Shadowrocket FAQ

Start by checking the product page linked from this site, then check the country or region for the Apple Account used for Media & Purchases. Search results can vary by storefront, device compatibility, and account restrictions, so not finding the app in search does not confirm its availability. To check your region, open Settings, tap your Apple Account, then go to the account settings under Media & Purchases and look for Country/Region. Before changing it, review Apple’s requirements for account balance, subscriptions, and payment methods, and follow the steps shown.

Check the app name, Shadowrocket, the developer, Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the official icon, and the app ID 932747118 in the product link. The official icon should match the one in this site’s header; don’t rely on a similar name or search ranking alone. Review compatibility, price, and purchase details on the product page. System requirements and purchase eligibility are as listed on the App Store page. If any details don’t match, return to this site’s app verification guide before proceeding with a purchase.

A one-time purchase of the app is not a service plan. It gives you the right to use Shadowrocket, but does not provide server connection details. For your first setup, you’ll need your own existing subscription or server information; then follow a guide to import it, select a server, and test the connection. The US storefront lists the price as $2.99; other storefronts show local currency, and the App Store page has the current price. This manual does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. Check your app purchase and existing service account separately.

Sign in to the App Store with the Apple Account used for the original purchase, then find Shadowrocket in your purchased apps. You can usually redownload it using the cloud button. Check the account used for Media & Purchases, not just your iCloud sign-in. If the app still shows a price, check your purchase history, storefront, and the app ID before deciding what to do; there’s no need to pay again straight away. Redownloading the app won’t restore your servers, subscriptions, or Config. Keep a separate backup of your configuration before changing devices.

Check compatibility and purchase eligibility on the same App Store product page. Shadowrocket is primarily used on iPhone and iPad; check the store page for details on Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision as well. System requirements are as listed on the App Store page. Family Sharing eligibility also depends on what the store and Apple Account pages show. A purchase record can confirm your eligibility to download the app, but it does not mean that server details, subscription content, or the active configuration have synced to another device.

Open the same product page in the App Store on your iPad and check compatibility before downloading. System requirements are as listed on the App Store page. If you’ve already purchased the app, first check that Media & Purchases is signed in with the original purchasing account. On iPad, the layout of lists and details may change with screen orientation and window size; look for interface labels such as Home, Config, and Settings. After installation, check the servers, active Config, and VPN authorization on the device. Installing the app does not restore your connection configuration.

This is a system authorization step for setting up a VPN connection on your device. First, confirm that the request was initiated by Shadowrocket downloaded from the App Store. Then follow the system prompts and authenticate with your device passcode or other required method. Once authorized, return to the app and check the connection toggle and system connection status. This authorization does not add a server or verify a subscription. If you previously canceled the request, try connecting again and watch for the prompt. On a managed device, check whether its management policy allows VPN configurations.

This manual keeps interface labels in English. Use the page names to find your way: Home shows servers and connection controls, Config manages configuration files, Settings contains app settings, and Add Server adds a server. Under Global Routing, Config, Proxy, and Direct are the three routing modes. To change the language, check which language options your system offers for the app; available options vary by device. Don’t change the capitalization of PROXY or DIRECT in rules to match interface labels.

Before reinstalling, save your existing subscription URLs, manually added server details, and active Config. Note important settings such as Global Routing and custom DNS. Subscription URLs, passwords, keys, and QR codes may contain credentials, so store them somewhere secure that you control. If you use a sync feature, confirm that the data has actually synced; an enabled toggle alone does not prove a backup is complete. Your App Store purchase history lets you redownload the app, but does not restore all local data. When troubleshooting, try reversible settings changes before reinstalling.

In Home, first check that the server list contains an available entry. Select the server you want to use and look for the selected indicator beside it. Next, check Global Routing: choose Config if you have a rules configuration, or temporarily select Proxy or Direct when troubleshooting. Turn on the connection toggle, complete the system VPN authorization, then run Connectivity Test and visit the site you want to use. A test only reports on the item it checks; it does not replace testing actual access. If it fails, note the error and troubleshoot the network, server, and rules in that order.

First, confirm that you pasted your complete existing subscription URL. Check for missing characters at either end and for spaces, line breaks, or punctuation accidentally added to it. Make sure your current network can reach the URL and that your service account is still active. If the content can’t be parsed, check that the response is supported subscription content—not a login page or an error message. Note the error shown in the app and ask your original provider to verify the URL and content format. Don’t post the full subscription link publicly: its credentials may let others access your server details.

A subscription update fetches the server details returned by that subscription source. Names, addresses, ports, and available entries may change. Local edits to subscription-managed entries may be replaced by a later update, so record important changes and keep separate manual entries when needed. After updating, check the number of entries, the selected server, and any error messages; don’t just check whether the update finished. Updating servers through Subscribe is separate from updating rules in Config. Refreshing the server list does not necessarily update rule files.

First, check camera access and QR code clarity. Fit the entire code in the viewfinder and avoid glare, cropping, or a code that is too small. If the code is recognized but won’t import, check that it contains supported server or subscription data—not a webpage, login details, or other text. For server details you already have, enter the original parameters in Add Server to distinguish a scanning problem from a data problem. QR codes may contain passwords or subscription credentials, so don’t upload the original image publicly. Share only the error message and type of content.

Enter the protocol, Address, Port, authentication fields, and TLS and transport settings exactly as given in your existing details. Authentication fields vary by protocol: Password, UUID, and keys are not interchangeable. The connection address may also differ from Peer/SNI. Keep the original details, compare each field, and save; change only one suspected field at a time. For certificate errors, check the domain, device time, and server details first. Don’t use Allow Insecure as a general fix. Ask your original provider to verify any settings you can’t confirm.

First, distinguish the imported content: a server subscription mainly provides connection entries, while Config contains the corresponding routing rules. They are not interchangeable. A server appearing in Home doesn’t mean the expected Config is active. Duplicate entries may result from adding the same subscription more than once or having both manual and subscription entries. Check each entry’s source and parameters before deciding which to keep. Before removing anything, note the selected server and back up important data. Make sure entries with similar names don’t have different addresses or ports, so you don’t delete connection details you still need.

Config applies traffic handling based on the active Config and its rules. Proxy routes applicable traffic through the proxy, while Direct connects directly. For everyday rule-based routing, check the contents of Config, then select Config. To troubleshoot, briefly switch modes using the same network and destination, compare the results, then restore your original setting. PROXY and DIRECT in rules are policy keywords, not Global Routing button labels. If the problem occurs only in Config, check rule order, policies, and DNS settings first.

Start by reading any messages from the app and system. Confirm that a server is selected, required fields are complete, and the app is authorized to add a VPN configuration. Check whether another VPN connection is active or device management is restricting connections. Try disconnecting the existing VPN and reconnecting, then check the VPN configuration status in system Settings. If the connection still won’t start, keep your Config and server details, restart the device, and test again; don’t delete all configurations. If the toggle turns back on after you switch it off manually, check whether On Demand is reconnecting under the current network conditions.

Disconnect first and confirm that your Wi-Fi or cellular network can access the internet on its own. If Wi-Fi requires a sign-in page, complete network authentication first. Reconnect, check the selected server, and run Connectivity Test. If sites load in Proxy but not Config, check rule matching, policies, and DNS. If both fail, check the server details and service status first. If only one site is affected, consider whether the site itself is having a problem. A connected status means the connection configuration was established; it doesn’t guarantee access to every destination.

Separate the three steps: server connectivity, domain resolution, and access to the destination. A single timed-out test doesn’t prove the entire connection is unavailable. Keep the server and network unchanged, note which test failed and the domain involved, then check DNS settings in the active Config, related rules, and access logs. A custom DNS address that can’t be reached on the current network may also cause resolution failures. Save the original configuration, change one setting at a time, and retest the same destination. Don’t change the server, DNS, and rules all at once, or it will be hard to identify the cause. When reporting a problem, share redacted error details.

Compare similar time periods in your system battery usage and consider screen time, actual traffic, and network signal. A persistent VPN indicator alone doesn’t mean something is wrong. On Demand starts connections based on its conditions; check those conditions and server status if networks change frequently or connections keep failing. Temporarily turn off On Demand and connect manually for comparison. Also check whether continuous speed tests, subscription updates, or diagnostics are still running. Keep any useful error records, stop unnecessary ongoing tests, then restore settings one at a time. Don’t change every connection and rule setting at once.