This guide covers two questions: how to import a subscription into Shadowrocket, and why the same subscription can vary in stability across accounts and network environments when shared by a team. It’s for users who already have a subscription link and want to configure it quickly in Shadowrocket on an iPhone or iPad, while reducing disconnections, failures, and interference between users.
1. Standard steps for importing a subscription into Shadowrocket
Before importing, make sure you have a subscription link rather than a link for a single node. Subscription links usually start with https. When opened, they may display a block of text or a list of nodes. Our free nodes page also provides copyable node or subscription details; check the last updated time before using them.
- Open the Shadowrocket app and go to the home screen.
- Tap the “+” in the upper-right corner and select “Subscribe” or “订阅” as the type.
- Paste your subscription link into the URL field. Add a note such as “Team subscription” or “Backup subscription” to tell it apart from other subscriptions.
- Tap Done, return to the home screen, and pull down to refresh. 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 prompt to allow the VPN configuration to be added.
- Once connected, use a browser to visit a familiar website and make sure it loads correctly.
If you’re importing a single VLESS, VMess, Trojan, or SS link, you can also copy it and open Shadowrocket. The app will usually prompt you to import it from the clipboard. If it doesn’t, tap “+” and select the corresponding type manually.
2. How subscriptions and account environments affect team use
Many teams share the same subscription with multiple members, but stability depends on more than the nodes themselves. It also depends on the account environment, including the number of devices in use, login locations, network providers, how often nodes are switched, and whether multiple people are using the same route at once.
- When multiple people share one node, the route may become congested, resulting in high latency, websites that won’t load, or choppy video.
- Frequent connections from different locations and devices within a short time may trigger server restrictions or security checks.
- Repeatedly refreshing the subscription or running speed tests can also put extra load on the subscription endpoint.
- Different network providers can get different performance from the same node. A stable connection for one team member doesn’t guarantee the same for another.
For this reason, teams shouldn’t have everyone stick to the same node. A better approach is to choose different routes by location, use case, or team member, and keep one or two backup nodes available.
3. Recommended practices for team use
To avoid affecting one another, have an administrator distribute the subscription link, and ask members not to forward it without permission. Each person should add a clear note to the subscription in Shadowrocket, such as “Work – Primary” or “Work – Backup.” If the connection has issues, try other nodes in the same subscription before deleting and reinstalling it.
We recommend that teams follow these rules: don’t toggle the connection on and off repeatedly, don’t run speed tests on every node one after another, don’t share subscription links in public group chats, and don’t have multiple people use the same low-latency node for extended periods. If the subscription supports updates, members can simply pull down on the Shadowrocket home screen to refresh it; there’s no need to add it again.
4. Troubleshooting import and connection failures
If Shadowrocket fails to import the subscription, first check that the link is complete, especially that no characters are missing at the end. Then make sure your phone’s network can access the subscription address. If the nodes import successfully but won’t connect, troubleshoot in this order:
- Switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data to rule out a local network issue.
- Try other nodes in the same subscription to see whether the problem is limited to one node.
- Check that your device’s clock is accurate; an incorrect time can interfere with TLS connections.
- Open Shadowrocket’s configuration page and check that the proxy mode hasn’t accidentally been set to global reject and that the rules are configured correctly.
- Delete the subscription and add it again to prevent an outdated cache from keeping the list from updating.
In short, importing a subscription into Shadowrocket is simple. The key to reliable team use is to limit who can access it, spread usage across different nodes, and avoid making changes too often. This helps the same subscription stay more stable for multiple users and makes problems easier to troubleshoot.