To set up an Android VPN, install a client that supports your subscription, import the configuration, allow Android to establish a VPN connection, then check routing and background activity. Installing an app doesn’t provide a working route, and seeing a VPN icon doesn’t mean an app’s traffic is using the proxy. Follow these steps in order.
Before you begin: Clients, subscriptions, and routes
A client reads rules, selects an exit, and forwards requests. A subscription provides node details and related configuration. A route is the network path your requests actually take. These are different things. A client without a valid configuration usually can’t connect, and a subscription URL won’t work without a compatible client.
Check your service’s instructions for supported Android clients and configuration formats. Shadowsocks, VMess, Trojan, VLESS, Hysteria2, and TUIC are different proxy protocols; an app’s claim to “support VPN” doesn’t mean it supports them all. Support also depends on the client version and its core. Choose a format listed in your account panel rather than converting a subscription at random.
| Item | Purpose | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Android client | Handles connections and routing rules | Manage configurations in the app after installation |
| Subscription URL | Fetches and updates nodes or a complete configuration | The client’s subscription, configuration, or remote import screen |
| Single-node share link | Contains connection details for one node | An import screen that supports the node’s protocol |
| Android VPN settings | Manage connection permissions and system options | The VPN page in Android settings |
Android’s “Add VPN” option isn’t a general-purpose subscription importer. Built-in system VPN configurations don’t support the same protocols as proxy clients. For subscription services, use the compatible client—don’t paste a subscription URL into the system’s server address field.
Install the client: Check its source and identity
For D6VPN, start at the client downloads page in your account panel to see the current Android options. For other services, follow their official instructions to find a client, rather than choosing an app based on a similar name in search results. If the download page lists several clients, choose one that matches your subscription format; don’t guess from the app icon.
- Open the client’s official download page, select the Android version, and check its release notes and compatibility requirements.
- For app store installs, verify the developer. For installation packages, check the source and compare any verification details provided by the publisher.
- If Android asks you to allow installs from this source, grant permission only to the trusted source you’re using. You can turn off this install permission after setup.
- Open the app and go to its configuration or subscription screen. If no nodes appear yet, the configuration probably hasn’t been imported; this doesn’t mean installation failed.
Android manufacturers may use different menu names. In this guide, “configuration,” “subscription,” and “connect” refer to features, so the exact button labels may vary. When updating, use the original distribution channel where possible. If you see a signature conflict, check that you have the right version before removing any existing configuration.
Import a subscription: Save it, then update the configuration
Find the subscription option for your chosen client in the service panel, then copy the full URL. A subscription URL may contain an account token, so treat it as a credential. Don’t post it in public chats or paste it into an unfamiliar online converter. Hide the URL, QR code, and authentication details in screenshots you share for troubleshooting.
- Open the client’s “Configuration” or “Subscription” screen and look for options such as Add, Remote Configuration, or Import from URL.
- Paste the full subscription URL, enter a name you’ll recognize, and save it. The name is usually just a local label and doesn’t affect the connection.
- Download or update the configuration. When it succeeds, you should see nodes, policy groups, or configuration entries, depending on the subscription format.
- Set the imported configuration as active, then choose an exit on the proxy or policy screen. Saving it without enabling it may leave the old configuration in use.
If parsing fails, check that you copied the subscription URL—not the account panel’s webpage address—and that the URL isn’t truncated and the format is supported. If the download fails, check your basic internet connection, system time, and whether the subscription is still valid. Parsing and connecting to a route are separate stages; troubleshoot them separately.
Allow the VPN connection and choose split tunneling mode
The first time you tap the client’s connect switch, Android usually displays a system prompt to establish a VPN connection. Check that the request comes from the client you just installed, then allow it. The client uses Android’s VPN interface to handle traffic covered by its configuration. This permission is a normal part of connecting, but you should still verify the app’s source.
After connecting, the client may show its running status, and Android may display a key or VPN icon. This only confirms that the local VPN interface is active; it doesn’t prove that the remote node, DNS, or destination site is working. Some clients also offer modes such as “proxy only,” which may not handle traffic from other apps. Beginners should use the VPN mode specified in the client’s instructions.
For everyday use, start with rule-based routing or split tunneling. Local sites and international apps may use different exits. Global proxy mode sends more requests through the proxy, but app exclusions, protocol support, and client configuration still apply. Global mode can help diagnose rule issues, but it isn’t a fix for every problem.
If another VPN, a work profile’s networking tool, or an app that uses the VPN interface is already active, check for conflicts. Active VPNs may replace one another within the same Android user profile. Enable “Always-on VPN” or “Block connections without VPN” only if you understand the effect; otherwise, when the client stops, you may lose access to your local network too.
Battery and background settings: Fix disconnects after screen lock
If the connection works in the foreground but stops after the screen locks, check background restrictions first. Open the app’s info page in system settings, find its battery or power settings, and allow background activity or set it to unrestricted. Some manufacturers also have separate settings for auto-start, background activity, or task protection; check the menus on your device.
- ✅ Allow the client to run in the background, and check that the system hasn’t placed it on a restricted-app list.
- ✅ If your device has an auto-start option, allow the client to start as needed. After a restart, check that the connection is still active.
- ✅ Open the app from its notification and check that notification permissions and connection status behave as expected.
- ✅ After locking the screen, reopen the target app and see whether you need to return to the client to restore the connection.
Battery exceptions can reduce the chance of the system stopping an app in the background, but they won’t fix an expired subscription or a remote network issue. You don’t need to disable every device security feature just to keep a connection active. If problems start after switching Wi-Fi networks, check whether the client reconnects automatically, then disconnect and reconnect manually and review the logs for the actual error.
Verify the connection: Check your exit, apps, and DNS
Test on a stable internet connection. First, make sure everyday local sites load while the client is disconnected, then connect and test the target app. This helps distinguish an internet connection issue from a proxy configuration problem. Don’t change the node, rules, and DNS settings at the same time, or it’ll be hard to tell what made a difference.
Visit this site’s IP lookup page to check the exit used for that page’s request. In split-tunneling mode, however, a rule may send the lookup page directly, so its local exit doesn’t prove that the target app is also connecting directly. Check the client’s connection log to see which rule matched the target domain and which policy group handled it.
DNS determines how domain names are resolved. Assess the DNS route alongside the connection route. A DNS leak means a query that should follow a specified DNS path was instead handled by an unexpected resolver. Using local DNS for local sites according to your rules isn’t automatically a leak. An exit IP alone can’t confirm the DNS route.
Android Private DNS, a browser’s secure DNS, and the client’s own DNS settings can all affect the results. Beginners should keep the service’s configuration as provided and troubleshoot using the client logs and a trusted test page. Don’t treat disabling encrypted DNS as a standard step, and don’t assume one test shows how every app resolves domains.
A meaningful test checks that the client is running, the target request matches the expected policy, and the app can complete its task. A latency test only shows that its test target is reachable; it doesn’t replace testing page loads, sign-in, or playback.
Common problems: Troubleshoot by stage
The connection is on, but websites won’t load
Check that the current configuration is enabled and that the selected policy group isn’t set to direct or an unavailable node, then review the connection logs. If all requests fail, check the node and your basic internet connection. If only one app fails, check whether it’s excluded from the VPN, whether its domain matches the wrong rule, and whether the platform restricts access based on region or account. Don’t assume every platform verification issue is caused by the client.
Import succeeded, but the node list didn’t update
Check which subscription you updated and whether the same configuration is active. Some clients keep remote subscriptions separate from locally edited configurations. Read the update prompt before taking action; repeatedly deleting and re-adding a subscription may erase app exclusions or custom rules. If your subscription credentials have changed, replace the old URL as instructed in the service panel.
The node names look alike—how do I choose?
Terms such as IEPL, relay, and direct describe network routes, not proxy protocols. Direct connections typically reach the remote entry point over your local network. A relay uses a forwarding point. IEPL describes a private-line transport arrangement; check the service’s documentation to see which part of the route it covers. None guarantees that an app will work based on the name alone, and none necessarily provides a fixed or dedicated exit.
Choose a region based on the target app’s requirements, then check stability during the times you actually use it. If a platform requires a consistent region, avoid changing exits without a reason. For more help, see the Guides or report the issue through your account panel. Include the client name, error message, and when the problem occurs, but hide your subscription credentials.