This article addresses the practical question of “how to use Shadowrocket”: from importing nodes after installation and enabling the proxy, to checking whether your IP, DNS, and browser environment are consistent, helping ordinary users quickly complete their iPhone/iPad setup for accessing the wider internet and troubleshoot common connection failures.
1. Basic Shadowrocket Usage Flow
Shadowrocket is often called “Little Rocket” and is a commonly used proxy client on iOS, supporting protocols such as VLESS, VMess, Trojan, and Shadowsocks. You need to prepare working nodes or a subscription link first. This site also compiles free nodes for testing, but the stability of free nodes can change at any time, so actual connectivity should be the final standard.
- Open Shadowrocket, go to the home page, and tap the “+” in the upper-right corner.
- If you have a single node link, choose “Import from Clipboard” or manually fill in the type, address, port, UUID/password, and other information.
- If you have a subscription link, choose “Subscribe,” paste the URL, and set the name to “freevpn-x” or a custom name.
- Return to the home page and tap the node you just imported, making sure a checkmark appears on the left.
- Turn on the switch at the top. On first use, a VPN configuration authorization prompt will appear; tap Allow and enter your lock screen passcode.
After connecting, a VPN icon will appear in the status bar, indicating that the proxy has taken over the network. If you still cannot access external websites, do not delete the node right away; first check your environment using the steps below.
2. What Is the Relationship Between IP, DNS, and the Browser Environment?
Many people think that once they turn on Shadowrocket, everything is taken care of, but in reality, websites see more than just your IP. Generally speaking, your IP determines the approximate region you appear to be connecting from, DNS determines the domain resolution path, and the browser environment includes information such as language, time zone, cookies, and WebRTC. If these three conflict with one another, you may encounter issues such as websites failing to load, frequent CAPTCHA prompts, or account risk controls.
- IP check: After connecting, visit an IP lookup website to confirm that the displayed country/region matches the node location.
- DNS check: If your IP has changed but DNS still shows your local ISP, there may be a DNS leak or the rules may not have taken effect.
- Browser language and time zone: If you are using an overseas node, you can make your system language, browser language, or target website preferences more consistent.
- WebRTC: Some browsers may expose local network information, so it is recommended to use private browsing mode or disable related permissions.
Ordinary users do not need to chase a “perfect environment,” but at a minimum, you should make sure your IP and DNS do not obviously conflict. In Shadowrocket, you can go to “Configuration” or “Settings” to check whether DNS, traffic-splitting mode, and rule policies are set correctly.
3. Recommended Traffic-Splitting and Subscription Update Methods
If you only use it for everyday browsing, apps, or study materials, it is recommended to use “Rule” mode rather than global mode. Rule mode allows domestic websites to connect directly while foreign websites go through the proxy, which is usually better for both speed and stability. After importing a subscription, you can regularly tap the update button next to the subscription to avoid node expiration.
In practice, you can do it like this: select a node on the Shadowrocket home page, then go to “Configuration” and choose a commonly used rule set. If a particular website cannot be opened, you can temporarily switch to global mode for testing. If it works in global mode but not in rule mode, the rules usually are not matching, and you need to change the rules or manually add a domain policy.
4. Connection Failure Troubleshooting Checklist
- Make sure the node details are entered correctly, especially the address, port, UUID, transport method, and TLS settings.
- Switch networks for testing: move from Wi-Fi to cellular data to rule out local network restrictions.
- After updating the subscription, reselect a node. Free nodes are especially prone to expiration or congestion.
- Turn the VPN switch off and back on; if necessary, restart Shadowrocket or your phone.
- Check the system time. If the time is too far off, TLS handshake failures may occur.
- If only a specific app does not work, check whether Shadowrocket has enabled On-Demand connection, traffic-splitting rules, or local network permissions.
In summary, the core method of using Shadowrocket is: import nodes or a subscription, select a node, enable VPN, check IP/DNS, and troubleshoot according to the rules. When problems arise, first determine whether the issue is node failure, a rules problem, or a conflict in the local device environment, and then handle it accordingly for much higher efficiency.