Shadowrocket App Store
Purchase & Restore Guide

First, distinguish your device account from your purchasing account

The account used for system cloud services may differ from the account used for media and purchases on the same iPhone or iPad. Check the relevant page to see what the account at the top of Settings is used for; it may not be the account with the Shadowrocket purchase. If you’ve bought the app before but see a price again, check the purchasing account before confirming another payment.

In Settings, open your account page and tap “Media & Purchases” to see the account currently signed in. Then select “View Account,” complete any required authentication, and check “Country/Region.” You only need to verify these details on your device; don’t send your account, password, verification code, or payment details to this site. Keep any notes to the minimum necessary, and don’t post screenshots showing your full account details publicly.

Cross-check in the App Store

Open the App Store, tap your account picture, check the account details, and find the list of apps you’ve acquired. Depending on your system version, this may be called “Apps,” “Purchased,” or something similar. Choose the section for apps you’ve acquired, not just the current update list. The update list only shows whether anything needs updating; it doesn’t prove which account owns an app.

Search the list for Shadowrocket and look for an entry, a cloud download button, or another clear indication. If the app was originally acquired with another account of yours, it may not appear in the current account’s list. Think back to which account you used and check your own receipt. Don’t guess by repeatedly signing out, and don’t assume the app belongs to the current account just because its icon is still on the Home Screen.

Record the status clearly when checking your account

Note the identifiable part of the current account, its region, whether Shadowrocket appears in the app list, and the text on the product page button—in that order. These four details are more useful than “I downloaded it before.” “Open” means the app can be opened on this device. A cloud download icon usually means it can be redownloaded. If you see a price, check your records before drawing conclusions; it doesn’t prove a previous purchase is no longer valid.

If the purchase history shows an order but the app list doesn’t, check the order status, whether the item is hidden, whether the current storefront still offers the app, and whether the purchase belongs to a family member. An incomplete, pending, or refunded order isn’t a completed purchase. Use the status shown on the account page; this site can’t determine payment results from a Home Screen screenshot.

Don’t change unrelated account settings while troubleshooting

You don’t need to sign out of your device’s cloud services just to check the App Store. The more services you sign out of, the more likely you are to run into additional issues with photos, contacts, or other synced data. If you do need to change the media purchasing account, make sure you can authenticate and understand any restrictions shown on the device. Don’t switch between multiple accounts without understanding the consequences.

Once you’ve checked the account, open the product page again. With the account, region, and purchase history confirmed, you can identify whether the next step is a first-time purchase, restoring a previous purchase, or checking Family Sharing. This also makes it easier to track changes: adjust one condition at a time, check whether the message changes, then proceed. Don’t change the region, network, and device settings all at once.

First, understand the two acquisition options and their costs

The iPhone and iPad version is a one-time $2.99 purchase on the App Store. Mac, Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. The US storefront displays prices in US dollars; other storefronts show local currency. Use the purchase confirmation page to check the amount for your transaction. Don’t treat a converted price shown elsewhere as the amount you’ll be charged, or assume free access on other platforms follows the same App Store purchase process.

The one-time purchase covers the app itself, not an ongoing internet service. A one-time app purchase does not include a service plan.This site doesn’t provide, sell, or recommend nodes or subscriptions. Before using the app, get your own subscription from a service provider or prepare server details you’re authorized to use. Completing an App Store purchase won’t generate connection details for you.

Check these three things before paying

First, verify the product by checking the developer and app ID. Second, check the purchasing account to make sure the transaction will be associated with the account you expect. Third, check device compatibility; the App Store listing shows the system requirements. Complete all three checks before starting the payment. If the current account differs from the one used for a previous purchase, check your account as described in the previous section rather than buying again to test whether the old record exists.

For a first-time purchase, tap the purchase button on the product page. Review the account, amount, and confirmation requirements shown by the system, then follow the device prompts to authenticate. Payment methods are subject to account and storefront rules. If you have an issue with your balance, billing details, or payment authorization, resolve it on the account page provided by the system. Don’t enter payment information in app configuration fields or treat a failed payment as a server configuration issue.

Check the transaction result before trying again

After confirming, check the App Store button and download progress, and review your purchase history if needed. A network interruption may keep the page from refreshing temporarily. Don’t assume payment failed just because the button hasn’t changed. Wait for the store to refresh, then check for a cloud download button, download progress, or a completed order before deciding what to do next.

If a billing record appears but the app hasn’t downloaded, the problem may be with the download rather than the purchase. Conversely, if payment is still pending, tapping the confirmation button doesn’t mean you’ve acquired the app. Note the exact message, such as “Payment method declined,” “Pending,” or “Unable to download,” instead of simply saying “I can’t buy it.”

Purchases on iPhone and iPad

If you acquire the same app on iPhone and iPad using the same purchasing account, you can redownload it from that account’s history. Each device must still meet its system requirements and the app must be available in the current storefront. Installation is separate on each device: “Open” on one doesn’t mean the app has finished downloading on the other. Restoring the app with the same account also doesn’t guarantee that your configuration will sync between devices.

Family members follow a different process: first check whether Family Sharing applies rather than treating the purchaser’s account as the family sharing procedure. See chapter six for availability, eligibility, and limits. If you’re moving to a new device yourself, start with the restore-purchase steps; you don’t need to create a family group.

Updates and post-purchase issues are still handled by the store

App Store handles updates for the iPhone and iPad version. Automatic updates are controlled by system settings. Check billing issues after purchase, refund requests, and order status through the relevant account process. This site doesn’t collect App Store payments or make changes to your orders. Refund eligibility is determined by the store; no particular outcome or processing time is guaranteed.

After the transaction is complete, install the app, save any necessary configuration, and follow the Getting Started guide to connect. If you don’t yet have your own subscription, you can read about the interface without importing material from an unknown source just to test your purchase. Opening the app and getting a connection are separate checks; verify the connection independently.

Check the product page and family group requirements first

Joining a family group doesn’t mean every app automatically appears on every member’s device. First check the “Family Sharing” information in Shadowrocket’s App Store listing, then confirm that purchase sharing is enabled for the family group. The app must be eligible, the purchaser must have sharing enabled, and each member must meet the account requirements. Don’t assume eligibility from just one of these checks.

System menus may change between versions. Use the family options in Settings to check members and purchase sharing. Distinguish between a family relationship being set up and purchase sharing being enabled. Even in the same family group, a member may not see a purchase if sharing is off, the item is hidden, or storefront requirements differ.

Have each family member check shared apps using their own account

The purchaser should first confirm that Shadowrocket appears in their acquired apps list, then check whether the purchase is eligible for sharing. The family member can then open the family purchases section from their own App Store account, select the purchaser, and search for the app. The exact menu name depends on the device. Family members don’t need to sign in with the purchaser’s account.

If you see a cloud download button, follow the prompt to get the app. If it still shows a price, make sure you’re looking at the right family member’s purchases before confirming a new transaction. The iPhone and iPad version is a one-time $2.99 App Store purchase; Mac, Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Check whether Family Sharing applies before purchasing; acquisition options on other platforms don’t determine App Store family purchase eligibility.

If you can’t see the purchase, check four things in order

First, check the purchaser’s account: does the purchase belong to this family member, or to another media and purchasing account they use? Next, check whether the purchase is hidden; hidden items may not appear in the usual shared list. Then confirm that purchase sharing is enabled and the family relationship is active. Finally, check the country or region requirements. Family purchase sharing generally requires compatible regional settings; follow the eligibility message shown by the system.

If you’ve just changed Family Sharing settings, reopen the account list to refresh it rather than immediately assuming a brief delay means the entitlement is lost. If the purchase still doesn’t appear, note the family member, purchase ownership, and exact message, then troubleshoot the account. For limits on switching families or account associations, follow the on-screen rules instead of guessing how long you need to wait.

Family purchases and configuration data are separate

Getting the app through Family Sharing won’t automatically add the purchaser’s SERVER list to a family member’s Home screen or create the same configuration in Config. Each device must import its own details and grant permissions separately. Check your own service terms to see whether a subscription supports multiple devices or simultaneous connections; App Store family settings don’t determine that.

Family purchase sharing isn’t a configuration sync tool either. If you need to move your settings, use a backup and import method you’re authorized to use, and check for sensitive information in the imported data. When explaining the interface to a family member, you can describe Add Server, Subscribe, and Global Routing, but don’t copy your credentials to someone who isn’t authorized to use them.

Check the impact before leaving a family group

Changes to family membership or purchase sharing may affect access to shared items, redownloads, and updates. Follow the system’s instructions. An app icon still on your device doesn’t guarantee that you’ll always be eligible to redownload it. Before changing family settings, find out who actually purchased the app and save your own configuration details.

Family organizers and members should distinguish payment responsibility from purchase ownership and usage history. The account record shows who acquired an app; family payment settings don’t transfer every member’s purchases to the organizer. Child accounts may also be subject to Ask to Buy and content restrictions. A family member with the relevant permissions should manage those settings.

This chapter explains how to check Family Sharing purchases; it doesn’t guarantee that every family setup can use sharing immediately. If you already have a purchase, start with the restore steps in the previous chapter. If you need the Mac or Android version, get it from the download page for your platform; Family Sharing isn’t needed.

First, know what a successful download looks like

When App Store installation is complete and tapping the app opens Home, the app has been acquired on this device and can launch. This doesn’t require an available server or a particular Connectivity Test result. A failed connection test doesn’t mean the purchase didn’t go through; purchase accounts and remote connections are separate systems.

On your first connection, follow the system prompt to allow the VPN configuration and confirm it in the device authorization dialog. If the expected prompt doesn’t appear, check the VPN status in system settings and the app’s current settings. Authorization lets the client establish the relevant connection; it doesn’t add subscription details or verify that a server is still working. After authorization, select the correct content to connect.

Your existing subscription and configuration file serve different purposes

Once you have your own subscription or server details, add them using Add Server, Subscribe, or another relevant import option in the app. A subscription provides or updates a server list; a configuration file in Config manages settings such as rules. They aren’t interchangeable file types. Check what you have before importing and choose the right option; don’t paste a configuration URL into a server field.

If a subscription update fails, check that the address is complete and still valid, and look for any error from your service provider. Don’t share a full link containing access credentials on a public page. When entering server details manually, make sure the protocol, address, port, authentication, and transport settings match your own information. Buying the app doesn’t mean arbitrary connection details will work.

How do the three Global Routing modes differ?

Config applies the rules in the current configuration to determine a policy. Proxy sends traffic handled by that mode through the selected proxy. Direct connects directly. The exact scope and available options depend on what the app shows. Before testing, confirm which mode you’re using and verify its behavior; don’t just toggle a setting without checking the current mode.

The following Shadowrocket .conf rule snippet illustrates match order; it isn’t a server configuration that can establish a connection. In an actual setup, PROXY must refer to an available proxy policy. The example domains are for instruction only. A matching earlier rule uses its assigned policy; unmatched requests continue to the next rule, with FINAL as the fallback.

[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
FINAL,PROXY

This snippet doesn’t create a server or provide a subscription. Copying rules alone can’t replace the connection details required by Add Server. To understand the reject policy, read How the REJECT Rule Works and When to Use It. To make your first connection step by step, return to Getting Started; you don’t need to modify an entire configuration while troubleshooting app acquisition.

Know what you’re testing when you check the result

A Connectivity Test result applies only to the test target and conditions at that time. It doesn’t mean every app or destination will get the same result. Before testing, check the selected SERVER on Home, then Global Routing and Config, and finally visit a destination you’re authorized to access. Change one variable at a time to make before-and-after results easier to compare.

If Direct works but Proxy doesn’t, first check your existing server details, authentication, and remote server status. If only some domains fail, check the rules and DNS conditions. Don’t delete purchase records or reinstall the app because of a partial connection failure. Before reinstalling, save any necessary configuration and confirm that the app files themselves are actually the problem.

Choose what to read next based on the issue

Getting Started walks through importing and testing a connection. The installation section of the download page covers system security prompts on desktop and Android. The article index has focused guides to store regions, first launch, rules, and more. Use this page to look up accounts, purchases, and restores rather than treating every issue as a reason to redownload.

The iPhone and iPad version is a one-time $2.99 App Store purchase; Mac, Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Both acquisition options require you to have your own subscription or server details before connecting. Verify the app’s source, check your account record, and confirm where your configuration came from. Troubleshooting each stage separately helps distinguish acquisition issues from connection problems.