App Store purchase · One-time payment
iPhone / iPad client with rule-based routing; a one-time purchase on the App Store.
HOME · OVERVIEW
Check your server details first,
then review routing mode and connectivity.
In Home, tap Add Server to add existing server details, select an entry in the SERVER group, then check Global Routing. Turn on the connection and run Connectivity Test, then verify access to your intended destination.
Official Guide · Recommended Reading Order
Verify the app
Import existing details
Check routing and access
Check the App Store
listing for system requirements.
App Store / Devices and Purchases
Shadowrocket is available only through the App Store. Before purchasing, check the app name, developer, and app ID. After purchase, prepare your existing subscription or server details. Purchasing the app and configuring a connection are separate steps; server details are not provided on the App Store page.
Open the App Store product page and verify the three identifying details before purchasing. During initial connection setup, iOS may ask to add a VPN configuration. Confirm that the request comes from Shadowrocket, then follow the on-screen instructions. Check the App Store listing for system requirements.
View iPhone availability details →Using the account that made the purchase, check Purchased in the App Store and see whether you can redownload the app. Check the App Store listing for purchase eligibility, compatibility, and system requirements for iPhone and iPad. Verify and test any existing configuration separately on the new device.
View iPad availability details →The app name in search results is only a first clue. Open the product page and verify the developer, Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and check that the product link contains id932747118. Whether the purchase button appears depends on your account’s storefront region, purchase history, and device compatibility.
Rule / Config / Diagnostics
First, distinguish between servers, subscriptions, and configuration files. A server specifies a connection endpoint; a subscription maintains a list of server details; Config controls rules and related settings. A successful subscription update does not mean rules are enabled, and turning on the connection does not mean every request follows the same policy.
Rules can match requests by domain, domain suffix, or IP address range, then apply a specified policy. They are generally checked from top to bottom, so place specific conditions before broader ones. FINAL handles requests that do not match earlier rules. For rules in a configuration to affect routing, check that Config is selected under Global Routing in Home. After making changes, test only the affected destination and check the connection log to see which rule matched. These examples illustrate field structure only; they are not a complete configuration and do not provide connection endpoints.
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
IP-CIDR,192.168.0.0/16,DIRECT
FINAL,PROXYOn Demand triggers a connection based on configured network conditions; it does not correct incorrect server details. Review the relevant options in Settings first, and enable On Demand only after a manual connection works. After setup, check its behavior when switching networks, reconnecting, and disconnecting manually. This helps distinguish automatic connection attempts from connection failures. For temporary troubleshooting, note the current conditions, pause automatic triggers, and test manually. Available conditions and labels may vary by device.
Settings
On DemandShadowrocket supports protocols including Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, HTTP, SOCKS5, WireGuard, and Hysteria2. To add a server manually, select the correct Type in Add Server, then enter the address, port, and authentication details required for that type. Fields are not interchangeable just because they look similar; TLS, transport settings, and server names should match your existing details. After importing, check the parameters rather than changing the protocol name as a troubleshooting shortcut.
Add Server
Type
Host
PortUse your existing subscription details: select Subscribe in Add Server and enter the corresponding address. After saving and updating, check that a server list was created, then select an entry to test. A subscription maintains the list; it is not the same as rule configuration in Config. If an update fails, distinguish between an invalid address, changed authentication details, and a network that cannot reach the address. Keep the existing content before making changes. Subscription addresses may contain access credentials, so hide them in screenshots, logs, and support requests.
Add Server
Type: SubscribeConfig manages rules and related settings. After importing a file, confirm that it is selected, then check that Global Routing is set to Config. Saving a file without selecting it does not make it active. Before editing rules, save a recoverable copy and change one relevant condition at a time. If you use iCloud sync, check the sync status and selected file on each device; seeing a file does not mean it is enabled. Understand the scope of HTTPS Decryption separately; it is not required for an initial connection.
Config
General
Rule
HostsConnectivity Test in Home can provide an initial connectivity check; Diagnostics in Settings can offer additional clues. Results reflect the test method and network at that moment, so verify access separately. Data can help you observe traffic changes, but traffic does not prove that every request succeeded. Troubleshoot by recording the local network, selected server, routing mode, and symptoms. Change one setting at a time and retest the same destination. Hide addresses, credentials, and personal browsing records before sharing diagnostic information.
Connectivity Test
Settings / Diagnostics
DataConfig · Configuration
Choose policies using the rules in the selected configuration file. For domain-based routing or direct access to a local network, first verify the file and check rule order. This mode does not automatically determine the right policy for every request; results depend on the configuration.
Proxy · Proxy
Route connections through the proxy path. Use this mode to compare access results with Config. Keep the server and destination the same and change only the routing mode to identify whether a difference comes from the rules rather than another variable.
Direct · Direct
Use a direct connection to check basic reachability from the current local network. This is not a general-purpose connection fix. Understand the path requests will take, and restore the required mode after testing.
First-Time Setup / Three-Step Preview
These steps assume you already have your own subscription or server details. Keep the original information and verify the protocol type and source of the parameters before you begin. You do not need to change several advanced options at once. First establish a connection you can retest, then add rules and automatic connection conditions as needed.
Step 01 / Add Server
In Home, open Add Server. If you have details for a single server, select its Type and enter each field as provided. If you have a subscription address, use Subscribe to import the existing list. If you import using Scan QR Code, check the protocol, address, port, and authentication fields before saving. A successful scan does not guarantee that all parameters were recognized correctly.
After saving, check whether an entry appears in the SERVER group. If a subscription does not create a list, troubleshoot the import or update first instead of turning on the connection. Importing it again may not fix the problem and can make it harder to identify the source of entries and remove duplicates.
Step 02 / Global Routing
Select the server you want to test, then check Global Routing. For rule-based routing, select Config and confirm that the intended file is selected in Config. To check whether rules are affecting access, you can temporarily compare Proxy with the original mode. Keep the server, network, and destination the same for every test.
The server list and configuration file serve different purposes: the former determines where to connect; the latter determines which policies apply to requests. Updating a subscription does not automatically replace all rules, and editing rules does not add missing server credentials. Checking these separately is usually more effective than repeatedly importing the same content.
Step 03 / Connectivity Test
Turn on the connection in Home and approve the VPN configuration when prompted by the system. Then run Connectivity Test and visit a destination you need to check. Record the connection status, test result, and actual access behavior separately. A connected status means the connection process was established; it does not prove that every request succeeded.
If the test fails, check the local network and server details first, then review the routing mode, DNS, and rule matches. Change one condition at a time and retest the same destination. If only one destination is affected, start with its rule rather than changing the entire configuration or deleting existing content.
Verify the App / Purchase Eligibility / Restore Purchases
Shadowrocket Download & Setup Guide is the Shadowrocket Guide and official site. Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app; access, purchases, and app updates are handled through the App Store. This guide covers importing and managing details you already have; it does not provide nodes or subscriptions.
Check the icon, developer, and app ID—not just the search result title.
Open the product page and confirm that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited, then compare the app icon with the one shown here. The app ID in the product link should be 932747118. Similar names do not mean it is the same app. Verify all three details; search ranking and icon color are not reliable substitutes.
If the page opened from search does not match these details, return to the app guide and check the product link again. Check app features, compatibility, and purchase information on the same product page so details from other listings are not confused with this app.
View the app verification steps →The US storefront reference price is about $2.99 as a one-time purchase. Other storefronts show local currency; the amount on the purchase confirmation screen is final. The purchase covers use of the client app. It does not determine the availability, data allowance, or validity period of any existing server.
Buying the app ≠ buying a connection plan. After purchase, you still need your existing subscription or server details to configure a connection. Handle subscription expiration, changed authentication details, and server maintenance separately from app purchase issues.
View pricing and purchase eligibility →App Store product availability depends on the storefront region used by your account, not just your device’s current location. If you cannot find the app, cannot purchase it, or see a compatibility warning, check the storefront, account status, and device compatibility first, then follow the page’s guidance.
Check the App Store listing for system requirements, compatibility, and purchase eligibility. Before changing your storefront region, read the account page’s guidance on balance, subscriptions, and payment methods. Changing your device’s language does not change its App Store storefront.
View storefront region details →After switching devices or reinstalling, use the original purchase account to find Shadowrocket under Purchased in the App Store. Check the App Store listing for Universal Purchase eligibility across iPhone and iPad. If a price appears, check the purchase account and history before confirming another payment.
Redownloading the app and restoring personal configurations are separate tasks. Save your server details, subscriptions, and configuration files separately, then confirm they are active on the new device. Family Sharing eligibility depends on the App Store listing and family account conditions. Check for and install app updates in the App Store.
View device transfer and purchase restoration →First confirm that the subscription created valid entries and that you selected the server you want to use. Then check the parameters, validity period, local network, and routing mode. A successful import means the details were saved; it does not guarantee the remote server is reachable. Troubleshoot subscriptions →
Subscribe mainly maintains an existing server list; Config manages rules and related settings. A successful subscription update does not mean Config is selected or active. For rule-based routing, also check that Global Routing is set to Config. Learn about Config →
Keep the server and network fixed, compare results for the same destination under different routing modes, then check the relevant rules and DNS. A problem affecting only some destinations differs from one affecting all requests, so start with the specific destination. Troubleshoot connection issues →
Blog / Topic Guides
After establishing a basic connection, move on to managing multiple subscriptions, rule matching, and speed issues. Each topic breaks down the prerequisites and verification steps for a specific task, so list management, routing decisions, and network quality are not treated as the same problem.
Check server details, routing, protocol settings, local Wi-Fi, and cellular data in turn. Use Connectivity Test to help locate where performance drops. Keep the test destination and other conditions constant, then observe the effect of changing one setting at a time instead of switching repeatedly.
Read the guide →After importing multiple existing subscriptions, identify and group entries by source, then check their order and remove expired entries. First determine whether an entry came from a subscription or was added manually; then handle duplicates to avoid seeing them again after an update.
Read the guide →Learn what domains, domain suffixes, keywords, and IP address ranges match, and how rules are checked from top to bottom. Short examples explain each field, followed by guidance on broad rule placement and final policies to reduce unintended routing.
Read the guide →