How to install Hiddify on iPhone, Android, Windows, and macOS
You can install Hiddify (also known as HApp) in 2–5 minutes on any of 4 platforms — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. The main thing is to get the build from the right source and understand that the app will not work without a subscription URL: Hiddify has no servers, it is only a client.
This article gives step-by-step installation instructions for iPhone, Android, Windows, and macOS, explains what the “Allow VPN Configuration” prompt on iOS means, and shows where to paste the subscription link after the first launch.
If you do not have a subscription yet, first read the separate article about a VPN profile subscription, because without it there is nothing to use in the app.
In short
- The main source for all platforms is GitHub releases Hiddify-App.
- On iOS — App Store (“HApp” / “Hiddify”) or TestFlight; you need an Apple ID from a non-RU region if it has been removed in RU.
- On Android — an apk from GitHub or Play Market (HApp); the Play version sometimes lags behind.
- On Windows — exe or msix, on macOS — dmg, on Linux — AppImage / deb / rpm.
- After installation, add the subscription URL — the client will fetch the profile and servers by itself.
- On iOS, the system will ask once for permission for the VPN profile — this is normal; TUN mode will not start without it.
Installation by platform
iPhone / iPad (iOS, iPadOS)
In the App Store, search for “Hiddify” or “HApp” — it is the same app. If it is not visible in the Russian App Store (this happens after another wave of VPN app removals), switch the Apple ID to another region or use the TestFlight link from the official hiddify.com/app page.
After the first launch, iOS will ask “Allow VPN Configurations”. This is an Apple system dialog: so the client can route all traffic through a VPN tunnel (TUN mode), it must write a configuration profile into the system. Confirm with Face ID / Touch ID — and that is it, the permission is granted once.
Android
There are two options. The first is an apk from GitHub releases: download the file, allow installation from this source, and install it. The second is from Play Market under the name HApp. The store version is usually 1–2 releases behind; if you need a new feature, get it from GitHub.
On first launch, Android will also show a “Connection request” dialog — this is the system permission to create a VPN interface. Without it, routing traffic into the tunnel is impossible.
Windows
From GitHub releases, download either exe (full installer) or msix (store format, without admin rights). After installation, launch Hiddify. Because the client creates a virtual network interface, on first start Windows will request administrator rights and firewall confirmation.
macOS
Download the dmg and drag it into Applications. On first launch, macOS Gatekeeper may say “app from an unidentified developer” — open System Settings → Privacy and click “Open Anyway”. For TUN mode, macOS will ask you to install a system extension and allow it in settings.
Linux
AppImage runs without installation: make the file executable (chmod +x) and launch it. For package-based distributions, deb and rpm are available. For TUN mode, the client needs capabilities (NET_ADMIN); usually it makes a sudo request itself on first enable.
Importing the subscription URL — where to paste it
A VPN profile subscription is one long link like https://example.com/sub/abc123. The client uses it to fetch JSON with the server description and updates it when the provider changes something.
In Hiddify, this is done as follows. Open the app → Profiles tab → plus / Add → Add from URL → paste the link → confirm. The client will download the profile and show the list of servers. After that, press Connect on the main screen.
If you have a .json / .yaml file rather than a link, there is an Import from file option. If you have a QR code, use Scan QR. All three methods are equivalent.
What can go wrong during installation
| Symptom | Possible cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| HApp is not in the App Store | Removed from the RU region | Change the Apple ID region or install via TestFlight |
| On Android, “Installation blocked” | Installation from unknown sources is forbidden | Allow installation for the specific app (browser / file manager) |
| iOS does not show the VPN dialog | The profile was already created earlier | Go to Settings → VPN → delete the old configuration |
| Windows blocks the exe with SmartScreen | Unfamiliar signature | More info → Run anyway (if you downloaded it from GitHub) |
| macOS says “app is damaged” | Gatekeeper quarantine | xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Hiddify.app |
| The profile imports, but there are no servers | The subscription URL returned an empty response | Check the link in a browser, update the profile manually |
How to check right now
After installation and profile import, it is worth checking whether the connection reaches the server and whether all traffic is actually going through the tunnel. Hiddify has a built-in latency test button — it will show which nodes from the profile are alive. In parallel, it is useful to check the status of the services and protocols themselves through Freedom Checker — this will help you understand where the problem is: in the client, in the server, or in traffic filtering by your operator.
Failure or blocking?
If installation succeeds but the connection does not work, the installation process itself is almost never to blame. The cause is either the profile (dead server, expired subscription), the operator’s network (TSPU (ТСПУ) cuts the protocol), or local permissions (VPN permission was not granted on iOS, the system extension was not activated on macOS).
To separate an installation problem from a network problem, try enabling any other VPN client on the same device. If it connects but Hiddify does not, look into the profile and permissions. If both are silent, the issue is already in the network.
What to watch for
- Download builds only from GitHub or the official hiddify.com — otherwise there is a risk of a substituted apk.
- On iOS, do not be alarmed by the VPN permission request: without it, TUN mode physically cannot start.
- On Windows and macOS, the first launch always requires elevation — this is needed to create a virtual network interface.
- If someone gave you a subscription URL, do not post it in a public chat: this link = access to your profile.
- On Android, for TUN mode, some firmware requires disabling battery saving for the app.
- Compare the build version — on GitHub it is almost always newer than in the stores.
- If nothing helps, read the separate article about “Hiddify does not connect”.
Conclusion
Installing Hiddify on any platform comes down to two steps: get the build from the right source and grant the system permission to create a VPN tunnel. After that, only subscription URL import and connection remain.
If the app installs but does not connect, the problem is almost always not in the installation, but in the subscription itself or in traffic filtering. It makes sense to test on different networks.