Before You Begin: Get a Client and a Valid Configuration
Install the client for your platform and make sure your device can access the internet before enabling a proxy. After opening v2rayN on desktop, you should see a configuration list and subscription menus. In v2rayNG on Android, look for the main list, menu, and Start button. If you still need to install a client, choose an installer from the client download page, then return here.
The client reads configurations and forwards traffic; installing it does not provide a working server. Before proceeding, get a valid subscription URL from a trusted source or a complete node share link, and make sure you are authorized to use the service. Subscription URLs may contain access credentials, so don't post them in public chats or include them in screenshots. You can complete the steps below in the graphical interface without editing configuration files.
Step 1: Import a Subscription and Confirm Configurations Are Available
First, identify what you received. A subscription is usually a complete URL used to retrieve a list of configurations. Text beginning with vmess:// or vless:// is usually a share link for a single node. Both can be imported into the client, but they use different menus. Subscriptions are useful for keeping a group of configurations up to date; a share link imports one specific entry. Don't judge by URL length alone, and don't mistake an account management page in your browser for a subscription URL.
v2rayN: Add a Group, Then Update It
In the main window, open Subscription Group or the relevant subscription menu, then choose Subscription Group Settings. Click Add, enter a recognizable label for the source, and paste the complete subscription URL into the address field. Check that the URL starts and ends correctly, including any parameters after a question mark. Don't save extra spaces, quotation marks, or line breaks. Keep the other options at their defaults for the first setup, save, then return to the main window.
Next, open the subscription menu and update the group you just saved. If the URL is directly accessible from your current network, try Update subscription (without proxy) first. If the source specifically requires a proxy and you already have a working connection, use the update option that goes through the proxy. Saving a group only stores the URL; the configuration entries appear only after you update it. So an empty list immediately after saving does not necessarily indicate a problem.
When the update finishes, select the corresponding subscription group and check whether entries appear in the main list. Make sure their labels match the information provided by the source. If the update fails or the list is still empty, first confirm that you selected the right group, then check the URL and your network connection. Avoid adding the same URL repeatedly; duplicate groups make future updates and selection harder to manage. For specific errors, continue with installation, setup, and troubleshooting in the FAQ.
v2rayNG: Save the URL in Subscription Settings
On Android, open the menu in the top-right corner and find Subscription Group Settings or the equivalent subscription management option. Add a label and URL, then save. Return to the main list and update the subscription from the menu; wait for the entries to load. If you received a single-node share link, copy the complete link and use an option such as Import from clipboard. v2rayN also supports importing from the clipboard. Don't paste a share link into the subscription URL field and repeatedly try to update it.
At this stage, the client should show configurations you can select. This confirms that the content was parsed, but does not guarantee that the server is reachable or that app traffic is going through the proxy. Keep the current group and set up how traffic connects in the next step.
Step 2: Choose a System Proxy Mode and Routing Preset
After importing configurations, distinguish between two settings: the system proxy determines how apps hand traffic to the client, while routing determines how the client handles that traffic. They are separate settings, not a single switch. Choosing a routing preset such as Bypass mainland China won't help if apps aren't using the local proxy; they may continue to connect as before. Conversely, enabling the system proxy does not route all device traffic through the client.
v2rayN: Start with Automatic System Proxy
In the v2rayN main window or tray menu, find System Proxy. For your first setup, choose Set system proxy automatically. This sets the system's proxy endpoint, allowing browsers and apps that follow system proxy settings to send requests through the client. Reopen the browser page you want to test. If an app reads proxy settings only at startup, close and relaunch it.
Clear system proxy removes the system proxy endpoint configured by the client. Do not change system proxy keeps the current system settings; it does not start the proxy automatically. PAC mode generally requires a configuration script and app support, so you can skip it for your first connection. If your system already has a proxy required for work, note its settings before making changes so you can restore them later.
Next, find Routing or the routing preset menu. To send some destinations direct and others through the proxy, you can start with the Bypass mainland China preset, but the actual behavior depends on the rules currently in use. Global usually sends traffic that reaches the client through the proxy outbound; it does not replace the system proxy or automatically route apps that aren't sending traffic to the client. For your first test, choose one preset and keep it unchanged so you don't alter several settings at once when troubleshooting.
v2rayNG: Check VPN Mode and App Coverage
v2rayNG usually uses an Android VPN service to route traffic to its local proxy core, so you don't need to look for the same system proxy menu used in desktop guides. For your first setup, keep the standard VPN service mode and check whether per-app proxy is enabled. If the browser you want to test is excluded, its traffic may bypass the client even when the connection is running. Confirm that the test app is included before proceeding.
For now, don't add TUN, complex custom routing, or manual DNS settings. These address specific traffic routing and resolution needs; they aren't required for every first connection. For more on these concepts, see the glossary. Once the basic connection works, read the TUN mode guide in Advanced.
Step 3: Set an Active Configuration and Connect
Return to the configuration list and choose an entry from a known source that is still valid. If the list is long, narrow it down by group, then choose by label. A region listed in a label is information from the source, not proof that the configuration works. Connection tests can help you compare entries, but you don't need to run download speed tests on all of them at first. Choose one configuration and complete a connection and access check to make problems easier to pinpoint.
v2rayN: Check the Active Server and Core Status
Right-click the entry you want and choose Set as active server or the equivalent option. Some versions also let you double-click an entry to switch. Confirm that the active marker is on the configuration you chose; a row highlighted by the mouse is not enough. The marker's appearance varies by version, so check the active server status. After switching, the client usually reloads the core with the selected configuration. If prompted to restart the service, follow the prompt.
Open the logs and check for configuration loading or core startup errors after switching. An open client window does not mean the core is working. If a local listening port is already in use, stop any duplicate client instance or resolve the conflict. If the log reports an unsupported protocol parameter, check that the selected core supports the configuration. Don't change the server address, user ID, transport path, or security settings at random; these must match the server.
v2rayNG: Select a Configuration and Approve the VPN Request
On Android, tap the entry you want in the main list and confirm it is selected, then tap Start. The first time you connect, Android displays a VPN connection request. Read the prompt and approve it. This permission lets the client create a local virtual network interface to receive and process traffic. It does not sign you in to a subscription account or replace any authentication required by the server.
After starting, check the client status and the system VPN indicator. If the Start button quickly returns to its stopped state or the logs show a startup failure, resolve the error first; a VPN icon that appears briefly does not prove the connection is working. If another app is using the same VPN capability, stop that service before trying again. If the connection starts but often drops in the background, check whether battery management is restricting the client.
At this point, the client should be running without repeated startup errors. That confirms only that the local service is up. You still need to test a real request to check whether the remote server is reachable and the browser is using the proxy.
Step 4: Test Access and Routing, Then Restore Settings When You Exit
Open the browser you included in the proxy setup and reload a real destination you are authorized to access that should use the proxy under your current routing rules. Use a new page or content that makes a fresh request so cached browser content doesn't give a false impression. Then visit a destination that should connect directly under the same rules to make sure regular access still works. Testing both paths helps you check whether the proxy and routing behave as expected.
Check the Logs, Not Just the Status Icon
While testing, return to the client logs and check for connection entries at the same time, along with DNS resolution failures, timeouts, or authentication errors. Log detail and display vary by version; not seeing each request listed does not by itself prove that traffic isn't reaching the client. If you temporarily increase the log level, restore it after testing. Before sharing logs, hide addresses, subscription parameters, and other access credentials.
If the client offers a real connection latency test, use it as an additional check, not a substitute for testing actual access. A successful connection to a port does not guarantee that the full transport and security negotiation will succeed, and one reachable test destination does not mean every app follows the same route. If a browser works but another app doesn't, first check whether it follows the system proxy or is excluded by Android's per-app settings. Don't assume the whole subscription is invalid.
When Something Fails, Change One Thing at a Time
If a page won't load, first confirm that your basic network connection works. Then check that the configuration is active and review the error associated with the request. You can keep the routing and proxy mode unchanged and try another valid entry from the same source, or keep the node and check whether the browser is actually using the system proxy. Change only one setting at a time so you can tell what affected the result.
If every configuration fails, first check the subscription's expiration, your system clock, network reachability, and client logs instead of repeatedly importing the same content. If only some destinations fail, look into routing rules and DNS resolution. For a more detailed troubleshooting sequence, see V2Ray connection problems. You don't need to change complex settings for your first setup.
Clear the Proxy Before Exiting
In v2rayN, choose Clear system proxy before exiting, then use a regular webpage to confirm that basic access is restored. Force-quitting the process can leave the system proxy pointing to a local port, so your browser may keep trying to connect to that port after the client closes. If you were using a custom proxy for work, restore the settings you noted earlier rather than clearing all proxy settings.
In v2rayNG, tap Stop on the main screen to end the VPN service, then confirm that the system connection indicator disappears. The next time you use it, you can usually select a valid configuration and start the service again; there's no need to delete and reimport the subscription every time. This completes the full setup, connection, and shutdown check. If a problem comes up later, trace it back through these four stages.
Ongoing Maintenance: Update Subscriptions and Keep Working Settings
You don't need to reinstall the client frequently. Keep the proxy mode and routing preset you've verified, and update the relevant subscription group when the source announces changes or entries stop working. Manual changes to subscription-generated entries may be overwritten during the next update, so manage custom configurations separately if you need to keep them. Before switching sources, check whether any configurations in the old group are still in use.
Once the basics are working, follow the chapters in the Getting Started to Advanced guide to learn about routing, TUN, and core selection. If terms such as VMess, VLESS, or subscription groups are unfamiliar, start with the glossary. Changing one setting at a time makes configurations easier to maintain and troubleshoot than enabling more features all at once.