Full Guide · By Platform

Full Installation Guide

Covers the complete process from installation to daily use, in more depth than the Quick Start. Jump straight to the section for your platform — no need to read the whole thing.

A Few Concepts to Know Before You Start

The following terms come up repeatedly throughout the steps for each platform — getting familiar with them now will make everything easier to follow:

  • Node: think of this as a specific connection route. A subscription usually contains multiple nodes, and you pick one to use when connecting.
  • Subscription link: an address that automatically generates a node list. Your client reads it to get a batch of nodes without adding them one by one — see Subscription Import/Update for details.
  • Proxy mode: the common options are "Global mode" (all traffic goes through the node) and "Rule/PAC mode" (only traffic matching a rule goes through the node, everything else uses your local network). If you're not sure which to pick, beginners should start with Global mode — it's the most intuitive and least likely to cause "some sites behave oddly" issues.
  • System proxy: this is what has your client take over your system's network requests and forward them to the selected node. The toggle for this is usually called "System Proxy," "TUN Mode," or something similar — it's the key switch that actually routes your traffic. A lot of "it's connected but doesn't work" issues come down to forgetting to turn this on.

Windows (v2rayN)

System requirements: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit). This is a portable app that doesn't write to the registry — if you get stuck at any step, just delete the folder and start over without affecting your system.

  1. Download the Installer

    Go to the download page to get the latest v2rayN, which comes as a zip file. It's best to extract it to a fixed folder (e.g., D:\Apps\v2rayN) so future upgrades are just a matter of replacing files — avoid folders that get cleaned up automatically.

  2. Launch the Program

    Double-click the main executable in the extracted folder to launch it — no installer wizard needed. If the system warns "Unknown Publisher" or Windows Defender SmartScreen blocks it on first launch, click "More info," then "Run anyway." This is a standard prompt for any third-party software without a paid code-signing certificate, and doesn't mean anything is wrong with the app.

  3. Get Familiar with the Main Window

    The upper part of the main window is the node list, showing each node's name and latency; below it (or in the tray icon menu) you'll find options like "Parameter Settings," "Subscription Settings," and "System Proxy." You don't need to memorize everything right away — just focus on "Subscription Settings" and "System Proxy" for now.

  4. Import a Subscription Link

    Find "Subscription Settings" in the main menu, click "Add," paste your subscription URL, and save it. Then click "Update Subscription" and the node list will populate automatically. If you don't have a subscription link yet, see Subscription Import/Update for how to get one.

  5. Test Speed and Select a Node

    Right-click the node list and choose "Speed Test (Current Group)." After a few seconds, you'll see a latency number for each node — pick one with low latency showing a green/normal status, and double-click it to set it as your active node.

  6. Enable System Proxy and Connect

    Click "System Proxy" in the main window or the tray icon menu, and choose "Auto-Configure System Proxy" (recommended for beginners). Once enabled, the tray icon will show a connected status — open your browser and load any page to verify it's working.

  7. Ongoing Maintenance

    Subscription nodes rotate periodically, so it's a good idea to manually click "Update Subscription" in the settings every few days. For new versions of the app itself, just go back to the download page and re-download to overwrite your install — no need to uninstall the old version first.

macOS (v2rayN)

System requirements: works on both Apple silicon (M series) and Intel chips — pick the build that matches your Mac when downloading.

  1. Download and install

    Go to the download page and grab the dmg that matches your chip (arm64 for Apple silicon, x64 for Intel). Double-click to open it, then drag the app icon into the "Applications" folder to finish installing.

  2. Allow it to run

    If you see "cannot verify developer" or "blocked from opening" the first time, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down to find the notice about this app, and click "Open Anyway" once. After that, double-clicking will just open it normally. This is macOS's standard Gatekeeper restriction on non-App-Store apps, not a sign of a problem.

  3. Get to know the main window

    The layout matches the Windows build: the top area is the node list showing names and latency, and the menu has entries like "Parameter Settings," "Subscription Settings," and "System Proxy." For now, just focus on "Subscription Settings" and "System Proxy."

  4. Import your subscription link

    Find "Subscription Settings" in the main menu, click "Add," paste your subscription URL and save, then click "Update Subscription" — the node list will fill in automatically. If you don't have a subscription link yet, see Importing/updating a subscription link for how to get one.

  5. Test speed and pick a node

    Right-click the node list and choose "Test Speed (Current Group)." After a few seconds you'll see the latency for each node — pick one with low latency and double-click it to set it as active.

  6. Turn on the system proxy and connect

    Click "System Proxy" in the main window and choose "Auto-configure system proxy" (recommended for beginners). Once it's on, open your browser and visit any page to confirm it's working.

  7. Ongoing maintenance

    Subscription nodes change from time to time, so it's a good idea to click "Update Subscription" in "Subscription Settings" every few days. For new versions of the app itself, just go back to the download page and reinstall over the old one — no need to uninstall first.

Linux (v2rayN)

System requirements: a major 64-bit distribution (Ubuntu / Debian / CentOS, etc.), with basic terminal experience needed.

  1. Download and Extract

    Go to the download page to get the Linux zip, then extract it to any folder in a terminal:

    tar -xzf v2rayN-linux64.tar.gz -C ~/Apps/

  2. Grant Execute Permission and Launch

    From the extracted folder, run chmod +x v2rayN to grant execute permission, then run ./v2rayN to launch it. If you have a graphical environment (GNOME/KDE, etc.), a window will open with basically the same workflow as the Windows version.

  3. Import a Subscription Link

    In the "Subscription Settings" of the GUI, add your subscription URL and click update — the node list will populate automatically, the same as on the Windows version.

  4. Select a Node and Enable the Proxy

    Double-click a node to select it, then turn on "System Proxy." On desktop, this automatically writes to your system's network proxy settings, and apps like browsers will generally pick it up automatically.

  5. Server / Headless Environment

    If you're running this on a server without a desktop environment, you can launch it using the core's built-in command-line arguments (no GUI required), then point whatever program or environment variables (http_proxy / https_proxy) need proxying to the generated local proxy address (usually 127.0.0.1 plus a port). Check the readme file in the program directory for the exact arguments.

Android (v2rayNG)

System requirements: Android 7.0 and later. The installer doesn't come from an app store — this is a normal third-party installation method.

  1. Download the Installer

    Go to the download page to get the latest v2rayNG apk. Open the downloaded file with your phone's built-in browser or file manager, then tap "Install."

  2. Allow Installing Apps from Unknown Sources

    If the system asks "Allow installing unknown apps?" or shows "Blocked from installing," tap "Settings" in the prompt, enable "Allow from this source" for the app you're using (browser or file manager), then go back and tap install again. This is Android's standard restriction on installers that don't come from an app store — you can disable this permission again afterward.

  3. Import a Subscription Link

    Open the app, tap the menu icon in the top right, go to "Subscription Settings," tap the "+" in the top right to add your subscription URL and save it, then go back to the main screen and tap the update icon in the top right (or pull to refresh) to sync the node list. If you don't have a subscription link yet, see Subscription Import/Update.

  4. Test Speed and Select a Node

    Long-press an empty area of the node list, or tap the speed test icon at the top, to test all nodes at once. Pick one with lower latency and tap it to select it (a checkmark will appear).

  5. Start the Connection

    Tap the round connect button in the bottom right to start the connection. The first time you connect, Android will show a VPN permission prompt (usually something like "v2rayNG wants to set up a VPN connection") — tap "OK/Allow." This is Android's standard authorization flow for local VPN-based apps.

  6. Confirm the Connection Succeeded

    Once connected, a small key icon will appear in the status bar (the system's indicator for an active VPN) — open your browser and you should be able to access the internet normally. If it won't connect for a while or shows an error, check Connection Troubleshooting.

  7. Disconnect

    When you don't need it, tap the round button in the app, or pull down the system notification shade and tap the VPN notification, to disconnect and restore your normal local network.