This guide is for users installing Shadowrocket on an Android device. Follow the steps to download the APK, authorize the app used to open it, install the app, and import an existing subscription. WeChat download problems, installation permission warnings, and connection issues after installation happen at different stages and should be handled separately. Connection instructions assume you already have your own service provider and subscription. We do not provide, sell, or recommend proxy nodes or subscriptions.
Before You Download: Check the Platform, Source, and Install Permissions
On Android, get the APK from the Android section of our download page. The installer is provided at /dl/shadowrocket/. This guide does not specify a filename or version, so it won’t point to an outdated package after an update. For each installation or update, return to the download page and choose the package currently available. The article page in your browser is not the installer, and saving the page does not download the APK.
There are two ways to get Shadowrocket: the iPhone / iPad version costs $2.99 as a one-time purchase on the App Store; the Mac (Apple Silicon / Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. For iPhone / iPad system requirements, refer to the App Store listing. The App Store developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and the app ID is 932747118. Android users do not need to buy the App Store version before installing the Android app.
Before installing, make sure your device has enough free storage and note which browser you’re using. Android usually manages permission to install apps from unknown sources on a per-app basis: if you open the APK in a browser, check that browser’s permission; if you open it in a file manager, check the file manager’s permission. This does not grant Shadowrocket access to all files, nor does it require you to disable system security checks.
Installation Steps: Download the APK and Allow Installs from Unknown Apps
Menu names and locations vary by device manufacturer. Common labels in English include Install unknown apps and Allow from this source. The steps below use a typical Android menu path. If you can’t find the setting, search for “install unknown apps” in System Settings, then select the app you’ll use to open the installer.
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Open the Download Page
Use your system browser to visit our download page, find the Android section, and tap the Android download button. Wait for the browser download to finish; don’t open a temporary file that is still downloading.
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Open the Installer
Open the browser menu → Downloads and tap the completed APK. Alternatively, find the file you just downloaded in your system file manager → Downloads. Make sure it came from the download you just started so you don’t accidentally open an installer for another app saved earlier.
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Allow Installs from This Source
If the system blocks installation, tap Settings in the warning to open System Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps. Select the browser or file manager you’re using and enable “Allow from this source.” Then return to the installer.
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Install the App
Check that the app name shown in the system installer is Shadowrocket, then tap Install. When installation finishes, tap Open. If the system displays a compatibility or security warning, read the specific reason rather than repeatedly changing install-source permissions.
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Revoke Install-Source Permission
After installation, you can return to the same “Install unknown apps” page and turn off permission for that source. Shadowrocket will still open after you revoke it. The next time you install an update from that source, temporarily enable the permission again when prompted.
Can’t Download in WeChat? Switch to Your System Browser
WeChat’s built-in browser may block installer downloads or prevent files from opening in the system installer. If tapping the button starts no download, the page stays on a prompt, or the downloaded file won’t open for installation, first check whether you’re still in WeChat. Shadowrocket hasn’t been opened at this stage, so changing Config or subscription settings won’t fix a browser download problem.
- Tap the “…” menu in the top-right corner of WeChat. Look for “Open in Browser” or a similar option, then choose your device’s system browser.
- If there’s no such option, choose “Copy Link,” open your system browser manually, and paste the address of our download page into the address bar. Don’t paste it into a chat search box.
- Return to the Android section of our download page and start the download again. Wait for it to finish in the browser’s Downloads, then open the APK.
- If the system says the browser isn’t allowed to install apps, grant permission to that browser as described in the previous section. Don’t grant permission only to WeChat or to a file manager you aren’t using.
The app used to open the file determines which source may need permission. For example, after downloading in a browser, you might open the file in a file manager; the system may then treat the file manager as the install source. Follow the app name shown in the system’s installation warning rather than enabling this permission for every app. If you can’t change permissions on a managed device, check with your device administrator.
Installation Errors: Identify Download, Permission, and Compatibility Issues
Keep the exact system warning, then decide what to do next. “Not allowed to install from this source,” “There was a problem parsing the package,” and “Conflicts with an existing app” are different problems. The steps below address installation only, not whether a connection route is working.
The File Downloaded. Why Won’t It Install?
Check whether you opened the APK from a browser or a file manager, then grant permission to that app in System Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps. If the switch is grayed out, check your work profile or device management policies. Re-downloading the same package repeatedly won’t help.
How Do I Fix “There Was a Problem Parsing the Package”?
First, confirm in the browser’s download list that the download completed. Delete any incomplete or failed file, then download the APK again from our download page. If the error persists after a complete download, check the system and processor compatibility information listed on the download page. Install-source permission cannot fix an incompatible package.
Why Does an Update Say “Conflicts with an Existing App”?
Stop the installation and check where the existing app on your device came from. Back up any exportable Config and your existing subscription details first. A signing or other conflict may prevent an in-place update; don’t uninstall the app to see if that helps. Uninstalling may erase local data, so make sure your backup is usable before proceeding.
There’s No Home Screen Icon After Installation. Did It Fail?
Search for Shadowrocket in System Settings → Apps or in your app drawer. Some launchers don’t automatically add shortcuts for new apps. If Shadowrocket appears in the system app list and opens, you don’t need to install it again. If the only entry is a failed installation task, return to the installation warning and continue troubleshooting.
If the system reports insufficient storage, free up space in the system storage settings and try again. The downloaded file takes up space, and installation requires additional free space. Don’t assume every failure is a network issue, and don’t delete app data that hasn’t been backed up to clear the warning.
First Connection: Import an Existing Subscription and Check Routing
A successful installation only means the app is on your device; it doesn’t mean a working connection is ready. Open Shadowrocket: manage connection entries in Home, configurations in Config, and related options in Settings. The steps below assume you already have your own service provider and subscription. The app’s purchase price and a service plan are separate costs: buying the app does not include a service plan.
- Go to Home → tap “+” in the top-right corner → Type → Subscribe. Enter your own subscription URL and save it. Button locations may vary slightly by platform; use the options visible in your current interface.
- Pull down on Home to refresh your existing subscription and check that connection entries appear. Saving a URL doesn’t mean the update succeeded. If the list is empty, check that the URL is complete and hasn’t expired, and that your current network can reach it.
- Select your own connection entry and connect. When the system’s VPN connection request appears for the first time, make sure the requesting app is Shadowrocket, then confirm. If another VPN connection is already active on the device, check for conflicts or management restrictions first.
- After the system shows a connected status, test the target site. Note whether the issue is “tunnel won’t establish,” “subscription update failed,” or “some sites won’t open,” and troubleshoot based on what happens rather than reinstalling the app.
Subscription URLs often contain access credentials. Don’t include them in public screenshots or chat logs. When troubleshooting, you can record the protocol, exact error, and steps that led to it, but redact passwords, tokens, and the full subscription URL. Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard use different parameters; match the existing configuration to your own server settings.
Global Routing affects how traffic is handled after a connection is established. Before troubleshooting, note the current selection; change one setting at a time and retest the same destination. The options below describe three common modes in Shadowrocket. Switching modes won’t fix a failed installation or an invalid subscription URL.
Config
RecommendedTraffic actions are determined by the rules in the current Config. Rules are generally checked from top to bottom, and the first match determines what happens. Whether traffic is routed directly, through a proxy, or rejected depends on the specific rules in the configuration.
Use when: You have a working rule configuration and want to route traffic by destination for everyday use.
Proxy
Traffic handled by the client is routed through the proxy. Use this to compare access with the results under Config. This doesn’t guarantee that all system traffic will pass through the tunnel, and it won’t restore a server that’s no longer working.
Use when: You want to check whether a difference in access is related to rule-based routing.
Direct
Traffic handled by the client is routed directly. If the destination requires your existing proxy, staying on Direct may not produce the result you expect.
Use when: You want to check direct access on the current network as a troubleshooting baseline.
Scene in Global Routing selects how traffic is handled based on configured scene conditions; it isn’t a fixed “proxy everything” switch. In rules, DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches domain suffixes, GEOIP matches against an IP geolocation database, IP-CIDR matches IP ranges, and FINAL handles connections that haven’t matched a preceding rule. Settings → On Demand covers conditions for connecting on demand; it doesn’t download APKs or replace subscription import. First verify a manual connection, then adjust automatic connection behavior.
After Installation: Updates, Backups, and Background Operation
For future updates, use our download page rather than relying on an old chat attachment or download history to identify the current installer. Export any usable Config and store your subscription details securely before updating. Exportable configuration data varies by platform and interface; check what the backup actually contains instead of assuming that generating a file saved all connection credentials.
- In-place updates: Installing over the existing app requires system support. If you encounter a signing or compatibility conflict, stop, note the warning, and confirm your backup before proceeding. Don’t uninstall first and then look for your configuration.
- Background interruptions: If the connection works in the foreground but drops when the screen locks, check System Settings → Apps → Shadowrocket → battery or background activity options. Menus vary by manufacturer, so follow the settings available on your device. There’s no need to grant unrelated permissions.
- Automatic reconnection: If the app reconnects after you disconnect manually, check existing conditions under Settings → On Demand and the always-on setting in the system VPN page. This helps distinguish app rules from system policies.
- Finish troubleshooting: Restore any temporary Global Routing changes, turn off install-source permission you no longer need, and keep useful error details. This will help you distinguish installation problems from connection issues next time.
A complete verification means the installer reports success, the app opens, your existing subscription shows connection entries, the system allows a VPN connection, and the target behaves as expected under the current rules. Each step has its own check. If something goes wrong, return to the relevant step; that’s more useful than repeatedly downloading and reinstalling.