Shadowrocket for Linux: Install DEB, RPM, or AppImage | apt, dnf & chmod +x

Check your distro, architecture, and download source first

Get the Shadowrocket Linux installer from this site’s download guide; choose a package format and architecture listed on the download page. The iPhone/iPad app costs $2.99 as a one-time App Store purchase; check the App Store page for system requirements. The Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Getting the app and accessing a proxy service are separate; obtain any subscription you use from your service provider.

Run these two commands in a terminal. The first reads your distro information; check ID, ID_LIKE, and VERSION_ID. The second reports the machine architecture. Don’t choose a package format based on the desktop environment alone: the same desktop can run on different distributions.

cat /etc/os-release
uname -m

Renaming a file extension does not convert a package: changing .deb to .rpm leaves the package structure unchanged. The commands below don’t assume a filename or use wildcards to install multiple files. Run each section in a Bash terminal. When prompted, enter the actual path to the downloaded file without surrounding quotes; spaces in the path are fine.

Debian / Ubuntu: Install a local DEB with apt

Make sure the download is complete, then run the commands below. read -r accepts the actual path, realpath -e checks that the file exists and converts it to an absolute path, and apt handles the installation. This avoids relying on the current working directory or mistaking a filename for a package in a repository.

read -r -p "Enter the path to the downloaded DEB file: " pkg
if [ -f "$pkg" ]; then
  pkg=$(realpath -e -- "$pkg") && sudo apt install "$pkg"
else
  printf '%s\n' "File not found. Check the path and try again."
fi

• Permissions: sudo is used for system-wide installation. The terminal usually won’t show characters as you type your password; this is normal.
• Dependencies: apt may need an internet connection to resolve dependencies from your enabled repositories, even when installing a local package.
• Review: Check the installation plan. If it proposes removing many system components, downgrading packages, or installing for the wrong architecture, cancel instead of accepting.
• Paths: Local relative paths need a path prefix such as ./. The commands above use an absolute path to avoid ambiguity.

If dependencies can’t be found, first check that the distribution matches the package requirements. Then refresh the repository indexes with sudo apt update and try again. Updating the indexes won’t make an incompatible package compatible. If another package manager process holds a lock, wait for the system update to finish; don’t delete the lock file.

Fedora: Install a local RPM with dnf

On systems that use dnf, pass the local RPM directly to the install command. dnf handles the transaction and attempts to resolve dependencies. Don’t bypass dependency errors by ignoring dependencies; the package may appear installed but fail to launch.

read -r -p "Enter the path to the downloaded RPM file: " pkg
if [ -f "$pkg" ]; then
  pkg=$(realpath -e -- "$pkg") && sudo dnf install "$pkg"
else
  printf '%s\n' "File not found. Check the path and try again."
fi

1. Check the package architecture shown in the terminal and make sure it matches uname -m.
2. Review the dependency and transaction summary. Make sure it won’t unexpectedly remove important desktop components.
3. After installation, search for Shadowrocket in the desktop app menu and launch it.
4. If you see a dependency or trust error, keep the full message and recheck the download source and distro requirements. Don’t resolve it by disabling system verification.

Other RPM-based distributions may not use dnf or meet the same dependency requirements. Don’t copy Fedora commands just because the file has the same extension. Use your distribution’s package manager and check the download page for compatibility. If there’s no build for your system, check whether AppImage’s runtime requirements are met.

AppImage: Make it executable and launch as a regular user

AppImage is usually distributed as a single file and doesn’t need to be registered in the system package database like a DEB or RPM. However, it still depends on the system environment: CPU architecture, graphical session, runtime libraries, and—depending on the build—FUSE can all affect whether it launches. Store the file in a local directory where your user has read and execute permissions.

read -r -p "Enter the path to the downloaded AppImage file: " app
if [ -f "$app" ]; then
  app=$(realpath -e -- "$app") && chmod +x -- "$app" && "$app"
else
  printf '%s\n' "File not found. Check the path and try again."
fi

chmod +x adds execute permission to the file; it doesn’t install dependencies or change the CPU architecture. Connecting commands with && stops the launch if setting permissions fails. Don’t use sudo to launch the app for everyday use: it may write user configuration to the administrator’s directory, leaving your regular account unable to access it.

• Permission denied: Check the file’s execute permission, access to parent directories, and whether the partition is mounted with noexec. Move the file to an executable local directory under your user account and try again.
• Exec format error: Check the architecture and make sure the file downloaded completely before changing permissions again.
• FUSE explicitly reported as missing: Install the compatible component documented for your distribution. Don’t assume one distro’s package name applies to all systems.
• GLIBC requirements not met: Check the supported system requirements and use a supported system or matching build. Don’t manually replace core system libraries.

Launching from a terminal keeps error output visible. If double-clicking doesn’t open a window, launch it as shown above and check the output before proceeding. Whether an AppImage creates a desktop shortcut depends on how it’s integrated. No app menu entry doesn’t necessarily mean it failed to launch; keep the file in its original location.

First launch: configure the app, then check traffic handling

After installing, check these separately: whether the app launches, whether the configuration is valid, and whether traffic is going through the proxy. Linux desktop proxy settings and an app’s own network behavior aren’t always the same: browsers may honor the desktop proxy, while some terminal programs don’t. A connected status on Home alone doesn’t prove that every process is using the same route.

1. Launch the app

   Open Shadowrocket from the app menu or launch the AppImage file, then make sure Home loads. If the app hasn’t opened, troubleshoot installation or runtime library errors first; don’t rush to change your subscription.

2. Import a configuration

   Get a subscription from your service provider and add it from Config → Subscribe. If you already have the parameters for a single server, go to Home → Add Server and enter them under the appropriate Type. A subscription and manually entered server details serve different purposes.

3. Check the routing policy

   Select a server on Home and check the current Global Routing mode. If you use Config, also confirm that the active configuration and the policies referenced by its rules are present.

4. Verify traffic handling

   After connecting, visit the same test address in the same browser and check the client’s connection log. If the browser appears in the log but the terminal doesn’t, check whether the terminal program is configured to use a proxy before blaming the installer.

If a terminal program needs a local proxy address, check the actual listening address, port, and protocol in the settings. Don’t guess the port or use an HTTP proxy port as SOCKS5. For local use only, listening on the loopback address is generally preferable to exposing the proxy to your LAN; don’t widen the listening scope just to troubleshoot.

Global Routing: Tell rule issues from connection issues by mode

The modes below describe Shadowrocket’s own Global Routing behavior, not installer formats. They determine how traffic that reaches the app is handled; they don’t make every Linux program follow the desktop proxy automatically. Change one setting at a time and record the results before and after.

Scene applies behavior according to configured scenes; it isn’t a fixed “proxy everything” switch. If you haven’t set up a scene, start with a clear baseline using Config, Proxy, or Direct. Configure automatic connections only after verifying a manual connection, so automatic behavior doesn’t complicate troubleshooting.

Common questions about installing, updating, and uninstalling

To remove an AppImage, quit the app and delete the corresponding file. If you created a desktop entry separately, remove that entry too. For any package format, uninstalling the app and deleting user configuration aren’t always the same step. Before reinstalling or migrating, make sure your backup works, then decide whether to remove user data.