This guide explains how to import a subscription into Shadowrocket: prepare the subscription link, add it on your iPhone, update nodes, enable the proxy, and troubleshoot connection failures. It also explains what IP, DNS, and browser settings affect. “小火箭” usually refers to the iOS client Shadowrocket; menu labels may vary slightly between versions.
1. Before you import: make sure you have a subscription link
Install Shadowrocket through the official App Store, then get a subscription URL for this client from a trusted provider. If our free nodes page offers a subscription, check the format details and last-updated time first; free resources may not always be available.
A subscription URL is not the URL of a page describing a node. It is usually provided by a “Copy subscription” button and may contain a personal token. Don’t share the full URL in comments or screenshots. Individual links such as vless:// and vmess:// are node-sharing links and are imported differently from subscriptions.
2. How to import a subscription into Shadowrocket
- Copy the full subscription URL. Make sure it contains no extra spaces, line breaks, or Chinese punctuation.
- Open Shadowrocket, tap “+” in the top-right corner of the home screen, and go to the add screen.
- Tap “Type” and select “Subscribe.” Paste the URL in the “URL” field and, if you like, enter a name that will help you identify it later.
- Tap “Done” in the top-right corner to save, then wait for the app to download and parse the subscription. If no nodes appear in the list, find the subscription and use its update function to fetch it again.
- Select a node from the list and turn on the connection switch on the home screen. The first time you connect, follow the iOS prompt to allow adding a VPN configuration and complete system verification.
- Open a browser and visit the target website. You can use the client’s connectivity test to help diagnose issues, but a successful test doesn’t guarantee that every website will work.
Importing successfully doesn’t mean you’re connected. Once the nodes appear in the list, you still need to select one and turn on the switch. For everyday use, you can choose rule mode, which routes requests through the proxy according to the current rules. For troubleshooting, you can temporarily switch to global proxy mode for comparison, then switch back when you’re done.
3. What to do if a subscription won’t update or you can’t connect
- Can’t download the subscription: First, make sure your phone itself is connected to the internet, then check that the URL was copied in full and hasn’t expired. Try switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data. If the URL requires a proxy to access, update it using an existing working connection or ask the provider for an alternative link.
- Parsing error: Make sure the subscription supports Shadowrocket. Other client formats, such as Clash YAML, may not work directly. Ask for a compatible link, and avoid pasting it into unfamiliar online conversion tools.
- Node times out: Update the subscription manually, then try another node. Free nodes may become temporarily unavailable, so repeatedly tapping Connect may not help.
- Connected, but webpages won’t load: Check the current proxy mode and rules, and see whether another VPN is interfering. Then compare results using another node or network.
4. How IP, DNS, and browser settings are related
Your exit IP is determined by the connection actually carrying the request. In rule mode, different websites may use different exit IPs. DNS resolves domain names to IP addresses. DNS issues can prevent some websites from loading, but you shouldn’t enter an unfamiliar DNS address without a good reason.
Browser cookies, sign-in status, location permissions, and cache can also affect the region a website displays. Changing nodes does not automatically clear your browser’s identifying information. If a webpage shows a different region than expected, compare it in a private browsing window and check your location permissions. Don’t assume that a region mismatch means the subscription failed to import.