How to Import a Subscription and Connect with v2rayN

After opening v2rayN, look for Subscription groups. Don't start by filling in server details under Add server. Your provider usually supplies the subscription URL as a single, complete web address. When copying it, include the entire URL—scheme, path, and parameters—and avoid selecting punctuation or line breaks from the surrounding message. This step lets the client retrieve server configurations; it doesn't connect you yet. If you only have a share link for one server, use the client's clipboard import feature instead. The steps below use a subscription group.

Add a group and update it

In v2rayN, open Subscription groups and add a group. Give it a name you can recognize, then paste the URL into the subscription address field. The name is only for distinguishing sources on your device; it doesn't affect the connection. Save the group, then choose Update subscription or the update command for that group. Button labels may vary by client version; the important thing is to save the URL before updating. Wait for the update to finish rather than clicking repeatedly, which can make an import that is still in progress look like a failure.

Return to the server list, switch to the subscription group you just created, and check for selectable server entries. If entries appear, the client has read and parsed the subscription, but that doesn't mean they can connect yet. You don't need to edit server addresses, ports, or transport settings. Updates use the content published by your provider, so manual changes to a subscription entry may be overwritten the next time you update. If you manage multiple sources, create a separate group for each so you can tell which group a server belongs to.

The equivalent steps in v2rayNG

In v2rayNG for Android, open Subscription groups, add the subscription URL, save it, and run an update. Then return to the server list. In some versions, the add option is in the top-right menu. If you're looking at server fields, go back to the list and find Subscription groups instead of pasting the entire subscription URL into the server Address field. After updating, confirm that entries appear before continuing. If the list stays empty, first check that the URL is complete and the subscription is still valid. For an explanation of subscriptions and servers, see the concept guide.

After importing the subscription, don't rush to enable the system proxy. Next, decide which requests the client should handle: server entries determine where to connect, while the proxy mode and routing settings determine which traffic uses that connection. Check these separately. This makes it easier to diagnose cases where a browser and other apps behave differently.

In v2rayN, open Routing settings and check the currently selected mode. Change it only if needed for your use case. Common modes include rule-based routing and sending all requests that reach the proxy through it. Rule-based routing chooses an outbound route based on criteria such as domains and addresses, making it a good starting point. Sending everything through the proxy can help rule out cases where a site doesn't match the expected rules, but it also changes the route for requests you may want to access directly. A routing mode is separate from the server selection; changing it won't choose a server for you.

For your first setup, keep the client's default rules and note the current mode. Fine-tune them only after confirming the basic connection works. Changing the route for all requests can affect existing access to work software, local network devices, or development services. Once connected, see the technical reference to learn how domain rules, DNS, and routing work together. There's no need to edit individual rules to get started. If you've imported a custom routing file, check whether the default or custom rules are active so you don't mistake an old setting for a subscription issue.

Routing mode vs. system proxy

The routing mode determines how the client handles requests it receives. The system proxy determines whether apps that follow your system settings send requests to the client. Check these separately. On macOS or Windows, use the v2rayN tray menu to find commands such as Set system proxy automatically and Clear system proxy. For now, note where they are; you'll enable the system proxy in the connection step. If a routing mode is selected but the system proxy is off, your browser may still use its usual network route. That doesn't mean routing rules aren't working.

The system proxy doesn't automatically cover every app. Some terminal commands, browsers with their own proxy settings, and apps that manage connections themselves may need to be configured separately. For now, test with a regular browser, then deal with specific apps separately. This avoids changing several settings at once and losing track of what made a difference. If your computer already has another proxy configured, note its settings so you can restore or clear them from the tray menu when you're done.

The equivalent settings in v2rayNG

In v2rayNG for Android, open Settings to find routing options. To limit which apps use the connection, look for Per-app proxy. For your first connection, keep the default routing and app selection; there's no need to select apps one by one yet. Per-app proxy determines which apps use the client, so apps outside the selected list are expected to behave differently. Once the default connection works, adjust the app selection as needed and retest with the same app each time. That makes it easier to tell a server issue from an app selection issue.

You now have two things in place: selectable entries in a subscription group and a confirmed routing mode. Next, choose a server and connect. Even if the list has many entries, start with just one and work through the full setup. Avoid switching repeatedly before checking the connection; otherwise, it's hard to match logs and test results to a specific entry.

Return to the v2rayN server list and make sure you're viewing the subscription group you just updated. Select a server entry and set it as the active server. Depending on the version, you may need to double-click it, use the right-click menu, or click a toolbar button. Check the active-item marker or status area to confirm the switch. Server names identify entries; they don't tell you how well a server will connect. For your first setup, choose one entry and keep using it for the tests that follow.

Once you've chosen an active server, check that the client is running. v2rayN uses the selected core to load the server settings and start a local proxy service. When it starts normally, the status area or log window should show that the core is running. If the client reports a core startup or configuration error, stop here and look for the first clear error in the logs. Don't enable the system proxy yet. Common causes include a local proxy port already in use or manually edited server settings that don't match the selected protocol. Try updating the subscription and selecting the original entry again, then see the relevant troubleshooting steps in FAQ.

Enable the system proxy from the tray menu

Once the core is running, open the v2rayN tray menu and select Set system proxy automatically. This directs desktop apps that follow system proxy settings to the client's local proxy. Open the tray menu again to confirm the system proxy is enabled; don't rely on the main window simply being open. The main window being open, a server being selected, and the system proxy being enabled are three separate states. Completing only the first two doesn't guarantee that your browser will use the connection.

To temporarily stop desktop apps from using the proxy, select Clear system proxy from the tray menu. This doesn't delete your subscription or quit the client. The subscription group and server entries remain available, and you can reconnect later by checking the active server and client status before enabling the proxy again. There's no need to keep deleting subscriptions when you just want to stop using them temporarily. If you switch servers, confirm that the active entry has changed before testing, so you don't attribute the previous server's behavior to the new one.

Connect in v2rayNG

Select a server in the v2rayNG server list, return to the main screen, and tap the round connect button. The first time the system asks for permission to create a connection, read the prompt and confirm. Then check that the main screen shows a connected status. v2rayNG uses the device's connection interface, so you don't need to follow the desktop tray menu steps. If Per-app proxy is enabled, check whether the browser you plan to test is included in the selected apps; otherwise, it may still use its usual network route even when v2rayNG shows as connected.

Once the connection status looks normal, don't change DNS, transport security fields, or several routing options at once. You now have a reproducible setup: one subscription group, one active server, one routing mode, and a clear proxy status. Keep these settings as you test so you can decide what to investigate based on the results.

Start by checking the client, not just whether a webpage loads. In v2rayN for desktop, confirm that the selected server is still active, the core is running, and the system proxy is enabled in the tray menu. In v2rayNG for Android, confirm that the main screen shows a connected status and that the app you're testing is allowed to use the connection. These checks rule out basic issues such as an open client window with the proxy still disabled.

Next, open your usual browser and visit a familiar website that should load, then try a second site. A page loading only shows that the browser has network access; by itself, it doesn't prove that the expected proxy route was used. Check the client status, current routing mode, and logs together. If your browser has an extension that manages proxy settings, check whether it's overriding the system settings. While testing, don't keep switching servers as you refresh pages; cached pages and old and new connections can make the results confusing.

Narrow down the issue based on what you see

If the client reports that the core failed to start, the problem occurred before the local proxy was created. Go back and check the logs, port usage, and server settings. If the core is running but the system proxy is off, enable it from the tray menu and test the browser again. If the browser works but terminal commands don't, check the terminal app's own proxy settings; these apps may not follow the desktop system proxy. If only certain domains behave differently, check the current routing mode and relevant rules rather than reinstalling the client.

In v2rayNG, if the main screen shows a connection but an app behaves the same, first check whether it's included under Per-app proxy, then test again in the same browser. If none of your test apps can access sites as expected, switch to another entry in the same subscription and note what changed. Changing one thing at a time makes it easier to find the cause than changing the subscription, routing, and app selection together. If an update changed the entry you were using, confirm which server is active again.

After verifying the connection, you can organize subscription groups or fine-tune routing rules for your needs, but neither is required for your first connection. Start with the concept guide to learn about protocols, transport security options, and the Xray core. For a systematic comparison of protocols and core settings, read the technical reference. If what you're seeing doesn't match the checks above, use the specific client status and log messages to find the relevant steps in the FAQ; this is more useful than simply reporting that it won't connect.