This guide explains how to import nodes into sing-box, including importing from a subscription link or an individual node link. It also covers why you should check your IP, DNS, and browser environment after importing. It’s designed to help sing-box beginners get set up step by step.
1. What to prepare before importing
sing-box is a proxy core, and different platforms use different graphical clients with it. For example, Android has several popular sing-box clients, while Windows and macOS users may manage configurations through a graphical frontend. Before importing a node, make sure you’ve installed a graphical client and can find an option such as “Configuration,” “Subscription,” “Profile,” or “Import.”
You’ll need one of two things: a subscription link, usually starting with https and containing multiple nodes, or an individual node link in a format such as VLESS, VMess, Trojan, or Shadowsocks. This site provides free node information for testing. We recommend using a subscription, as it’s easier to keep up to date.
2. Import sing-box nodes using a subscription link
- Open the sing-box client and go to “Configuration / Profiles / Subscription Management.”
- Tap “Add,” “New Subscription,” or the “+” in the top-right corner.
- Paste the subscription link into the URL field. For the name, enter “freevpn” or another name that’s easy to recognize.
- Save, then tap “Update Subscription,” “Fetch Configuration,” or “Download.”
- Return to the main screen, select the imported configuration, then tap Start or Connect.
If the client says the format isn’t supported, the subscription may not be in native sing-box format, or it may need to be converted to a format supported by that client. We don’t recommend that beginners write complex JSON configurations by hand. Instead, choose a subscription type that the client explicitly supports.
3. How to import an individual node link
If you only have one node link, look in the client for an option such as “Import from Clipboard,” “Import Share Link,” or “Import from clipboard.” First copy the entire node link, then tap Import. Once it’s imported, the list will usually show the node name, protocol, and region.
- Make sure you copy the protocol prefix, such as vless://, trojan://, or ss://.
- If the link contains special characters, use the one-tap copy option instead of selecting and copying it manually.
- After importing, test the latency and then connect to an available node.
Keep in mind that being able to import a node doesn’t mean it will necessarily connect. Free nodes are often intended for temporary testing and may stop working as routes, server load, or network conditions change.
4. How IP, DNS, and your browser environment are related
After connecting to sing-box, the main question is whether your web traffic is actually going through the proxy. Three concepts are relevant here: IP, DNS, and your browser environment. Your IP is the outgoing address websites see; DNS translates domain names into addresses; and your browser environment includes information such as language, time zone, cache, cookies, and WebRTC.
If an IP lookup site shows an address other than your node’s exit IP after you connect, the rules may not be routing your browser traffic, or the system proxy may not be enabled. A DNS leak can cause websites to load while some services still flag your connection. We recommend enabling the system proxy in the client and using the DNS settings recommended by the client. If you’re unsure, leave the default rules in place.
For testing, use a private browsing window or a clean browser to avoid having old cookies, account region settings, or cached language settings affect the results. If WebRTC is exposing information about your local network, disable the relevant leak settings in your browser’s extensions or settings.
5. Quick troubleshooting for connection failures
- Update the subscription first to make sure you’re not using an outdated configuration.
- Try another node in the same subscription to rule out a problem with a single node.
- Check that your phone or computer’s clock is correct, as an incorrect time can affect TLS connections.
- Close other VPN or proxy apps to avoid port conflicts.
- Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data to check whether your local network is restricting the connection.
In short, importing nodes into sing-box is straightforward: use a subscription when possible, and import individual links as needed. After connecting, check your IP and DNS. If something goes wrong, don’t keep reinstalling the app. Troubleshoot in this order: update the subscription, try another node, check the system proxy, then check DNS. This is usually the fastest way to find the cause.