This guide is for anyone buying Shadowrocket for the first time on an iPhone or iPad. Follow the steps in order: search, verify the app, pay, install, and open it for the first time. It also explains the difference between buying the app, having service details, and testing a connection. Before you buy, check your App Store account, device compatibility, and the app’s identity. After installation, import a service you already have.
Before You Buy: Where to Get It and What the Purchase Covers
Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app for Apple platforms, available exclusively on the App Store and primarily used on iPhone and iPad. Check the App Store listing for compatibility, system requirements, and whether Universal Purchase applies to Mac, Apple TV, or Apple Vision. Don’t assume an app will install just because of the device name.
Shadowrocket is sold as a one-time purchase. Check the current App Store listing for the price, currency, and payment confirmation details. Buying the app does not buy a connection service. The purchase gives you the right to use the app; it does not include server details or a subscription. Connecting requires a service and subscription you already have. This site only provides app tutorials; all connection steps assume you already have your own subscription.
Before you start, make sure you can open the App Store and check which Apple Account is currently used for purchases. The account used for Media & Purchases may differ from your iCloud account. When checking your purchase history, use the account that actually completed the transaction.
Search, Verify, and Install: Follow These Steps
Search results help you find the app; they don’t verify its identity. Open the full product page and check the developer, official icon, and app ID. Search ranking, a similar name, or an image in a listing cannot replace these three checks.
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Open Search
On your iPhone or iPad, open the App Store, tap Search, and enter the full name
Shadowrocket. Don’t rely on nicknames to identify the result. Open the product page named Shadowrocket. -
Verify the App
Check the developer or seller information on the product page and confirm it says
Shadow Launch Technology Limited. Compare the official icon and check the product page’s share link forid932747118. -
Check Compatibility
Scroll down to the product page’s compatibility information and make sure your device and system meet the requirements. Then check the price and currency. Refer to the App Store listing for system requirements and Universal Purchase availability.
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Confirm Payment
Tap the price button on the product page and complete the purchase using the system confirmation prompt. You may be asked to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your account password. Follow the prompt and verify the app name and transaction amount before confirming.
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Wait for Installation
After purchase, wait for the App Store to download and install the app. It’s ready when the button says Open or the app appears on your Home Screen. If the progress indicator remains, check your network connection and available storage. Don’t try to buy the app again.
If Shadowrocket doesn’t appear in search, first check which App Store storefront your account uses and whether the product page is available there. No search results don’t automatically mean your device is faulty. Store listings can vary by country or region; follow Apple’s prompts about your account region, payment method, and availability.
Verify the App: Developer, Icon, and App ID
The official icon is a rocket on a white background, outlined in blue and purple. Use it as one clue, but also check the developer and app ID. A product page’s share link may include a storefront path or query parameters. Focus on the app ID rather than expecting every character in the link to match.
App Identity
- App name
- Shadowrocket
- Developer
- Shadow Launch Technology Limited
- App ID
932747118
Check all three together; search ranking is no substitute for verifying the app’s identity.
Before You Pay
- App Store account
- Confirm the Apple Account used for Media & Purchases
- Price and currency
- Check the amount shown on the current App Store product page
- Compatibility
- Refer to the App Store listing for device compatibility, system requirements, and Universal Purchase availability
Identity checks answer “Is this the right app?” Purchase checks answer “Can I buy and install it right now?”
If the developer doesn’t match, stop before confirming the purchase and return to the verification steps. If only the button text differs—for example, it says Open or shows a cloud download icon—check whether the app is already installed or was previously acquired with your current account. Don’t judge the app’s identity by the button alone.
First Launch: Installation Is Not the Same as a Connection
When the App Store shows Open, the app is ready to launch; that doesn’t mean a proxy connection is working. In Shadowrocket, Home is where you view and manage servers and connection status, Config is for configuration files, and Settings is for app preferences. If you don’t have your own server or subscription after installation, prepare the service details you already have instead of buying the app again.
- After opening Shadowrocket, check Home for existing server entries. An empty list usually means nothing has been imported yet; it doesn’t mean the App Store installation failed.
- If you already have a subscription, tap “+” in the upper-right corner of Home to open the add screen. Set Type to Subscribe, enter your own subscription URL, and save. Subscription URLs often contain access credentials, so don’t include one in a public screenshot.
- After adding or updating a subscription, check the server list and select the entry you want to use. A successful subscription update only means the data was retrieved; it doesn’t prove that every server in it is reachable.
- The first time you connect, the system may ask to add a VPN configuration. Grant permission only after confirming that Shadowrocket initiated the request, and follow the system prompts. This isn’t a second purchase.
- Check Global Routing on Home and keep the setup easy to inspect while troubleshooting. To review automatic connection behavior, go to Settings → On Demand. An automatic connection trigger doesn’t prove that the connection succeeded.
You don’t need to change DNS, MTU, or protocol settings just to finish installation. First use the exact configuration provided by your own service to establish a basic connection, then adjust settings one at a time to address a specific issue. Changing several settings at once makes it difficult to tell which change affected the result.
Global Routing: Which Mode to Use for Your First Test
Global Routing determines how traffic handled by Shadowrocket is routed. It is separate from your App Store purchase status. The options below compare Config, Proxy, and Direct. Scene is for setting up routing by scenario; don’t use it for your first test until you’ve checked its configuration.
Config
RecommendedUses the rules in the current configuration to choose what to do. A rule can specify DIRECT or point to a proxy or policy group. The result depends on rule order and the final fallback rule; it isn’t a fixed split by region.
Best for: Everyday use with a trusted configuration and verified rules
Proxy
Routes traffic handled in this mode through the selected proxy instead of choosing routes rule by rule as Config does. This can help you compare the effect of routing rules, but it won’t fix an incorrect password, address, or unreachable server.
Best for: Checking whether routing rules are affecting traffic after selecting a server
Direct
Connects directly without routing traffic through the selected proxy. If a webpage opens after switching to Direct, that only confirms the site is reachable over your current direct connection; it doesn’t show that the proxy server is working.
Best for: Checking basic network access and distinguishing direct-connection behavior from proxy behavior
For example, if a page won’t open in Config but opens in Proxy, check whether its domain matches DIRECT or another policy. If both modes fail, don’t assume the purchase is the problem; also check server reachability, DNS resolution, and the destination site’s status. A latency test returning a value doesn’t prove the full request needed to load a webpage is working.
App Store Purchase and Installation FAQ
Can’t find Shadowrocket in search? Check these first
First, check the current App Store account in your account settings, then confirm its country or region. You can also open the product page from this site’s purchase verification page and read the message shown there. No search results, unavailability in your region, and device incompatibility are different issues. Address them separately, and don’t repeatedly try to make a purchase.
I bought it before. Why am I seeing a price now?
First, check whether the account used for Media & Purchases is the one that made the original purchase. Then check that account’s app list or purchase history. Don’t tap the price button to confirm another transaction. If the purchase history and button status don’t match, keep your transaction receipt and contact support through the App Store account support options. Eligibility to download again depends on the store’s records.
Paid, but the app still hasn’t finished installing?
Return to the product page and check whether it shows download progress, a waiting state, or Open. Check your network connection and available storage, and read any system prompts. If the purchase appears in your history, focus on resolving the download status; an unfinished download doesn’t mean the payment didn’t go through. For charges or refunds, use the relevant App Store process.
Do I need to buy it again for a new iPad?
Open the App Store with the account used for the original purchase and check the new device’s compatibility and whether the app can be downloaded again. Refer to the App Store listing for system requirements and Universal Purchase availability. Downloading the app again and restoring its configuration are separate steps. Being able to download the app doesn’t mean your subscriptions, rules, or credentials from the previous device have been restored.
I bought the app, but there are no servers. Does that mean installation is incomplete?
No. The app purchase doesn’t include a connection service. Go back to Home and check whether you’ve added your own server or Subscribe entry. If you have the details, import them into the appropriate fields. If not, check that your own service is ready. You don’t need to buy the app again just to populate the list.
To confirm the purchase process is complete, check that the app identity is correct, the store transaction can be verified, and the app opens on your device. To confirm a connection, check that your service details are correct, the selected server is available, and routing and DNS behave as expected. Testing these separately helps you avoid mistaking a connection issue for a purchase or installation problem.