This guide answers the beginner’s question, “How do I use Shadowrocket?” It covers installing the client on an iPhone, importing a node or subscription, connecting, checking your exit IP and DNS, and why your browser may still show a different region after a successful connection. Interface labels may vary by version, so follow the corresponding functions.
1. Prepare a node or subscription before installing
Shadowrocket is a proxy client; it does not include working servers, and not every link you import will provide internet access. Get the app from its official App Store listing and check the app name and developer details. Availability and price depend on your local store. Do not install configuration profiles from unknown sources or app packages supplied through shared accounts.
Before using the app, you’ll need a node link, QR code, or subscription URL from a service provider. You can also use the free nodes on this site for testing, but availability may change, so they are not suitable for sensitive tasks. Subscription URLs may contain access credentials. Don’t share screenshots of them or forward them to others.
2. Import a node and connect
- Copy the node link and open Shadowrocket. If prompted to import from the clipboard, verify that the content is from a reliable source before adding it. Alternatively, tap the plus icon in the upper-right corner of the home screen, select the relevant type, and paste in the details.
- If you have a QR code, import it using the in-app scanner. If the code is saved in your photo library, look for an option to scan it from an image.
- If you have a subscription URL, select the subscription type on the add screen, enter the URL, and save it. Then update the subscription. Don’t use a regular webpage address as a subscription link.
- Return to the home screen and select a node. Run a latency test as an initial check, then try opening a webpage. A latency result does not guarantee that a particular website will be accessible.
- Set Global Routing to “Config” or a similar rules-based mode, then turn on the connection switch at the top. When iOS prompts you to allow a VPN configuration to be added, approve it and complete device verification.
For everyday use, choose a rules configuration from a reliable source. Rules mode routes different traffic directly or through a proxy according to the rules. For troubleshooting, you can temporarily switch to “Proxy” mode, then switch back when you’re done testing. The VPN icon in the status bar only indicates that the system tunnel is active; it does not confirm that the node’s exit connection is working.
3. How IP, DNS, and your browser environment are related
Your exit IP is the network address websites see as your source. After connecting, visit a trusted IP lookup site in your browser to check whether the address has changed. In rules mode, the lookup site may be routed directly, so take your routing mode into account.
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. If webpages won’t load but the node test gets a response, the problem may be a DNS resolution failure. First check whether any other VPN, DNS, or network-filtering apps are enabled, then review the DNS settings in your current configuration. Don’t copy DNS settings from an unknown source just to “prevent leaks”—incorrect settings can cause resolution problems.
Your browser environment also includes cookies, account sign-ins, location permissions, language, and time zone. Even after your exit IP changes, a website may still use your previous region or the region associated with your account. A private-browsing window can reduce the effect of some stored data, but it won’t change your location or account information, and it doesn’t make you anonymous.
4. Troubleshoot connection failures in this order
- Turn off the proxy to confirm that your device’s network is working, then test Wi-Fi and mobile data separately.
- Update the subscription, check for an expiration notice, and try a different node.
- Temporarily switch to Proxy mode. If access is restored, focus on the rules; if the problem persists, check the node and network.
- Check the connection log for timeouts, authentication errors, or DNS resolution errors. If you report the issue, hide your subscription URL, password, and full node link.
After testing, switch back to your usual rules mode and disconnect when you’re not using the proxy. Follow local laws and the relevant platform rules, and avoid sending sensitive information through untrusted nodes.