What should you do if your subscription link won’t update? This guide helps you distinguish an expired link from network access issues, DNS resolution failures, and client format incompatibility, then walks you through restoring subscription updates in order. It applies to clients such as Clash, V2Ray, and sing-box. Menu names may vary between versions, so refer to the interface you’re using.
Check the error before deleting your configuration
Open the subscription management page in your client, try a manual update, and check the logs. A timeout usually points to a network path issue; “Unable to resolve hostname” means you should check DNS first; 401 or 403 errors may involve authorization or access restrictions; a 404 may mean the address has changed; and a parsing error means you should check the returned content and subscription format. These are just troubleshooting clues—a status code alone doesn’t confirm the cause.
Back up your current working configuration before changing subscription settings. Don’t repeatedly delete and reinstall the client or click Update over and over, as this could cause you to lose your configuration or trigger request limits.
Check your subscription link in these five steps
- Verify the full address. Copy the link again from the provider and make sure there are no extra spaces, line breaks, or missing parameters. Subscription links often contain access tokens, so don’t post them in public groups or screenshots.
- Check which formats your client supports. Clash configurations, V2Ray node lists, and sing-box configurations aren’t necessarily interchangeable. Choose the option specifically labeled for your client by the provider, and don’t use a webpage address as a subscription link.
- Try a different network. Test on both Wi-Fi and a mobile hotspot. If it fails only on one network, check that network’s DNS, access restrictions, or login status.
- Check whether updates use a direct connection or a proxy. If your client has a “Update subscription through proxy” option, compare the results with it on and off. If your current proxy is no longer working, forcing updates through it may cause them to fail.
- Check the provider’s announcements. If the address has expired, the token has been reset, or the service is under maintenance, you’ll need a valid link. For free nodes on this site, follow the instructions on the relevant page; don’t assume an old link will remain valid indefinitely.
How do IP, DNS, and browser settings affect updates?
Changing your outbound IP address isn’t a general-purpose fix. It’s worth trying another available network only if your network tests suggest that a particular outbound connection may be restricted. If you see a 429 error or repeated failures within a short period, pause and wait as instructed instead of continually switching connections and retrying.
If the logs show a DNS resolution failure, first check whether you can open other websites on your device and whether custom DNS, Private DNS, or a third-party filtering tool is enabled. Note your original settings, temporarily switch back to DNS assigned automatically by the network, and try again. Don’t change settings managed by your workplace or school network without permission.
Being able to open the link in a browser doesn’t mean the client can update. Your browser may use a different proxy or DNS settings, or have a login cookie. If the page displays a login screen, CAPTCHA, or error page, it isn’t valid subscription content. An incognito window can help you check whether login status is affecting access, but it won’t fix network issues in the client.
Still having trouble? Keep these details
Note the client name and version, the exact error message, when the failure occurred, and the test results on both networks. Then contact the provider or consult the client’s documentation. Before sharing logs, hide your subscription token, node passwords, and personal information. Don’t submit the full link to an unfamiliar online conversion site. After an update succeeds, check that the node list has changed and test your connection—a successful subscription download doesn’t mean every node is working.