Shadowrocket FAQ

Open the App Store product page from the Get the App page, then check your storefront region, Screen Time content restrictions and whether your Apple Account can make purchases. Not finding it in search does not mean the app has changed its name. To check your region, go to Settings, tap your Apple Account, then Media & Purchases and View Account, and check Country/Region. Before changing it, review any balance and subscription requirements shown by the system and follow Apple's official process. Don't keep switching regions just to change search results. Availability is determined by the product page shown in the App Store.

Check that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the app icon matches the official icon shown on this site, and the product link contains app ID 932747118. Similar names in search results are not enough to identify an app; all three details should match. Shadowrocket is a paid Apple-platform app, available exclusively through the App Store. If the product page shows unexpected information, stop before purchasing and return to the Get the App page to verify the product link. Check the App Store page for pricing, compatibility and purchase eligibility.

In most cases, use the Apple Account you used for the original purchase. Open the account page in the App Store, go to Purchased or your apps list, find Shadowrocket and download it again. Check the account used for Media & Purchases rather than relying only on the account shown at the top of your device. If a purchase price still appears, review your purchase history, storefront region and device compatibility before proceeding. Restoring purchase eligibility does not restore in-app data. Back up subscriptions, server details and configurations separately in advance. Check the App Store page to see whether Family Sharing applies.

The one-time purchase covers the Shadowrocket app. The US storefront price is about $2.99; other storefronts show local currency, and the final price is listed on the App Store page. Buying the app does not include a service plan or server connection details. The import instructions below assume you already have your own subscription or server details; get subscription information from your service provider. This site provides the official website and manual; it does not provide, sell or recommend nodes or subscriptions. App updates are delivered through the App Store.

When Shadowrocket starts a connection for the first time, iOS asks for permission to add a VPN configuration so the app can handle network traffic according to the current routing settings. Make sure the prompt matches the action you just initiated, then follow the system instructions to authenticate and allow the configuration. Approval only allows the system to establish a connection; it does not confirm that the server details are valid. Before you begin, check Home for an available server entry, then review Global Routing. Check the App Store page for iPhone system requirements. If you dismissed the prompt, return to the app and start the connection again.

Use the same App Store product page to check and get Shadowrocket on iPad. Check the App Store page for system requirements and purchase eligibility. If you already bought the app, make sure iPad uses the Apple Account originally used for Media & Purchases, then find the app in Purchased. The iPadOS layout may vary with screen size; use Home, Config and Settings to locate the relevant controls. Installing the app does not transfer subscriptions or configurations from another device. Check your existing data and import any materials you backed up beforehand.

Use the interface labels to find each task: Home shows server entries and starts a connection; Add Server lets you enter existing server details; Config manages configuration files; Global Routing sets how traffic is handled; and Settings adjusts app preferences. This manual explains each feature while keeping interface labels unchanged, so you can match them to the screen. To check language options, look at the language settings available for the app in iOS; options vary by device. Don't change several switches at once just because the labels are unfamiliar. Start with the basics: import, select and connect.

First determine whether the switch won't stay on or stays on while access still fails. If it won't stay on, check that you selected a server and approved the system VPN configuration. Then check whether another VPN connection is using the system network extension. Stop any VPN connection you don't need and try again; note the exact text of any system prompt or app error. If the problem continues, reopen the app, restart your device and check for updates in the App Store. Back up app data before deleting a configuration. If your device is managed by an organization, ask its administrator to check for system restrictions; don't repeatedly overwrite configurations.

Make sure you copied the entire subscription link, not your provider's sign-in page, an instructions page or text truncated by a messaging app. Check whether copying changed any spaces, line breaks or special characters. Get subscriptions from your service provider and use the import option that matches the link format; don't enter a subscription URL in a single-server address field. If parsing fails, note the exact error and ask your provider whether the returned format is supported by the app. Links may contain personal access credentials. Don't share the full URL while troubleshooting or post it in a public forum.

Keep your current configuration and any subscription details you can restore; don't repeatedly delete and re-add items. An empty list may mean the link has expired, the provider returned no content, the account status changed or the update request did not return the expected data. Check that the link is complete, verify your account status on your provider's website, then retry once with a working internet connection. If the update shows an error, save its exact text and the conditions in which it occurred, then ask your provider to check the subscription response. Manual entries and subscription-generated entries come from different sources. Check which group an entry belongs to before troubleshooting so you don't delete a manual configuration you still need.

In Home, find the subscription group or subscription management option, then use the update action provided for that subscription. Afterward, check whether the entries changed as expected. The control may appear in a different place depending on the interface; use the menu for the relevant group. Subscription entries are generated from remote content, so an update may overwrite names, addresses or other fields. Don't keep the only copy of a custom change in a subscription entry. Record or back up settings you want to keep. If an update fails, check your internet connection and the provider's status instead of repeatedly tapping Update.

First make sure Type matches the protocol specified by your provider. Then check the server address, port and any authentication fields required by that protocol. The address field generally takes a hostname or IP address, not a full web URL. Enter the port without a colon. For configurations that require TLS, SNI or other transport parameters, use the values supplied by your provider; don't infer them from the server name. Save the entry, select it in Home and run a test. If any details are missing, get them before proceeding. Don't try unrelated protocols one after another or weaken security settings.

Config routes traffic according to the active configuration file and its rules. Use it for everyday routing when you understand and have checked the rules. Proxy sends applicable traffic through the selected proxy, which is useful for testing a server connection on its own. Direct connects without a proxy, providing a comparison with your regular network connection. These modes are not speed settings and cannot replace valid server details. During troubleshooting, change one condition at a time, record the result and restore the original setting afterward. In rules, PROXY, DIRECT and REJECT are policy keywords; don't confuse them with menu labels.

Disconnect first and confirm that your Wi-Fi or cellular connection can access the internet. Complete any captive portal sign-in if required. Then connect to a server whose details you've checked and test the same destination with Proxy and Config. If Proxy works but Config fails, focus on the active configuration, DNS and rule routing. If both fail, check the server status, authentication and transport settings. The VPN status only confirms the system connection; it doesn't guarantee that every request will succeed. Change one setting at a time and use errors in the log to guide troubleshooting. Don't reset everything at once.

Connectivity Test only reports how a specific test method and destination performed at that time. It doesn't confirm that every website, protocol or part of the network is working. Check that the test used the currently selected server, then look in the log to see which rule and policy handled the destination that won't load. If only one destination fails, check its DNS resolution, the destination's status and rule matching. If several destinations fail, check the underlying network and server. Latency is not the same as throughput. For a meaningful comparison, keep the test destination and network conditions the same, and avoid running frequent batch tests.

Compare similar usage periods in the system Battery settings. Separate power used by actual data transfers, repeated network reconnections and diagnostic logging; the VPN icon alone won't tell you what's draining the battery. Check whether continuous tests or detailed logging are enabled, or whether an unstable network is causing frequent server switches. On Demand starts connections when configured conditions are met; it is not a dedicated power-saving mode. If the connection returns after you disconnect manually, check the relevant conditions. After each change, monitor a similar period, reduce unnecessary tests and keep a record of the network conditions and errors needed to reproduce the issue.