How do you use Shadowrocket? This guide covers installing the client on an iPhone, importing nodes or a subscription, enabling the proxy, and troubleshooting issues such as your IP not changing or websites failing to load. It also explains how DNS and your browser environment can affect the results. Shadowrocket is a proxy client. Installing the app does not mean you already have usable nodes—you also need a valid node link or subscription.
1. What to prepare before installation
Search for Shadowrocket in the App Store and verify the app name and developer information. Check the store listing for availability and pricing. Don’t install modified versions from unfamiliar websites or use shared Apple IDs from unknown sources. Have a node QR code, share link, or subscription URL ready. These may contain access credentials, so don’t share screenshots or forward them publicly.
2. Import nodes and connect
- Import a share link: Copy the complete link, open Shadowrocket, and follow the prompt to import it from the clipboard. If no prompt appears, tap the plus sign in the upper-right corner and enter or paste the information required for the relevant protocol.
- Import a QR code: Tap the scan option and scan the QR code provided by your service provider. If scanning from your photo library, first make sure the image is complete and clear.
- Import a subscription: Tap the plus sign, select “Subscribe” under Type, paste the full subscription URL, and save it. Then update the subscription. The option may be named slightly differently in some versions.
- Select a node on the home screen. If this is your first time using it, run a connectivity test. A successful test doesn’t guarantee that every website will work, so check by opening the sites you need.
- Set “Global Routing”: For everyday use, you can select “Config,” but you’ll need trusted routing rules. For temporary troubleshooting, switch to “Proxy” to check whether traffic can pass through the selected node.
- Turn on the connection switch on the home screen. When prompted by iOS for the first time, allow it to add a VPN configuration and complete system verification. Once the VPN indicator appears, test the website you want to access.
You can find import information on the free nodes page at freevpn-x.com, but check when it was last updated and whether the protocols are compatible. Free nodes may not always be available, so don’t assume that a successful import means they’ll remain reliable over time.
3. How IP, DNS, and your browser environment are related
Your IP usually reflects the network egress used for the current request. When the proxy is on, only requests routed through the proxy use its egress. If the rules send an IP-checking site directly, it may still show your local egress IP. To troubleshoot, temporarily switch to “Proxy” mode and reload the IP-checking page, then restore your usual routing rules.
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. A DNS resolution failure can prevent a website from loading, but a DNS test alone can’t tell you whether all traffic is passing through the proxy. Prefer DNS settings from a trusted configuration, and avoid changing multiple options at once. If you’ve changed them manually, restore the original settings and test the connection again.
Cookies, login status, location permissions, language, and time zone in your browser can also affect what a website displays. Changing your egress IP does not reset your browser environment. If a site still shows the same region, try again in a private window and check the site’s location permissions before assuming the node has stopped working.
4. Troubleshoot connection failures in this order
- Turn off the proxy and confirm that your Wi-Fi or cellular connection can access the internet.
- Update the subscription, check whether the link has expired or the node is no longer valid, and try another node.
- Check your routing mode and rules. Temporarily use “Proxy” mode to distinguish a node issue from a routing issue.
- Temporarily disable other VPNs or network-filtering tools to avoid conflicts. If needed, switch networks and test again.
- Check the logs for messages such as timeouts or DNS resolution failures. Before asking for help, hide your subscription URL, password, and personal information.
Change one setting at a time and record the results to make it easier to identify the cause. When using a proxy, follow the laws in your location and the applicable service terms.