This article addresses the practical question of “how to import a subscription into Shadowrocket”: it is intended for users who have already installed Shadowrocket (commonly known as “Little Rocket”) on an iPhone or iPad. Follow the steps to import a subscription link, update nodes, and check whether the IP, DNS, and browser environment are consistent after connecting, so as to avoid situations where it connects but webpages will not open, the IP leaks, or websites detect abnormalities.
1. Preparation Before Importing a Subscription into Shadowrocket
To import a subscription, you need a valid subscription link, usually starting with https://. When opened, it will return a set of node configurations. You can use your own existing subscription, or get free node information on this site and import it according to the page instructions. Note: a subscription link is effectively the entry point to your nodes, so it is recommended not to share it publicly at will.
- Make sure your phone’s network is working properly; it is recommended to first disable Low Power Mode and any problematic proxy apps.
- Make sure Shadowrocket is installed and allowed to add VPN configurations.
- Copy the complete subscription link, and do not miss any parameters at the end.
- If the link requires browser login, complete the login first and then copy the subscription address.
2. How to Import a Subscription into Shadowrocket
- Open Shadowrocket and go to the home page.
- Tap the “+” icon in the upper-right corner, and choose Subscribe or “Subscription” as the type.
- Paste the subscription address into the URL/link field. For the remark, you can enter “Free Nodes” or the service name for easier identification.
- Tap “Done/Save” in the upper-right corner. After returning to the home page, pull down to refresh and wait for the node list to appear.
- Select a node and turn on the connection switch at the top. On first use, a VPN permission prompt will appear; tap Allow and enter your system password.
If no nodes appear after importing the subscription, first check whether the link has expired or was copied incompletely, then try switching between cellular data and Wi-Fi and update again. Some subscription servers are unstable when accessed from mainland China’s network, so you may need to change your network environment before refreshing.
3. Recommendations for Subscription Updates and Node Selection
A subscription is not permanently usable after a single import; nodes may be maintained, become invalid, or be replaced. It is recommended to long-press the subscription group on the Shadowrocket home page and choose Update; you can also enter the configuration page to see whether there is an “Update Subscription” option. If a webpage will not open, do not just keep toggling the VPN on and off—try switching to 2–3 different nodes first.
Ordinary users can prioritize latency test results when choosing nodes, but latency does not equal actual experience. Watching videos, browsing websites, and logging into accounts have different requirements, so it is recommended to keep several usable nodes as backups. The free nodes provided by this site are suitable for temporary testing and learning configuration; stability depends on actual connection performance.
4. Check the IP, DNS, and Browser Environment After Connecting
After importing the subscription and connecting successfully, it is recommended to perform an environment check. Open a browser and search for “my IP” to confirm that the displayed region roughly matches the selected node; then search for DNS Leak Test to see whether the DNS still shows your local ISP. If the IP has changed but the DNS is still local, some websites may detect abnormalities.
The browser environment can also affect access results. For example, if Safari and Chrome are logged into different accounts, factors such as cache, cookies, language, time zone, and location permissions may allow websites to infer your original usage habits. If you need a cleaner testing environment, use a private browsing window, clear cookies for the target website, and disable webpage location permissions. The key is to keep the IP, DNS, and browser language/time zone as consistent as possible.
5. Troubleshooting Common Failures
- Subscription update failed: Check whether the link is complete, try copying it into a browser to open it, or change networks and update again.
- VPN is connected but webpages will not open: Switch nodes, check the rule mode, and temporarily change to global proxy mode for testing.
- Some websites will not open: Clear the browser cache, switch to a different node region, and confirm that DNS is not leaking.
- Frequent disconnections: Disable power-saving mode, switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data, delete invalid nodes, and then re-import the subscription.
Summary: the core of importing a subscription into Shadowrocket is “add the subscription link → update nodes → select a node and connect → check the environment.” As long as the subscription is valid, the nodes are usable, and there are no obvious conflicts among the IP, DNS, and browser environment, most access issues can be resolved by switching nodes, refreshing the subscription, and cleaning the browser environment.