v2rayN Subscription Groups: Filter Servers by Keyword and Sort Groups

Subscription Groups: Separate Sources Before Organizing Servers

In v2rayN, subscription groups are a way to organize entries in the client, not Xray core routing rules. Putting servers in a “Backup” group will not automatically route a website through a backup server. Connections still depend on the active server, routing configuration, and whether app traffic passes through the client.

A single subscription can provide servers using different protocols, such as VMess and VLESS. Use groups to identify where servers come from, rather than grouping them by protocol. If an update fails, a service expires, or domains change in bulk, you can work with just the relevant group instead of identifying entries one by one in the full list.

Here’s a sample list. The numbers are for illustrating the workflow only; they are not client limits or network test results. Each of two services has its own group, while manually imported configurations are kept separate. If different sources contain servers with the same name, the group still shows where each came from.

Create Groups: Set Names, Addresses, and Update Scope Separately

In the v2rayN main window, go to “Subscription Groups” → “Subscription Group Settings,” add a record, and enter a remark and subscription URL. Button locations and some field names may vary between the desktop and WPF versions and across releases. Make sure you’re editing a subscription group record, not an individual server.

1. Set up source A. Enter 10-SourceA-Daily as the remark, then paste the complete subscription URL provided by that source. Before saving, check for extra spaces, line breaks, and missing query parameters.
2. Set up source B. Enter 20-SourceB-Backup as the remark and use a different subscription URL. Don’t add the same URL twice just to create a second group name.
3. Set aside a manual group. Create 90-Manual without a subscription URL. When importing links you maintain yourself, check the target group so they don’t get mixed into a subscription update.
4. Update each group for the first time. In the “Subscription Groups” menu, use the update command for the current subscription. Update A, then B. Check the log and each group’s list after updating to make sure the sources weren’t mixed up.

Keyword Filtering: Know the Difference Between Search and Subscription Filters

“Show only servers containing JP” and “Import only servers containing JP when updating” are two different things. The first filters the list view without changing the subscription source; the second affects what gets imported during an update. When organizing a list, test keywords with the view filter first, then decide whether a subscription-level filter is needed. This helps avoid accidental removals and incorrect assumptions.

Single Keyword: Start with a Remark You Know Exists

Switch to source A and enter JP in the server search or filter box on the main screen. If there are no results, clear the input and check whether the actual remarks say “Japan” or “Tokyo.” Keyword matching uses the fields displayed by the client or supported by your version; it does not identify a country from a server’s physical location.

• JP: Finds entries whose remarks actually contain JP; it does not mean all servers in Japan.
• Japan: Use this for English-language remarks; it won’t automatically match entries labeled only “Tokyo.”
• Backup: This is just remark text; it does not create a failover relationship.
• VLESS: If the remark doesn’t contain this term and the current search checks remarks only, it won’t find every VLESS entry.

Multiple Keywords: Check Whether the Field Supports Regular Expressions

A regular expression may not work in a standard search box. Use the “match any” pattern below only if the subscription filter field in your version explicitly supports regular expressions. If the interface describes it as a plain keyword, search for each term separately; don’t assume a vertical bar works as a universal separator.

Japan|Tokyo|JP|Tokyo

This expression matches any one of the candidate terms; it does not require all four to appear. Whether matching ignores case depends on how the field is implemented, so don’t assume JP will match jp. Test with a remark you know exists before broadening the filter. For exclusions, complex lookaheads, and other advanced rules, first confirm that your version supports the syntax. An untested expression can leave the entire group empty.

Sort Groups: Keep Sources in Order Without Changing Server Remarks

Group order and server-list order are separate. In “Subscription Groups” → “Subscription Group Settings,” if your version provides a sort field, set the Daily, Backup, and Manual groups to 10, 20, and 90, respectively. Save and check the actual order in the main window. Spacing the numbers leaves room to add sources later.

Prefixes in group names can make them easier to identify, but they don’t override the client’s own sorting behavior. If your version has a separate sort field, use that and verify the resulting order. Sort the server list by a column such as “Remark.” Ordering by test results is just a list operation; it doesn’t make the client automatically connect to the first server.

1. Set the group order first, then open each source group. This avoids sorting a mixed list in the “All” view.
2. Sort by remark first to see the naming pattern and identify where region names, route labels, and numbers appear.
3. When comparing response times, use the same test method on the same network at roughly the same time. Check timeouts separately; don’t treat them as zero latency.
4. After organizing the list, manually confirm the active server. Make sure the selected entry matches the one actually in use.

Subscription Updates: Refresh Group Contents, Don’t Just Append

An update downloads and parses new content, then updates the group’s records according to the logic in your version of the client. It doesn’t guarantee that local edits, list positions, or test results will be preserved for every entry. Whether the active server can be matched to an updated record also depends on the client’s matching logic and whether source fields have changed. Don’t rely on manual remarks as a long-term backup.

Using the sample list: source A starts with 12 entries. If the source removes 2 and adds 3, an update should leave 13 entries, assuming there’s no filter and everything parses successfully. Source B’s 15 entries and the manual group’s 3 entries aren’t affected by updating just one group. If only 5 entries appear, first clear any view filter, then check import filters and the log instead of assuming the source removed 8 entries.

• Before updating: Note the current group, entry count, active server remark, and subscription filter conditions.
• During the update: Update the current subscription first. If the network is unavailable, distinguish between a failure to fetch the URL and a failure to parse its contents.
• After updating: Clear the search, view the full group, then check the entry count and which remarks were added or disappeared.
• Restore the connection: Select an available server again. Check that the subscription still provides the correct protocol, transport, and security settings, then test the connection.

Common Issues: Empty Groups, Duplicate Entries, and Backup Switching