This guide is for people who have already purchased Shadowrocket and are switching iPhones or reinstalling the app. First, make sure the App Store is signed in with the original purchase account, then download Shadowrocket from your purchased apps. After installation, check your servers, Config, and VPN permission separately. Restoring access to the app and restoring its in-app configuration are two different things; a successful download does not mean all your settings have been transferred.
01 Separate purchase access from local configuration
Shadowrocket is a one-time purchase distributed through the App Store. Deleting the app does not delete its purchase record. As long as the purchase remains valid, the app is available to redownload, and the device is compatible, you can download it again with the original purchase account without buying it a second time. Check the App Store listing for availability and system requirements.
A purchase record shows that the account acquired the app; it does not mean that servers, subscription URLs, or rules are stored by the App Store. When installing Shadowrocket from the App Store on a new iPhone, check that the app is installed and that its data has been restored as separate steps. Verify any data restored from a device backup individually. Seeing a server name in Home does not, by itself, confirm that the connection works.
02 Open your purchased apps with the original account
Check the App Store account first, not just the iCloud account shown at the top of Settings. The account used for iCloud may differ from the one used for App Store purchases. Your purchase history is tied to the account that completed the original App Store transaction. On some systems, Apple ID is now labeled Apple Account; this guide uses Apple ID, the term commonly shown in purchase records.
The labels on the App Store account page vary by system version and interface language. You may see Apps → My Apps or Purchased. These lead to your purchased apps, not Purchase History, which lists individual transactions by billing date. Follow the label shown on your device.
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Check the account
Open the App Store and tap the account icon in the upper-right corner. Confirm that the current store account matches the account used for the original purchase. If you are unsure, check the account on the original receipt before making another purchase.
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Open your purchased apps
On the account page, go to Apps → My Apps or Purchased. If Not on this iPhone is available, use it to filter for apps that are not currently installed on this device.
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Find the app
Search for Shadowrocket and open the matching listing. Check that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited. To verify the app's identity, check its app ID: 932747118.
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Download it again
Tap the cloud download icon and complete any account verification prompts. Once the download is finished, tap Open or launch the app from your Home Screen, then check Home and Config.
Being asked for a password or device verification during a download does not mean you are being charged again. Check whether the screen offers a redownload or asks you to confirm a purchase at a price. If a price appears and you cannot confirm which account owns the purchase, cancel and check your purchase records before proceeding. Do not use a duplicate purchase as a substitute for troubleshooting.
03 What to do if the app is missing or shows a price
A price in search results, a missing entry in Purchased, and a download error are three different issues. For the first two, check which account made the purchase and the status of the purchased-app list. If the cloud icon appears but the download fails, start with any network, storage, or account verification message from the system. Do not assume every failure is caused by Shadowrocket settings: those settings do not affect an App Store download before the app is installed.
The app is on your old iPhone. Why does the new one show a price?
Compare the App Store account on both devices, then check the original purchase receipt. Being able to open the app on the old iPhone only confirms that it is installed there; it does not prove that the account currently signed in to the App Store on the new iPhone owns the purchase. Exit the purchase confirmation screen until you have confirmed the account.
The account is correct, but the app is still missing from Purchased
Clear any list filters and search for the full name, Shadowrocket. Then check Hidden Purchases in your account. Hiding a purchase does not delete its purchase record. If you find the app, follow the current on-screen option to download it or unhide it.
You have a purchase receipt, but can't download the app
Check the app name and account on the receipt, see whether the transaction was refunded, and confirm the current store region and device compatibility. Keep the exact system error and order details, then contact Apple Support through the support option on your device to resolve purchase-record issues. Do not share the full receipt or account details publicly.
The cloud icon appears, but the download is stuck
Check available iPhone storage, your current network, and whether the App Store is waiting for account verification, then try again. There is no need to change Global Routing in an app that is not yet installed or to purchase it again.
Changing your store region is not a universal way to restore a purchase. App availability in your current region and account eligibility are determined by the App Store prompts. Do not sign out of iCloud on the entire device just to look for a purchase; first identify the account used for store purchases to keep purchase troubleshooting separate from device data syncing.
04 Restore Home and Config after installation
After redownloading, open Home and check whether your servers and subscriptions are still there. Then open Config and confirm that the configuration you need is available and selected. Some data may have been restored through device migration or a backup; after a fresh install, do not assume the old configuration is still there. If you had no usable backup before deleting the app, the App Store purchase record cannot recover your old server passwords or rule content.
- Home is empty: Reimport a valid subscription that you have saved. A common route is Home → “+” in the upper-right corner → Type → Subscribe. Enter your own subscription URL and save it, then update the subscription and check whether server entries appear.
- Only manual servers are listed: Go to Home → “+” → Add Server and check Type, Address, Port, and authentication fields against your original details. Do not guess the protocol or port from the server name, and do not enter a subscription URL as the server Address.
- Config is missing: Restore it from your own configuration backup or original configuration source, then check the rules and policy names in use. Restoring the server list does not restore custom rules. In particular, check that the policies your configuration relied on are still available.
- An entry is present, but the connection fails: Update your existing subscription, then check that your service is still valid and that the authentication details are correct. A matching entry name does not mean the address, password, or other parameters are still valid.
Subscription URLs often contain access credentials. When sharing a screenshot or describing an issue to support, hide the full URL, passwords, and keys. Store backups somewhere you control. A successful subscription update means new server details were retrieved; it does not confirm that every server connection works.
05 Check Global Routing and VPN permission
The first time you start a connection, the system may ask you to allow adding a VPN configuration. Follow the device prompts. This is a system permission needed for connections, separate from App Store purchase verification. If you previously deleted the system VPN configuration, watch for the permission prompt after reinstalling rather than checking only your payment records.
Next, go to Home → Global Routing and check the current mode. Restoring a purchase does not determine which routing mode you should use; confirm the mode and configuration again after migration. The comparison below covers Config, Proxy, and Direct, which are commonly used to verify a restored setup. Treat a temporary test selection as just that—not as a conclusion about your long-term configuration.
Config
RecommendedHandle requests according to the rules in the selected configuration. If you have restored the original Config and want to verify everyday routing, start here to check that the rules and policies are intact. Config does not guarantee that every request will use a proxy.
Best for: verifying everyday routing with a complete rules configuration
Proxy
Use Proxy to check how the selected server connects. This can help distinguish a server connection issue from a configuration rules issue. When testing is complete, return to the routing mode that suits your original use. A single webpage loading does not prove that the entire configuration is correct.
Best for: temporarily isolating rule-related issues and checking the selected server
Direct
When using Direct, a webpage loading does not prove that a server is working. If you expect a request to go through a proxy but it remains on Direct, change the mode before testing access to the same destination again.
Best for: comparing results with direct access on your current local network
Bottom line: verify the connection before restoring automation
Start the connection manually and visit a destination you use regularly. Once the server and rules are working, go to Settings → On Demand and check the on-demand connection settings. If the connection turns back on automatically while troubleshooting, pause On Demand first so an automatic trigger is not mistaken for a faulty switch.
If a destination works in Proxy but not in Config, check the current Config match and the policy it selects. If both fail, continue by checking the selected server and network conditions. This comparison helps narrow down the issue, but it cannot by itself prove that DNS, the server, or a particular rule is at fault.
06 Final checks before you finish switching devices
Run a real access test before finishing migration on the old device. Confirm purchase access, app data, and connection status separately to avoid mistaking “downloaded” for “restored to the previous working setup.” If you also plan to use Shadowrocket on iPad, check purchase eligibility and compatibility in the App Store on that device.
- The App Store is signed in with the original purchase account, and the Shadowrocket listing matches the purchase record.
- The servers you need are in Home, existing subscriptions update successfully, and the selected server details are valid.
- The required configuration is selected in Config, and Global Routing matches your original routing goals.
- VPN permission is granted, a manual connection and access to your destination have been tested, and Settings → On Demand is set as expected.
- Your personal configuration and subscription credentials are stored safely, and data on the old device remains available for reference until migration is confirmed.
Shadowrocket is primarily used on iPhone and iPad. Compatibility information for Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision is also listed on the same App Store product page; check that page for device eligibility and system requirements. Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app available through the App Store. The store account's purchase record determines whether you can redownload it; verify service connectivity separately in the app.