This guide is for anyone installing Shadowrocket on an Android device. First check arm64 compatibility, then get the APK from this site’s download page. Allow installs for the browser or file manager you’ll use to open it, and handle the VPN permission when you connect for the first time. A failed download in WeChat, a blocked installation, and a connection problem after installation happen at different stages. Check each one separately; there’s no need to change every permission repeatedly.
Where can I download Shadowrocket for Android, and what does arm64 mean?
Get the Android version from the app download page on this site by selecting the Android option. Shadowrocket for Android is free. The iPhone / iPad version is a one-time $2.99 purchase on the App Store; the Mac (Apple Silicon / Intel), Windows, and Linux versions are also free. The developer of the iPhone / iPad version is Shadow Launch Technology Limited. Check the App Store listing for system requirements.
arm64 identifies an installation package for a 64-bit ARM environment; it is not an Android version number. A device with a 64-bit processor may still run a 32-bit operating system, which may not support 64-bit apps. If installation reports an incompatibility, check the device manufacturer’s system specifications. Renaming the file or repeatedly changing permissions won’t fix it.
- Regular Android phones: Check the model and system details under Settings → About phone, then confirm compatibility against the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Tablets and specialized devices: Don’t assume an app will install just because the device runs Android. Check which app architectures the system supports.
- Choose the Android arm64 option shown on the download page. Don’t use Linux deb, rpm, or AppImage files as Android installation packages.
How do I download the APK and allow unknown app installs?
Grant install permission to the app that actually starts the installation instead of enabling it everywhere in advance. Modern Android versions usually manage Install unknown apps separately for each source. Browsers, file managers, and messaging apps each have their own permission setting. Menu names vary by manufacturer; the English paths below are common examples, so follow the labels on your device.
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Open the download page
Open this site’s download page in your system browser, find the Android option, and select the arm64 APK. Wait until the browser confirms the download is complete before opening the file.
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Open the downloaded file
Open the file from Downloads in your browser’s menu, or find the APK you just downloaded in the Download folder using your system file manager. Note which app you use to open it; the install-source permission applies to that app.
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Allow the current source
If a message says you can’t install unknown apps, tap Settings in the prompt. Go to Install unknown apps, check the name of the source app shown on the page, then enable Allow from this source.
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Return and confirm installation
Return to the installer and select Install. If the installer has closed, go back to Downloads or your file manager, reopen the fully downloaded APK, and follow the system prompts to finish installing.
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Turn off install permission
Once the app opens normally, return to the Install unknown apps page for that source and turn off Allow from this source. If you need to install an update from the same source later, enable it temporarily when prompted.
To find this permission manually, search Settings for “Install unknown apps.” A common path is Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps → source app. On some systems, Special app access is under the Apps menu. If your device is managed by your employer or a parent, an administrator may have locked the setting.
What should I do if WeChat won’t download the APK?
If the download won’t start in WeChat, open the page in a standalone browser. WeChat’s built-in webview handles file downloads differently from system browsers. An unresponsive button, interrupted download, or file that won’t open in the installer doesn’t necessarily mean the APK is faulty. Switch to a browser first, then check whether an install permission is needed.
Choose the steps for your current browsing environment
The page is still open in WeChat
- Tap the menu in the top-right corner and look for “Open in browser” or a similar option.
- If there’s no such option, copy the page link and paste it into your system browser’s address bar.
- Open this site’s download page again in the browser and select the Android option.
The page is open in a browser
- Check Downloads to confirm the file finished downloading.
- If the complete APK is already there, open it instead of downloading it again.
- If you see “Installation blocked,” check the Install unknown apps permission for the current source.
Fix the web download environment first, then handle system install permission. They use separate settings.
After copying the link, check that the address bar still points to a page on sr-faq.com. Don’t replace the download with a similarly named file from search results. If the browser shows an incomplete download, check your connection and available storage, cancel the failed task, then start again from the download page. Open only files marked as complete.
- Download button does nothing: Leave WeChat’s built-in browser and try again in a standalone browser.
- Download finished, but installation fails: Check which app opened the file and whether it has install permission.
- Browser reports a network error: First confirm that regular webpages load, then start the download again.
What’s the difference between download permission and VPN permission?
Install-source permission controls which app can start an installation. VPN permission controls whether an app can establish a system VPN connection. The first applies to a browser or file manager; the second applies to Shadowrocket. Allowing APK installation doesn’t authorize a VPN connection, and installing the app doesn’t automatically provide a usable service configuration.
Install-source permission
- Permission applies to
- The browser or file manager that opened the APK
- Common path
- Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps
- Key setting
- Allow from this source
- When to use it
- When the system blocks installation from the current source
Grant permission only to the source you’re using, and turn it off when you’re done.
VPN connection permission
- Permission applies to
- Shadowrocket
- Where the prompt appears
- The system confirmation shown when you first start a connection in the app
- Common prompt
- “Connection request”; exact wording varies by system
- When to use it
- Check the requesting app’s name, then confirm the connection request
This is system permission for a connection, not a download or installation setting.
When you first open the app, use a configuration from a service provider you already use, then start a connection and read the system VPN prompt. If you deny the request, try connecting again and follow the prompt shown by your system. Don’t keep toggling Install unknown apps. This site doesn’t provide, sell, or recommend nodes or subscriptions; installing the app and obtaining a service configuration are separate steps.
- Installation succeeded, but the list is empty: Check whether you’ve imported your own configuration. This isn’t an APK installation failure.
- A system confirmation appears when you tap Connect: Check that Shadowrocket is the requesting app, then decide whether to allow the connection.
- Another VPN is running: Check the system’s current VPN status first. A brief interruption when switching connections doesn’t mean installation failed.
After installation, should I leave source permission on or turn it off?
For everyday use, turn off install permission for the source you used. This won’t uninstall Shadowrocket or prevent it from opening, and it doesn’t revoke VPN permission. If you need to install an update manually later, enable the setting again when prompted.
Turn off source permission after installation
RecommendedAfter installation, turn off Allow from this source for the browser or file manager you used. This limits install permission to the time you actually need it.
Best for: Everyday use, once installation or updating is complete.
Enable temporarily while installing
If you’re still installing or retrying with the same complete APK, you can leave permission on for the current source temporarily. Turn it off when finished; there’s no need to allow other apps.
Best for: The installation is still in progress and you need to return to the installer.
For updates, get the installation package from this site’s download page. If the system recognizes it as an update to the same app, follow the update prompt. If it reports a signature conflict, don’t immediately uninstall the existing app just to finish quickly. Keep a record of your configuration, confirm where the existing app came from, and make sure the current file was obtained from this site before addressing the conflict.
How do I troubleshoot “App not installed” or “Incompatible”?
Note the complete error message, then check four things: whether the download is complete, device compatibility, source permission, and any existing installation. “App not installed” describes the result, not the cause. Only prioritize source permission when the message specifically says installation from this source is blocked.
| Message or symptom | Check first | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Download hasn’t finished | Network connection and available storage | Wait for completion, or delete the failed task and download again. Don’t open a temporary file. |
| Unknown app installation blocked | The source app starting the installation | Open that source app’s Install unknown apps page and allow it temporarily. |
| Parsing failed or app is incompatible | Whether the file is complete and the system supports arm64 apps | Get the APK again from the download page and check your device’s system specifications. |
| Not enough storage | Available internal storage on the device | Free up space and try again; installation may need more space than the APK itself. |
| Conflicts with an existing app | Where the existing app came from and the full system message | Save your configuration first. Don’t uninstall immediately or repeatedly install the same file. |
| Installation blocked by administrator | Work profile or device management policy | Contact your device administrator. Changing the personal install-source setting may not override a policy. |
When the installer reports success and the app opens, installation is complete. If you later can’t connect, your configuration isn’t working, or access fails, troubleshoot the connection instead: check your own service configuration, network connectivity, and system VPN status. Redownloading the APK isn’t a solution for every connection problem.
- When reporting a problem, include your device model, Android system details, browser, and the full error message.
- Specify whether the issue is a download, installation, startup, or connection failure; don’t use these terms interchangeably.
- Before sharing a screenshot, cover your personal subscription URL, server credentials, and other account details.