This guide answers the question “How do I import nodes into sing-box?” It covers importing via subscription links, pasting nodes manually, connecting after import, and why you should check your IP, DNS, and browser environment once connected. It’s intended for everyday users trying sing-box for the first time.
1. Before you import
sing-box is a proxy core. Different platforms have graphical clients, such as sing-box GUI wrappers for Android, Windows, and macOS, or clients that support the sing-box core. Before you start, make sure of three things:
- You have installed a working sing-box client and allowed it to create a VPN/proxy connection.
- You have a working node. Common formats include VLESS, VMess, Trojan, and Shadowsocks, or you can use a subscription link.
- Your network can access the external service. Campus or company networks may have strict restrictions, so you may need to switch to a less restrictive network first.
If you don’t have a node, you can copy a test node or subscription URL from the free nodes page on this site. Free nodes can be unstable, so they’re suitable for temporary testing but not recommended for long-term logins to important accounts.
2. Import nodes using a subscription link
Importing a subscription is the easiest option and is ideal for adding multiple nodes at once. Button labels vary slightly between clients, but the steps are generally the same:
- Open the sing-box client and go to the “Configuration,” “Profiles,” or “Subscriptions” page.
- Tap “Add,” “Import,” or “+,” then choose “Import from URL.”
- Paste the subscription link. Enter a name such as “freevpn-x” or choose a custom group name.
- Save it, then tap “Update subscription” and wait for the client to parse the nodes.
- Return to the node list and select a node with low latency or one that connects successfully.
- Enable system proxy or VPN mode, then test your connection in a browser.
If you see a parsing error, first check that the link is complete. It usually starts with https://. Make sure you haven’t copied any extra spaces, line breaks, or Chinese text. Some clients also require the subscription content to be converted into a configuration format supported by sing-box. If so, try a client that supports universal subscriptions, or use the client’s built-in conversion feature.
3. Import a single node manually
If you’ve copied a node link such as vless://, trojan://, or ss://, choose “Import from Clipboard” or “Add Manually.” It’s best to copy the entire node link first, then tap “Import from Clipboard” in the client. Once imported, you should see the node name, server address, port, and protocol type.
When entering details manually, make sure the address, port, UUID/password, transport, TLS/SNI, and other fields match the node information. If you’re a regular user, avoid changing these settings at random. Options such as Reality, WebSocket, and gRPC are especially easy to misconfigure—one incorrect field can prevent the connection from working.
4. Check your IP, DNS, and browser environment after connecting
A node showing “Connected” doesn’t necessarily mean all your traffic is being proxied correctly. We recommend checking the following in order:
- IP check: Visit an IP lookup website and confirm that the displayed location roughly matches the node’s exit location.
- DNS check: If DNS still shows your local ISP, you may have a DNS leak. Enable remote DNS or anti-leak options in the client.
- Browser environment: Disable browser location access and clear site data. Some websites use your language, time zone, and cookies to identify your environment.
- If you want to proxy only your browser traffic, use system proxy mode. If you want most apps to use the proxy, VPN/TUN mode is more straightforward.
5. Troubleshooting common connection failures
If you can’t connect, troubleshoot in this order: node, client, then network. Try another node first, then update the subscription. Check that your phone or computer’s clock is correct; an incorrect time can cause TLS verification to fail. Close other VPN or proxy software to avoid port conflicts. Switch between mobile data and Wi-Fi to see whether the current network is restricting the connection.
If all nodes fail, the subscription may have expired, the nodes may be unavailable, or the client version may be outdated. Update the client and import the nodes again. If the problem persists, check the log for keywords such as timeout, tls handshake failed, or dns error. In general, timeout errors are often related to the network or node, while tls failed errors are often related to the domain, SNI, or time settings.
In short, use a subscription to import nodes into sing-box whenever possible, and import individual nodes from the clipboard when needed. After connecting, always check your IP, DNS, and browser environment to confirm that the proxy is working properly.