This guide covers one of the most common questions from Android users: how to add a subscription to v2rayNG, and why you might still find that websites won’t open, your IP appears incorrect, DNS is leaking, or your browser environment doesn’t match after adding it. If you have a working subscription link, follow the steps below to import it and perform some basic troubleshooting.
1. Standard steps for adding a v2rayNG subscription
- First, install v2rayNG on your Android phone. We recommend downloading it from a trusted app store or the project’s release page. Avoid unofficial modified versions.
- Open v2rayNG, tap the “+” button in the top-right corner or open the menu, then select “Subscription settings.” The wording may vary slightly between versions; it is usually shown as “Subscription group setting.”
- Tap the “+” button in the top-right corner and enter an easy-to-recognize name in the “Remarks” field, such as “Free nodes” or “Backup subscription.”
- Paste the subscription link into the “Address” field. If a subscription address is available on our free nodes page, you can copy it here.
- Save your changes and return to the main screen. Open the menu in the top-right corner and tap “Update subscription.” Wait for the node list to refresh.
- Select a node and tap the connect button in the bottom-right corner. The first time you connect, you will see a VPN permission prompt. Tap Allow.
If the subscription updates successfully but no nodes appear, the link may have expired, your network may be unable to reach the subscription address, or the current version may not recognize the subscription format. Try switching networks, copying the link again, or updating v2rayNG.
2. How subscriptions, nodes, and your displayed IP are related
A subscription is simply an address for a list of nodes. The node you select and connect to determines your outgoing IP address. After connecting, visit an IP lookup website to check your current external IP. If it hasn’t changed, the connection may not have succeeded, or your phone’s apps may not be using the proxy.
After connecting, check the status at the top of v2rayNG and see whether the traffic counter is changing, then test whether websites load. If it says “Connected” but you still can’t open websites, try another node. Free nodes may be congested, unavailable, or subject to regional restrictions, so their reliability is not guaranteed.
3. DNS settings can affect whether websites load
Many people assume that if a node works, they should automatically be able to access the internet. In fact, DNS can also affect how domain names are resolved. Symptoms include some websites failing to open, redirects to the wrong page, slow browsing, or website issues even when an IP lookup appears normal.
- Use the default DNS settings in v2rayNG unless you know what you’re doing. Avoid changing them at random.
- If domain names won’t load, try enabling remote DNS or switching to a common public DNS provider in the settings.
- If your main concern is preventing your local carrier’s DNS from leaking, check that the client’s routing and DNS policies are configured consistently.
Note: More complex DNS settings aren’t necessarily better. For most users, the goal is reliable name resolution without obvious leaks; there’s no need to copy advanced configurations.
4. Why your browser environment can also affect the results
The same node can produce different results in different browsers, usually because of cached data, location permissions, account region settings, WebRTC, or the browser’s proxy settings. For example, even if you’re connected to v2rayNG, your browser may use old cookies to determine your region, making a page look as though your environment hasn’t changed.
To troubleshoot, try these steps in order: close and reopen the browser, then test in private browsing mode; clear cookies for the affected website; disable location access for websites; and, if necessary, check whether the browser has its own proxy or Secure DNS enabled. For everyday browsing, don’t run multiple proxy tools at the same time, as this can cause conflicts.
5. Quick checklist for connection issues
- Subscription won’t update: Check that the link is complete and doesn’t contain extra spaces.
- You can select a node but can’t connect: Try another node or network, and make sure your phone’s clock is accurate.
- No internet after connecting: Disconnect and reconnect, or test a different routing mode, such as “Global” or “Bypass mainland China.”
- Only some apps work: Make sure system VPN permission is enabled and the affected app hasn’t been excluded from proxy routing.
- Frequent disconnections: Try updating the subscription and selecting a recently working node with lower latency.
In short, adding a subscription to v2rayNG is straightforward: add the subscription address, update the subscription, choose a node, and authorize the connection. If things don’t work as expected afterward, check all three areas—IP, DNS, and browser environment—rather than focusing only on the subscription link.