Shadowrocket Troubleshooting

Shadowrocket supports iPhone and iPad. Check the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase eligibility. On iPad, sign in to the App Store with the Apple Account used for the purchase, check your purchased items, then review compatibility on the product page. The larger display may change how lists are arranged, but you can still use interface labels such as Home, Add Server, Config, and Global Routing to find your way. After installation, check the server list and active configuration. An app purchase does not automatically transfer subscription details.

When you first turn on a connection, the system may ask permission to let Shadowrocket add a VPN configuration. This authorization lets the client create a system network tunnel; it is separate from purchase verification and subscription updates. Confirm the prompt is for Shadowrocket, then follow the system instructions to allow the configuration and authenticate on your device. Never share your device passcode. If you canceled the prompt, return to the app and try connecting again, then check the VPN section in Settings for the configuration status. After granting permission, select a valid server and check the routing mode.

Use these interface labels to find key features: Home shows your server list and connection status; Add Server lets you add existing server details; Subscribe is for subscription-based entries; Config manages configuration files; and Global Routing sets the overall routing mode. Available app-language options depend on your device's Settings and what the app currently offers. If there is no language option, use these English labels to navigate. Don't identify a feature by button position alone; layouts can vary by device. Read each field label carefully before changing anything.

First, get a subscription from your service provider or gather the complete details for an existing server. Use Add Server to import or enter the information, then return to Home and confirm it appears in the list. Select a server and check Global Routing. If you need rule-based routing, confirm the active Config as well. Finally, turn on the connection, complete system authorization, and test access. Don't toggle the connection repeatedly before importing your details or change several advanced settings at once; that makes it harder to find where a problem occurs.

Open Shadowrocket's App Store product page and check the compatibility section. System requirements are as listed on the App Store page. Updates are also handled through the App Store. Make sure your device has enough free space, can access the store, and is signed in with the right purchase account. Differences between a tutorial and your device's interface don't necessarily mean something went wrong; layouts can change by device and app version. Back up any configuration you need before updating. Afterwards, check the active Config, selected server, and connection status so you don't mistake a settings change for an expired subscription.

Make sure you're using the complete subscription URL from your service provider, not an account sign-in page, help page, or truncated share text. Check for spaces, line breaks, or punctuation accidentally included when copying. Then verify your device's date and time and make sure the current network can reach the subscription URL. If you see an authentication or invalid-content error, ask your provider to confirm the URL's validity period, access permissions, and output format. Don't post a complete URL containing authentication details in a public forum. The error message is usually enough for troubleshooting; keep the subscription contents private.

In Add Server, first select the Type that matches the server, then enter the address, port, and authentication details required by that protocol. Depending on the protocol, you may also need TLS, a transport method, Server Name, or other parameters. An address and port alone may not be enough. Use the server details you already have; don't guess passwords, encryption methods, or toggle settings based on the protocol name. Save the entry, return to Home to confirm it's listed, then test the connection. If it fails, check each field against your details instead of repeatedly switching protocol types.

Find the relevant subscription group on Home and use its update action; the exact control depends on the current interface. Before updating, note which entry you're using. Afterwards, check that the update completed, whether the group contents changed, and whether the original entry was renamed or removed. An update retrieves the content currently provided by your service provider, so older entries may not always remain. If the selected server changes, choose a valid entry again and test it. Don't import the same URL repeatedly just to refresh it; that can leave multiple similar groups.

Expand the relevant group and check whether search, filters, or hidden-item settings are limiting what's shown. Confirm that you updated the intended subscription, not a different group. If the group is truly empty, review the update result and ask your provider to confirm the subscription term and the content currently returned. A successful import means the import process completed; it doesn't mean every entry is valid or that the provider will always return the same number of entries. Before deleting a group, preserve any details you may need to restore it. Avoid repeated imports as a way to troubleshoot a display issue.

Subscribe is generally used to retrieve and update server entries, while Config manages rules and related settings. These are separate update tasks. After updating a server subscription, check the active Config and its source separately; don't assume the rules were updated too. Imported content depends on its format. Back up Config before modifying or replacing it. After enabling it, check that Global Routing is set to Config and review key rules and FINAL. Seeing a file in the list doesn't mean it's active.

Global Routing has three modes: Config, Proxy, and Direct. Config uses the rules in the active configuration to determine how connections are handled, which is useful for rule-based routing. Proxy sends connections handled by the client through the selected proxy. Direct connects directly. Choose based on your needs; Proxy isn't a fix for every connection issue. For troubleshooting, note the original setting before switching temporarily for comparison. Restore it after testing, and distinguish the interface modes Proxy and Direct from the rule policy keywords PROXY and DIRECT.

First, confirm that you've selected a valid server on Home. Check whether the system is still waiting for VPN configuration permission or device authentication. Then check Settings for another active VPN configuration, device management restrictions, or organizational policies. Follow your organization's requirements on managed devices. Note the exact error shown by the client, then try turning the connection off and reopening the app. Don't start by deleting all system configurations or resetting network settings. Consider broader system troubleshooting only after understanding the impact and saving any information you need.

A connected status means the tunnel is established; it doesn't confirm that the target site, server, or DNS is working. First disconnect and check that your basic network can open ordinary webpages. Then reconnect and verify the selected server and subscription. Note the current Global Routing mode and Config, and test different destinations to see whether all or only some fail. If needed, compare Wi-Fi and cellular results. Change one variable at a time. If the issue occurs only with Config, check the matching rules and DNS before deleting the whole configuration.

First confirm that Global Routing is set to Config and that the intended configuration file is enabled. Rules are usually matched from top to bottom, and the first match determines the policy. A broad rule near the top can therefore take precedence over a more specific one below. Check whether conditions such as DOMAIN, DOMAIN-SUFFIX, and IP-CIDR match the actual destination, and verify that policy names and references are valid. Put FINAL at the end to handle connections that didn't match earlier rules. Test with a new connection after making changes; existing connections may keep their previous handling. Don't conclude that the entire ruleset is broken based on one visit.

Compare battery use over similar periods in the system's battery settings, taking screen time, signal strength, data transferred, and network switching into account. Frequent reconnects, sustained high data use, repeated testing, and extended detailed logging can all add processing load. Check whether On Demand is appropriate and avoid unnecessary repeated tests. Turn off detailed logs enabled temporarily for diagnosis when you're done. The protocol name alone doesn't determine battery use; compare under the same network conditions and workload. A persistent VPN status by itself doesn't mean the client is malfunctioning.

Connectivity Test helps assess reachability under specific test conditions; it doesn't confirm that every website, app, and transport will work. Traffic figures in Data also depend on the reporting period and reset status, and don't replace your provider's usage or validity records. If a test passes but a destination fails, check its domain, matching rules, and DNS. If a test fails but some destinations work, check the test destination itself. When contacting your provider, describe the network type, affected destination, and error. Redact subscription URLs and authentication fields.