The key to setting up an Android VPN is to check “installation complete” and “connection working” separately. The client applies the configuration, the subscription provides route details, and Android’s VPN permission allows it to handle network traffic. Follow this order to pinpoint whether an issue is with your account, configuration, system permissions, or the app you’re trying to use.
Before you install: check your account and client compatibility
First, sign in to the VPNFZ dashboard and check your plan status and available data. Then visit the client download page. Use the plan status shown in the dashboard as your guide. Get subscription details after signing in; don’t look for supposedly universal subscriptions in forum posts or messages from strangers.
VPNFZ doesn’t require an email address; create an account with a username and password. Your password is for signing in, while the subscription link provides connection settings. Keep them separate. Subscription links often contain access credentials, so protect them like a password. When submitting screenshots or support tickets, hide the full link, QR code, and any keys in the configuration.
When choosing an Android client, check both protocol support and subscription format. Shadowsocks, VMess, Trojan, and VLESS are different protocols; Hysteria2 and TUIC are proxy protocols based on QUIC. Similar app names don’t guarantee the same core, version, or import format. Being able to parse a configuration file doesn’t mean the client can run every protocol in it.
These protocol notes are for checking compatibility; they don’t mean VPNFZ supports every protocol listed. Refer to the client guidance and subscription configuration in your dashboard for the current supported options.
Install the client: check the source and installation prompts
Follow the dashboard instructions to reach the client’s official release channel. If you download an APK, check the app name, publisher, and system requirements before opening it. If Android asks you to allow installation from unknown sources for your browser or file manager, grant permission only to the source you’re using. You can turn it off again afterward.
Don’t disable all of Android’s security checks just to get around an installation failure. If you see “There was a problem parsing the package” or an incompatibility warning, first check that the file downloaded completely and your system meets the requirements. An update may also fail if the new package has a different signature from the installed app. Verify the source instead of overwriting an unfamiliar version.
Uninstalling can remove local settings and rules. If you need to switch clients, save any settings you need and make sure you can still sign in to the dashboard to get your subscription again. When you open the app, check whether it asks to install additional components. Look up unfamiliar components in the official documentation rather than granting permission based on a pop-up alone.
Importing a subscription: it’s a link, not a web address
Find your subscription details in the account overview, then return to the client’s “Configuration,” “Subscription,” or “Profiles” page. Labels vary by app, but most have an option to add a configuration from a URL. Use the import method provided for that client in your dashboard; don’t build the URL yourself.
- Copy the subscription link for your client and check that it’s complete. Don’t include explanatory text or extra spaces.
- Choose the option to import from a URL, give the configuration a recognizable name, then save and update it.
- Wait for the configuration to download and check that the route list appears. If the client distinguishes between “saved” and “enabled,” enable the configuration you just imported.
- Select a route before connecting. Successfully adding a subscription doesn’t mean a connection has been established.
A subscription link lets the client retrieve configuration; it isn’t meant to be shared or pasted into a public conversion website. If an update reports a format error, first check that the subscription type matches the client’s core. If the download fails, check your internet connection, plan status, and link validity. Switching routes repeatedly won’t fix a configuration that hasn’t downloaded.
VPN permissions: allow traffic handling, then check routing
The first time you connect, Android usually displays a VPN connection request. This permission lets the app create a local virtual network interface and handle traffic sent through it; it doesn’t grant access to any particular website. Check the app name in the prompt and allow it only if it matches the client you just installed.
Android usually allows only one VPN service to run for the current user profile. Other VPNs, firewalls using local VPN mode, and ad blockers may replace or conflict with the current client. If the connection drops unexpectedly, check whether another app has taken over the VPN instead of repeatedly starting multiple apps at once.
Next, check the traffic mode. Rule-based mode decides whether traffic connects directly or goes through the proxy based on domains, addresses, or rule sets. Global proxy mode generally sends all traffic within its scope through the proxy, but app exclusion lists and other settings may still apply. Direct mode can’t be used to verify a proxy route. If you’re new to this, start with the subscription’s default rules and adjust them only as needed.
Some clients support per-app routing. If your browser is excluded, it may still use your local network even when the VPN icon appears in the status bar. Check that the app you’re testing is included in the VPN’s scope. The VPN icon only shows that the system service is active; it doesn’t prove that every app or request is using the selected route.
Keep the client running in the background: adjust battery settings
If the connection works at first but drops after you lock your screen, Android may be limiting background activity. Open the client’s app info in system settings and find its battery options. Depending on your device, choose “Allow background activity,” “Unrestricted,” or “Don’t optimize.” Settings and menu names vary by manufacturer; try searching settings for the app name or “battery optimization.”
If your system also has settings for auto-start, background data, or data saving, check whether they restrict the client. Notifications can help you monitor connection status, but notification access and VPN permission are separate: a notification doesn’t confirm that the route is working, and its absence doesn’t necessarily mean you’re disconnected.
After changing settings, lock your screen, unlock it, and reopen the app you were testing to see if you need to reconnect manually. Locking the app in recent apps may help on some systems, but it doesn’t replace battery and background permissions. Don’t remove restrictions for every app just to keep the client running. Avoid enabling “Always-on VPN” and “Block connections without VPN” unless needed; misconfiguration can make your entire network unavailable.
Verify the connection: check your IP, DNS, and apps separately
First, make sure your internet works without the VPN. Start the client and check the selected route and error log. Then use a browser included in the proxy scope to visit your target site, and check your apparent region on a trusted IP lookup site. IP databases can take time to update, so don’t rely on a single site’s location label.
Interpret DNS checks in light of your routing mode. The client may handle DNS queries itself or send some directly connected domains to your local resolver. In rule-based mode, seeing a local resolver isn’t enough to conclude that proxied traffic is leaking. Check whether domains that should use the proxy are resolved as configured and whether their DNS requests follow the expected path.
Android Private DNS, your browser’s Secure DNS, and the client’s DNS settings can all affect the results. Start with the default settings and note what they are. If you get domain resolution errors, check the client documentation to see whether these settings conflict. Don’t copy DNS addresses from an unfamiliar configuration or treat disabling all DNS protection as a universal fix.
- ✅ The client is using the right configuration, the selected route is clear, and the connection log shows no persistent errors.
- ✅ The browser or app used for testing is included in the proxy scope, and the IP check matches your expectations.
- ✅ The target site loads, and you can verify the connection again after locking your screen or switching networks.
- ❌ Don’t assume every app is covered just because you see a VPN icon, a route list, or a webpage that loads once.
How to interpret the results: The client status, route taken, and result in the target app should agree. If a page loads but the IP doesn’t match, check routing rules first. If the IP is correct but the app doesn’t work, check the app’s region requirements, sign-in status, and service restrictions.
Troubleshooting: diagnose the symptom instead of reinstalling
Keep your original configuration and change one setting at a time, testing the same destination after each change. Changing the route, DNS, rules, and background permissions all at once makes it hard to tell what fixed—or caused—the issue. Use the table below after installation and import are complete.
| Symptom | Check first | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription download fails | Internet connection, account status, link integrity | Copy the client-compatible link from the dashboard again and check the download error. |
| Import succeeds, but the client won’t start | Protocol compatibility, whether the configuration is enabled, VPN permission | Check the client requirements and confirm that you allowed the permission request. |
| Browser works, but other apps don’t | Per-app routing, rule matching, app-specific restrictions | Make sure the target app isn’t excluded, then check its access requirements. |
| Disconnects when the screen is locked | Battery optimization, background activity, other VPN services | Allow the client the background access it needs, then test again with the screen locked. |
| Stops working after switching networks | Whether the new network has internet access, whether the client reconnected | Complete any network sign-in first, then stop and restart the connection. |
When switching routes, distinguish between the entry path and exit region. Direct, relay, and IEPL describe how traffic is routed, not the client protocol; switching protocols doesn’t mean you’re using a dedicated line. Route labels can’t guarantee a platform will always be accessible. Results also depend on your local network, exit IP, and the platform’s policies.
For help, submit your device and client details, error message, what you were doing when the issue occurred, and the steps you’ve tried through the support ticket portal. Don’t include your account password or full subscription link. For more troubleshooting steps, see the troubleshooting guide.
Plan your data: check your usage before choosing a plan
Once your connection is stable, check your data usage in the dashboard. VPNFZ monthly plans are ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, and ¥28/month for 500GB. Data resets monthly on your activation date. If you upgrade mid-cycle, the price difference is prorated for the remaining days. The reset date isn’t necessarily the first of the calendar month.
If your usage varies, compare the data packs: ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB, and ¥658/3000GB. They don’t expire and remain available until used. VPNFZ allows unlimited simultaneous devices, but plan your usage around the total data allowance, especially for video streaming and large downloads.
VPNFZ offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund. Before choosing, compare plan prices and review the setup guide. Check client compatibility and the data cycle before deciding which option works for you. Keeping configuration sources clear and permissions easy to review makes it easier to maintain a stable setup than frequently switching apps.