This article is for iPhone and iPad users buying Shadowrocket in the App Store for the first time: it starts with where to search, then gives three ways to verify the listing — the developer name Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the official icon and app ID 932747118 — and finally walks through the purchase, the download and re-downloading on a new device, plus what this one-time purchase does and does not cover.
Where to search: App Store only
On your iPhone or iPad, open the App Store, go to the Search tab, type Shadowrocket in the search field and press return. Result order shifts with store region, account status and time, so don't rely on position — open the product page and confirm using the fixed details shown there. Mac and Apple TV can get it from the same store page; system requirements are as listed on the App Store page.
Every download link on this site points to the App Store product page, and the store handles the purchase and installation. The checks that follow all rest on one premise: the developer name, the icon and the app ID are the fixed details on the store page that never shift with ranking. Remember these three and you can repeat the same check on any device.
Spotting the genuine app: developer, icon and app ID
Once the product page is open, check three things from top to bottom. First, the developer field: the official listing reads Shadow Launch Technology Limited. Second, the icon: a rocket with blue-purple outlines on a white background, matching the thumbnail in the search results. Third, the app ID: 932747118 appears in the share link on the product page, in a full address like https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shadowrocket/id932747118.
With those three details cross-checked, look at the price button. The amount on the button is shown in the local currency of your store region, so the number differs from region to region; only the amount you confirm on the checkout page is what actually gets charged. Before buying, you can check which store region you are signed in to on your App Store account page.
| Item to verify | Where to find it on the product page | Correct value |
|---|---|---|
| App name | Product page title | Shadowrocket |
| Developer | Developer field | Shadow Launch Technology Limited |
| Icon | Top of the product page, search result thumbnail | A rocket with blue-purple outlines on a white background |
| App ID | Share link, store URL | 932747118 |
| Purchase type | Price button | One-time purchase; the amount on the checkout page is final |
The Compatibility section of the product page lists the device types and system requirements; iPhone and iPad are the main ones, and Mac and Apple TV can also get it from the same store page — refer to that section for details.
Purchase and download: the full one-time purchase sequence
Once the listing checks out, tap the price button. The system asks you to confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple ID password; after confirmation the charge and the download start at the same time, a Shadowrocket icon with a progress ring appears on the Home Screen, and you can open it once the download finishes.
The whole process breaks down into five steps, each matching one piece of information on the store page.
Search and open the product page
App Store → Search, type Shadowrocket, and open the result whose developer name matches.
Run the three checks
Developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the official rocket icon, app ID 932747118 — continue only when all three match.
Confirm the purchase amount
The price button shows the amount in local currency; it is a one-time purchase, not a recurring subscription.
Authenticate and download
Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple ID password, then wait for the Home Screen icon to finish downloading.
Open the app for the first time
After launch, follow the system prompt to grant permission, then you land on the Home screen.
Buying the client ≠ buying a server plan: this purchase covers the Shadowrocket client itself; servers, subscriptions and routes come from your own provider and have nothing to do with this App Store purchase record.
New phone and multiple devices: downloading again with the same Apple ID
App Store purchases follow the Apple ID, not the device. A second device signed in with the same Apple ID does not pay again: once you sign in, you can download it again from Purchased. The same goes for an iPad and another iPhone; Mac and Apple TV can get it from the same store page — check the Compatibility section to see whether it is available.
After switching devices or reinstalling the system, get it back in three steps.
- Open the App Store and tap your profile picture in the top-right corner to open the account page.
- Choose Purchased and search the list for Shadowrocket.
- Find the entry, tap the download icon and wait for the installation to finish.
If the list shows a download icon instead of a price, the purchase is already recorded under the current account. If it shows a price, that usually means you are not signed in with the Apple ID you originally bought it with, or the store region has changed — check both on the account page and try again.
Recommended setup: one Apple ID shared by iPhone and iPad
iPhone
- Complete the one-time purchase in the App Store
- Add your own subscription with the + in the top-right corner of Home
- Keep Global Routing on Config
iPad
- Download again from Purchased at no extra cost
- Import with the same subscription link
- After the subscription updates, pull to refresh on each device
The purchase record follows the Apple ID, so two devices only pay for the client once.
After the download: first launch and two settings
The first time you open Shadowrocket, the system shows a VPN Configuration prompt. This is the standard iOS flow for any app that needs to create a VPN configuration; once you agree, a VPN entry appears in system settings. The prompt comes from the system and has nothing to do with the settings inside the app.
Inside the app you land on the Home screen: the connection switch and Global Routing are at the top, and the + in the top-right corner adds servers or subscriptions. The client itself does not provide routes — servers and subscriptions come from your own provider, and once imported the app forwards traffic according to your rules.
Add a server or subscription
- Entry point
- The + in the top-right corner of Home
- Type
- Subscribe or Add Server
- Subscription link
- https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx
- Updating
- After saving, go back to Home and pull to refresh
The subscription link comes from your own provider; the client does not provide routes.
Global Routing: three modes
- Config
- Routes traffic by rules — keep this one for everyday use
- Proxy
- All traffic goes through the proxy
- Direct
- Everything connects directly, no proxy
- Rule keywords
- DOMAIN-SUFFIX / GEOIP / IP-CIDR
- Entry point
- Global Routing at the top of Home
Rules match from top to bottom, with FINAL as the fallback; switching modes takes effect immediately.
If a subscription update fails, first make sure the connection switch is on, then go back to Home and pull to refresh; if it still fails, tick Update via Proxy in Settings → Subscribe and try again. When adding a server manually, the Type field must match the protocol your provider gave you — Shadowsocks / VMess / VLESS / Trojan / Hysteria2 / WireGuard are all in the list; copy the Server, Port and Password fields from your provider, and a port with one digit too many or too few will fail to connect.
Common questions: search, purchase and download
The four questions below come up during the store steps, and each answer points to a specific spot in the store.
There is more than one result in the search list — how do I confirm the right one?
Open the product page and check three things: whether the developer field reads Shadow Launch Technology Limited, whether the icon is a rocket with blue-purple outlines on a white background, and whether the share link contains id932747118. Only tap the price button when all three match.
The price on the button does not match what someone else told you?
The amount on the product page is shown in the local currency of your store region, so it differs from region to region; only the amount you confirm on the checkout page is what actually gets charged. Before buying, you can check your current store region on the App Store account page.
I switched to a new iPhone — do I have to buy it again?
No. Sign in with the Apple ID you originally bought it with, then go to App Store → profile picture in the top-right corner → Purchased → search for Shadowrocket and tap the download icon; you will not be charged again.
The purchase is stuck on Processing?
First check on the App Store account page that your payment method is valid and your connection is working, then go back to the product page and try again; if you have already been charged but the download has not started, go straight to Purchased and tap the download icon.
Get Shadowrocket on the App Store
A paid app, one-time purchase, sold only on the App Store; before buying, verify the developer name, the official icon and the app ID.