Import a subscription and configure the proxy

Before you begin: get the client and subscription URL ready

Install the client for your operating system and open it once. If you haven’t installed it yet, visit the client download page and choose an installer. This guide starts once the client opens normally. For permissions, installation blocks, and processor architecture, see the cross-platform installation and setup guide—there’s no need to work through every option before importing your first subscription.

You’ll also need a valid V2Ray subscription URL. The client reads configuration and forwards traffic; installing it doesn’t provide a working server. Copy the subscription URL from a service you’re authorized to use, and check that your account, plan, and data allowance are still active. A login page, order page, and subscription URL are different things—don’t copy the address from your browser’s address bar.

Temporarily quit any other proxy or VPN app that is routing your traffic. Keep a website that works on your current network handy for comparison. If you’re on public Wi-Fi, sign in to the network first. Set the system date and time to update automatically to avoid authentication or secure connection issues. Once ready, import the subscription; don’t rush to enable TUN or repeatedly change DNS settings.

Import the subscription and update the configuration

On your subscription provider’s site, click the option to copy the subscription URL. If several client formats are available, choose one specifically for v2rayN, v2rayNG, or a generic V2Ray subscription. Check that the copied URL is complete, especially any parameters after the question mark. Don’t include page instructions, quotation marks, or extra line breaks. URLs are often long, so matching beginnings alone won’t confirm that two copies are identical.

v2rayN: Add a subscription group

Open Subscription Groups from the top menu, choose Subscription Group Settings, and click Add. Enter a recognizable group name in Remark, such as “Daily subscription,” and paste the complete URL into Address. If there’s an Enable updates option, leave it on. Keep the automatic update interval and User-Agent at their defaults unless your provider says otherwise. Check for leading or trailing spaces, then click OK to save.

Return to the main screen, select the new group, then choose Update subscriptions from the subscription menu. Some versions offer both Update without proxy and Update through proxy. If you’re not connected yet, try updating without a proxy first. If the URL can only be reached through a proxy, you’ll need an existing working connection to use the other option. Switching back and forth between update options won’t fix an incorrect URL.

Wait for the update to finish, then check whether server entries appear in the selected group. Seeing the group name in the list only means the group was saved; it doesn’t confirm that subscription data downloaded successfully. Once entries appear, verify that they belong to the group you just added, rather than an older import. Traffic isn’t routed through the client yet; you’ll set that up in the next step.

v2rayNG: Save the subscription, then update it

Open the side menu, go to Subscription Settings, and tap Add. Enter a remark, paste the URL into the Address or URL field, leave updates enabled, and tap the check mark to save. Return to the main screen and select Update subscriptions from the menu. Once server entries appear, select one. Saving and updating are separate actions: saving stores the URL, while updating imports its server configuration into the client.

If the update fails, first check whether the message indicates a connection timeout, authentication failure, or parsing error. For authentication failures, check on your provider’s site whether the subscription was reset. For parsing errors, make sure you copied a subscription URL rather than a webpage URL, and that the format is compatible. For timeouts, confirm that your current network can reach the subscription provider. Don’t add the same group repeatedly or enable “Allow insecure connections” to fix a subscription download issue. See Troubleshooting for more error details.

Choose a proxy mode and routing preset

Once the server list has loaded, configure the mode. These are two separate things: the system proxy, VPN service, or TUN determines how app traffic enters the client; routing rules determine whether traffic that enters goes direct, through the proxy, or is blocked. So choosing Global routing doesn’t mean every app is captured, and enabling the system proxy doesn’t mean every request must go through a remote server.

Desktop: Start with the system proxy and split routing

In v2rayN’s routing options, start with Bypass mainland China or a similarly named split-routing preset. It typically sends requests matching mainland Chinese domains or addresses directly, while routing other requests according to the preset. The exact matches may vary by version and rule set, so don’t treat the preset name as a guarantee for every site. For your first setup, use a built-in preset rather than editing custom domain rules.

This guide starts with the system proxy; you’ll enable automatic system proxy configuration in the next step. Leave TUN off for now. That makes it easier to tell whether a problem comes from the server connection, system proxy, or routing. Browsers usually follow the system proxy, but some apps have their own network settings, and others ignore it entirely. Test your browser first, then decide whether you need TUN. For details, see the system proxy setup guide.

Android: Keep VPN mode enabled

In v2rayNG settings, confirm that VPN mode is in use. If your version also offers proxy-only mode, don’t choose it for your first setup. Then check routing and select Bypass mainland China or the equivalent preset. If you enabled per-app proxying, make sure the browser you’re testing isn’t excluded. If you’re unsure, disable any custom app filters so the test relies on one clear routing preset.

Global proxy is most useful for brief troubleshooting: it sends requests that enter the client and fall within the mode’s scope through the proxy. It doesn’t change whether an app’s traffic enters the client in the first place. Choose global proxy for everyday use based on your services and network needs; there’s no need to leave it on just because you’ve installed the client. For terms like direct, proxy, and split routing, see the quick reference.

Select a server and route app traffic through the client

Return to the server list and select the group you just updated. Start with a server your provider recommends for your needs; there’s no need to test every server on your first try. Location and purpose labels can help you choose, but they don’t guarantee a working connection. Get one server working first. If you need to switch later, change one at a time so you can compare results.

v2rayN: Set an active server and enable the system proxy

Select a server entry, then choose Set as active server from its right-click menu, or use the equivalent option in your version. Make sure the active indicator moves to the selected entry. From the main screen or tray menu, open System Proxy and choose Automatically configure system proxy. If the system proxy was previously cleared or left unchanged, selecting a server alone won’t route browser traffic through the client.

Check the log or status area at the bottom for repeated core startup failures, configuration parsing errors, or local port conflicts. If a port is in use, quit the other similar client and try again; don’t change a series of ports without updating related settings. If a protocol or security parameter isn’t supported, check whether the client is outdated and whether you chose the right subscription format. Don’t delete fields you don’t recognize.

Keep the client running after it starts successfully. Closing the window may minimize it to the system tray or quit the client, depending on your settings. When using it for the first time, check the tray icon and process status. The system proxy points to the local client, so requests can’t be handled through it after the client quits. Don’t exit the client completely right after opening a webpage.

v2rayNG: Connect and approve the system prompt

Select a server on the main screen and check that it’s marked as selected, then tap Connect. The first time you connect, Android will ask to start a VPN connection. Confirm the request is from v2rayNG, then allow it. Return to the client and check the connection status and notification. If you denied the prompt, tap Connect again. Selecting a server without starting the VPN won’t make its configuration available to other apps.

Don’t switch to another VPN app after connecting. The system usually allows only one standard VPN service to be active at a time, and another app may replace the current connection. If the connection drops soon after the client goes into the background, check whether the system restricts v2rayNG background activity or battery use, and adjust those settings as needed for your device. A running status only means traffic capture has started; verify remote access in the next step.

Verify the connection and keep your everyday settings

Open a new browser tab. First visit a site you can normally access directly, then visit the service you need to reach through the proxy. Don’t just refresh a cached page; open a new page or make a real request. The first test confirms that your basic connection still works; the second checks the proxy route. Both should pass before you configure other apps.

Compare access results with the client logs

Open the client log while testing. Check for a connection entry at the time of your request and whether it shows proxy, direct, or a specific error. Log detail varies by version and settings, and may not show the full routing decision, so compare it with the browser result. A successful latency test doesn’t guarantee the target site is accessible, and a VPN icon doesn’t confirm that the remote server authenticated successfully.

If direct sites work but the target service doesn’t, keep the mode unchanged and try another server in the same subscription. If all servers fail, check your subscription status and the error message. If the desktop browser produces no matching connection log, check that automatic system proxy configuration is enabled and that the browser isn’t using its own proxy settings. On Android, confirm the VPN is still running and the browser isn’t excluded by per-app rules.

If you suspect a routing rule, temporarily switch to global proxy and open the same target page in the same browser. If that works, investigate split-routing rules, domain matching, and DNS. If it still fails, check the server and connection errors. Change one setting at a time and note its original value. When the test is done, switch back to your previous split-routing preset. Don’t change routing, DNS, the core, and several advanced options all at once.

Stop traffic capture before quitting

In v2rayN, set System Proxy to Clear system proxy before quitting. If TUN is enabled, turn it off first. Clearing removes the system setting that points to the local proxy; it doesn’t delete the subscription. In v2rayNG, tap Stop and confirm the VPN has disconnected before exiting. Keep the subscription group so next time you can select a server and reconnect without pasting the URL again.

After completing the four steps, enable scheduled subscription updates if you need them. If an update removes the active server, select another valid entry and test it again. Updates retrieve the configuration currently published by your provider; they can’t restore an expired account or add more data. If the server list changes, check your provider’s notes before changing the server you use every day.