Glossary
Terms are listed alphabetically. Links point to the page where each one is explained in detail.
Apple Push Notification service, the system that delivers notifications to your devices. By default MeowX always sends APNs traffic directly so notifications keep arriving; turn on Proxy APNs to route it by your rules. See Traffic control.
Auto select
Section titled “Auto select”The switch shown on url-test and fallback groups while connected. On means the group picks its member automatically; off means a member is pinned. See Nodes.
Bypass list
Section titled “Bypass list”Domains and IP ranges that always go direct, in every outbound mode and before any rule. Found under Traffic control › Bypass proxy. See Settings.
Clash / mihomo / Clash Meta format
Section titled “Clash / mihomo / Clash Meta format”The YAML configuration format used by the Clash family of proxy clients. MeowX reads subscriptions in this format. See the configuration reference.
clash://install-config link
Section titled “clash://install-config link”A link of the form clash://install-config?url=... that providers use for one-tap import. Opening it hands the subscription URL inside it to MeowX.
The proxy engine inside MeowX that parses the configuration, applies rules, resolves DNS and speaks the proxy protocols. Its version is shown in About and in the Mac panel footer.
Current exit
Section titled “Current exit”The node that your traffic actually leaves through, found by following the selected member of each group down to a real node. Shown on the Home connection card and the iPad sidebar.
Custom rule
Section titled “Custom rule”Your own “this domain or IP goes Direct / Proxy / Reject” rule, applied in Rule mode before the subscription’s rules and kept across subscription refreshes. See Custom rules.
DIRECT / REJECT
Section titled “DIRECT / REJECT”Built-in outbounds. DIRECT connects to the destination without a proxy; REJECT blocks the connection.
DNS hijack
Section titled “DNS hijack”A local override that makes chosen domains resolve to an IPv4 address you specify, ahead of the subscription’s DNS settings. See Settings.
DNS mode
Section titled “DNS mode”How MeowX answers DNS queries while connected: Fake-IP, Redir-Host, or Follow subscription. See Concepts.
Exit IP
Section titled “Exit IP”The public IP address that websites see. The Home tab shows two: the direct exit (your own connection) and the proxy exit (through the node).
Fake-IP
Section titled “Fake-IP”A DNS mode in which MeowX answers queries with placeholder addresses from 198.18.0.0/16 and maps them back to domains when apps connect. Fast and keeps domain information, at the cost of apps seeing non-real addresses.
Fallback group
Section titled “Fallback group”A proxy group that uses the first member in its list that passes health checks, moving to the next when one fails.
Fast mode
Section titled “Fast mode”A network setting (on by default) that makes outbound connections and the tunnel’s packet input / output use more direct system interfaces, for higher speed and lower CPU use. See Network settings.
GeoIP / GeoSite
Section titled “GeoIP / GeoSite”Databases that map IP addresses to countries (GeoIP) and domains to categories such as cn or google (GeoSite). Rules like GEOIP,CN,DIRECT and GEOSITE,cn,DIRECT use them. MeowX ships with both built in.
Health check
Section titled “Health check”The periodic latency test that url-test and fallback groups run on their members to decide which one to use.
HTTPS decryption (MITM)
Section titled “HTTPS decryption (MITM)”An optional feature that decrypts HTTPS traffic for hosts you choose, so requests can be rewritten or inspected. Requires installing and trusting a certificate. See HTTPS Decryption.
Latency
Section titled “Latency”How long a node takes to respond to a test, in milliseconds. MeowX can measure it three ways: HTTPS latency (default), real connection latency and TCPing. See Nodes.
Local proxy
Section titled “Local proxy”An HTTP and SOCKS5 proxy that MeowX opens on one port (7890 by default) for other apps or, with LAN access, other devices. See Settings.
Main proxy group
Section titled “Main proxy group”The group that a custom rule’s Proxy action uses: the group the subscription’s final MATCH rule points to, or else the first select group. See Custom rules.
A single proxy server you can route traffic through, using a protocol such as Shadowsocks, VLESS, Trojan or Hysteria 2. Also called a proxy or server. See Protocols.
Node statistics
Section titled “Node statistics”An optional, local-only record of each node’s success rate, latency and download speed per network type. Off by default. See Nodes.
Outbound
Section titled “Outbound”Where a connection is sent: a node, a proxy group, DIRECT or REJECT.
Outbound chain
Section titled “Outbound chain”The path a connection took through proxy groups to the final node, shown in connection details, for example Proxy › Auto › HK 01.
Outbound mode
Section titled “Outbound mode”Rule, Global or Direct: whether MeowX follows the rules, sends everything through the proxy, or sends everything direct. See Concepts.
Pinning
Section titled “Pinning”Manually selecting a member of a url-test or fallback group. MeowX keeps using a pinned member while it is alive and returns to automatic selection if it dies. See Nodes.
Profile
Section titled “Profile”A subscription (or the built-in Direct (no proxy) configuration) stored in MeowX. One profile is current at a time.
Proxy group
Section titled “Proxy group”A named choice between several members (nodes, other groups, DIRECT, REJECT). Types include select, url-test and fallback. See Proxy groups.
The UDP-based transport behind HTTP/3, used on port 443. Block QUIC drops it so apps fall back to TCP. See Settings.
Redir-Host
Section titled “Redir-Host”A DNS mode in which MeowX performs real DNS lookups and returns real addresses while remembering which domain they belong to. The most compatible mode.
A line in the configuration that matches connections (by domain, IP, GeoIP, GeoSite, rule set and more) and names where they go. Rules are checked top to bottom; the first match wins. See Rules.
Rule provider / rule set
Section titled “Rule provider / rule set”A list of rules downloaded from a URL and referenced from the configuration with RULE-SET. MeowX caches them and refreshes them in the background.
Select group
Section titled “Select group”A proxy group whose member you choose manually.
Sniffing
Section titled “Sniffing”Reading the hostname from the first bytes of a connection (the TLS server name or the HTTP Host header), so domain rules work even when an app connects to an IP address. On by default.
Subscription
Section titled “Subscription”A URL from your provider that returns a configuration with your nodes, groups and rules. See Account and subscriptions.
System proxy mode
Section titled “System proxy mode”On the Mac, the mode in which MeowX runs a local proxy and points macOS’s system proxy settings at it, using a privileged helper. See Concepts.
System proxy helper
Section titled “System proxy helper”A small privileged background item on the Mac that changes and restores system proxy settings for MeowX. It must be approved in Login Items & Extensions.
TUN mode
Section titled “TUN mode”On the Mac, the mode in which a network system extension creates a virtual network interface and captures traffic at the IP level, like the iOS VPN. Requires approving the extension once.
url-test group
Section titled “url-test group”A proxy group that periodically tests all members and uses the fastest one (within its tolerance).
User-space TCP stack
Section titled “User-space TCP stack”MeowX’s own TCP implementation for connections inside the tunnel, used instead of an extra pass through the system’s network stack. On by default; lowers CPU use during downloads. On the Mac it applies to TUN mode only.
Wi-Fi automation
Section titled “Wi-Fi automation”Rules that turn the proxy on or off depending on the Wi-Fi network (and cellular or wired). See Settings.