For macOS and Linux, start with the Avalonia build for your operating system. On Windows, choose based on your workflow, system integration, and runtime requirements. The interface framework alone does not determine proxy speed or protocol support. This guide covers installer selection, tray and system proxy behavior, runtime dependencies, and configuration migration—for both first-time installs and users switching builds.
Avalonia vs. WPF: The Interface Isn’t the Proxy Core
Avalonia and WPF are desktop UI frameworks. WPF is designed for Windows, while Avalonia supports cross-platform interfaces, allowing v2rayN to offer builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The interface option you see in a download mainly affects window presentation, input behavior, the system tray, and integration with system features—not the proxy protocols available.
v2rayN manages servers, subscriptions, routing rules, and local proxy endpoints; the selected proxy core handles connections. To check whether configurations using VLESS, VMess, REALITY, and other protocols will work, verify the core version, node settings, and client support for the relevant fields. The Avalonia or WPF label alone doesn’t tell you.
Cross-Platform Avalonia Build
RecommendedA good default when you need cross-platform support, with a broadly consistent workflow across operating systems. You’ll still need to download the build for your OS and processor architecture and check the release’s system requirements.
Best for: macOS or Linux users, and anyone who switches between computers running different operating systems.
WPF for Windows
The Windows-specific interface option. If you know your way around its server list, tray menu, and shortcuts—and your current setup is stable—there’s no need to switch just for a different interface.
Best for: Windows users who want to keep a familiar workflow and preserve a stable setup.
This recommendation is about cross-platform needs; it doesn’t mean Avalonia always uses less memory or runs faster on Windows. Even with the same node, differences in core version, routing, DNS, and connection mode can have a much greater effect than the interface.
Choosing an Installer: Check OS, Architecture, and Dependencies
Start with your operating system, then check your processor architecture, and finally review runtime requirements. Don’t choose based on file size, and don’t assume “cross-platform” means one archive runs on every system. You can check all of this before downloading.
| Check | Where to look | What to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Windows system type | Go to Settings → System → About and check “System type.” | Choose x64 or ARM64 as appropriate. A 64-bit operating system doesn’t necessarily mean you have an x64 processor. |
| Mac processor | Open the Apple menu → About This Mac and check “Chip” or “Processor.” | For Apple silicon, choose ARM64; for Intel, choose x64. Check the architecture listed for the release. |
| Linux architecture | Run uname -m in a terminal. | x86_64 usually means x64; aarch64 usually means ARM64. |
| Runtime requirements | Installer notes and dependency prompts at launch | Check whether the build is self-contained or depends on a system runtime. Don’t guess from the package name alone. |
WPF doesn’t automatically require the older .NET Framework. Modern WPF apps can run on modern .NET. Check the startup prompt and release notes to find the required runtime. If you’re prompted to install the Windows Desktop Runtime, the standard .NET Runtime may not be enough.
Avalonia doesn’t mean there are no system dependencies. Self-contained builds usually include the required .NET runtime components, but Linux builds may still depend on graphics, font, or other native libraries. If an older system is missing underlying components, check the supported platforms before addressing dependencies. Don’t keep switching nodes to troubleshoot an app that hasn’t launched yet.
System Integration: Check the Tray, System Proxy, and TUN Separately
A window opening only confirms that the graphical interface runs. Day-to-day usability also depends on what happens when you close the window, how you access the tray, startup behavior, and system proxy settings. Menus may move between releases, so compare actual features rather than screenshots.
- Window and tray: After clicking the close button, check whether the app exits or minimizes to the tray. Restore the main window from the tray and check scaling, font rendering, and behavior when moving it between displays.
- System proxy: In v2rayN’s system proxy menu, choose “Set system proxy.” On Windows, go to Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy and check the proxy server address and port. Menu wording may vary by release.
- Startup: After enabling startup, fully exit and sign back in. Check whether the app and core start automatically and whether the proxy is restored as expected. These are three separate checks.
- Linux desktop tray: Whether the tray icon appears depends on your desktop environment and its tray support. A missing icon doesn’t necessarily mean the core has stopped; check the process and logs.
System proxy mode generally affects only apps that follow the system proxy settings. TUN mode involves a virtual network interface, routing, and permissions. Availability depends on the operating system, client build, core, and permissions—not just whether you’re using Avalonia or WPF. When comparing builds, turn off TUN first and confirm the standard local proxy works, then test TUN separately.
Bottom Line: Test the Local Port Before System Integration
If a manual proxy connection works with the same active server but your browser can’t connect, first check the system proxy settings and whether the app follows them. Don’t immediately blame the interface build or node protocol.
Speed and Resource Use: How to Compare Builds Fairly
“Which version is faster?” breaks down into two questions: UI responsiveness and network performance. Scrolling the server list and opening windows are UI measures; download speed, handshake failures, and page timeouts mainly depend on the network path, core, node, and configuration. Cross-platform tests also introduce differences in drivers and network stacks, so don’t attribute them directly to the UI framework.
- Record the client and running core versions on both builds. Use the same node and keep routing, DNS, and connection mode consistent.
- Run only one build at a time. Pause subscription updates, speed tests, and other downloads; let the system sit idle for 5 minutes, then record memory and CPU use separately for the client and core processes.
- Run three connection tests to the same destination and record the success rate and total time. Don’t draw conclusions from a single sample or treat a one-off fluctuation as a trend.
- Exit the first build, confirm its core process has stopped and its local port has been released, then launch the second build and repeat the test. Don’t compare resource use while both are running.
The command below tests a local SOCKS endpoint, assuming it listens on 127.0.0.1 at port 10808 and supports SOCKS. If the client shows a different port, replace the value first. On Windows, use curl.exe; on macOS and Linux, use curl.
curl.exe --proxy socks5h://127.0.0.1:10808 --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 30 --output NUL --write-out "HTTP=%{http_code} total=%{time_total}s\n" https://example.com/
curl --proxy socks5h://127.0.0.1:10808 --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 30 --output /dev/null --write-out "HTTP=%{http_code} total=%{time_total}s\n" https://example.com/socks5h sends the destination hostname to the proxy for resolution, which is useful for testing this specific proxy path. It doesn’t represent how every app handles DNS. If the connection is refused, first check the listening port and whether the core has started. For certificate or handshake errors, check the system clock, TLS settings, and server configuration against the logs.
Switching from WPF to Avalonia: Keep a Rollback Option
Don’t assume different interface builds of the same client use identical data directories or configuration formats. Data or settings may be upgraded, especially when switching across multiple releases. The safest approach is to keep the old directory and test the new build in a separate location instead of overwriting existing files.
Migration Plan: Keep the Old Build, Test the New One Separately
Existing setup
- Exit the client, then back up the data directory and configuration it actually uses.
- Note your subscription groups, active server, local ports, and custom routing rules.
- Save the current version details and disable automatic startup to avoid port conflicts.
- Subscription URLs may contain access credentials. Restrict access to backup files.
New setup
- Use a separate app directory and make sure it doesn’t share the old data directory.
- Use a supported import method if available, or add your subscriptions again.
- Recheck local endpoints, routing, DNS, and system proxy settings.
- Consider replacing the old build only after testing connections, restarting, and restoring the window.
For cross-platform migration, transfer subscriptions and explicitly exported configurations. Don’t copy the entire old app directory along with core files built for another operating system.
Adding subscriptions again can restore the server list, but may not restore custom rules, shortcuts, window settings, or local listening ports. After migration, select an active server again. A populated node list doesn’t mean your connection is fully configured.
Still Won’t Open or Connect? Troubleshoot by Stage
It’s more effective to pinpoint whether the problem occurs during app startup, core startup, proxy setup, or the remote connection than to keep switching between interface builds. Keep the full error message, but redact subscription credentials, server passwords, and other sensitive details.
| Symptom | Check first | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| A missing runtime warning appears when you double-click | Runtime type, version, and architecture | Install the runtime specified in the error, or choose a self-contained build for your operating system. |
| The interface works, but the core won’t start | Core files, execute permissions, listening ports, and configuration logs | Make sure the archive was fully extracted. On Linux, check execute permissions and rule out a port conflict. |
| Manual proxy works, but the browser doesn’t | System proxy status and browser proxy settings | Check the address and port, and see whether another app changed the settings. |
| Only one node fails during the handshake | Node parameters, core support, and system time | Check the server name, public key, and related fields. Don’t switch interface builds as your first step. |
| Network problems after exiting | Leftover system proxy settings or TUN routes | Restore the original proxy settings, make sure the client and core have exited, then test a direct connection. |
The choice can be simple: use the Avalonia build for macOS or Linux, matched to your system. On Windows, start with the desktop build currently offered on the download page; if your WPF setup is stable, keep it for now. Migrate only when you have a clear need related to the interface, system integration, or runtime—and keep a rollback option.