Tutorials

V2Ray Setup Guide: From First Install to Fixing Specific Issues

Whether you've never touched this before or you're already using it and stuck on a specific step, you'll find the right section below. The left side has the full table of contents — click any entry to jump straight there and follow along.

01 · Up and Running in 5 Minutes

Quick Start: Download → Install → Connect

Just the shortest path — no theory, no advanced features. Get it running first, then come back to the full platform guide if you run into a specific issue.

  1. Download the Client for Your System

    Open the Download page and click the download for your system (Windows / macOS / Android / Linux) — all links point to the current latest version.

  2. Install and Open the Client

    On Windows / macOS, double-click the installer and follow the prompts. On Android, allow "Install unknown apps" and install the APK directly.

  3. Paste Your Subscription Link and Update

    Find the "Subscription" or "Server" settings in the client, paste the subscription link you were given, then tap "Update" to pull the node list.

  4. Pick a Node and Connect

    Pick any node from the list (lower latency is better), then tap the connect button on the main screen — a green icon means it's connected.

  5. Verify by Opening a Web Page

    Open your browser and visit any site that normally doesn't load. If it loads fine, the whole setup is working.

No subscription link? It's normally provided by your service provider — this site doesn't offer or sell subscription services, we only show you how to use the link once you have one.

02 · Full Windows Guide

v2rayN Install and Setup, Start to Finish

From downloading the installer to everyday use — every step you might run into.

  1. Download and Extract

    Get the v2rayN installer from the Download page. It's portable software — just extract it to any folder, no separate installation needed.

  2. Run the Program

    Double-click v2rayN.exe. On first launch it automatically adds a small icon to your system tray (bottom-right of the screen) — the client is now running in the background.

  3. Add Your Subscription

    Click "Subscriptions" → "Subscription Settings" in the top menu, add your subscription link, save it, then click "Subscriptions" → "Update Subscriptions" to pull the node list.

  4. Pick a Node and Enable the System Proxy

    Double-click a node in the server list to select it, then click "System Proxy" at the top and choose "Set System Proxy" — your browser and most apps will now route through it automatically.

  5. Verify the Connection

    If the icon in the bottom-right shows Connected and the latency test returns a number, the setup worked and you're ready to browse.

03 · Full macOS Guide

v2rayN Setup Walkthrough

The same client used on Windows, sitting in the menu bar with a workflow much like any other macOS app.

  1. Download and Drag into Applications

    Grab the installer matching your chip (.dmg) from the download page, then drag the v2rayN icon into "Applications".

  2. Allow It to Run on First Launch

    If the system says "Cannot Verify Developer," go to "System Settings → Privacy & Security," find the message, and click "Open Anyway."

  3. Import Your Subscription

    Click the menu bar icon, go to "Subscription Management," paste your subscription link, then tap update to pull the node list.

  4. Pick a Node and Connect

    Choose a node from the list under the menu bar icon, click "Connect," and a connected badge will appear on the icon.

04 · Full Android Guide

v2rayNG Install and Setup, Start to Finish

Includes a heads-up on background keep-alive settings for Chinese Android phones, so the system doesn't quietly kill your connection.

  1. Download and Install the APK

    Get the APK from the Download page. If it warns about "Unknown sources," follow the prompt to allow your browser or file manager to install apps.

  2. Import Your Subscription

    Open the app, tap the "+" in the top-right corner → "Import from Clipboard" or "Scan QR Code," and import your subscription link.

  3. Pick a Node and Connect

    Tap a node in the list to select it, then tap the round button in the bottom-right to connect. On the first connection, the system will show a VPN permission prompt — tap "OK."

  4. Set Up Background Keep-Alive (Important)

    Go to your phone's "Settings → Battery → App power management," find v2rayNG, and select "No restrictions/Allow background activity" so the system's power-saving policy doesn't kill your connection.

05 · Linux Install Guide

v2rayN Setup Walkthrough

The same graphical client used on Windows / macOS, available as deb or rpm packages — no config files to write, no command-line flags to remember.

  1. Download the package matching your distro

    On the download page, pick deb for Ubuntu/Debian-based systems or rpm for Fedora/RHEL-based systems, matching your CPU architecture (x64 or ARM64).

  2. Install the package

    Most desktop environments let you install by double-clicking the package; or run sudo dpkg -i filename.deb (deb) or sudo rpm -i filename.rpm (rpm) in a terminal.

  3. Import your subscription

    Open v2rayN, paste your subscription link under "Subscription Settings" and save, then click "Update Subscription" to fetch the node list — identical to the Windows / macOS workflow.

  4. Pick a node and connect

    Select a node from the list and turn on the system proxy; once the icon shows "connected", you're set.

Focused Guides

How to Import and Update a Subscription Link

What a subscription is, how to add one, and how to set up auto-update — all explained here.

What Exactly Is a Subscription Link?
A subscription link is a URL pointing to a "node list." Your client checks it periodically to get the latest available nodes, so you never have to add them one by one.
How Do I Add a Subscription?
Paste the link into the client's "Subscription settings" and save it, then click "Update Subscription" — the node list will appear on the main screen, ready to pick from.
How Do I Set Up Auto-Update?
Most clients let you enable "Auto-update" in "Subscription settings" and set an interval (e.g. every 24 hours), so node info doesn't go stale and cause connection failures.
Still No Nodes After Updating — What Now?
First check that you entered the subscription link in full (don't miss any trailing characters), then check whether your current network can reach that link directly. If the link itself has expired, you'll need to contact your provider for a new one.
Focused Guides

Connected But Pages Won't Load? How to Troubleshoot

Work through these symptom → cause → fix pairs one by one — most issues can be solved right here.

The Icon Shows Connected, But No Pages Load at All
Possible cause The currently selected node has stopped working, or the system proxy isn't enabled correctly. Fix Update your subscription and reconnect to a node with normal latency, then check that the "System Proxy" option in the client is turned on.
Some Sites Load, Others Don't
Possible cause Your routing rules classify those sites as "direct connection," or the node's route itself is unstable. Fix Check your routing rule settings and switch to "Global Proxy" mode to test whether it fixes things — if it does, fine-tune the rules or switch nodes.
The Phone Connection Keeps Dropping After a While
Possible cause The phone's power-saving policy is clearing the client's background process. Fix Follow the "Set up background keep-alive" steps in the Android guide on this page and add the client to your battery optimization whitelist.
Just Installed, and It Errors Out Immediately on Connect
Possible cause The subscription link hasn't been imported yet, or your device's clock is significantly off from the actual time (which can break some protocol checks). Fix Confirm your subscription has been imported and the node list isn't empty; check whether your device's system time is set to "Automatic."

Still stuck after trying all of the above? First check whether the subscription itself is still valid — this kind of issue usually needs to be confirmed with your subscription provider. This site only provides guidance for using the client itself.