Install v2rayN on macOS: Fix Unverified Developer and Network Access Permissions

Before installation: Check the processor architecture and file location

Before downloading the macOS package, check which processor architecture the device uses. Apple silicon devices generally need the arm64 build, while Intel devices use the x64 build. Choosing the wrong architecture can prevent the app from launching or force it to run through a system translation layer, adding unnecessary variables to troubleshooting.

Open Terminal and run the following command:

uname -m

• Output is arm64: choose the macOS arm64 version.
• Output is x86_64: choose the macOS x64 version.

After obtaining the correct file, extract it completely and move the app to the Applications folder. Do not run it long-term from Downloads, a compressed-file preview, or a temporary mounted location. Keeping the app in a fixed location makes system approval records, configuration folders, and future updates easier to track. If another app with the same name has been used before, quit the old process and make sure the version you open is the one in Applications.

1. Get the macOS package that matches your processor architecture.
2. Extract the files completely; do not double-click the app inside the archive.
3. Move v2rayN to the Applications folder.
4. Try opening it normally once so the system creates a clear block record.
5. Use the prompt type to decide whether to approve it under Privacy & Security.

Unverified Developer: The correct approval sequence

On first launch, macOS security controls may prevent an app the system has not approved from opening directly. Create an approval record for the current app rather than disabling app checks system-wide. Approving one app preserves protection for other apps and makes it easier to confirm which copy of v2rayN is actually being launched.

Method 1: Allow it to open from Privacy & Security

1. In Applications, double-click v2rayN and wait for the system to show the blocking alert.
2. Close the alert and open System Settings.
3. Go to Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section.
4. Find the v2rayN entry that was just blocked and select “Open Anyway”.
5. Complete the local account confirmation requested by the system, then launch the app again.

The approval button usually appears only after a launch attempt has been blocked. If you cannot find the entry after opening Settings, return to Applications, try opening the app once more, and immediately check the Security page. Wording and placement vary by macOS version, but the core process is the same: trigger the block, then create an exception for the current app.

Method 2: Use the shortcut menu to confirm the first launch

In Applications, select v2rayN, then use a secondary click or the shortcut menu to choose “Open”. macOS may show a confirmation prompt. After confirming, you can usually launch the app normally by double-clicking it. If the shortcut menu still shows only a block message, use the approval flow in Privacy & Security.

If macOS says the app is damaged, do not treat it as an unverified developer alert. Delete the current copy first, obtain a complete package that matches the processor architecture, make sure extraction finishes without errors, and move it to Applications before trying again. Source-related alerts can be handled in the system interface; file-structure or incomplete-download problems require a different file first.

Network Access Permissions and proxy listening scope

After v2rayN launches, it may perform several kinds of network activity: the client reads subscriptions, the core creates outbound connections to remote servers, local apps connect to the proxy listening port, and devices on the local network may access that port if sharing is explicitly enabled. The related system prompts are not all the same.

Normal outbound connections

Updating subscriptions, testing nodes, and establishing proxy connections all require external network access. The built-in macOS firewall mainly focuses on incoming connections. Denying unsolicited connections from external devices generally does not also block ordinary outbound requests from the app. When a firewall prompt appears, do not mistake “Allow incoming connections” for a master switch for all networking features.

Local loopback listening

System proxy mode usually makes apps such as browsers connect to a local address, for example an HTTP or SOCKS port on 127.0.0.1. When the proxy is for this Mac only, keep the listening address on loopback. This limits the proxy entry point to the current computer, reduces exposure on the local network, and avoids enabling sharing just for ordinary local proxy use.

Firewall incoming connections

If macOS asks whether v2rayN or its core may accept incoming network connections, choose based on your actual use case. When the proxy is used only on this computer, ordinary outbound connections and a local loopback proxy may work even with external incoming access denied. Only enable and investigate incoming access when other devices on the same local network must connect to this computer's proxy port; then check the firewall rule, listening address, and local-network access controls together.

Local network permission

Some macOS versions provide a Local Network permission for apps that access local-network resources. A standard remote proxy connection is not the same as scanning the local network. Focus on this permission only when the configuration needs to access local addresses, discover nearby devices, or provide a proxy service to other devices. If routing rules require private addresses to connect directly, also verify that those addresses are not being incorrectly sent through a remote node.

System Proxy and TUN: Required permissions

System proxy and TUN mode handle traffic differently and require different permissions. After installation succeeds, start with the system proxy to verify basic connectivity, then decide whether to enable TUN based on the apps and traffic you need to cover. This keeps core, system-proxy, and virtual-interface issues from becoming mixed together.

System proxy mode

System proxy mode changes the proxy settings for the current macOS network service, causing apps that follow system proxy settings to send requests to v2rayN's local listening port. After enabling it, you can inspect the proxy status recorded by the system in Terminal:

scutil --proxy

In the output, look for the HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS switches and ports. The type of proxy to enable depends on the client's current configuration. If v2rayN reports that the proxy is enabled but the system query is unchanged, first confirm that the client has the account authorization needed to modify system settings and check whether the active network service has changed.

System proxy mode cannot control every program. Some apps use their own network stack, ignore system proxy settings, or establish a specific type of connection directly. In that case, a working browser and a non-working program do not necessarily mean the node has failed. First determine whether the target program follows system proxy settings, then consider a mode with broader coverage.

TUN mode

TUN mode uses a virtual network interface to capture more traffic. It usually requires administrator approval and may install or start a supporting service. If the system requests account confirmation, read the prompt and verify that the operation comes from the currently launched v2rayN. After enabling TUN, also check routing, DNS, and core status; do not rely only on whether the interface toggle appears enabled.

If TUN fails to start, exit TUN mode and return to the system proxy to verify the node. If the system proxy works, the subscription, node, and basic core are probably usable; the issue is more likely related to virtual-interface permissions, a supporting service, a route conflict, or DNS settings. If the system proxy also fails, prioritize checking the configuration and remote connection instead of fixing TUN first.

After importing a subscription: Verify that the proxy is actually working

A launchable app does not mean the proxy is working. After handling permissions, import a valid subscription or a single share link. v2rayN can manage VMess, VLESS, and other configurations, but whether a connection succeeds depends on the server address, port, identifiers, transport parameters, security settings, and domain settings matching one another.

1. Add the subscription URL in subscription management and run an update.
2. Confirm that the node list contains the expected entries, not just the subscription name.
3. Select a node and set it as the active server.
4. Start the corresponding core and check the runtime log for configuration parsing errors.
5. Enable the system proxy first, then visit a real webpage in a browser.
6. After confirming that it works, configure routing rules or TUN as needed.

A latency test only shows whether a particular probe returned; it cannot fully replace a real connection test. If a node displays a value but webpages do not load, continue by checking the core log, system proxy port, and DNS results. Conversely, a probe with no result does not immediately prove that the node is unusable; verify it with an actual connection.

Check whether the local port is listening

If the system proxy points to a local port but the core is not listening there, app requests will fail immediately. Start by checking the HTTP and SOCKS listening ports in v2rayN's settings or logs, then use system tools to inspect the port state. Do not run multiple client instances on the same ports; a later process may fail because the ports are already in use.

Check the subscription and core relationship

A subscription provides a set of configurations; the core parses those configurations and establishes connections. If the subscription updates successfully but a node fails to start, common causes include missing fields, mismatched transport parameters, expired server details, or options unsupported by the current core. Check the specific core error instead of repeating macOS app approval.

Check routing rules

Routing rules decide whether requests connect directly, use the proxy, or are blocked. If only some websites are inaccessible, first check the order of domain rules, IP rules, and the default outbound. After changing routing, save the configuration and restart the relevant core so the running configuration does not remain an older version.

Startup and Connectivity Issues: A layered troubleshooting checklist

Troubleshoot in layers: file, app, core, local proxy, remote connection, then routing. If one layer has not passed, do not rely on changes to a later layer as a guess.

Layer 1: The app will not launch

• Confirm that the package architecture matches the current processor.
• Confirm that the app was fully extracted and moved to Applications.
• Approve the app individually when macOS shows an “Unverified Developer” alert.
• If the file appears abnormal, obtain a complete file again rather than treating it as a permission issue.
• Make sure another copy with the same name is not being launched from an old Downloads folder.

Layer 2: The interface launches but the core fails

• Read the first clear error in the log, not just the final exit message.
• Check whether another process is already using the local listening port.
• Confirm that a specific node is selected, rather than only a subscription group.
• After updating the subscription, select the node again and restart the core.
• Check that the configuration fields match the server-side settings.

Layer 3: The core runs but the browser cannot connect

• Use scutil --proxy to check whether the system proxy has been written.
• Confirm that the system proxy port matches the port v2rayN is actually listening on.
• Temporarily use simple routing to rule out custom routing rules.
• Check for DNS errors and the domain-resolution strategy.
• Quit duplicate client instances to prevent them from overwriting the port and system proxy settings.

Layer 4: The system proxy works but TUN does not

• Confirm that administrator approval was completed when enabling TUN.
• Check whether the supporting service or virtual interface actually started.
• Look for route conflicts caused by other virtual networking tools.
• Return to the system proxy and verify the node again to ensure the remote connection still works.
• Restore advanced options such as DNS, routing, and strict routing one at a time.

Installing v2rayN on macOS: Frequently asked questions