This guide covers the basics of using Shadowrocket: installing the app, importing nodes, and connecting. It also explains how your exit IP, DNS, and browser settings can affect what you see when accessing websites. It’s intended for iPhone and iPad users to follow step by step; menu names may vary slightly between versions.
1. What to prepare before installation
Shadowrocket is a proxy client, not a node service. Before using it, you’ll need to install the app and obtain a node link, QR code, or subscription URL from a trusted source. Check the app name and developer information in the App Store. Availability and pricing depend on your local store. We don’t recommend installing modified versions from unknown sources.
Subscription URLs may contain access credentials, so don’t share them publicly. The free nodes provided by this site are suitable for trying out, but availability may change. A successful import doesn’t guarantee that a node will always connect.
2. Import a node and connect
- Open Shadowrocket and tap “＋” in the top-right corner of the home screen to add a node of the appropriate type. If you copied a single node link, use the clipboard import option. If you have a QR code, use the scanner.
- If you have a subscription URL, select the subscription type on the add screen, enter the URL, add a recognizable label, and save. Then update the subscription. Don’t enter a subscription URL as if it were a single server address.
- Return to the home screen and check that the node appears in the list, then select it. You can run a connectivity test first, but treat the latency result as a rough guide only; it doesn’t indicate how fast websites will actually load.
- The first time you use the app, turn on the connection switch on the home screen. When iOS prompts you to allow a VPN configuration, approve it and complete system verification. After connecting, check the VPN status in iOS.
- For everyday use, prefer “Config” or rule mode, and make sure the configuration comes from a trusted source. To troubleshoot routing issues, you can briefly switch to “Proxy” mode for comparison, then switch back when you’re done.
Seeing “VPN Connected” in iOS doesn’t mean the node’s exit is necessarily working. Open the target website to check. If you’re using another VPN, disconnect it first to avoid conflicts.
3. How IP, DNS, and your browser are related
Your exit IP is the network address websites see as your source. In rule mode, some websites connect directly while others go through the proxy, so different IP lookup sites may show different addresses. When checking, use the same lookup site each time and confirm whether its traffic goes through the proxy. Don’t rely on a single location result to determine how all your traffic is routed.
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. If a node seems to work but websites won’t load by domain name, DNS, routing rules, or network restrictions may be the cause. Keep the default DNS settings at first, and don’t change several settings at once. If you do need to adjust them, note the original settings, change one thing at a time, and test again.
Your browser also stores cookies, cached data, sign-in status, and location permissions. Changing your exit IP doesn’t necessarily change the region a website shows you right away. Your account’s region, device location, and the browser’s Secure DNS settings can all affect the result. You can compare results in a private window, but it won’t change your exit IP or guarantee anonymity.
4. Troubleshoot connection problems in this order
- Turn off the proxy first and confirm that your Wi-Fi or cellular connection can access the internet, then reconnect.
- Update the subscription and check for messages indicating that it has expired or failed to download. If necessary, ask the provider to confirm the link status.
- Try another node and compare Wi-Fi with cellular data to determine whether the issue is with the node or your current network.
- If only certain websites won’t load, compare rule mode with proxy mode and check for incorrect routing rules.
- If the problem occurs in only one browser, try a private window and check extensions, cache, and location permissions. Don’t repeatedly reinstall the client.
Change only one variable at a time while troubleshooting, and keep a record of the node, network, and error you see. Before asking someone for help, hide sensitive information such as subscription URLs and passwords, and follow the laws and service terms that apply where you live.