Shadowrocket FAQ

Check the storefront region currently used by the App Store, then use this site's App Store product page to verify the listing. Availability and purchase options can vary by storefront, so check the page shown for your region. If you need to change regions, review Apple's official account settings for the requirements and steps. Don't identify the app by a similar name or icon alone.

Open the product page and check the app name, Shadowrocket, the developer, Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and the app ID in the URL: 932747118. Then compare the official icon shown in the store. Search results may include apps with similar names, so verify the details on the product page rather than relying on the results list. See the App Store page for pricing, compatibility, and system requirements.

Make sure the App Store on your new device is signed in with the account used for the original purchase, then look for Shadowrocket in your purchase history. The App Store determines which purchases and devices are eligible. If the store still shows a price, check your account and storefront region before paying again. Your app purchase history is separate from server details stored in the app, so save your existing configuration before switching devices.

No. Buying Shadowrocket is a one-time purchase of the client; it does not include a server plan. After opening the app, you'll need to import or enter your own existing subscription or server details in the appropriate fields. This guide covers the app interface and troubleshooting, but does not provide server information. If you have connection trouble, first determine whether it involves your purchase, imported details, or the server itself.

When you first turn on the connection, iOS may ask for permission to add a VPN configuration. This authorizes a network configuration change on your device; it does not mean a subscription has been imported or that a server is ready to use. Verify the app's source and the server you've selected, then decide whether to approve the request. If you denied permission earlier, check the VPN configuration status in your device settings, then return to Shadowrocket and try again.

Open the Shadowrocket product page in the App Store on your iPad to check compatibility and system requirements for that device; the App Store listing is authoritative. If you've already purchased the app, check your purchase history using the original account. The iPad layout may differ from iPhone, but the checks for importing existing details, choosing Global Routing, and turning on the connection are the same.

Make sure Home has a server selected that you've configured with your existing details, and check that your device allows Shadowrocket to add a VPN configuration. Turn the connection switch off and on again, and look for a system permission prompt or an in-app error. If it still won't turn on, check that your device can access ordinary websites, then verify that the server address, port, and authentication fields are complete. An enabled switch does not prove that the server is reachable.

Look for the labels shown in the app rather than searching for translated button names. Home shows servers and connection status; Add Server is for entering server details manually; Subscribe manages existing subscriptions; Global Routing lets you choose Config, Proxy, or Direct; and Settings includes options such as On Demand. The location of these items may vary slightly by device, so check which screen you're on before proceeding.

Check that the copied link is complete, including its beginning, parameters, and final characters. Make sure your network can access it, and confirm that it still returns valid content from the provider you already use. A link that opens may still return content Shadowrocket can't parse. Change one thing at a time, then update it in Subscribe and check the result to distinguish link, format, and network issues.

Make sure you've opened the right item in Subscribe and that the list isn't showing a different group. Then check whether the original link actually returned server details. A completed update only means the request finished; it doesn't guarantee that the response contains data or uses a recognizable format. If the list is empty on multiple devices, ask the source of your existing subscription to check its contents. If only this device is affected, verify that the link was copied correctly.

From Home, open Add Server and choose the protocol that matches your existing server details. Enter the server address, port, and required authentication fields separately. Use a hostname or IP address in the address field and enter the port in its own field; don't paste an entire share string into the address field. Protocols such as Trojan, VLESS, and WireGuard use different fields, so match them to the details you have rather than guessing missing values.

Update subscriptions individually when server details change, the list no longer matches the provider's information, or connection problems persist. Before updating, note the selected server and subscription name so you don't confuse lists from different sources. Repeated refreshes usually won't fix an invalid link. If an item disappears after an update, check what the original link returned before deciding whether to import it again. Manually entered server details are not filled in automatically when subscriptions refresh.

Config follows the rules in the active configuration file, making it suitable when you've checked those rules. Proxy routes requests through the selected server and can help you test whether it can handle them. Direct connects without the proxy route, which can help determine whether the issue is related to that route. These options change routing; they won't fix an invalid server. Note the original setting before testing, then restore it if needed.

First, check that your device's network is working. Then check the selected server on Home, using Connectivity Test if needed to help assess reachability. Next, confirm that Global Routing is set to the expected option: Config, Proxy, or Direct. If you're using Config, check whether the rules send the request to the intended policy. An active connection switch only means the device established the corresponding network configuration; it doesn't confirm that the destination server or DNS is working.

On Demand attempts to connect under the network conditions you've set, so it may behave differently from using the switch manually when those conditions aren't suitable. For troubleshooting, note the current rules, temporarily turn off On Demand, and compare the results on the same network. Battery use also depends on network quality, ongoing data transfer, and how often you run tests. Check the device's battery usage over time rather than attributing a single reading to one setting.

First, confirm that Global Routing is set to Config and that the active configuration file is the one you edited. Then check the match conditions and policies in rule order, including DOMAIN-SUFFIX, IP-CIDR, and FINAL; an earlier match can prevent later rules from taking effect. Also check what PROXY, DIRECT, and REJECT do. Change only a few rules at a time and retest the request to pinpoint the cause more easily.