This guide addresses the practical question of how to import nodes into sing-box. First identify whether you have a subscription URL, a single-node link, or a JSON configuration. Then import it using a method supported by your client, and check your IP, DNS, and browser environment after connecting. Menu names may vary across platforms and client versions, so follow the interface you see.
1. Identify the node format before importing
Install a sing-box GUI client that supports your device, preferably from the project’s official release page or a trusted app store. The sing-box core is not itself a GUI client, so it may not offer options for pasting links, scanning QR codes, or managing subscriptions.
- Subscription URL: Usually an HTTPS link, but the content it returns may be Clash YAML, a node list, or sing-box JSON. The URL alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s compatible.
- Single-node link: Commonly begins with vless://, vmess://, trojan://, or a similar scheme, and requires a client with link parsing or conversion support.
- JSON configuration: Usually contains fields such as outbounds, routing, and DNS, and is best imported through the configuration-file option.
sing-box does not natively support every subscription format. If adding a configuration fails, first check whether your provider offers a dedicated sing-box subscription URL. If you’re using this site’s free nodes, check the format and last-updated date first, and don’t treat a Clash subscription as a sing-box configuration.
2. Import the node step by step
- Open the client’s “Configuration,” “Profiles,” or similar page and click Add. Check whether it offers options such as remote configuration, local file, or clipboard.
- If you have a compatible remote configuration URL, choose URL or remote import, paste the complete link, and give it a name. Keep any parameters in the URL, and don’t introduce spaces or line breaks.
- If you have a JSON file, choose Import from file. If you only have JSON text, save it as a .json file first. After importing, run the configuration check provided by the client.
- If you have a single-node link, use the clipboard or QR code option only if the client explicitly supports importing links for that protocol. If no such option is available, ask the provider for a compatible configuration.
- Save and select the configuration, click Start, and allow VPN or network extension permissions if prompted by the system. Then select a node and try opening a webpage.
Subscription URLs may contain personal tokens, so don’t share screenshots or submit them to unfamiliar conversion websites. If you need to convert a format, use the provider’s integration or a trusted local tool whenever possible. After updating a remote configuration, confirm that the intended configuration is still active.
3. After importing, check your IP, DNS, and browser
A configuration being saved doesn’t mean your traffic is going through the proxy. First check the connection status and logs, then visit an IP lookup page to verify your exit IP. Split-routing rules may send some websites directly, so seeing your local IP on the lookup page doesn’t necessarily mean all proxy connections have failed.
If other apps work but your browser doesn’t, test in a private window, temporarily disable proxy extensions, and check the browser’s Secure DNS settings. Secure DNS may change the resolution path, but the DNS exit and proxy exit are different, so DNS alone cannot confirm a leak. Private browsing does not automatically change your public IP. Cookies, login sessions, and website cache are not automatically cleared when you switch nodes.
4. Troubleshoot connection failures
If you see a format error, check whether you imported YAML by mistake and whether the configuration fields are compatible with your current version. If you get a timeout, first confirm that your local network is working, then update the subscription or try another node. If you see a certificate error, check your device’s time and the node information; don’t simply disable certificate verification. If you can connect but can’t open domain names, focus on DNS errors and check for conflicts with other VPN or proxy software. Change only one setting at a time and note the result to help identify the cause.