v2rayN Subscription and Proxy Setup

Step 1: Import a subscription

Before you begin, make sure the client is installed and opens normally. If you haven’t installed it yet, visit the client download page and choose the right platform and device architecture. You’ll also need a subscription URL from your service provider that works with your client. The client manages configurations and connections; installing it does not provide a working server. This guide does not include subscriptions, and you should never share your full subscription URL.

When copying a URL, use the provider’s copy button if available. If selecting the text manually, make sure you haven’t copied any instructions, spaces, or line breaks along with it. A subscription URL usually retrieves multiple configurations, while a share link imports a single entry; the two use different import options. Don’t assume a long string is a subscription URL—check the provider’s instructions first.

v2rayN: Add a group, then update the subscription

Open the Subscription Group menu at the top and select Subscription Group Settings, then add a group. Enter a recognizable name in the remarks field, such as “Everyday use,” and paste the subscription URL into the address field. The remark is for local organization only; it doesn’t change connection settings. Leave the other options at their defaults, save, and close the settings window. At this point, you’ve only saved the subscription source, so it’s normal for the server list to be empty.

Return to the main window and select Update Subscription from the Subscription Group menu. If you haven’t established a proxy connection yet, choose the option to update without a proxy. If your provider specifically requires an existing proxy connection to access the subscription, follow their instructions instead. Wait for the update to finish, switch to the group you created, and check that configuration entries appear. Don’t change the addresses, ports, or security settings yet; these are usually supplied by the subscription.

v2rayNG: Save the subscription, then update it from the main screen

Open Subscription Group Settings in the side menu, use the Add option to create a group, enter a remark and subscription URL, and save. Return to the main screen and select Update Subscription from the menu. When the update finishes, check the group filter and configuration list for new entries. If you have a single share link, use the clipboard import option in the add menu at the top instead of entering it as a subscription URL.

If the update reports success but no configurations appear, check whether you’re viewing a different group or have a list filter enabled. If the update fails, check whether the subscription has expired, whether you copied the full URL, and whether the device can reach the service hosting it. Don’t create the same group repeatedly or paste unrecognized response data into advanced settings. Resolve the subscription retrieval issue first to keep troubleshooting focused.

Step 2: Choose a proxy mode

Once configurations appear in the list, don’t start changing every toggle. First decide how app traffic should reach the client. There are two separate questions: system proxy or VPN mode determines how traffic is captured, while routing rules determine whether requests that reach the client go through the proxy or connect directly. These are different settings. Start with a basic traffic-capture mode and a routing preset to make connection issues easier to diagnose.

v2rayN: Start with the system proxy

Find the System Proxy control at the bottom of the main window. For a first-time setup, use Set system proxy automatically, but wait until Step 3 to enable it, after selecting a configuration and confirming the core has started. This setting updates your system proxy configuration, which browsers and other apps that follow it can typically use automatically. It does not route all traffic from every app; some apps use their own network or proxy settings.

Leave Enable TUN Mode turned off for now. TUN is useful when you need to capture more traffic, but it adds variables such as a virtual network adapter, permissions, and DNS. Enabling it before you’ve verified a basic connection makes it harder to identify the cause of a problem. If system proxy testing succeeds but a target app still bypasses the proxy, see the system proxy and TUN setup guide, then enable and test TUN separately if needed.

v2rayNG: Use VPN mode

For a first-time setup on Android, use VPN mode in v2rayNG settings. It requires system permission, which Android requests when you start the connection. Proxy-only mode is intended for users who know how to enter a local proxy address in other apps. If you want your usual apps to use the client, don’t switch to proxy-only mode. If another VPN connection is active on the device, stop it before starting v2rayNG.

Routing: Start with a preset

In v2rayN, open Routing at the bottom of the window; in v2rayNG, open the routing settings. Choose a preset that fits your needs, such as bypass mainland China. These presets classify domains and IP addresses according to rules, so they don’t send every site through the proxy. Local network devices, local services, and destinations marked for direct connection may still use your regular network connection. That’s an expected routing result, not necessarily a failed setup.

If you temporarily switch to global proxy for troubleshooting, remember that this changes the routing policy; it won’t make an app use the proxy if that app ignores the system proxy. Restore your preferred routing policy after testing. For a first-time setup, leave custom rules, DNS, and FakeDNS unchanged. Complete the four steps first, then adjust settings one at a time to address specific issues.

You should now have a clear setup: system proxy on desktop, VPN mode on Android, and a known routing preset. Next, select one configuration and start the connection without changing any other options.

Step 3: Select a configuration and start the connection

Choose an entry in the subscription group that your provider identifies as available. A configuration name can help you recognize an entry, but it doesn’t prove the server is currently reachable. There’s no need to run tests on the entire list before connecting for the first time. If an entry has region, traffic, or protocol requirements, check the provider’s instructions, choose one that suits your setup, and then start the connection.

v2rayN: Set the active server and check the core

Right-click the target entry in the server list and select the menu option to set it as the active server. Highlighting a row with the mouse doesn’t necessarily activate it; check the active marker or status in the client. Switching the active configuration usually loads the core. If the interface has a reload option, you can use it once you’ve confirmed the configuration, then check for any clear loading error.

Once the core loads successfully, set System Proxy at the bottom to Set system proxy automatically. Check that Routing is still set to the preset you chose. If you change the active server but forget to enable the system proxy, the core may run normally while your browser connects directly. Conversely, if the system proxy is enabled but the core hasn’t started, apps may connect to a local port with no service listening and hang while pages load.

Check the information or log area for messages from startup. If you see a port-in-use error, close any duplicate client instance or check whether another application is using the same listening port. Don’t force-quit system processes you don’t recognize. If you change the local listening port, make sure apps with manually configured proxies use the new port. Browsers that follow the system proxy usually don’t need a separate port setting.

v2rayNG: Start the connection and approve VPN access

Tap the target configuration on the main screen and make sure the selection marker moves to that entry, then tap Start. The first time you connect, Android displays a VPN connection request. Confirm it comes from the v2rayNG app you just opened, then allow the connection. If you tap Cancel by mistake, return to the client and try again; there’s no need to delete the subscription or reinstall the app. After the VPN icon appears in the status bar, check that the client also shows the connection as running.

If the connection stops immediately after starting, open the logs and check for startup errors. Unsupported configuration fields, parameters the current core doesn’t support, or incomplete system authorization can all cause problems at this stage. Don’t keep switching between the Xray and V2Fly core options at random; the core you use must support the protocol and parameters. If the subscription generated the configuration, ask the provider which client versions it supports.

After the connection starts, keep the client in the foreground and proceed to Step 4 to test it. Android background restrictions may affect long sessions, but you don’t need to change every battery setting before your first connection. Only adjust background permissions if the connection works in the foreground but drops after you switch apps.

Step 4: Test whether access works

Test with an app that follows your current proxy mode. On desktop, use a browser that follows the system proxy and temporarily disable extensions that override its proxy settings. On Android, open a browser after VPN mode is active. If you’ve already loaded the test page, reload it or open a new page so you’re not relying on cached content to judge the connection.

Use real requests to tell direct connections from proxy traffic

First visit a site that normally loads for you to confirm the device has a working internet connection. Then visit a destination that should use the proxy under your current routing rules. Check the client logs at the time of the request for the destination and selected outbound route. Some log levels don’t show every request, so if there’s no entry, check the logging settings before assuming the browser bypassed the proxy.

To check your exit IP, use a trusted public IP lookup service, but don’t assume its result corresponds to a specific country or region. The apparent location depends on the service route, and IP geolocation databases can be inaccurate. With split routing, the lookup service itself may connect directly. To compare, temporarily switch to global routing and reload the lookup page, then restore your original routing preset when done.

The client’s built-in latency or connection tests can help with troubleshooting, but they don’t replace testing access in a browser. Some servers don’t respond to particular test methods, so a failed test doesn’t necessarily mean all requests will fail. Likewise, a successful test doesn’t guarantee that DNS, page resources, or your target app are working. Use stable access to your intended destination as the main measure, then use the logs to understand what’s happening.

Can’t access sites after connecting? Check each layer

If no pages load, first confirm the core or VPN is still running, then check that the desktop system proxy isn’t pointing to a client that has stopped. If only one app fails, check whether it has its own proxy settings or is excluded from VPN traffic capture. If only certain sites fail, focus on their routing rules and reachability. Don’t treat an isolated issue as a failure of the entire client.

For a DNS resolution error, note the exact error and when it occurs, then check whether name resolution works on your current network. DNS routing needs to be verified separately; a page loading successfully doesn’t necessarily mean DNS is taking the expected path. For more detailed checks, see the DNS leak testing and configuration guide. During initial setup, avoid changing multiple DNS resolvers and routing options at once.

Before switching servers, note the active configuration, traffic-capture mode, and routing preset. Change one setting at a time and repeat the same access tests so you can compare results. If none of the configurations connect, stop the proxy and test your basic network first, then check the subscription expiry, device time, and startup logs. For persistent protocol or permission errors, find your platform in the complete setup guide for all platforms rather than layering on more advanced settings here.

Stop the connection and reconnect later

When you’re done on desktop, select Clear system proxy in v2rayN and confirm your browser has returned to its usual connection method before quitting the client. If you used TUN, stop TUN traffic capture first. On Android, tap Stop and confirm the VPN connection has ended. Don’t force-quit the app instead of stopping it normally, as this may leave network settings unrestored.

You usually don’t need to import the subscription again next time. Open the client, update the subscription as your provider recommends, confirm the active configuration is still available, then start the proxy and run a quick access test. If an update removes the old entry, select another valid configuration. The subscription, traffic capture, connection, and testing steps are now complete. Adjust routing, TUN, or background settings later only as needed, keeping this repeatable troubleshooting sequence in place.