v2rayN is a desktop GUI that drives Xray, sing-box, and other proxy cores, letting you import subscriptions, test server latency, choose routing rules, and enable system proxy or TUN mode from one window.
v2rayN is a graphical front end that manages proxy cores rather than implementing the protocols itself. You import a subscription or a single server link, the application writes the configuration each core expects, and it then starts, stops, and restarts those processes for you. Servers appear in a sortable list with latency figures, so picking a working node is a matter of running a test and clicking the fastest one. Switching between proxy and direct rules, changing the active core for a group, or enabling TUN mode happens from the same window, which is what makes a command-line tool practical for everyday use.
The interesting design decision here is that the core is replaceable. Instead of locking you to one engine, v2rayN downloads and manages several, and a server group can be pointed at whichever core handles its protocol best, which matters when newer transports appear before every engine supports them. Routing works the same way: rules and rule sets are stored in the application and translated into each core's own format. If you would rather edit a YAML profile directly and see the rule engine laid out in front of you, a configuration-driven client such as Clash Verge Rev is the more natural fit.
The main benefit of v2rayN is that it consolidates work that would otherwise be spread across several command-line tools. Latency and speed tests run from the server list, results can be sorted so the fastest node sits at the top, and the application can retest on startup or on a schedule so a stale node does not quietly become your default. Traffic statistics show how much has moved through each server, which answers the recurring question of which subscription you are actually using. Routing rules, DNS settings, and the proxy method are chosen in the same interface, and TUN mode covers applications that ignore system proxy settings. Configuration can be exported and restored, so moving to a new machine or recovering after a mistake takes minutes rather than an evening.
Key capabilities and highlights.
Xray, sing-box, and other engines are managed from the same v2rayN window, and they can be installed or updated from inside it. Assign a core per server group so a subscription that depends on a newer protocol keeps working.
Add servers to v2rayN by pasting a link, importing from the clipboard, scanning a QR code, or subscribing to a URL that refreshes on a schedule. Servers are grouped, editable, and can be shared back out as a link when a colleague needs the same access.
Measure real delay through each server and run throughput tests without leaving the list, then sort by the result so the best option is one click away. Scheduled retesting keeps the ordering honest as network conditions change.
Choose a global, direct, or rule-based mode, then refine it with custom rules and rule sets that decide which domains and addresses are proxied. Domain strategy and routing options are exposed in the interface instead of buried in a generated file.
Set the system proxy for a quick, reversible change that most desktop applications honour, or turn on TUN mode to capture traffic at the network layer. Some capture modes require elevated privileges, which the application prompts for.
Global and per-group settings cover DNS servers, host mappings, multiplexing, and transport options such as fragmentation, which are the knobs you reach for when a connection works but performs badly. Having them in the interface avoids editing generated configuration files by hand.
Per-server traffic counters and a live log view show which node is carrying your data and whether connections are failing. The statistics are handy for judging how much of a metered subscription has already been used.
Export the entire configuration, including servers and rules, to an archive and restore it later or on another machine. That turns a risky upgrade or a fresh installation into a routine task instead of a rebuild.
Browse historical releases and previous builds.
Common questions about v2rayN.
It is a desktop application for managing proxy connections built on cores such as Xray and sing-box. You import servers or a subscription, run latency tests to pick one, and then enable the proxy method you want, with routing rules deciding which traffic uses the tunnel.
Xray and sing-box are the primary engines, and several other cores are supported alongside them. Cores can be downloaded or updated from within the application, and a server group can be assigned a specific core, which is useful when a protocol needs a particular engine.
Only for the capture modes that change system networking, such as TUN. Setting the system proxy and importing servers work without elevated privileges, so it is worth trying the lighter option first and only restarting with more rights if an application ignores the proxy.
The system proxy edits the operating system's proxy settings, which most desktop applications respect but some ignore. TUN mode in v2rayN creates a virtual network interface and takes over routing, so software that does not consult proxy settings is still carried through the core.
Yes. The routing mode can be set to proxy everything, nothing, or follow rules, and the rule list can be extended with your own entries and imported rule sets. Domain strategy settings then control whether routing decisions are made from domain names or resolved addresses.
Use the built-in latency and speed tests, which report real delay through each server. Sorting the list by that result puts the quickest node at the top, and automatic retesting keeps the order meaningful as conditions change.
Yes. The whole setup, including servers, routing rules, and settings, can be exported to an archive and restored later. That is the quickest way to move to another machine or to recover after an update that did not go as planned.
Paste the subscription link into the subscription area and update it, and every server it contains appears in the list. Subscription groups can refresh on a schedule, and individual servers can also be added from a link, the clipboard, or a QR code.
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