VPNs for Windows: Hiddify, v2rayN and setup

Two free clients worth installing

For a VLESS key on Windows, two free, open source clients are actively maintained in October 2026: Hiddify and v2rayN. Both live on GitHub, and v2rayN published a new release at the end of September. NekoRay, which many older guides still recommend, has been archived by its developer since December 2024 with a note that it is no longer maintained, so it is better left alone.

Hiddify or v2rayN

• Hiddify is the simpler of the two and looks the same on Windows, Android, Mac and Linux.
• Hiddify offers a regular installer, a portable build and an MSIX package for Windows.
• v2rayN shows more settings, such as routing rules, and suits people who like to tune things.
• Both import a vless:// key from the clipboard.

Setting up Hiddify on Windows

1. 1

   Download the Windows setup file from Hiddify's official GitHub releases page.

2. 2

   Install it; if SmartScreen warns about an unknown app, check that the file came from that page before continuing.

3. 3

   Claim the five-day trial in the Telegram bot and copy the key.

4. 4

   In Hiddify, add a new profile from the clipboard.

5. 5

   Set the service mode to VPN, not proxy, and approve the administrator prompt.

6. 6

   Connect, then open an IP check page to confirm the address changed.

TUN mode decides what is covered

In proxy mode, Windows passes the client's address to apps that ask, and browsers do. Game launchers, many chat apps and anything started from a command line often do not, so their traffic goes around the tunnel. TUN mode, called VPN mode in Hiddify, adds a virtual network adapter that every app has to use. On a laptop that travels, it is the only mode worth running.

Where the client shows up in Windows

Windows has its own VPN page under Settings, Network and internet, VPN, but it lists only connections built on Windows' own protocols. A VLESS client does not appear there. In TUN mode it shows up as an extra network adapter instead, and the client's own window, or its icon by the clock, is where you switch it on and off.

Free VPNs for Windows and free browser VPNs

A free client and a free VPN are different things. Hiddify and v2rayN are free software, but they need a server at the other end, and running servers costs money. A free VPN for Windows supplies the server too, so it pays for it somehow: ads, limits, an upgrade pitch or, at worst, your data. The FTC suggests checking who is behind an app, which permissions it wants and whether it shares data with third parties. Free browser VPNs are a smaller tool again: they cover the browser and nothing else on the PC.

Softech VPN sells keys, so we have an interest in how you answer this; the two clients above are free projects we do not run. This page was drafted with AI assistance by Softech VPN, from the projects' own GitHub pages and the FTC guidance below.

Questions