10 Common Shadowrocket Questions: Home, Config, and Connection Controls

01 · Does buying Shadowrocket let me connect right away?

In short: No. Buying the app is not the same as buying a service plan. Before connecting, you’ll need to import your own existing subscription or server configuration.

Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app available exclusively on the App Store as a one-time purchase. The purchase covers use of the app; it does not create a remote server, subscription URL, or account credit. Opening the app and connecting to an existing server are two separate things to check.

• Open the App Store from the App Store verification page. Check that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited and the app ID is 932747118.
• Shadowrocket is primarily used on iPhone and iPad. Compatibility, system requirements, and Universal Purchase availability for Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision are as listed on the App Store page.
• Before you start, have your own subscription URL or complete server details ready. App purchase credentials are not subscription information.

02 · What are Home, Config, and Settings for?

In short: Home manages servers and connections, Config manages configuration files, and Settings controls app preferences.

Knowing what each section does helps prevent confusing “switching servers” with “changing rules.” Choose a server in Home to determine which remote endpoint the proxy connection uses. Enable a configuration in Config to choose which rules handle requests. Settings options affect behavior such as testing and automatic connections.

For example, having a server in Home does not mean traffic is routed correctly if Config has no rules suited to your needs. Conversely, importing a rules file does not necessarily add server credentials. Check both separately when troubleshooting; repeatedly importing the same content won’t help.

03 · How do I add a subscription I already have?

In short: In Home, tap “+” in the upper-right corner, set Type to Subscribe, enter your subscription URL, and save.

A subscription URL retrieves a list of server details. It is not a regular web address or the port for a single server. Copy the entire URL, including its path and query parameters. If you copy only the domain, the server may return a webpage that Shadowrocket cannot parse as a server list.

1. Get the URL

   Copy the subscription URL from your existing service details. Make sure you have the whole URL, with no line breaks, spaces, or extra explanatory text.

2. Choose the type

   Go to Home → “+” → Type → Subscribe. Make sure you’re adding a subscription, not entering a single server manually.

3. Enter the URL and save

   Paste the full URL into URL, add a recognizable label, and save. Example URL: https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx. This is a placeholder and cannot be used to connect.

4. Check the list

   Return to Home and wait for the subscription to load. Pull down to refresh if you need to fetch it again. Once the servers appear, select one for testing.

A subscription URL’s token often grants access, so treat it as sensitive information. Hide the full URL, password, and credentials in screenshots you share for support. Reporting the error, import steps, and whether the list is empty is usually more helpful for troubleshooting.

04 · Where’s the connection toggle, and should I allow system access?

In short: The connection toggle is at the top of Home. The first time you connect, allow Shadowrocket to add a VPN configuration.

Select an imported server in Home, then turn on the toggle at the top. Your iPhone or iPad may ask you to approve adding a VPN configuration and authenticate on the device. This permission lets the app handle network traffic according to your settings; it does not authenticate your account with the remote server.

• The toggle turns off immediately: First check that system authorization is complete, then make sure the selected server configuration is complete.
• The toggle stays on: This only means the connection feature is running; it doesn’t confirm that every website is reachable.
• The connection turns off and then back on: Check Settings → On Demand first. Automatic connection triggers can look like a faulty toggle.

After changing a configuration, make a new request to the destination you’re testing. Some browsers and apps reuse existing connections, so an old connection may not reflect the new settings. Close and reopen the page, and keep the destination the same while testing.

05 · Which Global Routing option should I choose?

In short: Choose Config for rule-based routing, Proxy to temporarily test the proxy route, Direct to compare with a direct connection, or Scene to use the configured scene.

Global Routing selects a routing mode; it does not select a server protocol. Switching to Proxy won’t turn Shadowsocks into Trojan or fix an incorrect password. When troubleshooting, change one option at a time, note the result, then restore the original setting to keep a valid comparison.

If Direct works but Proxy fails, first check the selected server and its connection requirements. If Proxy works but Config fails, check which rules match and where their policies point. These comparisons narrow down the issue but don’t confirm its cause.

06 · What is Config for, and does importing a file activate it?

In short: Config manages rules and other settings. After importing a file, make sure it’s enabled and Global Routing is set to Config.

Seeing a filename in Config only confirms that the file exists. Check that it’s enabled, then return to Home and check Global Routing. If the mode is still Proxy or Direct, browsing results won’t tell you whether the file’s routing rules are working.

[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
IP-CIDR,192.168.0.0/16,DIRECT
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
FINAL,DIRECT

The example above shows only a rules section, not a complete connection configuration. The first rule sends example.com and its subdomains through PROXY; the next rules handle the specified local network range and GEOIP conditions; FINAL,DIRECT is the fallback. Rules are checked from top to bottom, and the first match determines the policy, so FINAL belongs at the end.

• Back up your current configuration before editing so you have a copy you can restore.
• Don’t judge whether a configuration is active by its filename alone. Check which file is enabled and review its rules.
• Domain rules and IP rules use different matching criteria. DNS results can also affect how subsequent IP rules are evaluated.

07 · How do I update Subscribe, and what can change?

In short: Pull down in Home to fetch the subscription again. After updating, check the server list and your current selection.

Updating a subscription fetches data again from the original URL; it does not extend the service period. Changes to the remote content may affect server names, addresses, or the number of servers. If your selected entry has been removed, choose another one. Don’t assume the list will stay unchanged after the first import.

1. Before updating, note the number of entries, your current selection, and any error message—but not the full token.
2. Make sure your current network can reach your subscription URL, then refresh in Home.
3. After updating, check that the expected servers appear. If the list is empty, first check your account status, whether the URL is valid, and what it returns.
4. Select a server again and test it. If the update fails, don’t immediately delete the only configuration you’ve kept that still works.

A successful subscription update doesn’t mean every server in it is reachable. Likewise, a server that still works doesn’t mean the subscription URL is still accessible. Fetching a subscription and connecting through a proxy are separate requests; test them separately.

08 · Does low latency mean websites will always load quickly?

In short: No. Connectivity Test results can help you compare servers, but actual browsing also depends on bandwidth, packet loss, the destination site, and how the connection is established.

Run Connectivity Test on your existing servers in Home, then compare them using the same network and destination website. Don’t rank results from different times or test methods as if they were directly comparable. A successful test reflects only the conditions at that moment.

• The test returns a result, but the website still fails: Check the destination’s routing policy, DNS, and whether the server can reach that destination.
• Pages load, but large files are slow: Latency isn’t throughput. You’ll need to assess sustained transfer performance separately.
• A manually added server fails: Check the protocol, address, port, and authentication details. Changing only the region name won’t help.

For example, if your service details specify Trojan and port 443, enter those values as provided. Port 443 alone doesn’t prove that the service uses Trojan. Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard use different parameter formats; the protocol must match the remote configuration.

09 · Should I enable On Demand, and why does it reconnect automatically?

In short: First verify that a manual connection works. Then configure Settings → On Demand for your network needs. Once enabled, matching conditions may trigger a connection automatically.

On Demand controls when to establish or end a connection; it doesn’t choose rules for individual websites. Global Routing and Config determine that. Scene and On Demand are different too: Scene concerns routing choices, while On Demand controls connection triggers.

1. Open Settings → On Demand and check whether it’s enabled and which network conditions are configured.
2. When troubleshooting for the first time, turn off On Demand and connect manually from Home to rule out automatic triggers.
3. Once a manual connection is stable, configure the conditions you need one at a time and test behavior when switching between Wi-Fi and cellular networks.
4. If you need to stay disconnected, check the On Demand status and turn off the connection toggle in Home.

On Demand isn’t a fixed battery-saving mode. Battery use depends on factors such as request volume, reconnection frequency, and wireless network quality. If the connection keeps dropping and reconnecting, note the network conditions when it happens, then check usage under Settings → Battery on your iPhone. Don’t assume the toggle’s name explains the battery drain.

10 · Can’t connect? Check these three symptoms first

In short: First identify whether the server list is empty, the toggle won’t stay on, or the connection is on but the destination won’t load. Then check the import, authorization, or routing, respectively.

Don’t change the server, rules, DNS, and On Demand all at once while troubleshooting. Change one variable at a time, repeat the same request, and note what happens before and after. That’s the best way to find out which setting is related to the issue.

When contacting support, include your device type, current network, Global Routing option, whether On Demand is enabled, and the steps to reproduce the issue. Hiding your subscription URL and authentication credentials helps protect access better than sending the entire configuration. After these 10 checks, you can usually narrow the issue down to app authorization, subscription retrieval, server connectivity, or rule handling.