Set Up Happ on iPhone and iPad
- Author
- Dmitry Sokolov, Lead technical writer
- Reviewed by:
- Artem Volkov
- Fact-checked:
- Published:
- Guide version:
- 1.0
In short
To set up Happ on iPhone, copy a key or subscription link, tap the plus button at the top right and paste it from the clipboard or scan a QR code. Pick a server, tap connect and allow iOS to add the VPN configuration.
On iPhone and iPad, Happ connects through the iOS system VPN configuration. On the first connection iOS asks for permission to add a VPN configuration and wants you to confirm it with your passcode or Face ID. Keys and subscriptions are imported with the plus button from the clipboard, by QR code, by deep link or manually. On iOS 16 and newer the system also asks for permission to paste from other apps.
Before you start
Setting up Happ on iPhone and iPad consists of importing a key or subscription, choosing a server and allowing the VPN configuration in iOS.
Most iOS problems are not about Happ itself but about system permissions: pasting from the clipboard, the camera for QR codes, the VPN configuration and local network access.
These instructions apply to iPhone and iPad running iOS and iPadOS 15 or newer. On iPad the interface is wider, but the items are the same.
Step-by-step setup
Copy the key or subscription
Copy a key string starting with vless://, vmess://, trojan://, ss://, socks:// or hysteria2://, a subscription address, or a happ://crypt link. If your provider gave you a QR code, keep it open on another screen.
Result: A string on the clipboard or a QR code on the screen.
Import with the plus button
Open Happ, tap the plus button at the top right and choose pasting from the clipboard or scanning a QR code. When iOS asks to allow pasting, choose Allow, and allow the camera request too.
Result: Servers appear in the server list.
Pick a server
Tap the speedometer icon in the subscription header to measure the latency of all servers, then pick the server with the lower value.
Result: Servers show latency values or status icons, and the selected server is marked.
Connect and allow the VPN configuration
Tap the connect button. iOS shows a request to add VPN configurations: tap Allow and confirm with your passcode or Face ID.
Result: A VPN icon appears in the status bar and Happ shows the connected status.
Check the current connection
Run the check of the current connection, or swipe the server to the right and tap the speedometer. Via Proxy HEAD shows latency through the proxy itself, while ICMP requires temporarily turning the tunnel off.
Result: A time in ms is shown, not a timeout.
Set up routing and LAN sharing if needed
For split tunneling, open a happ://routing/onadd/ link with a profile from your provider or from routing.happ.su. To share the connection with other devices, turn on the option that allows LAN connections in the advanced settings.
Result: The profile is active for the subscription, and with LAN sharing on you can see the IP and ports.
Connection modes
- iOS VPN configuration. Happ creates a tunnel through the iOS system VPN mechanism. All device traffic passes through it according to the subscription's routing profile rules, and its state is visible in the iPhone's VPN settings.
- LAN sharing. The Happ documentation describes the option that allows LAN connections in the advanced settings without naming platforms. If it is present in your iPhone version, other devices on the same Wi-Fi network can connect to the iPhone over SOCKS5 and HTTP while the Happ connection is active.
What Happ supports on iPhone and iPad
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| TUN mode (all device traffic) | Yes |
| System proxy | No data |
| Proxy for individual apps | No |
| Sharing the connection over the local network | No data |
| Routing | Routing profiles |
Tips
If you have several VPN apps, iOS keeps only one VPN configuration active. Turning on Happ switches the other one off, and the other way around.
When you switch from Wi-Fi to a cellular network and back, the connection to the server is established again. If sites stop opening after a network change, turn the connection in Happ off and on.
If your provider sends subscription-userinfo, Happ shows the traffic and the subscription expiry date. A notification three days before the end arrives if the provider turned on sub-expire.
Save your subscription links before deleting Happ. Along with the app, iOS also deletes its VPN configuration and all the servers you added.
Related guides
Key takeaways
- Happ on iPhone works through the system VPN configuration, which iOS asks you to allow on the first connection.
- On iOS 16 and newer, permission to paste from the clipboard is set under Settings → Happ.
- The connection status is visible under Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.
- An encrypted happ://crypt subscription hides its address from the user after it is added.
- On iOS the tunnel keeps running after you minimize Happ, until the connection is turned off.
Frequently asked questions
iPhone asks for permission to add a VPN configuration. What should I do?
Tap Allow and confirm with your passcode or Face ID. This is the standard iOS prompt for any app that creates a tunnel, and without it Happ cannot connect. If you tapped Don't Allow, just tap connect again and iOS will repeat the request. The configuration that gets created appears in the VPN section of the iPhone settings.
Why does Happ on iPhone say the clipboard is empty?
Either the key was not copied, or iOS blocked pasting. On iOS 16 and newer, a prompt to allow pasting appears when the clipboard is read: choose Allow Paste. To stop it from repeating, open Settings → Happ, find the paste-from-other-apps option and choose Allow. Then copy the key again and repeat the import with the plus button.
How do I move a subscription from my iPhone to another device?
If the subscription is not encrypted or hidden, swipe the server to the right and tap the arrow icon. Choose copy to clipboard, QR code or JSON. A QR code is easy to scan with a second phone, and a link on the clipboard can be sent to a Mac through Universal Clipboard. An encrypted subscription cannot be shared this way, so add it from the original link.
Do I need to keep Happ open for the connection to work on iPhone?
No. Once connected, the tunnel runs as an iOS system VPN configuration and you can minimize the app. The VPN icon in the status bar shows that the connection is active. You can turn it off in Happ or under Settings → VPN. If iOS ended the tunnel, for example after a restart, connect again in Happ.
Can I share the connection from my iPhone to a laptop?
Yes, with the option that allows LAN connections in the advanced settings. Turn it on and connect to a server: Happ shows the iPhone's IP address and the SOCKS5 and HTTP ports. On a laptop in the same Wi-Fi network, enter that IP and port as a proxy. On guest networks with client isolation, devices cannot see each other.
Why does my iPhone not see the Apple TV when I send a subscription?
To import onto Apple TV over the local network, iOS asks for permission to access the local network. If you said no that time, there will be no second prompt. Check the Happ switch under Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network. If it is missing, reinstall Happ on the iPhone or use Web Import at tv.happ.su.
Topics mentioned
Related articles
Related sections
Sources
- Happ system requirements — accessed September 27, 2026
- Happ documentation: download table — accessed September 27, 2026
- Happ - Proxy Utility in the App Store — accessed September 27, 2026
- TestFlight: Happ global beta — accessed September 27, 2026
- Adding a configuration and subscription — accessed September 27, 2026
- Ping in Happ — accessed September 27, 2026
- Local network connections — accessed September 27, 2026
- Subscription parameters — accessed September 27, 2026