How to install and launch Happ on your Android phone

Two ways to install Happ on Android

The Happ app is a client built on the Xray core, so you should install it from a trusted source rather than hunting for random builds. On Android there are two reliable paths: download the APK file directly or get an install link from the service's Telegram bot, which is also where your key is issued. Both options give you the exact same version of the client — the only difference is convenience.

The APK route works well if you don't have Google Play or you want to install a specific version manually. The bot route is easier for beginners: the bot sends both the app link and the subscription in a single message, so you don't have to transfer the key by hand.

Important: access to the servers only works with a legitimate key — an official one, a paid one, or a trial key issued by the Telegram bot. The APK itself is free and contains no keys; it's just a client.

Installing the Happ APK manually

Download the happ.apk file from the bot link or the downloads page and open it via a file manager or the download-complete notification. On first launch, Android will ask for permission to install apps from this source — tap "Settings" and turn on the "Allow installation from this source" toggle for the browser or file manager you're opening the APK from.

After that, go back and tap "Install". On Android 13 and newer the system may show an additional warning about restricted settings — in that case open "Settings → Apps → Happ" and allow the restricted options, otherwise the VPN profile won't activate.

Once installation finishes, open Happ and, on the first connection, confirm the system "Connection request" prompt — this is how Android grants the app permission to create a VPN tunnel. It's a standard Android dialog and appears only once.

Adding a key and the first connection

Open Happ and find the add-profile button — a "plus" or "Add subscription". The fastest option: copy the subscription link from the Telegram bot and paste it into the "Add from clipboard" field — the client will pull in the server list itself. If your key came as a QR code, choose "Scan QR" and point the camera at it.

After you add the subscription, servers will appear in the list. Pick the nearest one or the one marked as fast and tap the large connect button. Within 1-2 seconds the status will change to "Connected", and a VPN key icon will light up in the Android status bar — meaning your traffic is going through the chosen server.

To confirm everything works, open any website or an IP-checking service: the address should change to the country of the selected server. If the subscription updates (for example, new servers are added), pull the list down to refresh it — you don't need to paste the key again.

Common errors during install and connection

"App not installed" or the install breaking off — most often the APK didn't download fully or conflicts with an older version. Remove the previous Happ, download the file in full again, and repeat the installation. Make sure the device has enough free space.

Happ shows "Connecting" and hangs — usually this is an outdated or incorrectly pasted subscription. Delete the profile, copy the link from the bot again, and add it once more. If only one server is stuck, switch to another one from the list: some servers can be overloaded during peak hours.

The connection comes up but sites won't load — check that the system VPN prompt was confirmed and that Happ isn't blocked from network access in Android settings. On some firmware (Xiaomi, Huawei) aggressive battery saving unloads the client in the background — add Happ to the battery-saving exceptions and allow autostart.

Updating, autostart, and background operation

Happ doesn't update through Google Play when installed manually via APK, so periodically check for the current version using the bot link. You can install the new version over the old one — your keys and subscriptions are kept, and you don't need to transfer them again.

To keep the connection stable, let Happ run in the background: remove battery restrictions in "Settings → Apps → Happ → Battery" and enable autostart if your firmware controls it. That way the tunnel won't drop when the screen is locked.

If you later need to route only some apps through the server while leaving the rest on a direct connection, you can set this up in the split tunneling section inside the client — a separate page on the site explains how to define exclusion lists.