v2rayN / v2rayNG Complete Setup Guide: From Install to Daily Use
Many tutorials only cover the three steps of "download, install, connect" — you can get connected by following along, but the next time you switch nodes or networks, you won't know what to click. This guide clearly explains the unavoidable concepts — nodes, subscriptions, and routing modes — and walks through the actual steps for adding nodes, choosing a mode, testing speed, and troubleshooting all in one place, so you understand what you're doing instead of blindly following screenshots.
Quick Start: Download → Install → Import Subscription → Connect
If you don't want to learn the concepts first, follow these four steps to get up and running — you can always come back for the details later.
Download the installer for your system
v2rayN for Windows, v2rayN for macOS as well, v2rayNG for Android — installers are on the download page.
Install and open the client
Just follow the standard installation process for your system. On first launch you'll see an empty server list — that's normal, since you haven't added any nodes yet.
Paste your subscription address and update
Open "Subscription Settings," paste in the subscription link your provider gave you, and save. Back on the main screen, click "Update Subscription" and the node list will fill in automatically.
Pick a node and hit connect
Double-click a node in the list (or right-click and choose "Set as Active Server"), then click the connect switch on the main screen (or the system tray icon). Once it shows "Connected," you're good to go.
What Do These Terms Mean
These terms keep showing up in the interface — understand them once, and everything afterward stops being "just click here" and becomes "I know what I'm doing."
Node / Server
A specific connection endpoint, made up of an address, port, encryption method, and so on. Think of it as "a route you can take" — the client forwards your traffic through it. The "server list" in the app is just the collection of nodes you've added.
Subscription
A link that automatically keeps your node list up to date. Your provider gives you the subscription address, and the client periodically fetches it to pull in the latest batch of nodes — no need to add them one by one yourself. Most people should use a subscription rather than adding nodes manually.
System Proxy / TUN Mode
Determines whether the traffic from your entire device goes through the client. System proxy only covers apps that support proxy settings (most browsers, some other apps); TUN mode intercepts nearly all traffic at the system level, offering better compatibility but requiring higher system permissions. System proxy mode is enough for everyday use.
Routing Rules / Traffic Splitting Mode
Determines which traffic goes through a node and which connects directly. The next section explains the difference between PAC, Global, and Rule modes in detail — this is where beginners get confused most often, and it's well worth two minutes to understand.
Ways to Add a Node to Your Client
Listed from most to least recommended — most people only need the first one.
Method 1: Import a Subscription Address (Auto-updates, Easiest)
Open the client → go to "Subscription Settings" → click "Add," paste in the subscription link your provider gave you, and save → back on the main screen, click "Update Subscription" and the node list fills in automatically. When your provider publishes updates later, just click "Update Subscription" again — no need to add anything new. Most people only ever need this one method, and once it's set up, there's basically nothing else to do.
Method 2: Scan a QR Code (Common on Mobile)
If your provider gives you a QR code, tap the "+" in the top right of v2rayNG and choose "Scan QR Code," then point your camera at it to automatically detect and add it. On desktop, if using a camera isn't convenient, you can save the QR code as an image and choose "Import from Gallery" (if your client supports it).
Method 3: Paste a Share Link (Single Node, Temporary Use)
Sometimes a provider will give you a block of text starting with vmess://, vless://, ss://,
or trojan://. Copy that text, then click "Import from Clipboard" in the client — it will automatically detect the protocol
and add it as a node. Good for when you only have one or two temporary nodes and don't need auto-updating subscriptions.
Method 4: Enter Parameters Manually (Advanced, Rarely Needed)
In rare cases, a provider only gives you a set of raw parameters (address, port, encryption method, password, etc.), and you'll need to click "Add Server" and fill them in one by one. It's easy to mistype a character and end up unable to connect — only use this if none of the first three methods work.
Added a node but it still doesn't work?
First confirm your subscription actually updated and that new nodes really showed up in the list. If nodes appear but you still can't connect, it's usually because the node itself is dead or the routing mode is set wrong — check the connection troubleshooting section below.
PAC, Global, or Rule — When to Use Each
This is where beginners get stuck most often, but once you understand the logic, picking one is easy.
PAC Smart Routing (a.k.a. "Auto Mode")
Recommended defaultThe client has a built-in rule list that automatically decides whether each domain needs the node: sites that require the proxy go through a node, while everyday sites you can already access directly connect as normal — no wasted node traffic and no unnecessary slowdown. Most people can use this mode the whole time without ever configuring rules themselves.
Global Proxy
All traffic goes through the node, with no filtering at all. Good for temporarily verifying "did smart routing miss a site it shouldn't have," or for situations where you specifically need everything routed through a node. The downside is that sites you didn't need the proxy for also go through the node, which can slow things down and use up extra node traffic — not recommended to leave on long-term.
Rule Mode (Custom Routing)
Builds on PAC mode by letting you add your own rules, forcing specific domains/IPs to go through a node or connect directly. Good for when you notice a specific site being misclassified by the built-in rules and need to fix just that one case. This is an advanced feature — you don't need to configure it for everyday use.
Not sure which to pick?
Just stick with the default PAC mode — that's already the default setting after installing the client. Only consider switching to Global mode to troubleshoot, or setting up Rule mode, if you run into a specific case where one site won't load but everything else connects fine.
So Many Nodes — How Do I Know Which One to Use?
A subscription usually includes dozens of nodes, and trying them one by one is a hassle — the client's built-in speed test exists for exactly this.
Batch Speed Test, Sorted by Latency
On the server list screen, select all the nodes (or use the "Test All" button) and the client will test each node's connection latency in turn. Once done, you can sort by latency from lowest to highest and try the nodes at the top first.
How to Read the Latency Numbers
Lower is better — generally under 200ms feels smooth, while anything over 500ms, or a timeout/no response, means the node isn't in great shape right now. Just switch to a node with a better result — no need to dig into why.
Enable Auto-Select Fastest Node (If Supported)
Some versions support an "Auto Select" group, where the client periodically re-tests speed on its own and switches to whichever node is currently fastest. Good if you don't want to test speeds manually and don't care exactly which node you're on — once enabled, you can mostly ignore this.
A Few Issues You'll Run Into Over Time With Subscriptions
Subscriptions are mostly "set it up once and forget it," but you may still run into the following — good to know how to handle them ahead of time.
How Often Should a Subscription Update?
Most node providers update their nodes daily or every few days, so setting the client's "auto-update interval" to 12–24 hours is a good choice. There's no need to set it to update every few minutes — it's pointless and just adds unnecessary requests.
Fewer or Zero Nodes After Updating a Subscription
This usually means your provider's server is under maintenance or the subscription is temporarily invalid. First make sure the address was copied in full (no extra spaces or truncation), then try again later; if it stays empty long-term, contact your provider to confirm the subscription is still valid.
Do Multiple Subscriptions Interfere With Each Other?
No. Each subscription's nodes are shown in their own separate group in the server list. Updating or deleting one subscription only affects its own group of nodes, without touching the others.
How to Remove a Subscription You Don't Need
Select the subscription entry in "Subscription Settings" and click delete — all nodes under that subscription will be removed from the list together, without affecting nodes from other subscriptions.
Settings That Make Life Easier Once Configured
Subscription Auto-Update Interval
In subscription settings, you can set an "auto-update interval" (e.g. every 24 hours) so the node list refreshes automatically without you clicking update every time.
Launch at Startup & Minimize to Tray
Turn on "Launch at startup" and "Minimize to system tray on close" in settings so the client stays ready in the background, without you having to open it manually every time.
Back Up Your Subscription Configuration
Before switching computers or reinstalling your OS, export a configuration backup (usually a single file) from settings; import it on the new setup to restore all your subscriptions and nodes without re-adding anything.
Managing Multiple Subscription Groups
If you have multiple subscription sources, the server list automatically groups nodes by subscription after you add them, keeping them separate — just pick a node from the relevant group when switching.
How v2rayNG (Android) Differs From Desktop
The core concepts are exactly the same — the interface layout and a few features just have platform-specific differences.
A Big Toggle Button Instead of a System Tray
Desktop clients typically use a system tray icon to connect/disconnect, but v2rayNG's main screen has a large, prominent round connect button you tap to connect or disconnect — better suited to touch input.
Per-App Routing
You can specify in settings "only these apps should use the proxy" or "these apps should skip the proxy" — for example, routing only one app through a node while everything else connects directly. Desktop clients currently don't have this per-app control.
Power Saving Mode Needs a Separate Exemption
Some phones' battery-saving policies restrict background processes, which can disconnect the client unexpectedly. In your system's battery settings, add the client to the "unrestricted / no battery optimization" list to keep it from being killed in the background.
Connected But Not Working? Troubleshoot by Symptom
Organized by "symptom → common cause → fix" — just find the one closest to your situation, no need to read through everything.
Symptom: Shows "Connected," but no webpages load at all
Common cause: The node itself is dead, or the routing mode got switched to "Direct" by accident.
Fix: First run a speed test on the current node in the server list, and switch nodes if it times out; then check that the routing mode is set to
PAC or Global, not Direct.
Symptom: Connected, but very slow
Common cause: The current node is under heavy load, or physically far away.
Fix: Go back to the server list and run a batch speed test, then switch to a lower-latency node; if every node is slow,
it may be an issue on your provider's end — try again at a different time.
Symptom: Some sites load, others don't
Common cause: PAC smart routing misclassified this site as "should connect directly."
Fix: Temporarily switch to Global Proxy mode to check if it loads; if it does, the routing rules did misclassify it,
and you can manually add the site to "use node" in Rule mode.
Symptom: Disconnects automatically after a while
Common cause: On mobile, the system's battery-saving policy is restricting background activity; on desktop, it may be a network change (like switching Wi-Fi) interrupting the connection.
Fix: On mobile, add the client to the unrestricted list in battery settings; on desktop, just click connect again —
occasional drops after a network switch are normal.
Symptom: Client shows "unable to connect to node" or a connection timeout
Common cause: The node info is wrong (a typo from manual entry), or the provider has taken the node offline.
Fix: Prefer getting nodes through a subscription to avoid manual entry errors; if a node from a subscription also times out,
just switch to another one — no need to dig into the exact cause.
Questions You Might Run Into Along the Way
How do I know which node I'm currently using?
In v2rayN's main window, the currently active node in the server list is clearly highlighted or checked; the system tray icon's tooltip usually shows the name of the node in use too.
How do I tell if a node is usable?
Select a node in the server list and run the speed test to see its latency; lower is better. If it shows a timeout or no response for a long time, the node is probably temporarily unavailable — just switch to another one.
What if I forget my subscription address?
Your subscription address usually comes from your node provider — the client itself can't recover it for you. You can check the saved address in the client's subscription settings; if it's truly lost, you'll need to contact your provider to get it again.
Can one client manage multiple subscriptions at once?
Yes. Both v2rayN and v2rayNG support adding multiple subscription addresses, each updated separately. The server list groups nodes by subscription so they don't interfere with each other.
If your issue is related to downloading or installing, check the FAQ page; for issues related to connecting and using the client, the connection troubleshooting section above covers most common cases.