VMess and VLESS Links vs. Subscriptions: How to Import Them

Share Links and Subscription URLs: Configuration Snapshots vs. Update Sources

vmess:// and vless:// are prefixes used for node share links. A single link typically describes one server configuration, including its address, port, user ID, transport, and security settings. The client parses the link and saves it as a local configuration. If the sender later changes the server, your saved entry won’t update automatically.

Subscription URLs usually start with https://. They point to a remote source that the client requests to retrieve a list of nodes. A subscription isn’t a third proxy protocol: it can return configurations using different protocols, including VMess and VLESS, or just one node. Whether it can be imported depends on the response format and what the client supports.

Link Formats: Encoded VMess Data and VLESS Query Parameters

A common VMess share link consists of vmess:// followed by a Base64-encoded JSON object. Encoding formats the configuration as a string for sharing; it isn’t encryption and doesn’t make the link safe to share publicly. Different tools may generate links in different formats, so don’t assume every VMess link can be parsed the same way.

The example below shows a typical VMess configuration after decoding. It is not an importable share link. example.com is a documentation-only domain, and the UUID is also an example value; neither points to a working service. Use the complete parameters supplied by the server for an actual configuration.

{
  "v": "2",
  "ps": "VMess example",
  "add": "example.com",
  "port": "443",
  "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
  "aid": "0",
  "scy": "auto",
  "net": "ws",
  "type": "none",
  "host": "example.com",
  "path": "/ws",
  "tls": "tls",
  "sni": "example.com"
}

A VLESS share link usually places the user ID before @, followed by the server address and port, with query parameters for transport and security settings. The example below is also a non-working format illustration; %2Fws decodes to the path /ws, and the text after the hash is a display label.

vless://[email protected]:443?encryption=none&security=tls&type=ws&host=example.com&path=%2Fws&sni=example.com#VLESS-example

In VLESS, encryption=none refers to VLESS’s own encryption field; it doesn’t mean the connection has no outer TLS. Don’t remove security=tls for that reason. Links using REALITY also include parameters such as a public key and short ID. Don’t turn the TLS example above into a REALITY configuration by changing just a few values.

v2rayN: Import from Clipboard and Add Subscriptions Separately

These steps use the common options in the Chinese-language v2rayN interface. Button locations may vary across releases; look for menu labels such as “Servers” and “Subscription Groups,” and for the corresponding field names. Keep the original text intact before importing to avoid line breaks, an added period, or copying only part of the link.

Import a Single VMess or VLESS Link

1. Copy the entire link, from the protocol prefix through the final label. To import multiple links at once, put one on each line and leave out any explanatory text.
2. In v2rayN, open the “Servers” menu and select “Import bulk URLs from clipboard.” On Windows, you can usually also press Ctrl + V; make sure the main window is focused first.
3. Check the import notification and look for the new entry in the main list. Open its edit window and verify the protocol, address, port, transport, and TLS settings.
4. Select the entry you want to use, then choose “Set as active server” from the context menu. A successful import only means the client parsed the configuration; it doesn’t confirm that the connection works.

Add and Update a Subscription

1. Go to “Subscription Groups” → “Subscription Group Settings” and add a group. Enter a recognizable name under “Alias,” then paste the full URL into “Optional address” or “Subscription address.”
2. Save the group, return to the main window, and select it. Don’t paste a subscription URL into a server’s “Address” field.
3. Open the “Subscription Groups” menu and select “Update current subscription (without proxy).” If your network can’t reach the subscription service directly and you already have a working proxy, choose the corresponding update option that uses the proxy.
4. Check the update result and the group’s node list. If the download succeeds but zero nodes are imported, check the response format instead of repeatedly adding the same group.

v2rayNG: Import, Update, and Connect on Android

v2rayNG uses the Xray core. Support for a protocol doesn’t guarantee that every version can handle all of its newer parameters. If a transport field isn’t recognized, first check the client version and configuration requirements. The steps below use the “+” menu on the main screen and the side menu; there’s no need to open the share link in a browser first.

Import from Clipboard

1. Copy the complete vmess:// or vless:// link on your Android device.
2. Open v2rayNG and tap “+” in the top-right corner → “Import config from clipboard.” If the clipboard appears empty, copy the link again, return to the app, and retry. Watch for any system prompt about clipboard access.
3. Tap the new configuration to make it active. To check its settings, tap the edit button for that entry and verify the address, port, UUID, and transport settings.
4. Tap the connect button on the main screen. The first time you connect, Android will ask for VPN permission. Approve it, then check the connection status and logs.

Add a Subscription Group

1. Open the side menu and go to “Subscription group settings.” In some versions, this is labeled “Subscription settings.”
2. Tap “+,” enter a “Remarks” label and an “Address,” and make sure the address is the complete subscription URL. Then tap Save.
3. Return to the main screen, open the menu in the top-right corner, and select “Update subscription.” If the interface lets you update a specific group, check that the correct one is selected first.
4. Wait for nodes to appear in the list, then select one and connect. A failed subscription download and a failed node connection are different problems; check the update message and connection logs separately.

After Import: Check the Remote Port, Local Proxy, and Update Results

After saving a node, verify its fields before testing how traffic flows. The remote port is part of the server configuration; the local listening port is the client’s entry point. They don’t need to match. The two ports below illustrate the difference only—they aren’t instructions to change your configuration or defaults for every version.

• Configuration: Check the server address, remote port, and user ID against the source. For VLESS, also verify security, flow, and the associated security parameters. Don’t fill in values you’re unsure about.
• Transport: Make sure chat apps haven’t truncated the WebSocket path or Host, and that the TLS SNI matches the server requirements. Don’t hide a configuration error by disabling certificate verification.
• Client entry point: In v2rayN, the system proxy determines whether apps that follow the system proxy settings use the local entry point. In v2rayNG, check that the VPN is running and that the target app is included in the proxy.
• Routing: After traffic reaches the core, it’s still subject to routing rules. Being able to open a website directly doesn’t prove that the selected proxy node works.
• Subscription: Note the node count and update time before and after an update. The server may remove old nodes or return an empty list depending on your account status; don’t judge by whether the group name is still there.

Common Issues: Empty Lists, Missing Parameters, and Subscription Security