Import a Subscription and Set Up the Proxy

Step 1: Import a Subscription

Start with a subscription URL that’s still valid and allows your device to connect. The client reads the configuration and makes the connection; installing the software doesn’t provide a working configuration by itself. Your subscription provider supplies the URL, which may include account-identifying parameters. Copy the entire URL without the page title, explanatory text, or trailing spaces, and don’t share it in public chats or screenshots.

v2rayN: Save the Group, Then Update the Subscription

Open v2rayN and go to Subscription Group Settings from the Subscription Group menu. Add a group, enter a recognizable label in the Remarks field—for example, “Main subscription”—and paste the full URL into the Address (URL) field. Make sure the group is enabled, then save. The label is only for organizing subscriptions on your device; it doesn’t change the configuration provided by the server.

Return to the main window and update the subscription from the Subscription Group menu. If this is your first setup and you don’t have a working proxy yet, choose an option like “Update subscription (without proxy)” to fetch the subscription over your current network. This may still fail if your network can’t reach the subscription service. Check the URL and service status first instead of repeatedly changing unrelated settings.

When the update finishes, check that configuration entries appear in the right group. This means the client received readable configuration data, but doesn’t confirm that the remote connection works. If the update fails, check that the URL is complete, the subscription hasn’t expired, and you copied the subscription URL—not the management page URL. Don’t paste a URL containing authentication parameters into a public search box while troubleshooting.

v2rayNG: Add the URL, Then Update from the List

In v2rayNG, open the top-right menu and go to Subscription Group Settings. Use the add option to enter a label and URL, then save. Return to the main screen and select Update subscription from the menu. Some versions offer separate options for updating all subscriptions or the current group; choose the group you just added. When the update finishes, check that new configurations appear and that the list isn’t filtered to a different group.

If you received a single share link starting with vmess:// or vless://, don’t enter it in the subscription URL field. Copy the full link and use “Import from clipboard” or a similar option. This imports a single configuration, which usually won’t receive server-side updates like a subscription group does. For details on the difference, see Subscriptions and share links in the glossary.

Check: The imported configuration appears in the correct group, and the update completed without a parsing error. You’re ready for the next step. Don’t manually change the protocol, port, transport, or TLS settings yet; keep the settings provided by the subscription.

Step 2: Choose a Proxy Mode

Now that the configuration is imported, decide how apps on your device will send requests to the client. This is separate from choosing a remote configuration. A system proxy sets a proxy address in the operating system, and each app decides whether to use it. TUN uses a virtual network interface to capture eligible traffic. For your first setup, take the simpler route; there’s no need to enable every option at once.

v2rayN: Start with the System Proxy

Find System Proxy in the main window or tray menu and select Set system proxy automatically. Clear system proxy removes these settings; Do not change system proxy leaves the current settings alone and does not turn the proxy on. After choosing an option, return to the main window and confirm that automatic configuration is shown. If your browser was already open, close and reopen it before testing to avoid using an existing connection.

Keep the client’s default routing preset for now, such as “Bypass mainland China (Whitelist),” and don’t add custom rules yet. The system proxy determines how traffic reaches the client; routing determines whether it goes direct or through a proxy after that. These are separate settings. With split routing, some sites are expected to connect directly—that doesn’t mean the system proxy failed. If the preset has a different name, check its description.

Leave Enable TUN mode off for now. If the browser can reach the target page but a desktop app still can’t, check whether the app has its own proxy settings or ignores the system proxy. Only enable TUN if you need it, and follow the client’s prompts to set up the required permissions or helper components. Steps vary by operating system; see the relevant platform section in the user guide. There’s no need to configure TUN yet.

v2rayNG: Keep the Default Traffic Routing

v2rayNG usually routes traffic through Android’s system VPN interface, so there’s no need to look for “Set system proxy automatically” as you would on desktop. Keep the default routing and app scope for your first setup, and don’t add per-app exclusions yet. Android may ask for permission to establish a VPN connection when you start the client; you’ll handle that in step 3. Using the system VPN interface is a local routing method; it doesn’t mean every configuration in your subscription uses the same remote protocol.

If another app is already using the same system interface, stop its connection before starting v2rayNG to prevent the two connections from replacing each other. Don’t change the manual proxy setting in your Wi-Fi network settings unless you know what it does; that’s a separate control, and combining the two makes troubleshooting harder. For an overview of how TUN, system proxy, and routing differ, see Client and system settings terminology.

Check: The desktop system proxy is set, v2rayNG is using its default traffic routing, and only one primary proxy tool is active. Next, select the active configuration and start the client.

Step 3: Connect

Seeing configurations in the list doesn’t mean you’re connected. The client also needs to know which configuration to use and start the core that handles network requests. Choose a subscription entry marked as suitable for your needs, and leave its other settings unchanged. If you change configurations, routing, and TUN all at once, it’s hard to tell which change made a difference.

v2rayN: Set the Active Server and Check Its Status

Select the entry you want in the main window, then use Set as active server in the right-click menu or a similar option. Some versions also let you double-click an entry. Check for the active indicator; a highlighted row alone isn’t enough. After you switch entries, the client usually loads the configuration and starts or reloads the core. If the interface has a Start option and the client is stopped, select it.

Expand the information panel at the bottom or open the log window and look for obvious startup errors. A normal startup message means the local service is running, but you still need to make a real request in step 4 to check whether the remote connection works. If a port is already in use, check whether you opened the client more than once or another proxy tool is running. Close the conflicting program and try again; don’t randomly change the local listening port as a first step.

If the system shows a permission or firewall prompt, check the program name and path before deciding whether to allow it. Basic browser use usually doesn’t require access from your local network, so leave Allow connections from the local network off. This option lets other devices connect to the proxy on your computer; it isn’t required for regular internet access.

v2rayNG: Select an Entry and Grant System Permission

On the main screen, select the configuration you want and make sure the selection indicator is on the right entry. Then tap the Start button. The first time you connect, Android will ask whether the app can establish a VPN connection. Check the app name and allow the request. Return to the client and confirm that the button or status has changed to Running. If you denied permission, start the connection again and grant it; you don’t need to reimport the entire subscription.

After connecting, Android may show a connection indicator or ongoing notification. These show that the local traffic-routing service is running, but they don’t guarantee that the target page will load. If the connection stops as soon as it starts, check the client logs for an incompatible configuration or startup failure, then check whether Android is restricting background activity. Keep the app in the foreground while testing; adjust background settings only if needed afterward.

Check: An active configuration is selected, the client stays running, and there’s no immediate core startup error. Next, test a real connection. A running client alone doesn’t mean setup is complete.

Step 4: Test the Proxy

Check both whether the target request succeeds and which route it takes. A lit-up client toggle or a site that was already accessible won’t prove that the proxy works. Choose a regular HTTPS page that should use the proxy under your current rules, then test a commonly used page that normally connects directly. Check them separately.

Send a New Request and Check the Logs

On desktop, close and reopen the browser before visiting the target page. On Android, switch to the browser while the client is running. A new window can reduce interference from existing sessions, but it doesn’t force the browser to use the proxy. If the browser has its own proxy extension, disable it or confirm that it isn’t overriding the system settings; otherwise, you may be testing a different configuration.

After the page loads, return to the client logs and look for the request’s target domain, connection result, or outbound route. The details vary by version. If the current log level doesn’t show this information, don’t assume a failure just because there’s no new log entry. There’s no need to leave overly detailed logging enabled for a basic test. Logs may include domains and configuration names, so hide personal information before sharing screenshots.

The clearest sign of success is that the target page loads and the logs show the expected proxy route. Then visit a commonly used direct-access page to confirm that everyday browsing still works. With bypass rules, a direct connection showing your regular network’s exit is expected. Checking just one IP lookup page doesn’t tell you how every app is routed; routing decisions are made for each request.

Still Not Working? Check the Four Steps in Reverse

Start with the subscription group: make sure the configuration came from the latest successful update and that the subscription is still valid. Then confirm that the right entry is active. Next, check the proxy entry point: is the desktop browser using the system proxy? Is v2rayNG still running, or has another connection replaced it? Finally, check routing to make sure the target isn’t being sent to the wrong outbound route. Change one thing at a time and retest the same page to make the results easier to compare.

For certificate, handshake, or connection timeout errors, first make sure your system date and time are correct, then try another available configuration in the same subscription. Don’t bypass the error by disabling certificate verification, and don’t guess at transport settings. If the browser works but one app doesn’t, check that app’s proxy settings first. If all requests fail, investigate the configuration and connection logs. For more detailed steps, see the configuration troubleshooting section in the user guide.

When You’re Done: Restore Your Network Settings First

When you’re done with v2rayN, select Clear system proxy first. If you enabled TUN, turn it off, then close the client. Force-closing the process can leave the system proxy pointed at your local computer, so the browser may keep trying to connect to a proxy port that’s no longer running. If that happens, reopen the client and clear the system proxy, or remove the corresponding manual proxy in your system’s network settings before testing again.

In v2rayNG, tap Stop on the main screen and confirm that the connection has ended before leaving the app. If you changed Android’s Always-on VPN or Block connections without VPN settings, check that they’re still set the way you want after stopping. Next time, update the subscription if needed, confirm the active configuration, and connect. You don’t need to add the same subscription group again.

Check: The target request works as expected, commonly used direct-access pages still work, and your regular network connection is restored after stopping the client. That completes the basic setup. For more, see the protocol and split-routing glossary, or use the all-platform user guide to set up TUN, app-specific routing, or custom rules. There’s no need to configure everything at once.