How to Restore Shadowrocket After Getting a New iPhone or Reinstalling

Purchase history and app data are separate

Shadowrocket's one-time purchase is linked to the Apple Account used at checkout, not to a specific iPhone. In most cases, you won't need to pay again if you use the original purchase account and the app is still available to redownload from your current store. Check the purchase record and availability shown by App Store rather than relying on whether the app icon is on your Home Screen.

An app purchase record is not an app data backup. Deleting and reinstalling the app, or downloading it separately on a new device, does not guarantee that your servers, subscription links, custom rules, or Settings will be restored. Device migration or restoring a backup may bring back some data, but check each item in the app afterward.

Redownload from App Store Purchases

These steps use iPhone as an example; the same checks apply on iPad. Labels on the App Store account page vary by system version and display language. Older interfaces may show Purchased; newer ones may show Apps first, then My Apps or Your Apps. Open the personal app list using the label shown on your screen.

1. Check the purchase account

   Open App Store → tap the account picture in the top-right corner and check whether you're signed in with the Apple Account used to purchase Shadowrocket. You can also check the account used for store purchases under system Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases. Don't rely only on the iCloud account shown at the top of your device settings.

2. Open your app list

   On the App Store account page, open Purchased. If you see Apps, open your personal app list there. If the page separates your purchases from family members' purchases, select your own list first, then look for Shadowrocket.

3. Search for the app

   Search the list for Shadowrocket. You can switch to Not on this iPhone to see apps that aren't installed; on iPad, use the equivalent filter for that device. If the search returns nothing, check the full app list before concluding that the purchase is missing.

4. Verify, then download

   Open the product page and confirm the name Shadowrocket, the developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118. Tap the cloud download icon, complete any account verification requested by the store, and wait for installation to finish.

5. Open and check the app

   Open Shadowrocket from the Home Screen and check whether Home still has your servers and Config contains your original configuration. If the list is empty, follow the steps later in this guide to restore your own configuration. A successful installation doesn't mean your connection has been restored.

If the product page shows Open, the app is usually already installed on this device, so open it and check. If it shows a cloud icon, follow the redownload steps. If it still shows a price, pause before confirming a purchase. Check the account and purchase history in the next section to avoid making a new purchase on a different account.

What to check if a purchase is missing or a price still appears

A common mistake is assuming the device's signed-in account is the same as the App Store purchase account. Seeing an old device or photos in iCloud doesn't prove that Media & Purchases is using the original purchase account. Cross-check the App Store account page, purchase history, and original receipt.

• Check that the account matches: Verify the account used for the original purchase. If you need to change the store sign-in, follow the system instructions for Media & Purchases. Don't sign out of iCloud on the entire device just to check purchase history.
• Make sure the search isn't missing it: Search for the full English name, Shadowrocket, and clear filters such as Not on this iPhone before checking again. An app already installed on your device may not appear in the uninstalled-app list.
• Check whether it's hidden: Go to App Store → account picture → Account Settings and look for Hidden Purchases. Hiding an app affects whether it appears in your list; it doesn't mean you need to buy it again.
• Check for a purchase record: Go to system Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases → View Account → Purchase History and check the record, adjusting the date range as needed. On some systems, you can also open Purchase History from the App Store account page.
• Check that the purchase is still valid: If the order was refunded or the account has restrictions, a past installation alone doesn't prove that you still have valid purchase access. Contact Apple through its account support options for purchase or payment issues.

What to check when account regions don't match

Your device's language and region settings are different from your Apple Account's store country or region. Changing the system display language won't move a purchase to another store account or automatically change whether an app is available there. First, check your current store settings under Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region.

If the original account's country or region has changed, or you're signed in with a different account, app visibility and redownload results may differ. Don't keep switching regions just to make the app appear in search results. Changing your country or region may depend on your account balance, active subscriptions, payment method, and other conditions; review the requirements shown on the system page first.

1. Check which account is shown on the original purchase receipt, then check the account currently used for Media & Purchases. First rule out being signed in to a different account.
2. Check the current Country/Region and see whether the product page explicitly says the app isn't available in that region.
3. If the app appears in your purchase list but won't download, note the full store message and determine whether the issue is regional availability, account verification, or device compatibility.
4. For purchase history or region-change restrictions, use Apple's in-system support options. Config or Settings in Shadowrocket can't change which Apple Account owns an App Store purchase.

Shadowrocket is available only on Apple platforms, primarily for iPhone and iPad. Check the store page for compatibility information for Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision. System requirements and purchase availability are as listed on the App Store page. A purchase doesn't guarantee that the app can be downloaded on every device or in every region.

Restore Home, Config, and connection settings after reinstalling

If your old device still works, keep it until you've confirmed the connection on your new device. Before migrating, make sure you can still access your service provider's subscription details and save any configuration you maintain yourself. Subscription links often contain access credentials; store them somewhere you control, and don't share the full link when asking for help.

• Check Home first: Confirm that your server list, subscription groups, and selected server are present. If the list is empty, import your existing service provider details again. If your subscription group is still there, update it first, then check whether the servers it returns are available.
• Then check Config: Check the active configuration and custom rules. Restoring your server list doesn't mean rules such as DOMAIN-SUFFIX, IP-CIDR, GEOIP, and FINAL have also been restored. Updating a subscription doesn't restore all Config content either.
• Check Global Routing: Confirm whether the current mode is Config, Proxy, Direct, or a Scene. Check the conditions and policies used by any Scene separately; don't rely only on the connection toggle on Home.
• Check automatic connections: In Shadowrocket Settings → On Demand, review your existing conditions. Before testing a basic connection, make sure automatic connection settings won't interfere with manually disconnecting and reconnecting.
• Review system authorization: The first time you connect, if the system asks to add a VPN configuration, confirm the request is from Shadowrocket and follow the prompt to authorize it. System authorization is required to connect; it doesn't restore an App Store purchase.

A one-time app purchase is not a service plan. Buying the app doesn't create servers or restore entitlements in a service provider account. This site doesn't provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. Configuration recovery here assumes you already have your own service provider and subscription.

Test each Global Routing mode after restoring

After downloading the app and restoring your configuration, choose a familiar test destination. Change one setting at a time, establish a new connection, and observe the result. Connections established before switching modes may keep their previous state, so don't draw conclusions from a page that hasn't refreshed.

Finally, check Settings → On Demand, restore the automatic connection conditions you need, and test them on the network you actually use. The migration or reinstall is complete only after you've checked the purchase record, app installation, configuration, and connection results.