Shadowrocket · Download guide

Get it from the App Store,
then onto your iPhone.

Shadowrocket is sold only on the App Store, and only in some countries (the US, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and many others; not mainland China). This guide covers buying it in a store that lists it, what to do if yours does not, and how to switch back if you changed Apple IDs.

ChannelApp Store only — no official IPA
RequirementAn Apple ID whose storefront lists the app
Price$2.99 one-time, no IAP
Already on a listed storefront and just need the link? Use the button to open the App Store product page. If the app is missing in your store, keep reading for the storefront switch.
Open in App Store →

Note: Steps follow App Store behavior and multiple hands-on writeups. On-screen copy can differ by iOS version. This site is not affiliated with official Shadowrocket and does not sell Apple IDs or nodes.

01Why it will not show up

It is not your network.
It is the store region.

Which apps the App Store shows depends on the country/region of the Apple ID, not on whether the phone is on Wi-Fi or a proxy. Shadowrocket is listed in many regions and missing in others (including mainland China). If a search with your everyday Apple ID finds it, buy it there. If not, the storefront is the problem — not a broken download.

That is why “download failed” reports often turn out to be the wrong storefront. Confirm the region on the App Store account page before you try anything else.

02Your Apple ID and storefront

Two ways to get the app,
depending on your store.

If Shadowrocket appears in your App Store, buy it with the Apple ID you already use. If it does not, sign into the App Store only with an Apple ID from a listed region (the US store is a common fallback). Do not put that ID into iCloud.

Buy in a storefront that lists Shadowrocket — your local store if it appears, otherwise a listed-region Apple ID
MethodHowTrade-off
Buy in your storeOpen the App Store, search Shadowrocket, confirm the developer, pay with Apple Pay, card, or gift card on that Apple IDSimplest path when your storefront lists the app; purchase stays on your own account
Switch storefrontSign out of the App Store only, sign in with an Apple ID from a listed region, then search and buyUse this only if your store does not list the app. Never add that Apple ID to Settings → Apple ID (iCloud). Avoid shared or rented IDs.

⚠️ Security: if you use a second Apple ID for the App Store, sign it in only there. Never add it under Settings → [your name] (iCloud). Mixing the two will not speed up the download and can lock the device or scramble iCloud data.

03Search and install

Sign in, search,
and check the developer name.

Open the App Store, sign out if you need another storefront, then sign in
01

Sign out and sign in

Open the App Store (not Settings). If the app is already listed, search and buy. If not, tap the avatar → scroll to the bottom → Sign Out, then sign in with a listed-region Apple ID. That changes only the App Store login, not the rest of the phone.

Check the developer name when searching so you do not install a lookalike

After you are signed in, search the App Store for Shadowrocket (full English name, spelled correctly). Lookalikes show up from time to time. Before you buy, check two things: a dark icon with a white rocket outline, and the developer name Shadow Launch Technology Limited. The price is usually $2.99, one-time. If you prefer not to search, use the official link on this site:

Open in App Store →

Payment: use whatever that Apple ID’s storefront accepts — Apple Pay, a local card, or an App Store gift card bought through Apple. Do not use shared “download IDs.” If the account already purchased the app, tap the cloud/download icon; you are not charged again.

04Switch back

After install,
the app does not vanish with the account.

Once the Shadowrocket icon is on the Home Screen, you can sign out of a temporary storefront Apple ID and sign your everyday Apple ID back into the App Store. The installed app stays. If you bought it with your everyday ID, there is nothing to switch.

After install, switch back to the Apple ID you use every day

⚠️ Later updates: the App Store asks for the password of the Apple ID that purchased the app. If that was a listed-region ID, repeat Sign Out → that ID → Update → switch back. You do not reinstall.

05FAQ

A few frequent questions
about downloading.

01If I switch storefronts, do I need a credit card or a US address?+

Not always. If payment is required, choose None when the option exists. If the form insists on an address, a correctly formatted address for that region is enough for the form — you still should not bind a card you do not intend to use. Buying with your everyday Apple ID in a listed store is simpler.

02Can one Apple ID that bought Shadowrocket be used on multiple devices?+

Yes. Apps bought on an Apple ID can be re-downloaded on other devices signed into that account, without paying again. Each device still needs its own subscription added (or iCloud sync). The purchase itself follows the account.

03Will signing another Apple ID into the App Store affect iCloud?+

Signing in only in the App Store does not touch iCloud photos, contacts, or notes. Those hang off Settings → Apple ID, which is a separate login. The rule is: App Store only — never add the other ID to iCloud.

04Search shows several Shadowrocket results. Which one is genuine?+

Look for the developer name Shadow Launch Technology Limited and a one-time price around $2.99. Same-name or similar listings that are free or have odd reviews are usually fakes or unrelated apps — skip them. You can also use the official link in this article to avoid a bad search.

05Do I need a special email to create a listed-region Apple ID?+

Any unused email works. The storefront is the country/region you pick at sign-up, not where the mailbox is hosted.

06Download is done. What next?+

Installing Shadowrocket is only the first step. The app does not ship any nodes. You need a subscription URL and then import it. Next: quick start on the home page or the full tutorial.

If search still fails, the storefront probably did not change. On the App Store account page, check the country/region shown for the signed-in Apple ID and sign in again.