Shadowrocket FAQ

First, make sure you searched for Shadowrocket, then open the App Store product page from this site's listing verification guide. Search results depend on your account's storefront region and app availability. If the product page says the app is unavailable, check your account region rather than repeatedly changing your device language. To change regions, go to Media & Purchases under Apple Account in system Settings, check Country/Region, and follow Apple's instructions for balance, subscriptions, and payment methods.

Check the app name, Shadowrocket; the developer, Shadow Launch Technology Limited; and the official icon shown on this site. Also make sure the product page URL contains id932747118. A similar name or icon does not mean it's the same app—verify both the developer and app ID. Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app for Apple platforms, available for purchase and installation only through the App Store. Check the App Store listing for pricing, system requirements, and compatible devices.

On the new device, first make sure you're signed in to the App Store with the account used for the original purchase. Then look for Shadowrocket in the account's purchase history or app list; the exact menu name depends on your system. Purchased apps can usually be downloaded again. If a price still appears, check your purchase history, account, and storefront before paying again. Restoring the app and restoring local data are separate: whether server entries and Config return depends on your previous backup or sync settings.

A one-time purchase of the client is not a connection plan. It gives you the right to use the Shadowrocket app; to connect, you still need your own existing subscription or server details. The US storefront price is about $2.99; the actual amount, taxes, and local-currency price are shown at App Store checkout. This site covers app usage only and does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. Before importing, confirm the validity period, connection details, and usage permissions of your existing service.

On iPad, sign in to the App Store with the account used for the original purchase, open the same Shadowrocket product page, and check the Get button and purchase history. Check the App Store listing for purchase availability on iPhone and iPad, compatibility with Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision, and whether universal purchase or Family Sharing applies. Availability on the same storefront does not mean settings are automatically shared across devices. When using another device for the first time, also check data restoration and connection authorization.

Shadowrocket needs system permission to add a VPN configuration before it can connect. Make sure the prompt comes from the Shadowrocket app you just opened, grant permission as instructed, and confirm with your device passcode or system authentication. This adds a network connection configuration to your device; it does not purchase a service or fill in server details automatically. Before and after granting permission, check whether Home contains a usable entry. Check the App Store listing for system requirements and device compatibility.

First, make sure Home has a server entry and that the one you want is selected. Then check whether the system displays a prompt to authorize the VPN configuration. If you previously canceled, try connecting again and check the existing configuration in the VPN section of system Settings. Managed devices may restrict adding VPN configurations; follow your device management requirements. If it still fails, note the full error message and try again after disconnecting other active VPN connections. Don't delete all configurations just to test—keep a backup first.

You can follow the interface labels as they are: Home shows servers and connection status, Add Server adds an entry, Subscribe handles an existing subscription, Config manages configurations, and Settings contains app settings. If your device offers a separate app language option, look for it in the Shadowrocket settings in system Settings; available languages vary. This manual keeps the English interface labels so you can find the same controls regardless of system language. You don't need to change the language of your entire device to get started.

Depending on screen width, orientation, and app layout, iPad may show more content, but the steps are the same: import your existing details, select a server, check Global Routing, then connect. Look for labels such as Home, Add Server, and Config rather than relying only on button positions. iPad also requires system permission to add a VPN configuration, and you should test the current network separately. Check the App Store listing for system requirements; a purchase history does not replace authorization on this device.

A normal App Store update usually doesn't require you to recreate existing servers and Config entries, but it's still a good idea to save important settings with the backup or export feature currently available in the app. Updating the app, updating a subscription, and changing Config are separate operations. If entries look wrong after an update, check the current group, selected configuration, and backup restoration status first. Restore only after confirming data is missing; repeated imports can overwrite changes and make them harder to track.

When you select Subscribe in Add Server, make sure you're entering your existing subscription URL—not an account sign-in page, an information page, or a single server share. Check for spaces, line breaks, or punctuation added during copying, then confirm the URL is still valid and accessible on your current network. A response containing a sign-in page or an error can't be parsed as a subscription. Keep the exact error message and ask the original service provider to confirm the format and permissions. Don't post the full URL publicly if it contains credentials.

Match Type to the protocol used by your existing server, then check Address, Port, and the authentication fields required by that protocol. Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, and Hysteria2 entries use different parameters; changing only the protocol name while keeping unrelated fields won't work. Enter TLS, Server Name, and transport settings from your existing details—don't guess based on the address. Save the entry, select it, and then connect. Correct one set of fields at a time to help identify the cause.

The QR code must contain server sharing details or subscription information that Shadowrocket can recognize, not just a link to a regular webpage. When using Scan QR Code, check camera permission, image clarity, and that the whole code is visible. For clipboard imports, make sure you copied the complete content and allow pasting when prompted. After import, check the groups and entry list in Home so an entry in a different group isn't mistaken for a failed import. Shared content may include access credentials; don't upload it to public image or text-parsing sites.

Find the relevant subscription group in Home and use the update action available for that group. Afterward, check for errors and confirm the entries changed as expected. For automatic updates, check the Subscribe-related options in Settings; available options depend on the app. If manual updates also fail, check your local network, the URL's validity, access permissions, and the response format in that order. Check trigger conditions only if automatic updates are the sole problem. Save manually edited parameters first, as refreshing a subscription may overwrite them.

Give each subscription group a recognizable name and note its purpose and how you determine when it was last updated. This helps prevent selecting the wrong entry when names are similar. Update and verify one group at a time before moving on; this makes issues easier to isolate than replacing everything at once. Before deleting anything, use the app's backup or export feature and check whether it includes server entries, subscription URLs, and Config. Export options may cover different data. Store backups containing sensitive information securely, and check the groups and current selection again after restoring.

The three common modes are Config, Proxy, and Direct. Config routes requests according to the rules in the currently enabled configuration, making it suitable when you already have explicit routing rules. Proxy sends requests that would normally use a proxy through the selected server, which can help isolate rule-related issues. Direct uses a direct connection and can't be used to verify whether a proxy server is working. Before troubleshooting, note the current selection, switch temporarily, and test the same destination, then restore the intended mode. Exact behavior also depends on your configuration and app settings.

A system connection status only means the connection configuration is enabled; it doesn't guarantee that every destination is reachable. First disconnect and confirm your local network works, then reconnect and check the selected server and Global Routing. If Proxy works but Config doesn't, focus on the active rules and policy references. If both fail, check the server details, service status, and DNS. Change one condition at a time and test the same webpage. Changing the server, rules, and DNS all at once makes it hard to tell which layer caused the issue.

Connectivity Test results reflect only the tested destination and the network path at that moment; they don't directly measure webpage loading or sustained transfer performance. Keep the same server and compare Wi-Fi with cellular, then test at different times and against the actual destinations you use. Switching networks may incur mobile data charges. If only certain sites are slow, check which rules match those destinations and how they are resolved. If everything is slow, check server status, protocol settings, and local network congestion. Don't rank servers based on a single test.

First, note your current DNS settings and Config, then restore a configuration you previously confirmed worked for comparison. Custom DNS or DNS over HTTPS may not be reachable on your current network, and correct values don't guarantee the request is taking the right path. Check whether the issue affects only certain domains and whether requests match the expected rules. Reconnect after restoring settings, then test again. Don't replace multiple DNS configurations at once or keep adding DNS changes before confirming the server works. For more details, see the DNS guide.

Check Shadowrocket's activity in system battery usage and consider actual data transfer, network changes, and usage times rather than relying only on the status icon. If the connection returns automatically, check whether On Demand is enabled and review its trigger conditions. If it reconnects after you turn it off manually, those conditions may still be met. For diagnosis, temporarily disable On Demand and observe the same usage scenario. Also check for frequent subscription updates or continuous logging. Keep necessary settings after making changes; battery life will vary.