VPN Setup and Connection Guide

Create an account and sign in

S4VPN doesn't require an email address; you can create an account with a username and password. Open the account creation page in the user panel, enter the username and password you want to use, check your entries, and submit the form as prompted. Choose a username you can keep track of, and use a password that you don't reuse on other sites. A trusted password manager can help you store it and avoid confusion when signing in on different devices.

After you submit the form, follow the result shown on the page. If you land on your account overview, you can move on to choosing a plan. If the form is still open, read the prompts beside the fields and correct anything needed. If a username is unavailable, choose another rather than submitting the same one repeatedly. Don't assume the account was created just because you clicked the button; wait for the page to confirm success.

If you already have an account, use the sign-in page instead of creating another one. After signing in, make sure you're using the account you intend to use. Keep orders, plans, and subscriptions under the same account. When switching devices, sign in to the panel with that account to access your subscription.

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Choose a plan and place your order

Open the plans section in the user panel and start by comparing monthly subscriptions with data packages. Monthly plans are suited to regular use: ¥9.9/month includes 60GB, ¥18/month includes 250GB, and ¥28/month includes 500GB. Data resets monthly on the activation date. Data packages suit variable usage: ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB, and ¥658/3000GB. They last until used and never expire. Compare options on the plans page, then return to the panel to place your order.

Choose a plan based on how you expect to use it. Messaging and browsing use less data than watching video regularly, so device count alone isn't a reliable way to estimate usage. S4VPN has no device limit, but when several devices share a plan, keep an eye on the remaining data in your account. If you're new to the service, choose based on your current needs; there's no need to pay for more data than you know you'll use.

Before placing your order, check the price, data allowance, and billing method. Choose Alipay, WeChat Pay, or USDT, then follow the checkout instructions. When payment is complete, return to the panel and check that your order and plan status have updated. If the payment page shows success but the panel hasn't changed yet, refresh the status and check the original order before creating or paying for another one.

If you upgrade a monthly subscription mid-cycle, the price difference is converted into remaining days. Check the result shown in the panel before proceeding. S4VPN offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund; see the Terms of Service for the refund policy. Once your plan is active, go to your account overview to get your subscription. This helps distinguish an incomplete order from a client import issue.

Choose this plan

Get your subscription in the panel

Open your account overview and check your plan status and remaining data first. Then find the subscription import section. Your subscription link lets a client load the routes associated with your account; it's not a regular webpage to read in a browser. Copy the link and use the client's subscription or configuration import feature rather than pasting it into a search engine.

If the panel offers a one-click import option for your installed client, try that first. Your browser may ask whether to open a local app; check that it's the right one before allowing it. You may also need to confirm adding the profile in the app. If you don't have a client installed or the browser can't open it, copy the subscription link and follow the manual import steps below.

When copying the link manually, keep it intact. Don't remove parameters or add notes, spaces, or line breaks. If the client says the link is invalid, copy it again from the panel and check that you haven't used the panel page address by mistake. Here's a dummy example to illustrate the format: https://example.com/sub?token=YOUR_TOKEN. It won't connect; use only the link provided in your panel after signing in.

Once you've copied the link, open the downloads section and choose a client for your device's operating system. Sign in to get your subscription. Downloading a client and retrieving a subscription are separate steps; installing the app doesn't import routes. The sections below explain where to import on each platform. Read the one for the device you're using.

Import on each platform

Download clients from the user panel downloads section. After signing in, you can get the relevant client for Windows, macOS, Android, or Linux. The panel handles iOS download eligibility and access. Choose a client provided in the panel that suits your operating system and supports subscription profiles. Don't try to install a package meant for another system.

Windows: Add a subscription profile

Get the Windows desktop client from the panel, install it, and open it. Go to “Configuration” or “Subscription Management” and look for “Add,” “Import from link,” or a similar option. Paste the subscription link you copied into the URL field. You can enter a descriptive name, then save and update the profile to load the route list. If one-click import from the panel has already added the profile, check it instead of creating a duplicate.

To confirm a successful import, check that the profile contains selectable routes; seeing its name in a list isn't enough. Set it as the active profile and return to the connection home screen. If the update fails, check that your local network is working, the link is complete, and your plan is active. Avoid changing rules, proxy ports, or other advanced settings before your first connection. Then follow the connection checks at the end of this guide.

macOS: Import a profile and approve system access

Choose the macOS desktop client in the panel and install and open it as prompted by the system. Hardware and system requirements can vary, so check the compatibility notes in the panel before downloading. In the client's configuration or subscription section, choose to add from a link, paste your subscription URL, and save it. Then update the profile. If you use one-click import, make sure the browser opens the client you intend to use, not another app on your device that handles subscription links.

Once the profile has loaded, select it as the active configuration. When enabling network features, macOS may ask to add a network configuration or grant permission. Check the app name before approving. Permissions and subscription import are separate steps: seeing routes doesn't mean the system has allowed the connection. If you cancel a permission prompt, you can trigger it again from the client and check the prompt in system settings; there's no need to keep deleting the subscription.

Android: Import a link and grant VPN access

Sign in and get the Android mobile client from the downloads section of the panel. Install it using your device's prompts. In the app, open Configuration, Subscription Management, or Add Configuration, choose Import from link, paste the full URL, and save it. Then update the profile. Return to the profile list, select the one you added, and confirm that the route list has loaded. The import option may be in the Add menu. If you can't find it, check the page menu instead of entering the URL in a route name or server address field.

The first time you connect, Android will ask you to authorize the VPN connection. Check which app is requesting access, then allow it. If the connection drops frequently when the app is in the background, check your device's background activity and battery restrictions for the app and allow it to run normally. Don't disable multiple system protections right away. First verify the connection in the foreground, then adjust settings if you encounter background interruptions. For device-specific details, see the user guide.

iOS: Get the client and add a profile

Choose iOS in the panel's downloads section and use the access option provided there to get a mobile client that supports subscription import. The panel handles iOS download eligibility. If no option is available, check the panel's instructions and your plan status; don't look for unknown installation files on other websites. After installing the client, return to the panel and use one-click import for the matching app. If it doesn't open the app, copy the subscription link and add it manually in the app's subscription or configuration management section.

Save and update the profile, confirm that routes appear, then select the profile and route you want to use. When you connect, the system may ask permission to add a VPN configuration; follow the prompt and check the connection status in the app. The system VPN toggle and subscription updates do different things: system permission allows a connection, while the client's active profile determines which route is used. If you have other network proxy tools installed, stop them before testing this connection.

For Linux, get a client from the panel's downloads section and import your subscription as described there. Command-line setup, router configuration, and custom rules aren't covered in this quick-start guide. For those, see Router and advanced setup. Avoid adding extra configuration before confirming that a basic connection works.

Connect and verify

Return to the client's home screen and check that the active profile is the one you just imported and updated. Open the route list and choose one that matches the region requirements of your target service. If you're new to the service, you could start with a route such as Tokyo, Japan, if it's available in the panel, then compare performance across regions. Distance alone doesn't determine which route will work best. See the routes page for route names and types.

After choosing a route, connect in the client and enable the system proxy or VPN feature as prompted. If the client offers rule and global modes, start with the default rule mode for everyday use. In rule mode, routing follows the configuration, so some local websites may still use your usual exit IP; that doesn't necessarily indicate a problem. Don't run other proxy tools at the same time, as their settings can conflict and make the displayed status differ from what you experience.

Start by opening a familiar website to check that your basic network connection is working. Then visit the IP lookup page to check your current exit IP. Interpret the result in light of your selected mode and rules; a temporary lookup failure alone doesn't prove that the connection is unavailable. Next, open the site you want to use and check that it loads fully, lets you sign in, and supports the features you need. A connected status in the client is only a starting point; what matters is whether the site works in your browser.

If regular websites work but a particular service doesn't, note the message shown and try a route that matches the service's region requirements. AI tools and streaming services can also be affected by account eligibility, regional policies, and third-party service status, so not every error is a network issue. For information on access to ChatGPT or Claude, see the AI Tools guide. This page doesn't cover account policies or rule changes.

If no websites load, disconnect the client and check that your original network connection works. Then check that your plan is active, you have data remaining, and the subscription updated successfully. Change one thing at a time and test again so you can identify the cause. If the issue persists, open a support ticket with your operating system, client, selected region, and the error message. Don't include your full subscription link.

Once everything checks out, keep the working profile. For everyday use, check your plan and remaining data in the panel. If the route list changes, update the existing subscription rather than repeatedly creating new profiles. Monthly plan data resets each month on the activation date; data packages never expire and last until used. For renewals, subscription maintenance, and more detailed troubleshooting, see the user guide.