This article addresses the practical question “How do I import a subscription into Shadowrocket?” It shows you how to add a subscription link, update nodes, and choose a proxy mode in Shadowrocket (commonly called 小火箭, or “Little Rocket”). It also explains why your IP, DNS, and browser environment can affect what you can access after connecting—useful if you’re new to the app or can’t connect after importing a subscription.
1. Before importing a subscription into Shadowrocket
Shadowrocket is a popular proxy client for iOS. It doesn’t provide nodes itself, so you’ll need a working subscription link. A subscription is usually a URL containing node information for protocols such as VLESS, VMess, Trojan, and Shadowsocks. You can use a subscription you already have or check out the free nodes page compiled on this site. Since free resources can be unreliable, it’s a good idea to have several nodes ready to switch between.
Before you begin, check three things: the app is installed, your phone has a working internet connection, and the subscription link is complete and starts with http or https. When copying the link, make sure you don’t include extra spaces, Chinese notes, or line breaks, as these may cause the import to fail.
2. How to import a subscription into Shadowrocket
- Open Shadowrocket, go to the home screen, and tap the “+” in the upper-right corner.
- Select “Subscribe” or “Subscription” as the type. Don’t select an individual node type.
- Paste your subscription link in the URL field. You can enter a note such as “Free nodes” or “Backup subscription.”
- Tap Done or Save. Return to the home screen and pull down to refresh, then wait for the node list to appear.
- Select a node and turn on the connection switch at the top. The first time you connect, follow the prompts to allow the VPN configuration to be added.
If the subscription imports successfully but the list is empty, first check whether the link has expired, requires login authorization, or was truncated when copied. You can also open the subscription link in a browser to test it. If you see a long string of encoded text, the link is usually accessible. If you get a 404 or 403 error, or a blank page, you’ll need a different subscription.
3. Why you should check your IP, DNS, and browser environment after connecting
Many users assume that if Shadowrocket says “Connected,” they can access every website. In practice, you also need to check whether your traffic is actually going through the proxy. After connecting, visit an IP-checking website to confirm that your exit IP has changed to the node’s region. If it hasn’t, the rule mode may not be routing your traffic through the proxy, the node may be unavailable, or the system VPN may not be handling your traffic properly.
DNS can also affect your browsing experience. Some websites use DNS results to determine your region. If your DNS is leaking or resolving through the wrong route, you may find that sites won’t open, redirect unexpectedly, or load slowly. In Shadowrocket, you can use the default DNS configured by your subscription. If you’re new to the app, it’s generally best not to change it. If you run into problems, try switching to Global mode as a test.
Your browser environment matters too. Websites may check your language, time zone, cookies, WebRTC, and previous login locations. If your IP is overseas but your browser still has old cookies, you may see a region mismatch warning. Try using a private window, clearing site data, or testing with a different browser.
4. Troubleshooting subscription imports and connection problems
- Subscription won’t update: Check that the link is complete, turn off the proxy and try updating again, or switch networks.
- You can select a node but can’t connect: Try another node in the same subscription. Free nodes often become temporarily unavailable.
- You’re connected but webpages won’t open: Switch to Global mode to check whether rule-based routing is the cause.
- Some apps work, but the browser doesn’t: Clear the browser cache, disable WebRTC extensions, or try private browsing mode.
If you’re new to Shadowrocket, follow this sequence: import the subscription, refresh the nodes, select a node, connect, then check your IP. Once you’ve confirmed that everything works, you can switch to rule-based routing or automatic node selection as needed. This makes it easier to tell whether the problem is with the subscription, node, DNS, or browser environment—and avoids the wasted effort of repeatedly reinstalling the app.