Subscription Import and Connection Setup

Step 1: Import a Subscription and Update the Configuration

Before you begin, get the subscription URL from your service provider and make sure your device has a working internet connection. The client reads configuration data and establishes a connection; it does not provide a service account or subscription. A subscription URL usually returns a set of configurations, while an individual share link describes just one configuration. Check what you have before importing: share links pasted into a subscription URL field will not update as expected.

When copying the URL, use the provider’s copy button if available rather than typing it from a screenshot. If you have to select and copy the text, check for extra spaces, line breaks, periods, or quotation marks at either end. Subscription URLs may contain account credentials, so paste them only into a client you control. There’s no need to enter the full URL in a browser, an online conversion tool, or a public comment.

v2rayN: Save a Group, Then Update

Open v2rayN and go to Subscription Group Settings from the Subscription Group menu in the main window. Add a group and enter a recognizable name in Remarks, such as “Everyday use.” Paste the full subscription URL into the Optional address (url) field. Make sure updates are enabled for this group. For the initial setup, leave other options at their defaults, then click OK to save. You can set an automatic update interval later; start with a manual update so it’s easier to check the result.

Return to the main window, open the Subscription Group menu, and select Update all subscriptions (without proxy). This makes an actual request for subscription data; saving the URL alone won’t add configuration entries. When the update finishes, check the main list for new server configurations and confirm they belong to the group you just saved. If the group filter is set to another source, switch to the new group or show all groups before deciding the list is empty.

Without proxy is suitable when your current network can access the subscription URL directly. Use the through-proxy update option only if your provider specifically requires it and you already have a working connection on the device. On a fresh installation with no usable configuration, switching to through proxy usually won’t help. Check the URL’s access requirements instead of repeatedly changing protocol settings.

v2rayNG: Add a Subscription Group and Refresh the List

Open v2rayNG, go to Subscription Group Settings from the side menu, tap Add, enter a remark and subscription URL, then save. Return to the main list and select Update subscription from the menu. If the app offers separate options for updating the current group or all groups, choose Update all subscriptions for the initial setup. Wait for the result message, then check the configuration list. Don’t confuse Import from clipboard with adding a subscription: the former is typically for one or more share links and may not create a subscription group that can be updated.

If the update reports success but the list is still empty, first check the group filter. Then verify that the URL is complete, the account is still active, and the provider’s output format is supported by your client. If parsing fails, try updating the client or ask the provider which subscription format to use. Don’t remove URL parameters just to clear an error; they may control access or determine what the URL returns.

Step 2: Choose a Proxy Mode and Routing

Once configurations appear in the list, decide how app traffic reaches the client, then where that traffic goes. These are two separate settings: the system proxy or VPN mode receives traffic, while routing rules direct connections through the proxy or straight to their destination. Selecting a server alone doesn’t mean your browser will use it. Likewise, enabling the system proxy doesn’t route traffic from every app.

v2rayN: Set the System Proxy First

In v2rayN, open System Proxy and select Set system proxy automatically. Apps that follow the system proxy settings will then use the client’s local listening address. For your first test, use a browser that follows the system proxy. Avoid changing browser extensions, manual proxy settings, or other network tools at the same time; when several proxy settings overlap, it’s difficult to tell where requests are going.

It’s also useful to know the other two options. Clear system proxy removes the system proxy settings, which is useful when you’re done or want to restore a direct connection. Do not change system proxy leaves the existing system settings untouched, which is useful if you’ve configured apps manually. It does not connect automatically. To make your browser use v2rayN for the first time, select Set system proxy automatically—not Do not change system proxy.

Next, find the routing option in the main window and choose one of the client’s everyday rule-based presets. Preset names may vary by version, so check the rule descriptions: connections matching direct rules connect directly, while connections matching proxy rules go through the selected server. Global usually sends all traffic that enters this routing setup through the proxy; it does not automatically route apps that ignore the system proxy. Start with rule-based routing, and switch temporarily only when checking whether a rule affects a particular site.

v2rayNG: Check VPN Mode and App Scope

In v2rayNG settings, make sure VPN mode is enabled. If your version offers proxy-only mode, it’s not recommended for first-time setup. VPN mode uses the system’s virtual network interface to receive device traffic. When you start the client, the system will ask for permission. This grants the app permission to route traffic on your device; it is not a subscription account login and does not confirm that every app can access the internet.

Check whether per-app proxying is enabled. If only selected apps are proxied, add your test browser to the list. If selected apps are bypassed, make sure the test browser isn’t on the bypass list. For your first setup, keep the default app scope and confirm the connection works before excluding apps one at a time. Leave the default routing preset in place too; don’t change remote DNS, domain strategies, and multiple custom rules all at once.

At this point, you’ve chosen how traffic enters the client and where it goes. There’s no need to enable additional traffic interception on desktop or switch cores yet. For more on the differences between system proxy, VPN routing, and routing rules—and how to choose protocols and cores—see Protocol and Core Technical Reference. For now, focus on getting one connection you can test.

Step 3: Select a Configuration and Connect

Now select a configuration from your subscription list that your service provider allows you to use. For the first test, stick with the same one. Switching entries every time you open a web page makes it hard to tell whether an issue comes from the configuration, traffic routing, or a change in the route. Region or purpose labels in the list come from the subscription; the name alone doesn’t prove the connection works.

v2rayN: Set the Active Server and Check the Logs

Find the configuration in the main list and use the right-click menu to set it as the active server. Some versions also let you switch by double-clicking the entry. Check that the active indicator changes, then look at the status or log area at the bottom of the window to make sure the core isn’t reporting persistent errors. The client usually reloads its configuration when you switch servers, so wait briefly before opening a test page.

If the logs say a local port is already in use, check whether you’ve opened more than one client or another proxy tool is still running. Close the conflicting instance and try again rather than changing several ports at random. If you need to change a listening port, also check any apps where you entered a proxy address manually. With automatic system proxy enabled, reapply the system proxy settings to avoid pointing the system at the old port.

If the logs say a configuration field isn’t supported, don’t manually replace the protocol name in the subscription. The protocol, transport, and security layer must match the server; changing the name won’t convert the service. First check whether the client needs an update, then confirm it supports the core required by the configuration. For TLS or certificate errors, check settings such as the system time and server name. Disabling certificate verification is not a recommended workaround.

v2rayNG: Select an Entry and Tap Start

In the v2rayNG main list, tap the configuration you want and make sure its selection indicator appears. Then tap Start. The first time you run it, the system will ask whether to allow a VPN connection. Confirm that the request comes from the client you just opened, then allow it. Return to the main screen, check the button state and VPN indicator in the status bar, and wait for startup to finish.

If the connection stops immediately after you tap Start, check the first clear error in the client logs, then see whether another VPN connection is still active. Android devices usually can’t have multiple apps of this type route traffic at the same time, so stop any existing connection first. If the connection starts but often drops when you switch apps, check whether battery management is restricting background activity. Grant only the background permissions this client needs; unrelated permissions aren’t necessary for troubleshooting.

The built-in connection test can help you narrow down the options, but it only shows whether its test target was reachable at that moment. A test result doesn’t mean every site or app will work, and a failed test doesn’t necessarily mean the entire configuration is unusable. Keep the current configuration and test with an actual app next. That will help distinguish between “the client has started” and “the destination is accessible.”

Step 4: Test Access and Restore Your Network

Leave the client running, open the test browser you prepared, and visit a site you’re authorized to access that you expect to reach through the proxy. Open a new page or restart the browser first to avoid confusion from existing connections or cached data. Make sure the page loads, then try a link on the page or refresh it. A change in the client icon alone doesn’t prove the app is using the current connection.

Compare the Web Result with the Client Logs

Return to the client and check its logs or connection records. Look for connections from the time of your test and see whether they went direct or through the proxy. The amount of detail shown by default varies by version. If domain records aren’t visible, temporarily increase the log level and repeat the test, then restore your usual settings. Logs may contain visited domains and local information, so share only the error details needed for help—not the full log.

With rule-based routing, local services, LAN addresses, or sites matching direct rules may bypass the proxy as expected. An IP address lookup only shows the exit used for that particular request; it doesn’t prove that all apps use the same route. To test a specific app, test that app and check whether the system proxy or per-app settings apply to it.

Change One Setting at a Time

If the test fails, first disconnect the client and check whether the device’s regular internet connection still works. If the basic connection is down too, troubleshoot Wi-Fi, mobile data, or the network sign-in page first. If regular internet works but proxy access doesn’t, check in this order: can the configuration start, is the app’s traffic reaching the client, and does the route match what you expect? Note the original settings, change one thing at a time, and repeat the same test. Changing DNS, the core, and the proxy mode together makes the result hard to interpret.

If a configuration won’t connect, try another one in the same subscription group for comparison, keeping all other settings unchanged. If several configurations fail with the same error at the same stage, check what they have in common, such as the device time, client version, or service account status. For details on protocol fields, see Protocol Guide. When getting started, you don’t need to edit subscription-generated settings one by one.

Restore Normal Network Settings When You’re Done

When you’re done on desktop, select Clear system proxy from the System Proxy menu in v2rayN before closing the client. If the browser suddenly loses internet after the client closes unexpectedly, check whether the system proxy still points to a local service that has stopped before clearing browser data. If you configured a proxy manually in an app, undo that setting or restore its original configuration too.

On Android, tap Stop in v2rayNG and make sure the VPN indicator disappears before closing the app if needed. If Always-on VPN or Block connections without VPN is enabled in system settings, internet access may still be restricted after you stop the client. Check those options in the system VPN settings. Once you’ve confirmed that your normal connection is restored, the next time you’ll usually only need to update the subscription, select a configuration, and start the client. There’s no need to delete the group or reinstall the app.

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