// QUICK CLIENT SETUP

v2rayN and v2rayNG Subscription Import and Connection Guide

Follow this order: “Import a subscription → Choose a proxy mode → Connect → Verify.” Interface details may vary by version, but the entry points, status checks, and troubleshooting logic are broadly the same.

Estimated time: about 10 minutes What you need: a valid subscription URL Supported clients: v2rayN, v2rayNG

01 IMPORT Save the subscription and update configurations

02 ROUTING Set the system proxy and routing mode

03 CONNECT Select a configuration and start the client

04 VERIFY Review the result and logs

// BEFORE STARTING

00Before You Begin: Check the Client, Subscription URL, and System Time

Before starting, make sure the client is installed and opens normally. Use v2rayN on desktop and v2rayNG on Android. If installation is not complete, visit the client downloads page and choose the version for your platform. On first launch, the system may show prompts about network access, the firewall, or the local VPN interface. Follow your device’s security policy to allow the client to create a local network connection; otherwise, application traffic may not reach the client even after you import a configuration.

This guide uses a subscription URL as its input. A subscription URL is usually a complete link beginning with https://, generated by the subscription provider. Unlike a regular webpage address, it is read by the client to retrieve one or more available configurations and place them in a subscription group. Copy the entire URL from beginning to end. Do not include leading or trailing spaces, or a period automatically added by a chat app.

Treat the subscription URL as sensitive credentials. It may contain parameters that identify your subscription account, so do not publish it in screenshots, public documentation, or support requests. If you need to show the client interface, hide personal information in the subscription URL and configuration names first. The steps in this guide only require pasting the URL into your local client; you never need to submit it to this site.

Finally, check that the system date, time, and time zone are correct. Some protocols use time information during the handshake. If the clock is significantly off, a configuration may import successfully but fail immediately when the connection starts. Enable automatic time synchronization before continuing. If the client already contains older configurations, there is no need to delete them immediately. Create a clearly named subscription group so you can quickly switch back to the original configuration if testing fails.

Status to Confirm Before Step One

The client opens normally without persistent startup errors on the main screen.
You have the complete subscription URL and have confirmed that it is still valid.
The system date, time, and time zone are correct.
You can distinguish a subscription group from an individual configuration: the group handles updates, while the individual configuration is used for connections.

// STEP 01 · IMPORT

01Import a Subscription: Create a Group, Then Update the Configuration List

The goal of the first step is not to connect immediately. It is to save the subscription URL and convert its contents into selectable configurations. When finished, the main screen should show a subscription group with at least one configuration beneath it. Saving the URL without updating usually leaves the configuration list empty, so saving and updating are two consecutive actions; do not stop after the first.

v2rayN Desktop Instructions

Open v2rayN and find “Subscription Group” or a similarly named subscription management entry in the top menu, then open “Subscription Group Settings.” Create a group and enter an easy-to-recognize name in the remarks or alias field, such as “Daily Subscription.” Paste the complete subscription URL into the address field. Leave other advanced options at their defaults for now, then save and close the settings window.

Return to the main screen, open the subscription menu again, and choose “Update All Subscriptions,” or update the group you just created individually. Processing information appears in the status area at the bottom. After a successful update, several configuration rows should appear in the main list, usually showing fields such as type and alias. Do not judge availability by the name alone. First confirm that the configurations belong to the newly created subscription group, so you do not accidentally select an item from the old list.

If v2rayN reports a read failure, return to Subscription Group Settings and check that the beginning, end, and protocol prefix of the URL are intact. You can also copy the URL again, replace the existing value, and save it. Do not paste a subscription URL into “Import Individual Configuration from Clipboard.” That entry is intended for a single vmess://, vless://, or other individual configuration link and cannot replace the ongoing update function of a subscription group.

v2rayNG Android Instructions

Open v2rayNG, enter the menu in the upper-left corner or the subscription group management section, and choose to add a subscription. Enter a group name, paste the complete subscription URL into the address field, and save it. Return to the main screen, open the menu in the upper-right corner, and choose “Update Subscription.” Some versions require you to select the subscription group before updating. If the main screen is still empty, confirm that the displayed group is the one you just created.

After the update succeeds, configurations appear as a list on the main screen. Tapping a configuration usually makes it the current one; the selected state may be shown by a color change, check mark, or highlighted row. For now, simply select a configuration and do not press the connect button yet. The next step confirms the proxy mode and routing method; otherwise, a connection may start while some applications still bypass the client.

A subscription update can fail for several reasons: the URL may be incomplete, the subscription status may have changed, or the current network may be unable to access it. Check the URL and system time first, then inspect the first error in the client log. Do not keep clicking Update repeatedly. For an empty subscription, unsupported format, or configurations disappearing after an update, continue troubleshooting by symptom on the FAQ.

// STEP 02 · ROUTING

02Choose a Proxy Mode: Distinguish the Traffic Entry Point from Routing Rules

Once the configuration is imported, decide which traffic the client should handle. Two concepts are easy to confuse: the system proxy or local VPN interface sends application traffic into the client, while the routing mode decides whether requests are sent directly, proxied, or blocked after entering it. Without the first, a browser may bypass the client completely. With the wrong second setting, some sites may work while others behave unexpectedly.

Start with Rule Mode, Then Adjust as Needed

For initial setup, use rule-based routing instead of changing many custom rules at once. Rule mode splits traffic according to domains, IP addresses, and rule sets; local network addresses usually remain direct, while other requests are handled by the configuration. Common labels in v2rayN include “Rules,” “Bypass LAN and Mainland China,” or a routing plan supplied by the subscription. In v2rayNG, choose a predefined rule set under routing settings. Wording varies slightly by version, so focus on the mode description rather than the menu location.

“Global” mode generally sends all traffic entering the client through the current configuration. It can help isolate rule-matching issues briefly, but it is not recommended as the default. “Direct” mode sends requests entering the client straight to their destinations and is mainly useful for comparison tests. If a site fails in rule mode but works globally, the issue is more likely related to routing. If both modes fail, recheck the configuration, connection status, and local network.

v2rayN: Enable the System Proxy

In the v2rayN main window or system tray menu, find “System Proxy” and choose the option to set the system proxy automatically or a similarly named enable command. After enabling it, the tray status, menu check mark, or status bar should change. Then open the routing settings and select rule mode. Browsers and desktop applications that follow system proxy settings will send their requests through v2rayN.

Some applications have their own proxy settings and may not use the system proxy. If browser verification succeeds but one application still uses its previous connection method, check that application’s network settings. Do not repeatedly change v2rayN’s local listening port to fix one application, because changing the port also affects saved system proxy settings. See How to Resolve Local Listening Port Conflicts for ways to identify and change a port conflict.

v2rayNG: Confirm Routing Before Starting

v2rayNG establishes its traffic entry point when you tap the connect button. On the first connection, Android displays a permission prompt for the local VPN interface; confirm it so the client can receive traffic from other applications. In Settings, open the routing options and select rule mode first. Per-app routing, custom DNS, and custom rules are advanced topics. Keeping the defaults during the first connection makes it easier to identify which layer is causing a problem.

If v2rayNG was previously configured to allow only certain applications through the client, make sure the browser you want to test is included. Otherwise, the client may show Connected while the browser does not use the interface. For the first verification, keep things simple and reproducible: select one configuration, use rule mode, and let your usual browser participate in the connection. Add detailed rules only after the basic path works.

Traffic entry point v2rayN system proxy / v2rayNG local VPN interface

Routing decision Rule mode determines how to handle traffic based on domains and IP addresses

Current configuration Holds the connection parameters used for the proxy path

// STEP 03 · CONNECT

03Establish a Connection: Select a Configuration and Read Its Status

Before connecting, look at the configuration list once more and confirm that the highlighted item belongs to the subscription group you just updated. The client normally uses only the currently selected configuration; having many items in the list does not mean it will try them automatically. If the current name is unclear, switch to another configuration in the same group and check whether the selection marker moves, confirming that your click took effect.

v2rayN Desktop Connection Process

In the main list, double-click a configuration or use its context menu to set it as the active configuration. After confirming that the system proxy is enabled, check the bottom status bar: the active configuration name, local listening status, and runtime message should match your selection. Some versions start the core automatically after a configuration is selected; others require a start or restart command from the menu. Wait for the status area to refresh fully. Avoid switching among several configurations in quick succession, as mixed startup logs make it harder to identify where a failure occurred.

During a normal startup, the log should show that the configuration was loaded and local listeners were established, followed by a waiting-for-connection state. If you see a port-in-use error, invalid configuration fields, or a core startup failure, address the first clear error in the log. Later repeated messages are often cascading effects of the same issue. After changing settings, use “Restart Service” once or select the configuration again so the new settings load completely.

v2rayNG Android Connection Process

Tap a configuration row to make it current, then tap the connect button at the bottom of the main screen. On the first connection, confirm Android’s request to create the local VPN interface. Once connected, the button and top status will change, and the system status bar will show the relevant indicator. If the button quickly returns to a disconnected state, open the log to find the startup failure instead of tapping it repeatedly.

When switching configurations, stop the current connection first, select the new configuration, and start again. This ensures that routing, DNS, and connection parameters reload together. Quickly switching among configurations while running may leave the old connection active temporarily, causing browser results to disagree with the currently highlighted item. After switching, close old browser pages and open a new tab for verification.

Understanding “Started” vs. “Usable”

A client showing that it has started only means that the local service or interface has been established; it does not guarantee a successful remote connection. Usability must be confirmed in the next step through both webpage access and logs. Conversely, opening an ordinary webpage does not by itself prove that traffic went through the client, because routing rules may send that page directly. Do not rely on a single green status indicator or one webpage result.

When a configuration fails, first try another configuration in the same subscription group. If multiple configurations fail at the same stage, check whether the subscription was updated successfully, whether the system time is accurate, and whether the local network allows the client to connect. Change one condition at a time: switch configurations first, restart the client next, and modify routing or DNS only afterward. Following this order prevents several variables from changing at once.

// STEP 04 · VERIFY

04Verify That It Works: Check Web Results, Logs, and Routing Records Together

Verification should answer three questions: Did application traffic enter the client? Did the current configuration establish a connection? Did the routing rules handle the request as expected? The simplest approach is to keep the client window or log page visible, then open a site to test in your usual browser. As the page loads, watch for a new connection record in the log. If the page responds and the log updates at the same time, the browser traffic has entered the client.

Next, open a familiar site that would normally use a direct connection and inspect the routing records. Different requests may show different handling results in rule mode; that is normal split routing. If no requests appear in the log, first check that the v2rayN system proxy is still enabled or that the v2rayNG local VPN interface remains connected. If requests appear but all fail, focus on the current configuration and subscription status.

Browsers may reuse old connections and cached data. After changing the configuration or routing mode, close the original test tab and open a new one; if necessary, fully quit and relaunch the browser. This reduces interference from old connections that still use the previous path. Do not treat a single failed image load as proof of a client problem. Test at least two different sites and use the log to check whether the failed requests share the same pattern.

A Fixed Order for Checking Failed Verification

Confirm the current configuration. Check whether the highlighted item belongs to the recently updated subscription group, then try another configuration from the same group.
Confirm the traffic entry point. Check the system proxy on desktop and the local VPN interface on Android. If the log has no new requests at all, check this layer first.
Check the startup log. Start with the first clear error. Resolve port conflicts, invalid configuration fields, and time-related problems separately.
Temporarily compare routing modes. If one site fails in rule mode, briefly switch to global mode for comparison, then restore rule mode after testing.
Restart the complete path. Stop the client, close the browser, restart the client, wait for its status to stabilize, then reopen the browser and test again.

If webpages open but DNS results do not match expectations, the issue may be in DNS settings rather than the subscription or configuration itself. Do not change several DNS parameters at once. First read DNS Testing and Client Configuration to understand how system resolution, client resolution, and routing rules interact. For more complex protocol differences, core compatibility, and resource comparisons, continue with Protocol and Core Reference.

After verification, remember the name of the working configuration, its subscription group, and the routing mode. If the connection changes later, restore this confirmed combination first and then determine whether the subscription, an individual configuration, or the local environment changed. Keeping a known-good baseline is easier for troubleshooting than resetting everything at once.

// AFTER SETUP

After-Setup Maintenance: Update Subscriptions, Switch Configurations, and Keep a Baseline

Daily use does not require creating a new subscription repeatedly. When the subscription content changes, choose “Update Subscription,” then select a configuration from the updated list. Edit the existing group or create a new one only when the subscription URL itself changes. If the current configuration is removed after an update, the client may retain the old selection but be unable to use it. Select a configuration that still appears in the list.

Use a consistent sequence when switching configurations: stop the connection, select the new configuration, reconnect, and verify in a new browser tab. Retest familiar sites after changing the routing mode to avoid misreading results from old connections. If you temporarily use global mode for troubleshooting, restore rule mode afterward. If you add custom rules, record their purpose and matching targets so you can review them after future subscription updates.

When something goes wrong, describe the symptoms before reinstalling the client. Useful troubleshooting details include the client type, whether the problem occurs during subscription update or connection, the first log error, the system proxy or local VPN interface status, and what happened after switching configurations. Do not expose the subscription URL in screenshots. Search the FAQ page by the “Installation and Configuration” and “Troubleshooting” categories for common errors.

// NEXT REFERENCE

Which Layer Do You Want to Explore Next?

Use the downloads page to choose a client version, the FAQ page to troubleshoot by symptom, and the protocol reference to compare VLESS, VMess, Trojan, REALITY, and the V2Fly and Xray cores.

View Client Versions Troubleshoot by Symptom Read the Protocol Reference