How to Set Up v2rayN on Windows in 2026 — Configs, VLESS Import, and Differences from v2rayNG

If you came from Android, where you used v2rayNG, and now want the same reliable access on your computer — you need v2rayN (without the "G" at the end). These are different apps: v2rayNG is for Android, v2rayN is for Windows. Their configs are identical (the same vless://, vmess:// links, the same subscription), but the interface and installation differ.

This article covers installing v2rayN on Windows, importing configs and subscriptions, setting up the system proxy, common errors, and the difference between v2rayN and v2rayNG.

v2rayN or v2rayNG — What's the Difference

The confusion comes up constantly, so let's clear it up right away:

| | v2rayN | v2rayNG |

|--|--------|---------|

| Platform | Windows (macOS/Linux builds exist) | Android |

| Interface | Desktop window with a server list | Mobile app |

| Engine | Xray-core / v2ray-core | Xray-core / v2ray-core |

| Configs | vless://, vmess://, trojan://, subscription | the same |

| System proxy | Yes, routes all Windows traffic | Works as an Android VPN tunnel |

The key point: a config that works in v2rayNG on your phone works exactly the same way in v2rayN on your PC. The same vless:// link or the same subscription URL can be imported into both apps. So if you already have a working key — moving it to your computer doesn't mean searching for a new one, just paste the same string.

Step 1. Download v2rayN

There's only one official source — the developer's GitHub:

github.com/2dust/v2rayN/releases

Download the latest release. For most people the v2rayN-windows-64.zip archive works (or -With-Core if you want the version with the bundled Xray engine — you won't need to download it separately).

Important: v2rayN by itself is only a shell (GUI). It needs the xray-core or v2ray-core engine. The -With-Core build already includes the engine. If you downloaded a version without it — v2rayN will offer to download it on first launch, just agree.

Extract the archive into any folder (for example, C:\v2rayN). You don't need to install anything — it's a portable application. Run v2rayN.exe.

Windows Defender or your antivirus may complain about the xray.exe engine — this is a false positive, typical of all proxy tools. If needed, add the v2rayN folder to your antivirus exclusions.

Step 2. Import a Config

After launch, v2rayN minimizes to the system tray (the icon near the clock). Double-click it to open the main window with the server list — empty at first.

There are three ways to add a config.

Method A: Paste a Link from the Clipboard

The fastest one. If you have a vless://... or vmess://... string:

1. Copy the link in full (Ctrl+C)

2. In v2rayN: menu "Servers" → "Import bulk URL from clipboard" (or the Ctrl+V hotkey in the servers window)

3. The config appears in the list

v2rayN can import several links at once — if your clipboard holds a block of a dozen lines, all of them are added.

Method B: Subscription

If you have a subscription URL (a single link the app uses to download all servers itself) — this is the preferred method, because the servers update automatically.

1. Menu "Subscriptions" → "Subscription group setting"

2. Click "Add", type an alias (for example, "MegaV") and paste the subscription URL into the address field

3. Save, then menu "Subscriptions" → "Update subscription (via proxy)" or "…without proxy"

4. All servers load into the list

Method C: Scan a QR Code from the Screen

If the config is shown as a QR code (for example, in a provider's dashboard open in your browser):

1. Menu "Servers" → "Scan QR code from the screen"

2. v2rayN captures the screen and recognizes the code automatically

Step 3. Enable and Verify

Select the desired server in the list (double-click or checkbox) and set the operating mode — this is the key moment that's absent from the Android version.

In the bottom-right corner of v2rayN there's a system proxy mode switch:

• "Clear system proxy" — the tunnel is running, but Windows traffic does not go through it. Useless for the average user.
• "Set system proxy" — v2rayN registers itself as an HTTP/SOCKS proxy in Windows settings, and all traffic from browsers and apps goes through the tunnel. This is what most people need.
• "PAC mode" — only sites from a list (PAC script) go through the proxy, everything else goes direct. Useful if you only want to route blocked resources.

For simple "everything through the VPN," choose "Set system proxy".

Verification

Open 2ip.io or whoer.net in your browser — it should show an IP from another country. If the IP is yours — either the system proxy isn't enabled, or a dead server is selected.

You can check a server's speed and latency right inside v2rayN: right-click the server → "Test latency (ping)" and "Test speed (speedtest)". A healthy VLESS Reality server in Europe gives 40–120 ms and tens of megabits.

Common Problems

v2rayN launches, but there's no internet. Most likely the system proxy isn't enabled (bottom-right corner → "Set system proxy"). Or a dead server is selected — check it with the latency test.

"No connection could be made" / the engine won't start. The xray.exe is missing. Download the -With-Core build or let v2rayN download the engine (menu "Check for updates" → "Update Xray-core").

The antivirus deletes xray.exe. A false positive. Add the v2rayN folder to exclusions.

After closing v2rayN there's no internet. v2rayN didn't clean up the system proxy after itself (for example, it was killed via Task Manager). Go into Windows: Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy → turn off the manual proxy setup.

The config worked yesterday, not today. A public server "went stale" — the DPI learned to catch its SNI, or the IP got blocked. Grab a fresh key. For details on config lifespan — see the article "Free configs for V2RayNG" (everything there applies to v2rayN too).

Where to Get Configs for v2rayN

Since the config format is identical, the sources are the same as for v2rayNG:

• Our aggregator /v2ray-servers — verified free VLESS Reality configs, updated automatically. Copy the link or subscription URL and paste it into v2rayN.
• GitHub repositories — barry-far/V2ray-Config, ALIILAPRO/v2rayNG-Config and other aggregators (about half the links are usually dead, you have to sift through them).
• Telegram channels — fresh keys every few hours, but overloaded.

A full breakdown of sources and their downsides — in "Free configs for V2RayNG in 2026".

When a Ready-Made VPN Is Simpler

v2rayN is a powerful tool, but it requires manual work: find a working config, import it, switch servers when the current one "goes stale." If you just need the internet to work on your computer without daily fuss — installing a ready-made app is simpler.

MegaV uses the same technology (VLESS + Reality) as configs for v2rayN, but in the form of an app: open it, click "Connect," it works. The servers are dedicated (not public, not overloaded), the SNI rotates automatically, and there's a Kill Switch. The desktop version routes Windows traffic the same way v2rayN's system proxy does, but without manual setup.

There's a 3-day trial with no card required — you can compare it with the configs you've already tried in v2rayN.

Download MegaV

FAQ

Are v2rayN and v2rayNG the same thing?

No. v2rayN is for Windows (desktop), v2rayNG is for Android. But their configs are shared: the same vless:// link works in both.

Do I need a separate config for PC?

No. If the key works on your phone in v2rayNG, the same string will work in v2rayN on your computer. Carry over the same link or subscription.

Is v2rayN free?

Yes, it's a free open-source app. Only the VPN configs (servers) themselves can be paid, if you get them from a paid provider. Public configs are free.

Does v2rayN work on macOS and Linux?

The main build is for Windows. On macOS people more often use V2RayXS or Nekoray, on Linux — Nekoray or v2rayA. The configs are identical everywhere.

Why does my antivirus complain about v2rayN?

The xray.exe engine is detected as a "hacktool" because of its traffic proxying function. This is a false positive, typical of all proxy tools. Add the folder to exclusions.

How is v2rayN different from a regular VPN?

v2rayN is a client for the V2Ray/Xray protocols (VLESS, VMess, Trojan), not a classic VPN like OpenVPN/WireGuard. It disguises traffic as ordinary HTTPS, so it's more resistant to blocking in Russia in 2026. Read more — "V2Ray vs WireGuard".

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v2rayN is "v2rayNG for the computer": the same engine, the same configs, but with a system proxy under Windows. If you already have a working key from your phone — carry it over in one line. Fresh, verified configs are always at /v2ray-servers, and if you'd rather skip the manual fuss — MegaV gives you the same VLESS Reality technology in a ready-made app.