This guide explains how to import a subscription into Shadowrocket (“小火箭”) and why sharing one among a team can lead to disconnections, unavailable nodes, or account issues. Follow the steps below to import a subscription in Shadowrocket on your iPhone or iPad, then share it with your team more carefully.
1. Check these details before importing a subscription
Importing a subscription into Shadowrocket means syncing a batch of node addresses—such as V2Ray, VLESS, Trojan, and Shadowsocks—to the client. For team use, first make sure the subscription link comes from a reliable source and is complete, and avoid forwarding the same link without restriction. This site collects some free nodes and guides, but free resources can be unstable, so they’re better suited to temporary testing or as a backup.
- Subscription link: It usually starts with https://. Make sure you copy all of its parameters.
- Client version: Use a recent version of Shadowrocket whenever possible; older versions may fail to parse the link.
- Network connection: Use a stable Wi-Fi or mobile connection when updating the subscription for the first time.
- Team guidelines: Avoid having multiple people refresh the subscription at the same time or too often, as this may trigger restrictions.
2. How to import a subscription into Shadowrocket
- Open Shadowrocket, go to the home screen, and tap “+” in the upper-right corner.
- Select “Subscribe” or “订阅” as the type.
- Paste your subscription link into the URL field. You can add a note such as “Team connection” or “Backup subscription.”
- Tap “完成” in the upper-right corner to save.
- Return to the home screen, tap the subscription you just added, then select “Update” or pull down to refresh.
- Once the update is complete, select a node from the list and turn on the connection switch at the top.
- The first time you connect, you’ll be prompted to add a VPN configuration. Tap Allow, then enter your device passcode or use Face ID.
If no nodes appear after importing, don’t keep deleting and re-adding the subscription. Instead, try opening the link in a browser to check that it works, or switch networks and try updating again.
3. How subscriptions and account stability are related for team use
Many teams assume connection issues are always caused by the nodes, but subscription management can also affect stability. When multiple people share one subscription from different locations and mobile carriers, frequent refreshes and node switching may cause the service to flag the account as unusual. Nodes may suddenly disappear, subscription updates may fail, or connections may drop shortly after connecting.
A more reliable approach is to use separate subscription labels for different groups and stick to a few commonly used nodes rather than testing every connection in bulk every few minutes. For work, keep one primary subscription and one backup to avoid disruptions when a service is temporarily unavailable. Don’t post subscription links in public groups or share them through publicly accessible documents; use by unauthorized people can cause unusual traffic and account issues.
4. Troubleshooting connection and update failures
- Subscription update failed: Check whether the link has expired or contains extra spaces, then switch networks and try again.
- The subscription updates, but you can’t connect: Try another node from the same subscription, preferably one with low latency that has worked recently.
- It shows as connected, but webpages won’t load: Check the proxy rules in Shadowrocket’s configuration. If needed, switch to global mode for testing.
- Several team members have issues at the same time: Stop refreshing repeatedly and check whether the subscription has been rate-limited or has expired.
- Only one team member has an issue: Ask them to delete the old configuration, import the subscription again, and make sure VPN access is allowed in the system settings.
In short, importing a subscription into Shadowrocket is straightforward: copy the correct link, update it, and connect to a node. For team use, also limit who can access the link and how often it’s refreshed to reduce instability caused by changes in account activity.