Add subscription URLs under subscription groups; import individual server share links from the clipboard. Follow the steps to identify the link, add it on desktop or Android, then update and verify. Learn to distinguish download errors from parsing errors. For anyone importing a subscription for the first time, unable to find the right menu, or seeing no servers after an update.
First, tell subscription URLs and server share links apart
A subscription is a configuration source the client can fetch repeatedly. The client requests its URL and parses the response into a server list. A server share link describes a single connection configuration. Both can be copied as text, but that does not mean they belong in the same import menu.
Subscription URL
RecommendedUsually starts with https:// and is generated on the service provider's subscription page. Add it to a subscription group to fetch updates from that source later. A regular website homepage or sign-in page is not a subscription URL.
Best for: Keeping multiple servers from the same source up to date.
Single share link
Common prefixes include vmess://, vless://, and trojan://. Use the client's clipboard import feature to create a local server entry. It won't be linked to automatic subscription updates.
Best for: Temporarily testing a server or importing a single configuration from an administrator.
Base64 subscription content
This is content a subscription endpoint may return, not a fixed URL prefix. Once decoded, it usually contains share links, one per line. Whether you can paste the entire encoded text directly depends on the client version and import menu.
Best for: Checking the content format or working with an offline configuration supplied by the provider.
Base64 is an encoding, not encryption. Subscription URLs may also contain access credentials; anyone with the full URL can often request the subscription. Don't share it in public chats, online decoding tools, or screenshots.
v2rayN: Add the URL in subscription group settings
On desktop, create a group before running an update. Button icons and punctuation may vary slightly between versions; the steps below use the Chinese interface labels for “Subscription Groups” and “Subscription Group Settings.” Using “Import share links from clipboard” on the main screen does not create an updatable subscription group.
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Copy the subscription URL
Copy the full URL from the provider's subscription page. Make sure you haven't selected extra text such as “Copy link,” and that no parameters after the question mark are missing. Chat apps must not insert spaces or line breaks into the URL.
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Open group settings
In the v2rayN main window, choose “Subscription Groups” → “Subscription Group Settings,” then click “Add” to open the editor for a new group.
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Enter a name and URL
Enter a recognizable source name under “Alias” and paste the subscription URL under “URL.” Review the details and save. The alias is for local identification only; it does not replace the actual subscription URL.
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Update the subscription
Return to the main window, open “Subscription Groups,” and choose “Update all subscriptions (without proxy).” If a direct request to the URL times out and you already have a working proxy server, try “Update all subscriptions (via proxy).”
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Check the server list
Switch to the group you just added and check whether servers appear. Review the update result in the log at the bottom. If you only saved the group without running an update, an empty list does not mean the subscription is invalid.
v2rayNG: Open subscription group settings from the side menu
The Android version of v2rayNG uses the Xray core. Managing subscriptions and starting a connection are separate steps: the first downloads and parses configurations; the second runs the selected server. The system VPN connection prompt on first connect is part of starting a connection, not proof that the subscription updated successfully.
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Open subscription settings
Open v2rayNG, tap the menu in the upper-left corner, and select “Subscription Group Settings.” Don't confuse the “+” for adding a server in the upper-right corner of the main screen with the “+” on the group settings page.
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Add a subscription group
On the “Subscription Group Settings” page, tap “+” in the upper-right corner, then enter a “Remark” and an “Optional address (Url).” This address field is for the subscription URL; some versions label it simply “Address.”
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Save the full URL
Paste the copied subscription URL, check its beginning and end, then tap the checkmark in the upper-right corner to save and return to the main screen. Don't enter your provider account password in the URL field or remove any access parameters from the link.
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Update subscription content
On the main screen, open the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and select “Update subscription.” If your version lets you choose all subscriptions, the current group, or an update through a proxy, make sure the selected scope includes the group you just saved.
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Select a server and connect
After the update, select a server and tap the connection button on the main screen. On first launch, allow the VPN connection when prompted by the system. Then check availability with a real connection test or by accessing a site.
An Android clipboard access prompt only means the app read the clipboard; it doesn't confirm that valid configuration was found. If no entries appear after import, check the saved URL on the subscription groups page and review the update result instead of repeatedly tapping the connection button.
Base64 and clipboard imports: choose the menu based on the content, not how it was copied
A common text subscription lists multiple share links on separate lines and encodes the text as Base64. The client decodes and parses it after requesting the subscription URL, so you generally don't need to decode it manually. The encoded string may end with =, or may not, depending on the encoding variant or omitted padding. That character alone can't tell you whether the content is complete.
- Copied a subscription URL? Paste it into the URL field for a subscription group, save, and update. Don't use the URL of an account page you reached after signing in as the subscription endpoint.
- Copied a single share link? In v2rayN, choose “Servers” → “Import share links from clipboard.” In v2rayNG, tap “+” on the main screen → “Import from clipboard.” Menu labels may vary slightly between versions.
- Copied multiple share links? You can try importing them from the clipboard, but check how many entries were actually added. If one line has an invalid format, don't assume the rest were all imported.
- Copied a block of encoded text? Ask the provider for the original subscription URL first. Don't prepend
https://to make the encoded text look like a URL, or enter it in the server hostname field.
Bottom line: Create a subscription group for ongoing updates
Importing a server from the clipboard only copies the current configuration. To keep up with updates from its source, save the subscription URL separately and run a subscription update. Repeatedly pasting server entries is not a substitute for subscription management.
Even if two links use HTTPS, they may return different content: a supported text subscription, a webpage, JSON, or another configuration format. Use the subscription link the provider identifies for v2rayN or v2rayNG. A URL opening in a browser does not guarantee the client can parse its response.
Subscription update failed? Check the HTTP status, then the parse result
Break the problem into three checks: can the client connect to the subscription server, is access allowed, and can the response be parsed? The HTTP status codes below are not speed test results. If the log shows no HTTP response, start with timeouts, DNS resolution, or connectivity.
- Connection timed out: First make sure the device is online and the system clock is correct. Then try updating directly and through an existing working proxy. Change one method at a time so you can compare the results.
- 401 or 403: Return to the provider's subscription page and copy the URL again. Check your account status and access permissions. Refer to the server's explanation for the specific cause; don't assume from the status code alone that your account has expired.
- 200 but parsing failed: Check whether the response is a sign-in page, an access verification page, or an error message. Successfully downloading webpage text does not make it a valid server configuration.
- Update succeeded, but no servers appeared: Check the selected group and filters, whether the provider actually returned any servers, and whether the subscription format is supported. If needed, test with a new group and keep the original for comparison.
FAQ: What to check after importing
I added the subscription. Why is the main screen still empty?
Run a subscription update, then switch to the relevant group. Adding a group only saves the URL; not every version downloads servers automatically. If the log says the update completed but the list is still empty, check that you selected the right group and that the response contains parseable servers.
The same URL updates on my phone but not on my computer. Why?
Make sure the URLs on both devices are identical, then compare whether updates use a proxy. DNS, system time, network route, and subscription request methods may differ between devices. Align the network and update method first; don't start by changing server transport settings.
If a server imported successfully, will my internet connection work?
A successful import only confirms that the configuration could be parsed. In v2rayN, select an active server and enable “System Proxy” if needed. In v2rayNG, select a server and start the connection. If it fails, check the core logs, server validity, and device network.
Will manually edited servers stay changed after a subscription update?
A subscription update may rebuild or replace servers in a group, so don't count on local edits being preserved. To compare configurations, save a separate manual server first, then update the original subscription group. This keeps local debugging changes separate from the provider's configuration.
What should I do if I accidentally shared my subscription URL?
Reset or regenerate the subscription credentials in your provider account, then update the URL in each device's subscription group. Deleting a chat message can't revoke a link that has already been copied. Reset server credentials too if the provider's system requires it.