This guide answers the beginner’s question, “How do I use Shadowrocket?” It covers installation, importing nodes, and connecting, and explains how exit IPs, DNS, and browser settings can affect the results. It applies to iPhone and iPad. Button names may vary slightly between versions, so follow the labels in your actual app.
1. What to prepare before installation
Shadowrocket is a proxy client. Installing the app does not give you access to working nodes. Check the app name and developer information in the App Store. Availability and pricing depend on the store listing. Don’t install configuration profiles from unknown sources or packages provided through shared accounts.
You’ll also need a valid node link, QR code, or subscription URL, and should confirm that its format is supported by your current version. The free nodes on this site are available to try, but their availability may change. Avoid using untrusted nodes to handle sensitive information.
2. Import nodes and connect
- Copy the node sharing link or subscription URL. Make sure it doesn’t include extra spaces, line breaks, or explanatory text.
- Open Shadowrocket and tap “+” in the upper-right corner. Import a single node using its corresponding type, or use the scan option for a QR code.
- If you have a subscription URL, choose “Subscribe” or the corresponding subscription option under Type. Paste the URL, enter a label, and save.
- Return to the home screen, update the subscription, and check that the nodes appear. If the list is empty, first check the URL and format instead of repeatedly toggling the connection.
- Select a node and set “Global Routing” to “Config” to route traffic according to the rules in the current configuration. If you’re unsure where the rules came from, check that the configuration is trustworthy.
- Turn on the connection switch on the home screen. The first time you connect, allow Shadowrocket to add a VPN configuration when prompted by iOS, then test it in a browser.
A subscription URL usually acts like an access credential. Don’t share the full link publicly or post screenshots containing passwords or tokens in the comments. Updating a subscription syncs the service provider’s node list, but won’t automatically fix nodes that have stopped working.
3. How IP, DNS, and your browser are related
Your exit IP is the network address that websites see. After you connect to a proxy, only requests actually routed through it use the node’s exit IP. With rule-based routing, domestic websites showing your local IP isn’t necessarily a problem. Check the specific request using a reputable IP lookup page; don’t rely only on the VPN icon at the top of the screen.
DNS translates domain names into addresses. If some websites won’t load, the cause could be a DNS resolution problem, a routing rule, or a faulty node. Don’t treat changing DNS as a universal fix. Keep the default setting at first, check the connection log for resolution errors, and make changes only according to trusted instructions. Avoid copying unfamiliar configurations.
Your browser also stores cookies, login sessions, and site permissions, and websites may consider your account region and device location. So changing your exit IP doesn’t guarantee that a page’s displayed region will change. You can compare results in a private window, but private browsing doesn’t hide your exit IP or eliminate all identifying signals.
4. Troubleshoot connection problems in order
- Turn off the proxy and confirm that your Wi-Fi or mobile connection can access the internet normally. Then reconnect and test again.
- Update the subscription or switch nodes. A successful latency test doesn’t guarantee that a particular website is accessible.
- Check whether another VPN is active at the same time, and temporarily disable any network tools that might conflict.
- If only one website fails, briefly switch to “Proxy” mode to compare. If that fixes the problem, review the routing rules and then switch back to your usual mode.
- Check the logs for timeouts, DNS resolution errors, or authentication errors, then verify your network, DNS, and node validity as appropriate.
Change only one setting at a time and note the result. If the problem persists, provide the client version, network type, and error details with sensitive information removed. Don’t upload your full subscription credentials.