Create an account and open the user dashboard
First, open the VPNEI account creation page. Set a username and password; no email address is required. Use your username to sign in and your password to protect your account and subscription details. Check the spelling before submitting, and consider saving your password in a password manager. Links on the marketing site take you to the user dashboard, where you can manage your account, orders, client downloads, and subscription. You don't need to enter personal details in this guide.
After creating your account, sign in with the username and password you saved if the dashboard doesn't open automatically. Check Account Overview to make sure you're using the account you intend to set up, then open the Plans section. If you already have an account, sign in instead of creating another one. When setting up a different device, use your existing account to get the subscription so you don't buy a plan on a new account and then look for its servers in the old one.
This step is complete when you can open the user dashboard and view your account details—not when the client is connected. New accounts need a plan before you can get an active subscription, as shown by the dashboard. If your username is unavailable, follow the prompt to change it and try again. If you can't sign in, check what you entered, including capitalization. Don't paste your account password into the subscription import field; they serve different purposes.
Choose a plan and check your order status
In the Plans section of the user dashboard, choose a billing option based on how often you expect to use the service. For regular use, consider a monthly plan: ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, or ¥28/month for 500GB. Data resets monthly on your activation date. This is not necessarily the first day of the calendar month, so check your account details in the dashboard. If you're unsure how much data you'll need, choose a data tier based on what you plan to do rather than the number of devices the client supports.
If your usage is occasional, consider a data package: ¥158 for 300GB, ¥358 for 1000GB, or ¥658 for 3000GB. Data is available until used and never expires. Monthly plans and data packages differ in how long data remains valid, not in how you connect. Continue with the subscription, client import, and exit IP checks on this page. VPNEI has no device limit for simultaneous connections, but all devices use data from the same account, so keep an eye on usage in the dashboard.
On the order confirmation page, check the plan name, price, and data allowance. Follow the prompts to pay with Alipay, WeChat Pay, or USDT. After payment, return to the dashboard and check your order and plan status; don't keep trying to import the subscription just because your payment app shows a confirmation. If the order is still pending, refresh the page or reopen the order record before taking any further action, so you don't submit a duplicate order while its status is unconfirmed.
This service offers a 30-day no-questions-asked refund; see the Terms of Service for details. If you upgrade a monthly plan mid-cycle, the price difference is converted into remaining days. Don't estimate it as a full billing period; check the result shown on the dashboard confirmation page before proceeding. Once your plan is active, go to Account Overview to get your subscription link.
Get your subscription and copy the full link
In Account Overview in the user dashboard, find Subscription, Copy subscription, or the client import option. Your subscription link is a credential that lets the client retrieve server configurations—it is not the marketing homepage URL or your account password. The client uses it to get the available regions and servers. Copy the entire link when importing it: don't keep only the domain, add spaces or line breaks, or include punctuation added by a messaging app.
If the dashboard offers multiple formats for different clients, first check which client you plan to use, then choose the matching option. If one-click import is available, try opening the installed client in your browser. When prompted to open an app, check its name before confirming. If the client doesn't open, use Copy subscription and add the remote configuration manually in the client. There's no need to create another account or place another order.
After copying the link, paste it directly into a client on your own device. A subscription link may contain access credentials, so don't post it in public forums or include it in screenshots you share. If you need help, provide your system, the client option you used, and the error message—but hide the link and sensitive account details. If you think the link has been exposed, check whether the dashboard offers a subscription reset option. After resetting it, reimport the new link on any devices using the old one.
This step is complete once you have the subscription format for your client or have created a configuration using one-click import. Being able to copy the link doesn't mean you're connected yet. Next, refresh the configuration in the client and choose a server. For details on subscription updates, expired links, and importing again, see the user guide. You don't need these advanced steps for your initial setup.
Import the client configuration for your platform
Sign in to the user dashboard and open the client downloads section to find the VPNEI client and import instructions for your system. The dashboard shows which clients are available based on your plan status; this guide doesn't provide public installers or direct subscription links. A client reads your configuration, lets you choose a server, and establishes the connection. Installing it is only the first step—you must import your subscription to see the servers available to your account.
Desktop clients typically include subscription management and system proxy features. Mobile clients typically need permission to create a VPN connection. Whichever interface you use, the basic steps are the same: add a remote configuration, load the subscription, enable it, and choose a server. The sections below cover common options on each platform. If the dashboard's instructions differ, follow the instructions provided for your client.
Windows: Add a subscription in configuration settings
Download the Windows desktop client from the dashboard, install it, and open it. Find a management page called “Configuration,” “Subscription,” “Profiles,” or something similar. Choose Add remote configuration or Import from link, then paste the full subscription into the URL field. You can give the configuration a recognizable name, such as VPNEI; this is just a local label and does not replace the subscription link. Save it, update or download the configuration, and wait for the server list to appear. Then set this configuration as the active one.
Return to the client's connection or proxy page and check that the imported configuration is active. If you see a configuration name but no servers, check the update result before connecting. Then enable the system proxy or connection switch as instructed by the client. If the system asks for permission the first time, confirm that the prompt comes from the app you just installed. If another client is still running, disconnect it first to avoid multiple apps changing the system proxy and making the result difficult to diagnose.
macOS: Import a remote configuration and check permissions
Open the macOS desktop client provided in the dashboard, then find configuration management in the main window or menu bar. Choose “Import from URL,” “Add subscription,” or the equivalent remote configuration option. Paste the link, save it, and refresh the configuration. Check that the server list has loaded. Some clients separate configuration management from server selection: enable the configuration first, then return to the proxy page to choose a region. If the client is still using an older configuration, the newly imported servers won't become active automatically.
When you connect for the first time, macOS may ask you to approve network permissions or install a helper component. Follow only the dashboard instructions and clear prompts from the client; don't change other network settings if you're unsure what they do. Then turn on the connection and run the checks at the end of this guide. If the main window shows a connection but websites look unchanged, check whether the system proxy is enabled and whether another network tool is controlling the connection. Don't reinstall the client as a first step.
Android: Add a subscription and approve the connection
Get the Android client from the dashboard and open its Configuration or Subscription page. Add a configuration, choose URL or remote link as the source, paste your subscription, and save it. Then update the configuration manually and wait for the region list to appear. If the client supports one-click import, you can also open it from the dashboard and check that the new configuration was saved. If the configuration appears but no servers are listed, resolve the update prompt before trying to connect repeatedly.
Choose the updated configuration and the server you want, then tap Connect. The first time Android establishes a connection, it usually asks you to approve VPN access. Check the app name in the prompt before confirming. When connected, return to the client to check its status, then open the site you want to use. If the connection stops after switching apps, check Android's background activity settings for the client. There's no need to change all battery settings upfront; adjust them according to the client instructions if you actually experience disconnections in the background.
iOS: Use the subscription or remote configuration option
Check the user dashboard's downloads section for the iOS client; its link may open the App Store. After installing the client, look for “Subscription,” “Add configuration,” or “Remote configuration.” Choose the URL option and paste the full subscription link. If you use one-click import from the dashboard, confirm that the configuration is saved after the app opens. Then refresh the subscription and check that the server list appears. Don't paste the subscription into a field that accepts only individual server details.
Choose a server and turn on the connection. Follow the iOS prompt to allow the VPN configuration to be added. The system may ask you to confirm using your device's unlock method. This is a system permission step, not your VPNEI account password. Return to the client to check the connection status, then open the service you want to use. If you have saved multiple configurations, check which one is active. For your first test, keep the steps simple and avoid changing the configuration, server, and connection mode at the same time.
VPNEI also supports Linux. Linux users can find client instructions in the dashboard; see the user guide for details on importing configurations and handling permissions. On every platform, check that the server list is present before testing the connection. Installing the client, saving the subscription, and establishing a connection are separate steps.
Connect to a server and check access
Return to the client's server list and choose a server that matches the region required by the service you want to access. VPNEI offers 100+ countries / 180+ servers. You don't need to try them all during initial setup: first establish a connection using an available server, then adjust your choice based on the service's region requirements. See the server list for examples of regions and server types. A region listed there doesn't guarantee that every website will accept connections from it.
Turn on the connection and check the client's status and any error messages. Then open an international website you plan to use. You can also check your exit details with an IP lookup and compare them with the region you selected. If your exit location has changed but the service is still unavailable, check its account, region, or session requirements. That's a separate issue from whether the client has established a basic connection.
If the site still won't open, retrace your steps in order. First check your plan and data status in the dashboard, then confirm that the client updated the subscription successfully, and finally check the active configuration, server, and connection switch. On desktop, also check that the system proxy is enabled. On mobile, confirm that the system allows the VPN connection. Change one setting at a time and test again so you can identify what made a difference and keep troubleshooting on track.
Once the connection works, you can sign in to the same account on other devices and import the subscription on each one. There is no limit on simultaneous connections, but other devices won't inherit the configuration automatically, and connecting one device doesn't enable the connection for every device on your router. Set up and test each device separately, and keep your subscription link safe. For everyday use, check your plan and data details in the dashboard. If the server list changes, update the subscription as instructed by your client.
If you still can't connect, sign in to the user dashboard and open the support ticket section. Include your platform, client, the step where the problem occurred, and the message you saw. Hide your subscription link and sensitive account details in screenshots. Saying whether “the import failed” or “the client connected, but the site won't open” is more useful than just saying “it doesn't work.” For connection modes, rules, and ongoing issues, continue troubleshooting in the user guide. This completes the initial setup steps.