Sync v2rayN and v2rayNG Across Devices: Share Subscriptions and Export Configs

1. Node Sync vs. Full Configuration Migration

v2rayN is a desktop client, while v2rayNG is an Android client powered by the Xray core. They support some of the same node-sharing formats, but their settings and local databases use different formats. VLESS and VMess are proxy protocols; a subscription is a way to retrieve a set of node configurations, not a channel for remotely controlling all device settings.

So “change it on the computer and the phone updates automatically” applies only to node details provided by the subscription, and only after the phone refreshes it. Notes you edit on the computer, the currently selected server, and local routing rules usually aren't written back to the subscription source.

2. Use the Same Subscription Link on Both Devices

Get a subscription URL from your provider that explicitly supports the target client. One account may offer subscription links in different formats. Opening a URL in a browser only confirms that it returns a response; it doesn't mean the content is suitable for v2rayNG. Menu names below follow common Chinese-language versions. Button locations and wording may vary slightly, so check your actual interface.

1. Save the subscription details

   Note the subscription name, URL, and device limit, and store the URL somewhere private and secure. Don't paste a full URL containing an access token into a public forum or submit it to an unfamiliar site for format conversion.

2. Add a group on desktop

   In v2rayN, open “Subscription Group” → “Subscription Group Settings,” add a group, and enter a label and subscription URL. After saving, return to “Subscription Group” and select “Update All Subscriptions (without proxy).” If the source requires a proxy, choose the proxy update option only when you already have a working connection.

3. Add the subscription on Android

   In v2rayNG, open “Subscription Group Settings” from the side menu, tap “+,” enter a label and URL, then save. Return to the main screen and select “Update Subscription” from the top-right menu. Confirm that nodes appear in the group—not just that an empty group was saved.

4. Check the key fields

   Open the same node for editing on both devices and compare its address, port, protocol, transport, and TLS settings. If the source returns different lists for different clients, compare the actual connection parameters; node counts alone don't confirm a successful update.

5. Connect on each device

   On desktop, select the target node and set it as the active server. On Android, tap the corresponding node and start the connection. Check the logs on each device, then set an update schedule if needed. Updating one device does not notify the other to refresh immediately.

3. Share Links and QR Codes: Move Individual Nodes

If you don't use a subscription and only need to move one manually added node from a computer to a phone, sharing the node is more direct. In v2rayN, right-click a server in the list to find options such as sharing a URL or QR code. In some versions, these commands are under a “Share” submenu. Select the intended node before exporting; don't accidentally send the entire list or subscription credentials.

• Import from a link: Copy the node share link. In v2rayNG, tap “+” on the main screen, then “Import from clipboard.” Open the node editor to check the fields, then start the connection.
• Import from a QR code: Display the node's QR code on your computer. In v2rayNG, tap “+” → “Scan QR code” and scan it after granting camera access. If a long link makes the code too dense, enlarge it or send the text through a private channel.
• Move a node the other way: In v2rayNG, open the target node's actions menu and choose to share a link or QR code. On desktop, copy the link and use the import-from-clipboard option in v2rayN's “Server” menu.
• Organize imported nodes: Give manual nodes their own labels so they aren't confused with subscription nodes. Matching display names don't mean they share an update source.

Common node share links start with vmess:// or vless://. User IDs and password-like fields in these links are connection credentials; a QR code is simply a visual representation of that information. After sharing, don't leave the full contents in a public photo album, screenshot, or support ticket.

4. Back Up Configuration Files to Restore, Not to Merge

When replacing a computer, exporting node links alone won't preserve local preferences or manual rules, so you'll need to back up client data as well. Portable and installed versions of v2rayN may store data in different locations. Don't assume everything is in the program's folder. First note the client version, core type, and the actual data and rules directories in use.

1. Exit before copying: Quit v2rayN from the system tray and make sure its related processes have stopped before backing up. Copying a database or configuration file while it's running may capture an incomplete write.
2. Include the actual data: Back up the configuration directory, manual routing rules, referenced rule files, and custom configurations. If the interface offers an option to open the data directory or create a backup, use it to locate the right files. Collect any files referenced by external paths separately.
3. Restore on the same version first: Keep a backup of the new setup on the target computer, then restore the data using the procedure for the matching version. Test the restore before upgrading; troubleshooting is easier than overwriting directly across several versions.
4. Recheck device-specific paths: Check external core paths, rule-file locations, listening addresses, startup behavior, and TUN permissions. Absolute paths from the old computer won't automatically work on the new one just because you copied the configuration.

v2rayNG app data is protected by Android's permission system, so a regular file manager usually can't access it directly. If your version offers configuration export or backup, check exactly what it includes. An “Export nodes” option alone doesn't mean routing and per-app proxy settings were saved too. For cross-platform migration, use a subscription or node-sharing instead; don't rename a v2rayN configuration file and try to force-import it.

5. Migrate Routing: Match the Intent, Then Rebuild the Rules

A desktop rule that sends a domain directly can express the same intent on Android, but a desktop process-name rule is not equivalent to Android per-app proxying. In v2rayNG, app selection mainly determines which apps enter or bypass VPN routing. Once traffic is routed, domain, IP, and default outbound rules may still apply. Check these two layers separately.

Ports are especially easy to confuse. Suppose the desktop's local mixed listener is set to 127.0.0.1:10808. That's the entry point for apps connecting to the local proxy, not the subscription server's port. On a phone, 127.0.0.1 means the phone itself. If the phone should connect independently, sync the server node; don't enter the computer's local listening address in the node.

The system proxy affects only apps that honor it, and desktop TUN and Android VPN routing don't cover traffic in exactly the same way. If the same node behaves differently in a browser, first compare routing scope and DNS, then check rule order. Rules are typically matched in order, with broad fallback rules after specific ones. Client presets may add other policies, though, so matching mode names in the interface don't guarantee matching results.

• First confirm that the same node connects independently on both devices, then enable complex rules.
• Choose one real destination that should connect directly and one that should use the proxy. Check the destination and outbound in the logs for each.
• If you need IPv6, check the network and configuration on both devices separately. Testing IPv4 alone doesn't prove that all traffic follows the same route.
• Test only on networks you own or services you're authorized to use. Change one type of setting at a time and keep a recoverable copy of the configuration.

6. Troubleshooting: Import Worked, but Nothing Synced