01 / Availability
App Store regions and app availability
Your region determines the store catalog
The App Store catalog is not identical for every account. Whether an app appears in search, its product page opens, or you can proceed to purchase depends on the store region used by your current account. The device language, your physical location and its time zone do not, on their own, show which store your account is using. Check the Apple Account used for Media & Purchases rather than inferring the region from the device language or network address. This helps distinguish an app that is not listed in the store from one that cannot run on your device.
This app is currently unavailable in the mainland China App Store. If Shadowrocket does not appear in your current store, check the store region first instead of repeatedly changing your search terms. The direct product link can help confirm that you have found the right app, but it does not change your region or bypass account, payment or compatibility requirements. If you see a message that the app is unavailable in your country or region, note it and check your account details. A page that will not load is different from a product that is unavailable in your store; the former may indicate a problem accessing the store.
The web storefront and your device's store settings are different
The App Store product link used on this site includes a storefront path. A browser may first show that storefront's web listing, then hand off to the App Store, which uses the store associated with the device's current purchase account. Seeing the icon, name and description on the web does not mean that the device account can complete a purchase. Likewise, a missing search result alone does not mean the app has disappeared from every storefront. Check the product page on your device, the current account region and the purchase confirmation together; do not generalize one storefront's status to all regions.
When checking a product page, follow the same sequence: confirm the App ID, check for a region notice, then verify compatibility and the purchase button. If the App Store opens a different listing from the web link, stop and recheck the name and developer. Browser translation can alter how page text appears, so verify the app by its original name, developer and numeric ID—not by a translated search snippet. Store button labels can also vary depending on whether the app was purchased, is installed or is compatible.
Understand account restrictions before changing regions
If you genuinely need to change your store region long term, review the country or region change process in your account settings. Before starting, check your account balance, active subscriptions, pending orders and Family Sharing membership; these may affect whether you can change regions. The new region may also require a valid payment method and billing details. Do not submit inaccurate information just to complete a search, and do not cancel active services without reading the system prompts. The conditions shown in your account at the time determine whether you can change regions.
Changing regions may also affect the visibility of existing content and how you can get it again. Whether a previously purchased app can be downloaded again depends on your purchase history, its availability in the current region and device compatibility. A past order does not guarantee immediate restoration on every device or storefront. Before changing regions, identify the problem you actually need to solve: if you cannot remember which account made the purchase, check purchase history; if a download is stuck, check its status. Neither issue calls for changing regions as a first step.
02 / Account check
How to check your store account
Check the account used for purchases
On your iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then select Media & Purchases and View Account. Authenticate as prompted, then check Country/Region. This is the account used for purchases from the App Store and other media services. It may or may not be the same account used for iCloud, so checking only the name at the top of Settings is not enough. This step is especially important if someone else first set up the device or you migrated from another device.
You can also open the App Store, tap your profile picture in the top-right corner and check the account details shown there. Account and purchase-history labels may vary across OS versions, but the goal is to confirm which account is handling purchases. Check on your own device; you do not need to send anyone your full account details, billing address or payment information. When describing an issue, you can say that the purchase account differs from the current account or that the region is not as expected. Do not share details that could identify your account.
Keep the three types of region separate
First, Language & Region in Settings controls device display preferences, such as dates, numbers and interface presentation. Second, the country or region of the purchase account affects the store catalog and billing. Third, your physical location relates to network access and local services. These may match or differ. When troubleshooting an app that does not appear, check the second one first; for an interrupted download, also consider the network and device status. Changing the device language does not change the purchase account's store.
The billing currency can be a clue, but it is not conclusive on its own. For example, the currency on a web listing may reflect its storefront, while the purchase confirmation uses the account's billing region. Cross-check the account region against the product page on your device. If they appear inconsistent, stop before paying and revisit the App Store account settings to check for an account switch, a web redirect or a page that has not refreshed. Do not repeatedly tap the purchase button to work out which store you are using.
What to do when details do not match
If the current purchase account is not the one you used before, check any purchase receipts or history you have kept to identify the original account. Do not sign out of the entire device account as a routine troubleshooting step; that can affect iCloud data, device protection and other services, while this issue usually concerns media purchases only. If you need to change the purchase account, first make sure you have the password, a verification device and a recovery method available. Review the listed effects, then follow the prompts. If you cannot access the account, resolve that issue first.
If the account is correct but the region is not what you expected, check whether you previously changed regions, joined a Family Sharing group or have a pending purchase. Do not assume the App Store automatically switches to the catalog you want based on your current location. If the page looks wrong, close and reopen the App Store, then check the same product page again. This refreshes the display but does not change purchase history. If the mismatch remains, continue checking account settings and order history; do not submit another order.
Once you have checked, record only the necessary details for yourself: whether the purchase account matches, whether the country or region is expected, whether the product page opens and whether the device meets compatibility requirements. Do not save passwords, verification codes or full payment details. These notes can help you pinpoint the issue when you switch devices and avoid repeatedly treating the same problem as a network fault. Next, see Verify the app to confirm that you have found the right product instead of relying on search ranking alone.
03 / Product identity
Developer, icon and App ID
All three details should match
When getting Shadowrocket from the App Store, check the app name, developer, official icon and App ID together. The name helps you find a candidate listing, but it is not enough to verify the app: similar spellings, names with extra words and search ads can all appear on the same results page. The developer should be Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and the numeric ID in the product link should be 932747118. Checking all of these on the product page is more reliable than relying on a small search-result icon and makes it easier to match the app to your purchase history later.
The official icon is a rocket with a blue-purple outline on a white background. The site header uses the same official icon as a reference, but color or a rough outline alone is not enough to identify the app. Screenshots, web snippets and images shared in chats may be small or may not show the full app name. Check the actual product page and confirm that both the developer and numeric ID match. If the icon looks similar but the developer differs, or the name is close but the ID is different, do not treat them as the same product.
| Check | What to verify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| App name | Shadowrocket | Find the intended listing; not proof on its own |
| Developer | Shadow Launch Technology Limited | Verify who published it |
| App ID | 932747118 | Distinguish listings with the same or similar names |
| Icon | Rocket with a blue-purple outline on white | Cross-check against the other identifying details |
Check the numeric ID in the product link
The Shadowrocket App Store product page provided here corresponds to the App ID above. The numeric ID is the key product identifier in the link, not the title a search engine attaches to it. If you reach the store from another page, check the ID in the shared product link or compare it with the link provided here. Do not mistake another app's description page, developer profile or collection page for the product page; these may include multiple listings, so open the specific app details and verify them.
Screenshots in a product description can help explain what the app does, but they do not replace checking the developer and App ID. Seeing interface labels such as Home, Config or Settings in a screenshot only tells you those labels appear there; it does not prove the listing's identity. Ratings, review counts and search position are not reliable ways to verify the app either. This site does not use unverified ratings or download counts as evidence; the manual focuses on product details you can check directly.
Use the price to spot a discrepancy, not as sole proof
The iPhone / iPad version is a one-time $2.99 purchase on the App Store; the Mac, Windows, Android and Linux versions are free. Store prices are shown in the local storefront currency. If a different listing with the same name appears as free in iPhone / iPad search results, check its developer and ID before proceeding; do not assume it is the same app. Conversely, the correct listing you already purchased may show a cloud download icon or Open. That does not mean it is a different app—check your purchase history to understand the status.
After verifying the app, check device compatibility and purchase details. Refer to the App Store page for system requirements; do not skip this check just because the name matches. For step-by-step help, see the App Store purchase guide. If you want to use Shadowrocket on a computer or Android device, return to the all-platform download page for the right version rather than looking for a desktop installer in the mobile store. Each platform has its own download process, but the product is always named Shadowrocket.
04 / Purchases and use
Purchases and one-time payment
Before you confirm a purchase
Before buying, check three things: whether the current App Store purchase account is the one you intend to keep using, whether this is the correct product and whether your device meets the store's compatibility requirements. Then check the price and currency and follow the system's purchase confirmation steps. The US App Store price for iPhone / iPad is a one-time $2.99; the Mac, Windows, Android and Linux versions are free. Other storefronts charge in the local currency shown on their product pages. The amount, account and product name in the confirmation should match what you checked. If they do not, cancel and review the details.
Purchase confirmation may require the side button, Touch ID, Face ID, an account password or another form of authentication, depending on the device and account settings. Successful authentication does not necessarily mean the payment went through: the system may still stop the order if the payment method is invalid, billing details need updating or the account has a pending issue. Wait for the purchase result and download status to become clear before deciding whether it is complete. You do not need to enter payment details in Shadowrocket's configuration; client connection settings and store billing are separate systems.
A one-time purchase covers the app
A one-time purchase describes how the app is bought under the relevant store account; it is not a charge for a network service. One-time client purchase ≠ service plan. After installation, you still need your own existing subscription or server details to set up a proxy connection. Paying through the store does not automatically add a connection to Home or activate a subscription. This site does not provide, sell or recommend nodes or subscriptions; the manual explains how to use information you already have in the client.
If you use the same purchase account on a compatible iPhone and iPad, check that account's purchase history to download the app again instead of paying again just because the devices are different. Keep app purchase eligibility separate from configuration sync: being able to download the app again does not mean server entries, Config files or diagnostic data from your old device will appear on the new one. Configuration recovery requires a separate backup check. The validity period and device limits for a connection service depend on the terms of the service you already use.
Failed, pending and duplicate transactions
If the payment screen shows an error, note the message first, then check your payment method, billing information and account status. If the network is interrupted, do not assume the order failed and immediately try to buy again. Check purchase history to see whether an order was placed, then see whether the product page now shows a cloud download icon or Open. A pending amount shown by a bank or payment service does not necessarily mean the App Store order is complete. Compare the store purchase history with the payment record before drawing conclusions from a single notification.
If the order is pending or the account asks you to verify billing details, deal with the specific issue identified by the system first. Switching devices, restarting the client or changing rules will not fix a store billing restriction. If you suspect a duplicate charge, keep your order records and use the purchase issue support option in your account to check. Do not share screenshots containing personal order details or give anyone your account verification code. Payment disputes are handled through the store's order system, not by changing client settings.
After purchasing, keep a personal record showing the product name, purchasing account and order status, and make sure the app has finished downloading. Do not import a store receipt as subscription credentials or enter a subscription link on the store account page. For initial configuration, continue with the getting started guide and use your own existing details. If you are wondering whether you need to download it again after switching devices, the restoration steps in the next section are more useful than opening the purchase confirmation again.
05 / New device or reinstall
Restore the app from your purchases
Check which account bought it before looking at the download button
When getting the app again on a new device or after deleting it, first confirm that the account used for Media & Purchases is the same one that made the original purchase. Then open the App Store account area and look for a purchase list labeled Apps, Purchased or similar; the exact label depends on your system. Find Shadowrocket in your app history and verify the developer and App ID. Use the download option in your purchase history rather than relying on the price shown on a search result to determine whether you bought it before.
A cloud download icon on the product page usually indicates that the current account has a record that allows you to download the app again. Open means the app is already installed. If the page still shows a price, check the account and purchase history before confirming a new order. A displayed price alone does not prove the original order is missing: you may be signed in with a different purchase account, the page may not have updated, or Family Sharing may be confused with an individual purchase. Rule out these possibilities one by one to avoid turning a restoration into a new purchase.
If the app is missing from your list
First check whether a filter such as Not on this device is hiding the app; it may already be installed. Then check for hidden purchases. The option to view and restore hidden purchases may be in account settings, and its label can vary by system. If you remember when you bought the app, compare your receipts or App Store purchase history to confirm the name and account. Remembering that you used it on a particular device does not prove that the current account has that purchase record.
If you previously got the app through Family Sharing, your personal purchase list may differ from a family member's shared purchases. First determine whether you bought it yourself or got it from an eligible family member, then check the corresponding list. Do not repeatedly switch between accounts if you are unsure which one was used; it makes the issue harder to diagnose and may trigger additional account verification. If your Family Sharing status has changed, check the current purchase-sharing requirements. The app still being installed on an old device does not guarantee that it can be downloaded on a new one.
Purchase history is not a configuration backup
Downloading the app again restores the app itself. Whether subscriptions, server settings and Config are restored depends on the backup method you used. Before switching devices, make sure your existing configuration has been backed up as expected, especially any rules, policy names and server entries you maintain yourself. An app icon on the Home Screen does not mean all your data has migrated. After opening the app, check Home and Config for your entries and current configuration before connecting. You are responsible for keeping backup files containing your connection details secure.
If you use device migration or cloud sync, wait for the process to finish and check that you are signed in to the right sync account. If entries do not appear right away, do not immediately delete or overwrite configuration on multiple devices. Keep a usable copy on the old device until you have confirmed the new one is restored, then organize your files. For details on exporting and restoring, see Configuration backup and device migration. Store history helps you get the app again; a configuration backup helps move your data. Check each separately.
Getting the app again also depends on current product availability and device compatibility. If the system says your version is incompatible, follow the requirements shown on the App Store page; an older system is not guaranteed to be able to download a historical version. If a region notice prevents the download, revisit the store region section instead of deleting more device data. For Mac, Windows, Android and Linux, get the appropriate installer again from this site's download page; these versions are free. The iPhone / iPad version is a one-time $2.99 App Store purchase, with previous purchases handled through purchase history. Check data migration separately on each platform.
06 / Family Sharing
Family Sharing: requirements and limits
Check the current product page for sharing details
Family Sharing is an App Store purchase-sharing feature, not an account shared among multiple people. To find out whether Shadowrocket can be obtained through a family group, first check the Family Sharing details on the current product page, then review your group and purchase-sharing settings. Do not treat a past successful download as a permanent, unconditional guarantee: membership, store region, payment status, product availability and sharing settings can all affect the result. Use the eligibility shown on your device; this guide cannot replace it or guarantee that every family setup will work.
Check two separate questions: first, whether the app supports purchase sharing in the current store; second, whether purchase sharing is enabled for your Family Sharing group. Meeting only one condition may still leave the app unavailable to download. Family members use their own Apple Accounts to access shared family purchases; each person remains responsible for their own verification methods and devices. Do not change account boundaries to skip setup, and never share account passwords or verification codes among family members.
Find the app in shared family purchases
Check family membership and purchase-sharing status in the Family section of Settings, then open Family Purchases in the App Store account and choose the family member who bought the app. Search for Shadowrocket there. Labels and locations vary by system version; the important thing is to check the purchaser's list rather than only your personal purchases. If you find the app, verify the developer and App ID to rule out a similar listing. If the system asks the organizer to approve the request or verify the account, follow the prompts in Family Sharing settings.
A child's account may be affected by age limits, Ask to Buy, content restrictions or device-management policies. An app being visible to an adult does not guarantee that it will appear or download the same way on a child's device. The family organizer should review the relevant restrictions rather than repeatedly trying to purchase the app. School- or work-managed devices may have additional installation rules that are separate from Family Sharing settings. Identify which layer is applying the restriction, then ask an authorized administrator to address it. Do not confuse app connection problems with installation permissions.
What to check when sharing does not work
First confirm that the purchaser can find the correct listing in their own purchase history, then check whether it is hidden and whether purchase sharing is enabled. Next, verify that the members' store regions meet the system requirements, that they are still in the same Family Sharing group and that there are no pending billing issues. After each check, reopen the relevant product page to see whether the message has changed. Do not change regions, leave the family group and switch purchase accounts all at once; even if the issue clears, you will not know what fixed it and will have no clear starting point next time.
If Family Sharing membership changes, the conditions for downloading content previously obtained through a family purchase may change too. An app still installed on an old device does not give a new device its own purchase record; leaving the group does not transfer someone else's order to your account. Before changing your family setup, review the effects listed by the system and check that you have backups of the data you need. Whether to purchase the app separately depends on current store eligibility and your needs. A missing family purchase does not automatically mean the app is unavailable.
Even if family members can all install the client, each person's connection configuration needs to be checked separately. App purchase sharing does not copy server details from Home or turn one person's subscription into a family subscription. To move your own configuration, use an appropriate backup and import process, and confirm the details can be used on the destination device. If the app installs but will not connect, check your existing subscription, server settings and network rather than changing Family Sharing again. See the FAQ for more on these distinctions.
07 / Search troubleshooting
App not found or product page won't open
First determine whether search or store access is failing
Enter Shadowrocket in the App Store search field and check for typos, accidental spaces or extra words that are not part of the product name. If the App Store home page, other product pages and the account page also fail to load, treat this as a store access issue rather than changing settings for one app. If other content loads normally and only this app is missing, check the store region, content restrictions and device compatibility first. Narrowing down the scope is usually more useful than repeatedly changing search terms.
Next, use the direct product link on this page. If it opens the correct details, you have reached the intended listing this time; check the button and any notices rather than continuing to troubleshoot search rankings. If it says the app is unavailable in your region, check the account region. If the device is incompatible, review the product's compatibility details. If the page is blank, keeps loading or shows a connection error, troubleshoot store access first. Similar descriptions of a page that will not open can have very different causes, so keep the exact message shown on your device.
Search result filters
Content and privacy restrictions can affect whether apps appear and can be installed. Check allowed content and purchase settings under the relevant Screen Time restrictions. If a parent or organization manages the device, ask someone with the necessary permissions to review them. Do not remove restrictions just because an app is missing from search, and do not mistake a restriction you cannot change for an app fault. Some restrictions come from management profiles and cannot be changed by the device user. The goal is to identify whether a restriction is in effect, not to bypass family or organizational device rules.
Device category and system version can also affect what appears. Search screens, filters and results may differ between iPhone and iPad; not seeing a result when searching one category does not prove that the product listing is missing. Open the direct product page to see the full compatibility details, then check whether your device meets them. Follow the requirements on the App Store page, not system version numbers from an old guide. If your device cannot update to the required system, do not assume it can install the app just because it appears in a screenshot from a newer device.
| What you see | Check first | What not to do yet |
|---|---|---|
| No search results, but other pages work | Region, spelling and content restrictions | Change client rules |
| Message says the app is unavailable in your region | Country or region of the purchase account | Keep refreshing the purchase button |
| Compatibility warning | System and device requirements on the product page | Submit payment again |
| Multiple store pages keep loading | Network, time and account status | Delete your existing configuration |
Avoid excessive steps when refreshing status
Try closing and reopening the App Store, then check that the device's date and time are correct. If possible, compare by switching to another trusted network connection. Change one thing at a time and note the result. If a network configuration on your device affects traffic, understand what it does before deciding whether it is related to store access. Do not import a configuration from an unknown source just to open the store. A failed account sign-in and a network loading issue need different fixes: check account verification for the former, and connection conditions for the latter.
If the issue persists, note the device model, current OS, account region, exact message, and whether the direct product page and other App Store pages load. Do not include passwords, verification codes, card numbers or your full billing address. These details make it easier to distinguish an account issue from a device issue than simply saying “Shadowrocket doesn't show up in search.” If the app is installed and opens but connections time out, that is not a search issue. See the connection timeout checklist to check your own server details and network conditions.
08 / From download to first connection
Stuck downloads and checks after installation
A completed order does not mean the download is complete
Even after a successful purchase, a download can pause because of network, storage or system issues. Check the Home Screen icon and App Store product page: waiting, a progress indicator, a cloud download icon and Open each indicate different stages. If the order is already in your history but the app has not finished downloading, troubleshoot the download instead of buying again. Check available storage first, then see whether other downloads are queued. The system may need more temporary space than the app's listed size, so the file size alone does not tell you whether there is enough room.
For a download that stays pending, use the device's pause and resume options, or retry once you have confirmed the network is working. If needed, restart the device and check the same download again. Do not delete an app you have already used before backing up its data; reinstalling is not a universal fix. If the icon says Open but the app will not start, check the device's system status and available storage first. If the store reports an account billing issue, address that separately. Each action should match a specific symptom; do not conflate orders, downloads and startup problems.
Opening the app does not mean you can connect yet
The first time you open Shadowrocket, check whether Home contains your own connection entry. A new installation does not come with a working server; import your existing subscription or server details and verify the protocol and required settings. If the client asks to add a system VPN configuration, read the system prompt and confirm it comes from the app you just opened before granting permission. Store purchase, VPN configuration permission and server connection are three separate steps; completing one does not confirm the others.
Next, check Global Routing. Config mode uses the rules in the current Config to determine how connections are handled; Proxy mode routes relevant traffic through a proxy; Direct mode connects directly. The result also depends on system routing, the active configuration and the request's destination. For an initial test, keep things simple: select the intended server, make sure your existing details are valid, then test a specific destination. Do not change DNS, rules and several server settings at once before confirming basic connectivity; otherwise, it is hard to pinpoint the cause of a failure.
Understand configuration with rule examples—do not replace your current setup
The following example shows Shadowrocket rule syntax and how rules can take different actions after the app is installed. It is not a server configuration and does not replace a subscription you already have. PROXY must match the policy and server selection in your actual configuration. DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches domain suffixes, GEOIP relies on the relevant IP address lookup, and FINAL handles requests not matched by earlier rules. Rules are evaluated in order, so a broad match placed first may prevent later rules from being reached.
[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
FINAL,PROXYDo not paste this example over the full Config you currently use. Before making changes, export your existing configuration, keep a copy you can restore and confirm that the policy names match your setup. Check installation by whether the app launches, check a store order in purchase history, and check rules by observing which rules match real requests. Each has its own way to verify; a failed connection to one destination does not mean the store purchase was wrong. To learn about rule matching, see Rule keywords explained.
Use the troubleshooting path for the problem you have
If the app opens but cannot connect, check your existing server details, subscription status, protocol settings, system time and network conditions one by one. If the app has not finished downloading, continue checking the store and device download status. If entries are missing only after switching devices, return to configuration backup and restore. Do not make another purchase to fix a connection issue, or remove a purchase account to fix a rules problem. For the complete walkthrough, see the Shadowrocket getting started guide. To look up a specific issue, visit the FAQ. Installation and first-launch instructions for other platforms are in the download page installation section; they are not repeated here.