This article addresses the practical question of “how to use Shadowrocket”: after installing it on your iPhone/iPad, how to import nodes or subscriptions, enable the proxy, and check whether your IP, DNS, and browser environment are consistent, so you can avoid issues such as being connected but unable to open webpages, unchanged IP, or DNS leaks.
1. Preparations Before Use
Shadowrocket is often called “Little Rocket” by Chinese users and is mainly used on iOS devices to connect to proxy nodes. It is only a client itself and cannot provide internet access on its own, so you need to prepare a working node link or subscription URL. Nodes may come in formats such as V2Ray, VLESS, Trojan, or Shadowsocks. This site also compiles some free nodes for testing, but the stability of free nodes can vary, so it is recommended to prepare several backups before connecting.
Before you begin, please confirm: your device’s system time is correct; your network can normally access domestic webpages; you have obtained a node QR code, a single link, or a subscription URL; and if both Wi-Fi and cellular fail, first rule out local network restrictions.
2. Importing Nodes into Shadowrocket and Connecting
- Open Shadowrocket, go to the home page, and tap “+” in the upper-right corner.
- If it is a single node, choose the corresponding type and paste in the server, port, password, UUID, and other information; if it is a link, you can import it directly from the clipboard.
- If it is a subscription, go to “Configuration/Subscribe” or choose URL when adding a type, paste the subscription address, save it, and then tap update.
- Return to the home page, select a node, and tap the switch at the top. On first use, you will be prompted to add a VPN configuration; choose Allow and enter your system password.
- After the status shows connected, open a browser and visit an IP checking website to confirm that your outbound IP has changed.
For ordinary users, it is recommended to prioritize importing via subscription, because when nodes change later, you only need to update the subscription instead of modifying them one by one. If a node connects slowly or times out, just switch to another node under the same subscription.
3. How IP, DNS, and the Browser Environment Relate
IP is the source address that websites see when you visit them. After Shadowrocket connects successfully, the IP detected by webpages should usually change to the region where the node is located. If the IP is still that of your local ISP, it means the proxy is not taking effect, the rule is not being matched, or the browser is using a direct connection.
DNS is responsible for resolving domain names into IP addresses. In some cases, the proxy is enabled, but DNS is still resolved by the local network, which may cause websites to fail to open, region detection to behave abnormally, or privacy to be exposed. In Shadowrocket’s settings, you can use the system default rules, or enable remote DNS / anti-leak related options; if you are not familiar with them, do not change complex settings casually.
Browser environment includes language, time zone, location permissions, cached cookies, WebRTC, and more. Even if the proxy IP changes, if the browser has saved old login records, websites may still identify your usual region. When testing, you can use an incognito window, disable webpage location permissions, and clear cookies for the relevant sites.
4. Common Troubleshooting for Connection Failures
- Subscription cannot be updated: check whether the subscription URL is complete, and try switching networks before refreshing.
- Node shows timeout: switch nodes for testing; free nodes may have expired or be congested.
- Can connect but cannot open external websites: check the rule mode, and temporarily switch to global proxy for testing.
- IP does not change: confirm that the VPN icon is present at the top, and that your current browser is not using another proxy or accelerator.
- Some apps do not use the proxy: check whether Shadowrocket’s rules have set that domain to direct connection.
If you only browse daily, it is recommended to use “Rule” mode; if you are troubleshooting, you can switch briefly to “Global” mode to confirm whether the node is usable. After troubleshooting, switch back to Rule mode to avoid routing domestic websites through the proxy as well.
5. Usage Recommendations
The core process of using Shadowrocket is: prepare nodes, import the subscription, select a node, enable VPN, and check IP/DNS. When problems arise, do not keep reinstalling the app; first troubleshoot in the order of node, subscription, rules, DNS, and browser cache. This will usually let you determine whether it is a client configuration issue or the node itself is unavailable.