This article explains how to use Shadowrocket (小火箭) and why teams often run into account anomalies, unstable nodes, and connection failures. You’ll learn how to install the app on an iPhone or iPad, import nodes or subscriptions, and improve connection stability through consistent team practices.
1. Before You Begin
Chinese-speaking users often call Shadowrocket “小火箭” (“Little Rocket”). It’s commonly used on iOS to import proxy nodes using protocols such as V2Ray, VLESS, Trojan, and Shadowsocks. Before you get started, make sure of three things: your device is working properly, you can access the App Store, and you have a working node or subscription link. This site provides information about free nodes, which are suitable for temporary testing. For long-term team use, however, it’s best to use a subscription from a reliable source to avoid connection fluctuations caused by frequent changes.
2. Basic Steps for Using Shadowrocket
- Install Shadowrocket on your iPhone or iPad. Open the app and allow it to create a VPN configuration.
- Tap “+” in the upper-right corner. If you have a subscription link, select “Subscribe/订阅,” paste the link, and save it. If you’re adding a single node, enter the server, port, UUID, encryption method, and other details for the relevant protocol.
- Return to the home screen, pull down to refresh your subscriptions, and select an available node with low latency.
- Turn on the connection switch at the top. When prompted the first time you connect, allow VPN access.
- Test the connection by visiting a few websites you commonly use. If they don’t load, try another node, then check the rule mode.
Most users should start with importing a subscription. When a team administrator updates the nodes, members can simply refresh the subscription in Shadowrocket, reducing the chance of errors from entering settings manually.
3. How Team Usage Affects Account Stability
In team settings, many problems aren’t caused by Shadowrocket itself, but by inconsistent usage habits. For example, if the same business account is accessed through a Hong Kong node one day, a U.S. node the next, and an exit node from a different provider the day after, the platform may flag the activity as suspicious. Teams should therefore pay attention to IP region, device, login time, and how often nodes are switched.
- For the same business account, stick to nodes in one country or region as much as possible. Avoid frequent region changes.
- Assign one person to each account environment. Avoid having multiple people log in to the same account from different cities at the same time.
- Use consistent Shadowrocket rules across the team, such as having everyone use “Rule Mode” or the same specified routing rules.
- Don’t use temporary free nodes to access important accounts over the long term. Use them for connectivity tests instead.
If your team needs to work collaboratively, keep a simple spreadsheet recording each account, its user, commonly used node region, and last login time. This can help reduce the risk of security checks triggered by repeated logins or major changes to the exit IP.
4. Troubleshooting Common Connection Failures
If a connection fails, don’t keep reinstalling the app. Troubleshoot in order: first refresh your subscription and make sure the node hasn’t expired; then switch networks on your phone, such as from Wi-Fi to cellular data; next, check that VPN access is authorized in iOS; finally, check the Shadowrocket logs for errors such as timeout, TLS, DNS, or authentication failures. If one node fails but others work, that node is probably unavailable. If all nodes fail, the issue may be the subscription URL, your network environment, or the app’s permissions.
Team members should also avoid modifying subscription contents or rule files on their own. Having the administrator manage everything while members simply “refresh the subscription, select a node, and test the connection” can significantly reduce coordination overhead. Remember: Shadowrocket is only a client. Stability depends on node quality, usage habits, and consistency in the account environment—all three matter.