This article addresses the practical question of “how to import subscriptions into Shadowrocket”: how to add airport or free node subscriptions to Shadowrocket on iPhone/iPad, and why IP, DNS, and browser environment can affect access results after connecting. It is suitable for first-time users or users who cannot access the internet after importing.
1. What to Prepare Before Importing a Subscription
Shadowrocket generally refers to Shadowrocket, mainly used on iOS devices to import nodes such as V2Ray, VLESS, Trojan, and Shadowsocks. Before starting, please prepare a subscription link, usually beginning with https://, or possibly a copied node link. This site also compiles some free node resources, but the stability of free nodes may fluctuate, so they are recommended for connection testing only.
- Make sure your phone’s network is working normally; it is recommended to first open a regular webpage in Safari to test.
- Copy the complete subscription address, and do not miss the token, parameters, or trailing characters.
- If the subscription comes from a webpage, use “Copy Link” instead of manually selecting the text whenever possible.
- Keep system time on automatic sync; incorrect time may cause TLS connection failures.
2. Specific Steps to Import a Subscription into Shadowrocket
- Open Shadowrocket, go to the home page, and tap the “+” in the top right corner.
- Select the type “Subscribe” or “Subscription”; in some versions it is shown as “URL”.
- Paste the subscription link into the URL field; for the remark, you can enter “Free Nodes” or the service name.
- Tap “Done/Save” in the top right corner, then return to the home page and pull down to refresh the subscription.
- After a successful refresh, multiple nodes will appear. Select one node and turn on the connection switch at the top.
- On the first connection, iOS will prompt you to add a VPN configuration. Tap Allow and enter your lock screen password.
If what you received is a single vmess, vless, ss, or trojan link, you can also copy it and then open Shadowrocket; it will usually prompt you to import from the clipboard. If no prompt appears, tap “+”, select the corresponding protocol, and paste it manually.
3. What Is the Relationship Between IP, DNS, and Browser Environment
Many users think that successful import means access is guaranteed, but in fact it also depends on three factors: exit IP, DNS resolution, and browser cache. After connecting to a node, the website sees the node’s exit IP rather than your local broadband IP. If the rule settings are incorrect, some requests may still go through direct connection, resulting in inconsistent detection results.
DNS is responsible for resolving domain names into IP addresses. If DNS leaks or is polluted by your local ISP, you may encounter a situation where “the node is connected but the website will not open.” In Shadowrocket, you can go to configuration or global routing-related settings and prioritize using the system-recommended rules. Ordinary users are not advised to casually modify complex DNS parameters; start troubleshooting with the default configuration first.
The browser environment can also affect judgment. Safari and Chrome may retain information such as cookies, cache, language, and time zone, so after switching nodes, some websites may still display content from the old region. In this case, you can try private browsing mode, clear site data, or test with a different browser.
4. How to Troubleshoot Import Failures and Connection Issues
- Subscription update failed: Check whether the link has expired or whether extra spaces were copied, then switch between Wi-Fi/cellular networks and refresh again.
- Node shows timeout: Test other nodes; free nodes may be temporarily unavailable.
- Can connect but cannot open webpages: Switch to global mode for testing, then check DNS, rules, and browser cache.
- Some apps do not use the proxy: Make sure Shadowrocket VPN is enabled, and do not accidentally choose a routing mode that proxies only a small number of domains.
The recommended troubleshooting order is: first confirm that the subscription can refresh, then test multiple nodes, and finally check rules, DNS, and browser environment. Do not start by frequently changing advanced settings, otherwise it will become even harder to identify the source of the problem.
5. Usage Recommendations
For daily use, you can keep one stable subscription and one backup subscription, and before updating, first take a screenshot or export the current configuration. When connecting to public or free nodes, do not log into sensitive accounts and do not transmit important private information. After mastering the steps above, you will basically be able to complete importing subscriptions into Shadowrocket, connection testing, and common troubleshooting.