This guide is for users who have downloaded v2rayN but are stuck on a macOS security alert or network permission prompt. First confirm the app source and CPU architecture, then allow it in macOS security settings. Next grant the permissions required for the system proxy or TUN, and finally verify the setup through the local port, connection logs, and a real request.
Identify where the block occurs
“Cannot open” can have several causes. macOS Gatekeeper checks apps on first launch, the system proxy sends traffic from proxy-aware apps to v2rayN, and TUN mode creates a virtual network interface. These prompts may appear one after another, but each has a different place to fix it.
If you immediately see “Cannot Verify the Developer” or “The application is from an unidentified developer” after double-clicking, the problem is at the app launch layer. The client core has not started yet, so subscriptions, VMess, VLESS, routing rules, and DNS are not involved. Allow the app first instead of repeatedly changing node parameters.
If the main window opens but no traffic flows after selecting a node, check the status bar, core logs, and macOS network settings. The system proxy only handles apps that read the macOS proxy configuration, while TUN uses a virtual interface to handle a broader range of traffic. Their system permission requirements differ.
Allow the app in System Settings
RecommendedKeep Gatekeeper enabled and explicitly allow the v2rayN instance that was just blocked.
Best for: “Cannot Verify the Developer” on first launch
System proxy mode
Writes HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS proxy settings without usually creating a virtual network interface.
Best for: browsers and desktop apps that follow the system proxy
TUN mode
Creates a virtual interface and handles more traffic. The first activation may require administrator authentication or network extension approval.
Best for: apps that do not read system proxy settings
Check the file first: Confirm that you downloaded the macOS build for your architecture. Apple silicon usually uses arm64, while Intel processors use x64. A mismatched architecture more often causes the app not to run or the core to fail at startup; network permissions cannot fix it.
Allow the app based on your macOS version
Move v2rayN to the “Applications” folder before launching it from there. Running it from an archive preview, a temporary download folder, or a read-only disk image can cause updates, core writes, and configuration saves to fail. After moving it, launch it once more so macOS creates the relevant block record.
macOS 13 Ventura, macOS 14 Sonoma, and macOS 15 Sequoia use the “System Settings” interface. macOS 12 Monterey uses the older “System Preferences” interface. The “Open Anyway” or “Allow Anyway” option appears only after you have just tried to open the app.
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Move the app
Finish extracting the file and move v2rayN to the “Applications” folder. Do not run it directly from inside the archive.
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Create the block record
In “Finder” → “Applications,” double-click v2rayN. Close the window after the developer verification warning appears.
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Open the security page
On macOS 13 through 15, open “System Settings” → “Privacy & Security” and scroll down to “Security.” On macOS 12, open “System Preferences” → “Security & Privacy” → “General.”
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Confirm the exception
Click “Open Anyway” beside the notice that v2rayN was blocked, then confirm with an administrator account, password, or system authentication as requested.
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Launch it again
Return to the “Applications” folder and open the app again. If a second confirmation window with an “Open” button appears, verify the app name and continue.
Another built-in option is to hold Control while clicking the app in “Finder,” choose “Open,” and then select “Open” again in the confirmation dialog. This creates an allow record for the current app only. If the option does not appear, double-click the app again to trigger the block, then return to the security settings page.
Do not disable global app security just to launch one client. A global change affects other programs downloaded later and makes the issue harder to isolate. Allowing a specific app is easier to undo and verify, and it makes permission changes after a system update easier to identify.
Distinguish system proxy, TUN, and local network permissions
After v2rayN opens successfully, import the subscription and update the nodes. A subscription is only a collection of server settings; it does not determine how macOS forwards traffic. Select a working node, then enable either the system proxy or TUN. For initial troubleshooting, start with the system proxy and switch to TUN only after the core and node are confirmed to work.
System proxy mode usually writes a local listening address to the macOS network service. A common example is SOCKS listening on 127.0.0.1:10808, with HTTP using a nearby port; use the current values shown in v2rayN’s settings and logs. If the configuration was migrated or a port conflict occurred, the default example is not a substitute for the values on your system.
System proxy checks
- Settings path
- System proxy → Configure system proxy automatically
- Listening address
- 127.0.0.1
- Example port
- 10808
- Where to check
- System Settings → Network → Current network → Details → Proxies
Useful for testing browser traffic first. Disabling the mode should also clear the system proxy.
TUN permission checks
- How it works
- Virtual network interface
- First action
- Administrator authentication
- Where to check
- System Settings → Network → VPN & Filters
- Common status
- Connected or allowed
Useful when more application traffic needs to be handled. Confirm that a normal node connection works before enabling it.
An administrator prompt when enabling TUN does not necessarily mean the node is faulty. Authentication may be needed to install or start a helper component, create a network interface, or apply network settings. If macOS continues to show a network extension prompt after authentication, open the specified System Settings page and explicitly allow it, then quit and relaunch v2rayN.
On macOS 15, some network extensions can be checked under “System Settings” → “General” → “Login Items & Extensions” → “Network Extensions.” Existing VPN or filtering items can also be viewed under “System Settings” → “Network” → “VPN & Filters.” Display names vary by the v2rayN version and implementation, so use the component name shown in the prompt.
- When using only the system proxy, first check whether the HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS proxies for the active Wi-Fi or wired network service point to the local address.
- When using TUN, do not leave another broken manual proxy configuration enabled at the same time. Otherwise, an app may try to use a port where nothing is listening.
- When you see a “Local Network” permission prompt, it is directly relevant only when you need access to LAN resources, local DNS, or a local subscription service.
- On company-managed devices, network extensions may be controlled by management policies. Even a standard administrator account may be unable to allow them; contact the device administrator to change the policy.
Configuration note: The core switch is usually under v2rayN “Settings” → “Parameters” → “Core Type.” The selected core must support the protocol. After changing the core type, restart the core and review the logs; do not judge the result while the old process is still running.
Verify with ports, logs, and a real request
A dismissed permission prompt does not mean the proxy is working. Complete verification should cover at least three layers: the v2rayN app starts reliably, the core listens on a local port, and the target request reaches the expected outbound. A menu bar icon or node latency alone cannot replace these checks.
Select a node in the main window and run a latency test once. A latency result only proves that the test received a response; it does not mean every website and app is using the proxy. Then open the core log and check for port conflicts such as “address already in use,” configuration parsing failures, certificate name mismatches, or missing subscription fields.
In system proxy mode, open “System Settings” → “Network” → the active network service → “Details” → “Proxies.” Check that enabled entries use server 127.0.0.1 and that the port matches v2rayN’s parameters. If the system is set to 10808 while the core log shows 10809, requests will fail immediately.
In TUN mode, disable the system proxy and test again so you can tell which entry point handles the traffic. Watch the core access log for 30 seconds: opening a new domain should create a corresponding connection record, and the route should end at a proxy, direct, or blocked outbound. If no new record appears, the problem is usually still at the traffic-capture layer.
- Confirm in v2rayN that the intended node is selected and that the subscription update time and node list are as expected.
- Open “Settings” → “Parameters” and record the local SOCKS and HTTP listening ports instead of relying on the defaults.
- Enable one traffic-capture method. Test the system proxy first, then test TUN separately after it succeeds.
- Open a domain you have not visited before and watch for a new connection in the core log.
- Switch the routing mode once, reconnect, and check the outbound tag ultimately used for the target domain.
If a VMess node starts but requests time out, continue checking the server address, port, user ID, transport, and TLS settings. For VLESS, also check Flow, the Reality public key, short ID, and server name. Gatekeeper only controls app launch and cannot correct protocol parameters; likewise, successful network authorization does not make an invalid subscription configuration work.
Common permission issues and recovery order
If clicking Allow several times changes nothing, do not delete the app, reset the network, switch cores, and edit the subscription all at once. Change one variable at a time so the logs show which layer was fixed. The recommended order is: quit the client, clear the stale system proxy, reopen the client, connect to a node, and only then enable the required traffic-capture mode.
What if “Open Anyway” is missing?
In “Finder” → “Applications,” double-click v2rayN again, close the block window, and immediately open “System Settings” → “Privacy & Security.” The option appears only while a recent block record exists.
Why am I asked for an administrator password every time after allowing the app?
Disable TUN first and test with only the system proxy enabled. If a normal launch no longer prompts for a password, the request comes from a network interface or helper component. Check that the network extension is allowed and that the app is in the “Applications” folder.
Why do all websites stop opening after the client quits?
The system may still have a proxy pointing to a local port. Reopen v2rayN and choose “System Proxy” → “Clear System Proxy.” You can also open “Details” → “Proxies” for the active network service and disable the relevant entries.
Why can’t I access LAN devices when TUN is connected?
Check whether the routing rules send private address ranges through the proxy. Common LAN ranges include 192.168.0.0/16, 10.0.0.0/8, and 172.16.0.0/12; they should usually be set to direct according to your needs.
Why does subscription updating time out?
First confirm that the subscription URL is complete, then connect to a known working node and update through the proxy. If the log shows no request at all, check the local listening port. If a request appears but the remote server times out, check the network and the subscription service status.
When a port is already in use, open “Settings” → “Parameters” and change the local port, save, and restart the core. Update the system proxy configuration with the new port as well. Changing only the client’s listening port while leaving the system proxy unchanged makes the system continue sending requests to the old port.
If old permission records behave strangely after changing the v2rayN version, quit all related processes first, place the new version in the same “Applications” folder, and launch it again. macOS may treat different signatures, paths, or helper components as new authorization targets, so seeing one confirmation prompt after an update does not mean the node configuration was lost.
After troubleshooting, keep one clearly defined working mode. For everyday browsing and apps that follow system settings, the system proxy is easier to observe. Use TUN when more application traffic needs to be handled. The subscription provides nodes, the core runs protocols such as VMess and VLESS, routing rules choose the outbound, and macOS permissions allow the app to launch and capture network traffic. Check these four layers separately to locate errors much faster.