Subscription link · Examplehttps://example.com/sub?token=xxxx
Import from Clipboard
App Store is where you purchase, install, and update the app
One-time purchase for the client; network services are separate
Rule-based routing lets you manage matching policies in Config
Import an existing subscription via link, QR code, or Clipboard
Verify the listing and understand what you’re buying
Check the App Store listing before purchasing
Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app distributed through the App Store. Before purchasing, verify the developer, official app icon, and app ID. After purchase, prepare your own subscription or server details.
Three details to verify in the App Store listing
Developer
The product page should list Shadow Launch Technology Limited as the developer. A similar name in search results is not enough to identify the app; open the product page and check the developer name exactly.
Official app icon
Check the official app icon shown on this site: a blue-and-purple outlined rocket on a white background. Use it as one clue, alongside the developer name and product page URL.
App ID
The specified product page URL includes id932747118. The app ID is an important detail to verify; don’t rely only on search ranking or an alternate name in the title.
A one-time purchase gives you the right to use the app; it does not include a server, subscription, or network service. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. Get your subscription link from your provider. If you already have server details, enter them according to the protocol type or import a share link from your provider.
The US storefront price is about $2.99; other storefronts show local currency. The final price is the one shown on the App Store purchase confirmation screen. Your provider manages service validity, data allowances, and subscription renewal access. An app purchase record does not confirm the status of these services.
Store availability and account region
When you open the App Store, check the account signed in on your device and the storefront you’re viewing. Purchase availability, supported devices, system requirements, and purchase eligibility are determined by the App Store listing. If you can’t proceed with a purchase, read the specific message shown in the store; don’t treat a regional availability issue as a client connection problem.
The purchase history for the same Apple ID is a good place to start when getting the app again. Before using it on another device, check your purchase history, device compatibility, and the options shown by the store before proceeding.
Handle purchase restoration, configuration recovery, and app updates separately
When switching devices or reinstalling, look for Shadowrocket in your App Store purchase history and follow the store’s prompts. Restoring the app purchase does not automatically restore local servers or rules; check subscription links, Config files, and sync status on the original device separately. Back up important data before deleting the app, especially server details entered manually that can’t be recreated from a subscription.
App updates come through the App Store, where you can enable automatic updates. Subscription updates happen inside the client and retrieve server information from your provider again. These are different operations: an updated app doesn’t mean your subscription is still valid, and a successful subscription update doesn’t guarantee that the selected server can connect. Identify which kind of update you need, then check the corresponding place.
Importing servers, choosing how to connect, and writing rules are three separate steps. First identify whether your information is a subscription, a single server link, or a Config file. Then read the relevant section to avoid entering different types of information in the same place.
Global Routing and rule order
Global Routing controls how traffic is handled: Config routes traffic according to the rules in the active configuration, Proxy uses a proxy, and Direct connects without one. To route connections by domain or address, select Config and check which configuration file is active. Rules are generally matched from top to bottom; place more specific conditions appropriately and handle unmatched traffic last. The snippet on the right shows syntax only and is not a complete configuration. Keep a copy of the original before editing, then check the policy used by an actual request rather than relying only on the connection switch.
On Demand starts a connection when specified conditions are met; it does not provide a server or fix incorrect settings. First connect manually from Home and verify access. Then open Settings to review the available On Demand options and set the conditions shown in your app. Check these settings if a connection keeps restarting or reconnects after you disconnect manually. While testing, you can pause On Demand behavior so each connection attempt is easier to evaluate. Once your rules, server, and network are as expected, enable the conditions you need one at a time to avoid changing too many settings at once.
Shadowrocket supports protocols including Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, and WireGuard. To add an existing server, check Type in Add Server first, then enter the address, port, and authentication details for that type. Different protocols have different fields; a password for one type cannot be used as authentication for another. Transport, TLS, and server name settings must also match the details from your provider. Keep the original details for reference after importing. If the connection fails, check the fields and protocol type first rather than assuming the server’s label describes its configuration.
Get your subscription link from your provider. Select Subscribe in the add menu, enter the complete link, save it, and then update the list. You can also import existing details using a QR code or Clipboard, but check afterward whether the content is a subscription or a single server. Updating a subscription retrieves the provider’s latest data; manual edits may be overwritten during a later update, so keep important notes separately. If the list is empty after updating, check that the link wasn’t truncated or copied with extra spaces, then verify its validity and permissions with your provider. Subscription links often contain access credentials, so store them securely.
Subscribe
Scan QR Code
https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx
Understand the difference between Config files and subscriptions
A Config file describes rules and related settings; a server subscription mainly maintains connection profiles. They are not interchangeable. In Config, check which file is active, then review sections such as General, Rule, and Hosts. Keep a copy before editing, change only one setting at a time, and verify the result with Global Routing. If you use iCloud sync or export files when switching devices, check what actually restored on the new device; an installed app does not mean your configuration is complete. Treat Config files containing server details or credentials as sensitive information.
General
Rule
Hosts
URL Rewrite
HTTPS Decryption
Add Rule
Connect test results to the right step
Connectivity Test, Diagnostics in Settings, and Data traffic statistics help you inspect different parts of the setup. A latency test can help compare connection response on your current network, but it doesn’t directly measure transfer speed or guarantee access to a particular destination. After connecting, consider actual requests, the current mode, and which rules matched. Data shows in-app statistics and should not be treated as a replacement for your provider’s usage records. When troubleshooting, note the network, server, test destination, and error message; change one condition at a time. Hide subscription links and credentials before sharing logs.
For your first setup, get the shortest workflow working before adding rules or automatic connection conditions. The steps below assume you already have your own subscription or server details. See the tutorial for full instructions and troubleshooting.
Add Server / Subscribe: import your details
First identify whether you have a subscription link, a single server share link, or manual settings. Add subscriptions in Subscribe; enter manual details in Add Server according to Type. After scanning a QR code or importing from Clipboard, return to Home and check that the expected entry appears. Once the first update completes, confirm the server list and select a server to test.
Copy the entire link, including any parameters after the question mark. If no list is created, resolve the import issue before switching connection modes. If the list appears but the connection fails, check the selected server’s authentication, transport, and network conditions. Track these as separate issues to avoid repeatedly deleting a valid subscription.
Global Routing: choose how to handle traffic
Select Config to route traffic according to configuration rules, and make sure the intended configuration is selected. Use Proxy to test the proxy route, or Direct when you want a direct connection. These three modes describe how traffic is handled, not three different servers. Even with the same server selected, changing the mode can affect whether a particular request goes through the proxy.
Before troubleshooting, decide what you’re testing and select the mode accordingly. Checking whether a server can connect is different from checking whether a domain rule matches. Don’t change the server, edit rules, and switch modes all at once; if the result changes, you won’t know which step made the difference. For definitions, start with the glossary.
Home: connect and test a real request
Turn on the connection switch. The first time, follow the system prompt to allow adding a VPN configuration. This permission lets the app create a system network connection profile; it does not create a subscription or fill in server details. Return to Home, check the connection status, run Connectivity Test, and access the destination you want to test. Use the actual results to determine whether the setup is working.
An enabled switch doesn’t mean all destinations are using the selected server. If something doesn’t work, check in this order: basic network → selected server → Global Routing → active Config → specific rule. Keep the original error message, reproduce the issue once, and change only one setting at a time. Before sharing troubleshooting details, hide subscription credentials, passwords, and other authentication information.
Get the app only from the App Store. Check your purchase account and device compatibility before installing; if you’ve purchased it already, check your purchase history first. See the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase eligibility.
iPhone
Verify the listing and purchase from the App Store product page, then prepare an existing subscription or server details after installation. The first time you turn on the connection switch, read the system prompt to add a VPN configuration and confirm according to your intended use. Installing the app, importing details, and testing the connection are consecutive but separate steps; completing one does not mean the others are done.
For everyday use, first check the selected server on Home and your Global Routing mode. A change in network environment can make earlier test results irrelevant, so test again on the current network. Before deleting the app or switching devices, save your subscription and any Config files you need, then manage the app data on your device.
If you’re using the same Apple ID, start by checking your purchase history. See the App Store listing for the purchase eligibility of the universal purchase on iPhone and iPad. On a larger screen, lists and settings may be arranged differently. Look for interface labels such as Home, Config, and Settings rather than relying on a button’s position.
After getting the app on another device, check separately whether your servers and configuration have been restored. If you use iCloud sync, confirm what actually synced before selecting a server to test. If both devices use the same subscription, check your provider’s terms for connection limits, data allowances, and usage permissions.
Shadowrocket is also available on the Mac and Apple TV App Store. See the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase eligibility.
Keep App Store purchase history and local configuration separate
Purchase history confirms your eligibility to get the app; subscriptions and configuration restore your setup. Before switching devices, note the active Config file and Global Routing mode, then back up any necessary information. After restoring on the new device, check in the same order to distinguish between “app acquired” and “connection restored.”
Configuration, protocols, and subscription troubleshooting
Once the basic connection works, explore a guide based on the issue you’re facing. Start with the fields and error messages shown in the app: check Global Routing for mode issues, protocol fields for manual setup, and the subscription checklist for list updates.
Understand the differences between rule-based routing, proxying, and direct connections, and how the current mode relates to the selected server. Then choose a mode based on your everyday needs or troubleshooting goal.
Check your existing Trojan server details field by field and learn what TLS and SNI do, so you can distinguish an authentication failure from a server name mismatch.
First check that the link is complete, then verify its validity and update permissions with your provider. Narrow down the cause step by step and distinguish subscription parsing, server list, and connection issues.