Shadowrocket
FAQs & Troubleshooting

Open the specific App Store product page from the download guide instead of relying on search results to determine availability. If the store says the app isn't available in your region, check the country or region of the Apple Account used for Media & Purchases—not just your device language. To change it, go to Settings, tap your Apple Account, then Media & Purchases > View Account > Country/Region, and follow Apple's requirements. Check any balance, subscriptions, and payment method requirements first. Refer to the App Store page for system requirements.

Check that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the app icon matches the official icon shown in this site's header, and the product page URL includes id932747118. A matching or similar app name isn't enough. Don't rely only on the first search result or mistake text in the description for developer information. Once all three details match, review the price and compatibility before purchasing. If anything doesn't match, stop and reopen the specified App Store product page from the download guide.

Sign in with the Apple Account used for the original purchase, then look for the app in your App Store account's purchased apps. If your purchase is eligible, you can download it again from your purchase history. If the app still shows a price, check the account used for Media & Purchases, your purchase history, and the current store region before paying again. Purchase eligibility is determined by the App Store listing. Restoring the app does not restore your servers or Config. Before switching devices, save your existing subscription links and back up any Config you want to keep.

The purchase gives you the right to use the Shadowrocket client. A one-time client purchase is not a service plan. To connect, you'll still need your own subscription or server details; get subscription links from your service provider. This official website and guide explains how to configure the client and does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. The US storefront price is about $2.99; other storefronts show local currency. Check the App Store listing for the current price. Your client purchase receipt does not indicate how long a server service remains active.

Shadowrocket updates are delivered through the App Store. Check your device's App Store settings for automatic updates, or visit your account page to see available updates. Back up important Config files and subscription details before updating, and keep notes that identify their purpose. Family Sharing eligibility, supported devices, and purchase coverage are determined by the App Store listing; sharing a purchase is not the same as sharing a Config. Even if you can restore the app, check your server details separately, along with any device-use restrictions from your service provider. Don't copy Config files containing credentials to other people.

Shadowrocket is available for iPhone and iPad through the App Store. If you've already purchased it, check which Apple Account is used for Media & Purchases on your iPad, then look for the app in your purchased apps. Purchase eligibility and system requirements are listed on the App Store page. The iPad's screen size and layout may differ, so look for interface labels such as Home, Config, and Settings rather than relying on button positions. After restoring the app, check that your subscriptions, Config, and connection authorization are in place on the device.

This is a system authorization prompt to create a VPN configuration, not a purchase prompt. First, confirm that the prompt was triggered by Shadowrocket, which you just downloaded from the App Store. Then follow the system instructions to approve it and authenticate your device. If you previously declined, return to the app and start the connection again; watch for another system prompt. Grant permission only if you intend to use the connection. Managed devices may be restricted by organizational policies; contact your device administrator rather than repeatedly deleting system configurations to try to bypass the restriction.

First, make sure a server is available on Home and that the selected entry has all required details. Repeatedly toggling the switch won't fix an empty list or missing parameters. Next, check that system VPN authorization is complete, that no other VPN connection is active, and that your device isn't restricted by management policies. Note any system prompt or app error before trying again. If needed, stop other VPN connections and reopen the app. If the connection still drops immediately, check the server details, Config, and current network one at a time to avoid making multiple changes that obscure the cause.

Look for the labels as they appear in the interface: Home shows servers and connection controls; Add Server adds a server; Subscribe is for subscription types; Config is for configuration files; Settings opens settings; and Global Routing selects how traffic is handled. This guide keeps these English labels and explains what they do. If an option isn't where the tutorial shows, check which screen you're on and what options are currently visible in the app, then check the App Store for update information. Don't change server protocol names or parameter values just to match the wording in a guide.

Check actual battery usage for the same time period in your system battery settings. Consider video streaming, weak signal, and background tasks; the VPN indicator alone doesn't identify the cause. Then check whether Connectivity Test or subscription updates are running frequently, or whether an unstable connection is triggering repeated retries. Temporarily reduce these activities and compare usage under similar conditions. For a brief comparison, stop the connection and check whether On Demand starts it again. Change one condition at a time, and don't disable security settings required by your server just to reduce battery use.

First, make sure the link is complete, especially any parameters after the question mark. Remove leading or trailing spaces and line breaks, and don't guess at missing parts of a truncated link. Get the subscription link from your service provider and confirm it's a client import link, not a web page for your account portal. In Add Server, check that the type is set to Subscribe, then make sure your current network can complete the update. If the list is still empty, ask your service provider to check the link's validity period, access restrictions, and response format. Share the issue and any error message, but don't reveal the full link or its credentials.

First check for search terms, filters, or groups, then compare the result with the subscription's latest update. Subscription content comes from your service provider, so names, server counts, and parameters may change. The client can't restore a removed server based on its old name. Don't add the same link again right away; that can create multiple lists that are hard to tell apart. Back up any Config you want to keep, note the subscription's original label and any current error, then ask your service provider what changed. Once the link is confirmed valid, update the existing subscription and check the selected server again.

For Scan QR Code, first check that camera access is allowed, the image is clear, and the QR code contains server or subscription details supported by the client—not just a link to a regular web page. For clipboard import, copy one complete share entry without any extra instructions, quotation marks, or line breaks, and allow pasting when prompted by the system. If it still isn't recognized, check the original content's format or verify the fields manually with Add Server. QR codes and clipboard contents may contain credentials, so don't upload them to public pages while troubleshooting.

Type, Address, Port, and the authentication fields required by the selected protocol must match your server details exactly. The UUID commonly used by VMess and VLESS, the Password for Trojan, and TLS, SNI, and transport parameters aren't interchangeable. Don't guess based on another server's settings. Choose the Type first, then fill in the fields shown for that type; ask your service provider about any missing details. Remarks are only for identification, so changing one won't fix an authentication failure. Don't treat Allow Insecure as a universal fix.

Give each subscription a distinct label. Check its link, group, and currently selected server, then save any Config and original subscription details you want to keep. Don't assume two entries are duplicates just because their names match; they may come from different links or use different parameters. Before deleting, confirm whether the action affects one server or the entire subscription, and follow the prompt shown in the app. Subscription updates don't replace backups. Store backup files and links somewhere secure, and remove credentials and personal information before sharing troubleshooting details.

Config uses the rules and policies in the current configuration to handle traffic. Proxy generally sends traffic through the selected proxy. Direct connects to destinations directly. To route traffic according to rules, confirm that your Config is valid, then select Config. To see whether rules are affecting access, briefly compare with Proxy. To check the underlying network, compare with Direct. Switching modes won't fix server parameters or an inactive service. After testing, restore the mode that suits your normal use and check the connection status again.

Disconnect first and confirm that your underlying network can reach sites that normally connect directly. If it can't, troubleshoot Wi-Fi, cellular data, or network sign-in first. Once the underlying network works, reconnect and check the selected server and Global Routing. If Proxy also fails, check the server details, service status, and DNS first. If Proxy works but Config doesn't, check rule matching and policy references. Keep any error message shown by the app, and change one variable at a time. Don't reset DNS, Config, and every server at once.

No. Connectivity Test results reflect the test method, target, and network conditions at that moment; they don't confirm that every service is working. After a test returns a result, verify access using the websites or apps you actually need, and consider Global Routing, rules, DNS, and server details. If only certain destinations fail, check how their connections were handled and note any errors. Don't delete all subscriptions right away. Results from different test methods aren't directly comparable. When choosing a server, consider real-world stability as well as test results.

First check whether On Demand is enabled. If its configured conditions are met, the system may reconnect automatically, so turning off the Home switch once might not keep the connection paused. To pause it, check and disable the relevant On Demand conditions, stop the current connection, then check the system VPN status. Before reconnecting later, make sure the server and rules are working, then enable On Demand if needed. If the device is managed by an organization, check its management policies too. Don't delete other system configurations if you're unsure what they do, and don't mistake automatic reconnection for a purchase issue.

First confirm that the expected Config is active, then check which rule and policy actually match the request to the destination. Review rules from top to bottom. Check whether a more specific rule, such as DOMAIN or DOMAIN-SUFFIX, is being matched earlier than intended, and confirm that any referenced policy still exists. FINAL is the fallback when no earlier rule matches; it isn't the cause of every problem. Back up the original configuration before making changes. Adjust only the rule you know is incorrect, then test the same destination again. If parsing fails, restore the backup and check the syntax.