This guide is for anyone getting ready to install Shadowrocket on an iPhone or iPad. First, check how to get it for your device. Then verify the app by its name, developer, and app ID before paying and downloading. Finally, check the first launch and any existing configuration. Buying the app does not include a proxy service; get subscription details from your service provider.
Before You Buy: Check Your Device and How to Get the App
Shadowrocket is a rule-based proxy client for multiple platforms. The iPhone and iPad version costs a one-time $2.99 on the App Store. Versions for Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux are free. The payment steps in this guide apply to iPhone and iPad. For other devices, go to the download guide and choose the installation option provided on this site for your device. You don't need to follow the phone payment steps.
For iPhone and iPad, check the App Store listing for the current system requirements. Before buying, review the compatibility information on the product page using your device, rather than relying on system versions mentioned in older guides. Mac users should check About This Mac to see whether their device has Apple silicon or an Intel processor, then follow the matching installation instructions.
Buying the app outright is not the same as buying a proxy plan. Your purchase record confirms access to the client; it does not include server addresses, subscription links, or connection credentials. To import settings and test a connection, you'll need a service provider and subscription details of your own. If you don't have a configuration yet, you can still install the app and get familiar with Home, Config, and Settings.
Search the App Store: Verify the App's Identity
Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad, tap Search, and enter the full name Shadowrocket. Don't choose an app based only on its position in the results, whether its name includes “Shadowrocket,” or a similar-looking icon. Open the product page and check these three details. Sponsored search results are not a substitute for verifying the app's identity.
| What to check | What to look for | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| App name | Shadowrocket | Check the title on the product page, not just the search term. |
| Developer | Shadow Launch Technology Limited | Check the developer details on the product page; expand the information section if needed. |
| App ID | 932747118 | Check the product's share link. The path should contain id932747118. |
| Official icon | Rocket with a blue-purple outline on a white background | Use the icon as a secondary check, and verify the developer and app ID as well. |
The app ID is a fixed identifier in the product link, not a version number or order number. If your search shows several similarly named apps, don't pay yet. Open the App Store product page using the iPhone / iPad link in the download guide, then check the purchase button on your device. This avoids guesswork between similar names.
In short: Verify the name, developer, and app ID
Use the icon for a quick visual check, then confirm that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited and the app ID is 932747118 before paying. If any details don't match, return to the download guide and open the product page again.
Pay and Download: Follow the Confirmation Screen on Your Device
The standard price for iPhone and iPad is a one-time $2.99 on the App Store. Mac, Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. The currency, taxes, and payment methods available at checkout depend on the current confirmation screen for your account. Verify the app's identity before paying, and keep payment issues separate from app configuration issues.
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Open the App Store
Go to App Store → Search, enter Shadowrocket, and open the product page. You can also start from this site's download guide and use its iPhone / iPad link.
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Verify the app
Check the name, developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118. Also confirm your device meets the requirements in the compatibility information.
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Check your account
In the App Store account section, confirm which Apple Account you're using to buy the app. If you've bought it before, check your app list first so you don't mistake an account mismatch for a need to purchase again.
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Complete payment
Tap the price button, review the system payment confirmation, then confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your account password as prompted. If there's a payment information alert, resolve your billing details as instructed by the store.
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Wait for the download
Keep your device connected to the internet and wait for the button to change to “Open.” If download progress is still shown, wait or check the App Store download status. Don't submit the purchase repeatedly.
If the system confirms the transaction but the app icon hasn't appeared on your Home Screen, return to the product page and check whether the button says “Open,” or use system search to find Shadowrocket. Cross-check the account's purchase history and the product page to confirm the purchase. The icon's position on the Home Screen doesn't indicate transaction status.
First Launch: Understand Installation, Configuration, and Connection
Being able to open Shadowrocket means the client is installed; it doesn't mean a connection is ready. Home shows servers and connection status, Config manages configuration files, and Settings manages app preferences. On first launch, get familiar with these three areas before importing your existing details. Don't keep toggling the connection switch when the list is empty.
- Start in Home: Check whether any server entries are listed. If the list is empty after installation, import your details first; an empty list doesn't mean the purchase failed.
- Prepare your import details: Get subscription details from your service provider. Add an existing subscription using Subscribe in Config. To enter a single server manually, use Home → Add Server and select the Type specified by your provider.
- Know the difference between data types: A subscription link, a single-server link, and a rules configuration file are different things. After importing, check whether you have a server list or a configuration file in Config.
- Check the import result: Make sure server entries appear before testing the connection. If a subscription update fails, first check that the link is valid and your network is working. Buying the app again won't fix it.
- Check system permissions: When you enable a connection for the first time, follow the system prompt to allow a VPN configuration to be added. This permission is for establishing a connection and is separate from the App Store payment confirmation.
When adding a server manually, the Type, server address, port, and authentication fields must all come from the same set of provider details. Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard use different fields; changing Type at random won't fix a connection. For step-by-step instructions, continue with the setup guide. Buying the app and configuring a connection are separate processes.
Global Routing: Which Mode Should You Use First?
After importing a configuration, go to Home → Global Routing and check the current mode. This controls how traffic is routed; it doesn't determine whether you've purchased the app. The options below are three common modes in Shadowrocket. If you also see Scene in the interface, learn how scene configurations work separately; it's not required for a first import.
Config
RecommendedRoutes connections according to the rules in the currently active configuration file, applying the specified policies. It doesn't automatically guarantee that a particular site will go direct or through a proxy. The result depends on rule order, policies, and the final fallback rule.
Best for: Using a trusted, verified rules configuration to route everyday connections according to its rules.
Proxy
Sends connections routed through the proxy to the proxy, rather than splitting traffic rule by rule through Config. This can help narrow down a problem temporarily, but a working connection still depends on the server, credentials, and network.
Best for: Temporarily checking whether an issue is related to traffic routing when you already have a working server.
Direct
Uses a direct connection; it doesn't test whether a proxy server is working. If the connection switch is on but Direct is selected, the switch alone doesn't mean requests are going through the selected server.
Best for: Checking direct connections on your local network or temporarily ruling out the proxy path.
When troubleshooting for the first time, change one setting at a time: check the server first, then Global Routing, and finally the Config rules. Don't change the routing mode, DNS, and several server fields at once; even if the connection works again, you won't know which change fixed it. Settings → On Demand lets you trigger connections based on conditions. Configure it only after you've verified that a manual connection works.
Purchases and Reinstalling: Common Issues
Use what you see on screen to identify where the problem occurs. Not finding the app in search points to store availability or account region; a declined payment is a billing issue; a stalled download is an installation issue; and connection problems after opening the app usually involve configuration or the network. Troubleshooting the right layer is more likely to preserve useful information than deleting the app and starting over.
Why can't I find Shadowrocket in search?
Check the spelling, then open the product page from this site's download guide. If the store says the app isn't available in your current country or region, check the region for your purchase account and the product page's availability information. Don't repeatedly buy similarly named apps from the search results. Store availability and device compatibility are separate things to verify.
Does a failed payment mean the app won't work?
A failed payment says nothing about whether a connection will work. On your device, go to Settings → Apple Account → Payment & Shipping, check your payment details, and follow the App Store prompts to resolve any balance, billing, or payment authorization issues. Never share your password or verification code. If the transaction status is still unclear, check your purchase history first.
I bought it before. Do I have to pay again on a new device?
First, look for Shadowrocket in the app list in your App Store account; the exact menu may vary by system version. Use the original purchase account and verify the app ID. If the product page still shows a price instead of a redownload option, check the account and purchase history before confirming another payment.
Why are my servers missing after reinstalling?
Your App Store purchase history and in-app configuration are separate. Before reinstalling, back up any configuration you want to keep. After reinstalling, restore it from your own backup or get a subscription from your service provider and import it again. Don't assume reinstalling the app will automatically restore every server, rule, and credential.
I paid. Why can't I connect?
First, make sure Home contains a server and that its credentials are valid. Then check Global Routing and the active Config. A purchase doesn't create server entries if you don't have subscription or server details. If you have details but importing fails, note the error and hide any sensitive fields, then use the guide to check the link format and network connectivity.
The process is complete when the app identity matches, the purchase appears in your history, the app opens, your existing details import, and the connection has been tested—not just when you see a payment notification. If you switch devices later, check your account history and configuration backup separately; they serve different purposes.