPNTie account, sign in and check your subscriptions and orders there to avoid activating a plan under a different account.
Creating an account and activating a plan are separate steps. Opening the dashboard doesn’t activate a subscription. Next, choose a plan and place your order before getting your subscription. You can also check the client downloads section to find the right download for your device. Don’t enter your account password in a client’s “Subscription link” field; they serve different purposes.
Choose a plan and place your order
Open the plans section in the user dashboard and choose a monthly plan or data package based on how often you’ll use it. Monthly plans are ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, and ¥28/month for 500GB; data resets monthly on your activation date. For regular use, choose a tier based on your expected usage. You don’t need a separate plan for each device: VPNTie supports unlimited simultaneous devices.
If your usage varies, compare the data packages: ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB, or ¥658/3000GB. Data is available until used and never expires. Monthly plans and data packages differ in billing and data validity; a data package doesn’t replenish each month. Check the plan pricing page for full prices and terms. This guide covers what to do after placing your order.
After choosing a plan, check the plan name, data allowance, and total on the order page. Follow the prompts to pay with Alipay, WeChat Pay, or USDT. Then return to the user dashboard to check your order and subscription status. If the payment page confirms completion but your overview doesn’t show an active plan yet, refresh the order status and make sure you’re signed in to the right account. Don’t submit the same order again. If the issue persists, send your order details through a dashboard support ticket.
VPNTie offers a 14-day refund policy. See the refund policy for how to request one. If you upgrade a monthly plan mid-cycle, the price difference is converted into remaining days; it doesn’t simply restart a full billing period. For your first setup, just make sure the plan is active before dealing with upgrades or usage changes. This keeps billing changes separate from connection setup.
Get your subscription in the dashboard
Once your plan is active, open the account overview in the user dashboard and find the subscription section. Check your plan status and available data, then use the option to copy your subscription link or import it into a client. The link lets your client load the server configuration for your account. It isn’t a regular website address or an installation file. After copying it, add it in your client.
If the dashboard offers a quick import option for your client, follow the prompts to open the client, then check that the configuration was added. If your device says there’s no app available to open the link, install the relevant client and try again from the dashboard. You can also copy the link and paste it into the subscription management or configuration screen in your client instead of repeatedly trying the quick import option.
When importing manually, copy the entire link without adding spaces, explanatory text, or line breaks. The example below is only to show what a link looks like and cannot be used to connect: https://example.com/sub?token=YOUR_TOKEN. Get your actual link from your own user dashboard. Don’t share it in public forums or show the full link in screenshots when asking for help.
You can import your subscription link on multiple personal devices, with unlimited simultaneous devices. All devices use the data allowance for your account’s plan; importing the link doesn’t add more data. If there’s no active subscription in your overview, check your order and plan status. Don’t look elsewhere online for a so-called universal link. Once you’ve copied your own subscription link, follow the steps for your platform.
Import a client on your device
Open the client downloads section in the user dashboard and choose your device’s platform. You can sign in to download on Windows, macOS, Android, or Linux without purchasing a plan; an active subscription is required to access and use servers. The iOS download link is available only to accounts with an active, unexpired plan. The steps below cover common desktop subscription clients and mobile network configuration clients; they don’t assume a specific third-party app.
Windows: Add a link from the configuration screen
Choose the Windows client in the dashboard, then download, install, and open it. Go to a screen called something like “Configuration,” “Subscription,” or “Configuration Management.” Add a configuration and look for an option such as “Import from link.” Paste the subscription link you copied, give the configuration a recognizable name, save it, and refresh. You should then see the configuration and server list.
Select the configuration you just imported to make it active, then open the connection screen. If the app asks to enable a system proxy or another connection feature, follow its prompts. Importing a configuration alone doesn’t start a connection, so browser traffic may not use the selected server yet. If your system asks for network access, verify that the request comes from the client you just installed before allowing it. Don’t run multiple network-routing tools at the same time.
macOS: Import first, then approve system access
Choose the macOS desktop client in the dashboard and install it using the device-specific instructions provided there. Open the client, go to configuration or subscription management, choose an option to add from a URL or link, and paste your subscription link. Save it and refresh. Check that the server list appears, then select the configuration. An app opening successfully doesn’t mean the subscription has been imported; check both separately.
The first time you connect, macOS may ask to add a network configuration or allow a network extension. Follow the system prompts to approve it in System Settings, then return to the client and reconnect. Settings locations may vary between macOS versions, so don’t rely on an old guide for the exact button. If the client still says it’s waiting for permission, approve the system request before changing servers. For advanced topics such as permissions and using Apple services alongside the client, see the complete user guide.
Android: Add your subscription and allow the connection
Get the Android client from the user dashboard, install it, and open it. In the configuration list or subscription screen, choose Add and paste your subscription link using the import-from-link option. Save and refresh, then check that the list isn’t empty and select the configuration you want to use. If the link won’t load, first check that your device can access the user dashboard and that the link belongs to your account.
Choose a server on the connection screen and start the connection. Your system may ask you to authorize the VPN connection; check the app name, then allow it. Return to the client and confirm the connection status. For your first check, keep the app open and make sure the service you need loads before testing what happens when you switch apps or lock your screen. If background operation is restricted, see the Help Center for troubleshooting. You don’t need to change a lot of battery and network settings during initial setup.
iOS: Get and import a configuration from the dashboard
First, make sure your plan is active and hasn’t expired. Then follow the prompts in the iOS section of the user dashboard to get the client. On iOS, the client is available through the App Store; use the link shown in the dashboard. Don’t use installation files for other platforms or pick an app just because its name looks similar in search results. In the client, look for an option to add a subscription or configuration, or import from a URL.
Paste the subscription link and save it, then refresh the configuration and check the server list. If you used quick import from the dashboard, still check in the client that the configuration was actually added. The first time you connect, the system will ask to add a VPN configuration based on how the client works. Follow the prompt, then connect. The status bar icon is only a guide; open the service you need to confirm it works rather than assuming the configuration is active based on the icon alone.
Linux and additional devices
VPNTie also supports Linux. Get the client from the user dashboard. The basic steps are the same: get your personal subscription, import and refresh it, choose a server, and connect. Follow the client’s instructions for permissions and network routing. To add another device, repeat the steps for its platform; there’s no need to create another account. For system network settings, split tunneling, and maintenance, see the beginner-to-advanced guide.
Connect and verify
After importing, check that the configuration is selected and the subscription has refreshed successfully. Choose a location from the server list and connect. Use the servers actually shown in the dashboard and client; a location name alone can’t guarantee access to a particular AI tool or streaming service. For your first test, use the connection method recommended by the client so you can clearly identify how the connection, permissions, and service access relate.
Once the client shows a connection, open a browser and visit the international sites you plan to use. Check that they load and try one real task. Then open any work apps or AI tools you need and check that pages, sign-in, and content load normally. A website working in your browser doesn’t mean other apps use the same network route. App-specific region settings, account details, and service policies can also affect access.
If a service won’t load, disconnect first and check that your local network works. Then return to the client, refresh the subscription, make sure the configuration is enabled, and check system permissions. If the problem persists, switch servers and test again, changing only one thing at a time and noting the results. Don’t reinstall the client, change system networking, and adjust several settings all at once, or it’ll be difficult to tell what made a difference.
If the server list is empty, the client says it’s connected but websites won’t load, or the connection drops when the app goes to the background, visit the Support page and find the matching issue. For further help, open a dashboard support ticket with your device platform, the client message, the steps that led to the issue, and the checks you’ve tried. Before sharing screenshots, hide your subscription link, account password, and sensitive payment information.
Once everything works, keep using the current configuration and refresh your subscription when needed. For monthly plans, keep an eye on the data reset date and plan status; for data packages, check your remaining data. You don’t need to place another order when switching devices. For renewals, split tunneling, or more systematic troubleshooting, see the complete user guide. You’re all set for your first use; there’s no need to keep changing advanced settings you’re unfamiliar with just to make the setup feel complete.