v2rayN Subscription Groups and Server Filtering: Manage Multiple Subscriptions

Subscription groups, server remarks, and routing: what’s the difference?

v2rayN is a desktop GUI client that uses subscriptions to import server configurations in bulk. A subscription can include configurations using different protocols, such as VMess and VLESS. Groups help you identify where servers came from; they aren’t a new protocol and don’t change server connection settings.

A server remark is its label in the list, such as “Hong Kong 01” or “Japan 02.” Searching remarks can narrow the list, but a name alone can’t confirm a server’s actual exit location, latency, or quality. Routing controls which connections go direct and which use a proxy—this is separate from organizing the list.

• Groups: Separate lists by subscription source. Useful for distinguishing primary, backup, and manually added configurations.
• Search: Find keywords in the current list without usually deleting the original server records.
• Import filters: Some versions let you filter imported content in the subscription group settings. This may change which servers remain after an update.
• Routing: Controls where traffic actually goes. Selecting a group or entering a keyword does not change routing rules.

Plan group names and the number of subscription groups

Use one group for each subscription source. Don’t add the same subscription URL again just to create separate “Hong Kong” and “Japan” groups; use remark search to find servers by region. Duplicate subscriptions mean more updates and can make the same server appear in multiple groups, making it harder to tell which configuration is being maintained.

Here’s an example organization—not a client limit or a benchmark: create one subscription group for each of two providers, plus a separate group for manually added configurations. If you use only one provider, start with two groups; there’s no need to create empty ones in advance.

Set up subscription groups and run the first update

Open Subscription Group → Subscription Group Settings. Menu locations and field names can vary between desktop versions; look for the options for group alias, subscription URL, saving, and updating subscriptions. Don’t mistake the address field in the server editor for the subscription URL field.

1. Check existing groups. Review each alias and subscription URL to see whether the same source has already been added. Subscription URLs may contain access tokens. Hide the entire URL before sharing a screenshot.
2. Add the primary group. Set the alias to A-Primary and paste in Provider A’s full subscription URL. Check for extra spaces, line breaks, or punctuation added by a messaging app at either end.
3. Save, then add a backup group. Create a separate B-Backup group for Provider B. Don’t overwrite the primary group’s URL to add a second subscription.
4. Test one group first. If your version lets you update the selected subscription, update Group A and check the log. If you use Subscription Group → Update All Subscriptions, check the result for each group by name in the log.
5. Switch groups and check the list. Clear any search terms, confirm that servers appear in the right group, then select a server and test the connection.

Filter servers by remark: step-by-step

When you have many servers, select a group first, then search for a keyword. This narrows the results while preserving their source information. If your version has a server search or filter box, enter a word that you know appears in the remarks, using the field above the list. If it doesn’t, sort by the remark column and look there instead. Don’t use the subscription settings’ filter field as a temporary search box.

For example, if Group A has servers named “Hong Kong 01,” “Hong Kong 02,” and “Japan 01,” search for “Hong Kong” to find the first two. If the provider uses HK instead, search for the HK that actually appears in the list. Don’t assume “Hong Kong,” “HK,” and a flag symbol will match each other automatically.

Temporary search boxes and subscription import filters may use different matching rules. Unless the version clearly documents otherwise, start with one simple keyword. Don’t paste expressions such as Hong Kong|Japan or assume a space means “match all.” Use regular expressions only when the current version explicitly supports them, and verify the results against that field’s rules.

When to use temporary search or subscription import filters

For occasional searches by region, use temporary search. Consider an import filter in the subscription group settings only if you’re sure you won’t need some servers long term and understand how your version applies filters. The key difference: one changes what’s displayed now; the other may change what gets saved locally after an update.

• Leave the import filter blank at first: Run a full update and check the remark format the provider actually uses.
• Change one group at a time: Record the original filter and avoid changing every subscription at once so you can pinpoint what changed.
• Clear temporary searches after updating: Otherwise, two filters can combine and hide servers that were imported successfully.
• Compare server counts: If a list drops from 40 servers to 6 after an update, check the filter and update log before concluding that the provider changed its list. These numbers are an example for troubleshooting, not a recommended server count.

Maintain remarks, duplicates, and groups after subscription updates

Subscription servers are controlled by remote content. Depending on the client version and update behavior, manually edited remarks may be overwritten and deleted servers may reappear after an update. For long-term organization, don’t rely on renaming or deleting servers one by one.

Servers with the same name aren’t necessarily the same server. A provider may use similar remarks for servers with different protocols, ports, or transport settings; different providers may use the same region names. Before removing duplicates, compare addresses, ports, protocols, and key transport settings—not just the remark column.

1. Before updating: Note the group and server remark you’re currently using, and keep a restorable backup of local configurations. Backups may contain connection credentials; store them securely.
2. During the update: Update one group first and check whether it succeeded. A timeout points to a retrieval problem; an empty parse also calls for checking the response and import filters. Don’t treat these as the same issue.
3. After updating: Clear the search, check for changes in the server count, then filter by remark and test again. A successful update means the subscription was retrieved and processed—not that every server can connect.
4. Moving a subscription: If a provider changes its subscription URL, update the existing group and verify the result. If you need to create a new group, confirm it works before removing the old one so you don’t keep duplicate sources indefinitely.
5. Manual configurations: Keep them in a separate manual group instead of mixing them with subscription-generated configurations. After moving or copying a configuration, check which group it belongs to.

Subscription groups and server filtering: FAQs