Shadowrocket FAQ

Open the App Store product page from this site's App Store & Purchase page to distinguish missing search results from unavailability in your current storefront. Check the country or region of the Apple Account used for App Store purchases, not just your device language or location. To change regions, go to Settings > Apple Account > Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region. Read the system prompts and resolve restrictions such as account balance or active subscriptions first. Avoid repeatedly switching regions just to find the app.

Check the product name, Shadowrocket; the developer, Shadow Launch Technology Limited; the official icon; and id932747118 in the product page URL. The app ID is 932747118, and its icon should match the official icon in this site's navigation. A similar name, search ranking, or matching icon color alone isn't enough to verify the app. Open the App Store listing and check the developer and compatibility details; don't apply information about similarly named apps to this manual.

Shadowrocket is a paid client, and its one-time purchase does not include a connection plan. Buying the app is separate from your subscription or access to your own server. After purchase, you'll still need to import your connection details. The US storefront lists the app at $2.99; prices vary by storefront and are shown in local currency. Check the App Store listing for the current price. This site explains client setup but does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. Check the validity and access terms for your connection details with your own service provider.

Sign in with the Apple Account used for the original App Store purchase, find Shadowrocket in your account's apps or purchase history, and download it again from there. If you see a price instead of a redownload option, check the purchase account, purchase history, and current storefront before paying again. Redownloading the app does not restore local data. Back up subscription links, manually entered servers, and Config files separately, then verify that they're still valid after restoring. Check the App Store listing for purchase eligibility.

Shadowrocket is primarily for iPhone and iPad, and the App Store is also the place to get it for iPad. If you've already purchased it, check its download status with the original purchase account, then verify compatibility with your device. Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision are also listed in the compatibility section of the same App Store page. Check that page for system requirements, compatibility, and whether the purchase is eligible for use across devices. The instructions here focus on iPhone and iPad; layouts on other devices may differ.

When you first enable a connection, the system may ask you to allow Shadowrocket to add a VPN configuration. This authorization is required to establish a system network connection. Make sure the request was initiated by the Shadowrocket app you just opened, then follow the system prompts and authenticate on your device. If you canceled, return to the app and enable the connection again to retry. Authorization only allows the system to establish a connection; it doesn't confirm that the server is available. Next, check the selected server, Global Routing, and whether you can access your intended destination.

First, select a server entry with all required fields filled in, then check that you've completed the initial VPN configuration authorization. In Settings, open the system's VPN management screen and check for another active VPN configuration. Stop any conflicting connection and try again. If your device is managed by an organization, ask its administrator about authorization restrictions. If it still fails, note the message, quit and reopen the app, then restart your device and try again. Don't delete all configurations as a first step; you could lose useful troubleshooting clues and existing settings.

This manual uses the interface labels Home, Config, Settings, Data, Add Server, and Subscribe, so you can look for them by their English names. To change the display language, check Shadowrocket's app language options in system Settings. The available options depend on what the system and app currently support. If a menu is in a different place, look for it by function rather than relying only on screenshot coordinates. Changing the display language won't fill in server fields or change whether a subscription is valid.

An empty list doesn't mean the app failed to install. The app purchase and connection details are separate. To get started, import a subscription you already have or enter your existing server details through Add Server. First identify what you have: a subscription URL, a single server share link, or a Config file. Then choose the matching import option. Once added, check that the expected entry appears in Home and select it to connect. Don't enter an App Store purchase record, website URL, or explanatory text as server details.

App updates are delivered through the App Store. Before updating, keep a copy of your original subscription link, manually entered server parameters, active Config, and any custom settings you need. Backups may contain access credentials, so store them somewhere you control and don't post them in public forums. App updates and subscription updates are separate; you generally don't need to rebuild all your entries when updating the app. After updating, test with your existing settings first. If something goes wrong, change one setting at a time to identify the cause.

In Home, open Add Server and select Subscribe. Enter your complete subscription URL in the URL field, add a recognizable name if you like, then save and update. When copying the URL, preserve all query parameters and don't add spaces, line breaks, or extra text. After importing, check that the returned server entries look as expected, then test one. Subscription links are sensitive: don't show a real link in a public screenshot. This site explains how to import a link but doesn't collect or host yours.

First make sure the URL is complete. Then check that your device can reach the service hosting the subscription, that the link is still valid and you have access, and finally that the app can recognize the returned format. A subscription URL should return data the app can read, not a login page, error page, or general information page. Test one thing at a time and note the exact error. Avoid changing DNS, rules, and server parameters all at once. If you see an access or content error, check the link with your service provider. Repeatedly adding the same subscription won't fix the underlying issue.

In Home, find the subscription group and use its update action to fetch the latest content. Then check for changes to the entries and any error messages. To update subscriptions when you open the app, look for the related option in Settings and enable it if available. This doesn't mean the system will refresh subscriptions continuously at any time. Manual updates are useful for verifying an import or troubleshooting; automatic updates reduce repeated steps. Both require a valid, reachable link, and neither updates the app itself in the App Store.

A completed update only means the fetch process finished; check the returned content too. Expand the subscription group, check for search or filter settings, then verify your subscription access, the returned format, and whether your provider changed the entries. If a server name has changed, you may need to select the server you're currently using again. An old entry remaining in the list doesn't prove it's still valid. If the update returned no content, keep the link and error details, then check with your service provider instead of clearing all your configurations.

They serve different purposes. Subscribe typically fetches and updates a server list. A single share link typically describes one server connection. A Config file may include rules, DNS, and policy settings, depending on its contents. Identify the data type before importing it. Seeing servers in the list doesn't mean the rules are configured correctly. When using Scan QR Code, check what type of content was recognized; not every QR code is a subscription. Before replacing a Config, save a copy of the one that currently works.

Config uses the rules in the current Config to decide where traffic goes. Proxy generally sends traffic through the selected proxy. Direct generally connects straight to the destination. For rule-based routing, check the Config contents and select Config. When troubleshooting, try Proxy to test the server connection and Direct as a baseline for your network. Changing the routing mode won't fix an expired subscription or incorrect server details. Restore the setting that fits your needs when you're done testing.

Disconnect Shadowrocket and confirm that your basic network can still reach sites that were accessible before. Reconnect, then check the selected server and Global Routing. Use Connectivity Test to check the connection, and also visit the intended site; one successful test doesn't prove everything is working. If only some domains fail, check rule matches and DNS. If all requests fail, first verify the server details, its validity, and network reachability. Change one condition at a time and note whether the results differ between Wi-Fi and cellular.

Not necessarily. Connectivity Test only reflects the test method, target, and network conditions at that moment. Check the server address, port, protocol, and any required authentication or transport fields, then confirm that the test target is available. You can also compare results on a different network. If the test times out but your intended sites work, review the test method rather than rebuilding every configuration. If those sites also fail, save the error details and check server status one item at a time. A test result doesn't guarantee long-term speed or reliability.

Note the failed domains, time of the issue, and current Global Routing, then check request logs for rule matches and connection errors. If switching temporarily from Config to Proxy resolves the issue, review the original rules and their associated policies, and confirm against the logs. If domain resolution fails, check the DNS settings in the current Config and whether the resolver is reachable. Make a backup before changing anything, and change one setting at a time. Also check whether the destination site itself is having problems; not every partial access failure is caused by DNS.

Check your device's battery usage for the time period in question, and distinguish continuous traffic from weak network signal or repeated reconnections. On Demand triggers connections under specified conditions. If those conditions don't match your current network, connections may behave unexpectedly. Temporarily turn it off for comparison, then review the trigger rules. Don't draw conclusions from a single battery change; keep usage and network conditions similar while testing. If the issue continues with On Demand off, check connection errors and traffic changes in Data, and note the steps needed to reproduce it.