This guide is for people who have already purchased Shadowrocket and need to move to a new device or reinstall the app. Check the App Store purchase account, purchase history, and app identity in order, then troubleshoot store region and compatibility issues. After reinstalling, check your existing subscriptions, Config, and system VPN permission separately—restoring the app is not the same as restoring your connection setup.
1. Restoring the app purchase—not a connection service
Shadowrocket is a paid client for Apple platforms, available exclusively from the App Store as a one-time purchase. This guide focuses on iPhone and iPad. Compatibility and system requirements for Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision are listed on the App Store page. Whether a purchase is available on a particular device also depends on the information shown there.
If the original account completed the purchase and the app is still available to redownload on a compatible device, you can download it again from your purchase history without paying a second time. Deleting the app does not directly remove the purchase record from your account, but it may remove app data stored on the device.
If a price appears, stop before proceeding
First make sure the App Store is signed in with the original purchase account, then check your purchase history. Don’t make another payment just to see whether the purchase is recognized.
The app purchase and your existing connection service are separate. Redownloading the app does not extend a connection service or restore a subscription URL, server settings, or personal rules. This guide assumes you already have your own service provider and subscription.
2. Find your purchased app in the App Store on a new iPhone
First, confirm which account was used on your old device or for the purchase. The account signed in to iCloud may differ from the one used for App Store purchases, so the name at the top of Settings alone won’t confirm which purchase account is active.
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Check the purchase account
Open the App Store and tap your account picture in the top-right corner to see which account is signed in. You can also check the purchase account in Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases. Labels may vary by system language and version. If you need to switch accounts, change only the purchase account; you don’t need to sign out of iCloud.
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Open your purchased apps
On your App Store account page, open Apps → My Apps. Some system versions show Purchased instead; open your personal purchase list. This is the list commonly called “Purchased.” Don’t confuse it with Purchase History, which shows billing details.
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Search for the app
Search for Shadowrocket in your personal apps list. If Not on this iPhone is available, try that filter. If no results appear, return to the full apps list and search again so you don’t mistake filtered results for your complete purchase history.
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Verify the app identity
Open the product page and check the official rocket icon on a white background with a blue-purple outline, the developer name Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118. A similar name alone doesn’t confirm it’s the same app.
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Redownload the app
Tap the cloud download button, complete any authentication prompts, and wait for installation to finish. If you see Open, the app is already installed. If a price still appears, stop before purchasing and troubleshoot the account, hidden purchases, and store region as described below.
3. Can’t find the app in Purchases? Check your account, hidden purchases, and region
No search results don’t necessarily mean you never bought the app. Check the account first, then the list display and store availability. This is usually more effective than repeatedly refreshing the product page. Note what you see at each step to avoid losing track while switching between accounts.
| What you see | Check first | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| No results in your apps list | Whether the current purchase account matches the original one | Check the original receipt or billing record, then look in the apps list for the account that made the purchase. |
| Purchase appears on the bill, but not in the list | Whether the app was hidden | From your App Store account page, open account details and look for Hidden Purchases. Follow the on-screen steps to unhide or redownload the app. |
| The product page still shows a price | Whether you opened the same product and signed in with the right account | Check the developer and app ID, then open the product page from your personal apps list. Don’t confirm another payment. |
| The page says the app isn’t available in your region | Whether your current store region differs from the one used for the purchase | Check your account region and purchase history first, then proceed based on the app’s availability in the current store. |
| A message says the device isn’t compatible | Device model and system requirements | Check the App Store page for the requirements and make sure your device meets them. |
If you’re unsure which account made the purchase, find the Apple receipt you received at the time and check the app name and account associated with it. Use the order amount and date only to identify your own transaction. Don’t send anyone the full receipt, payment details, or account password.
If the account and app are correct but you still can’t redownload it, contact Apple through its purchase support channels to check the order status. Explain that you have a purchase record but can’t redownload the app, and have the order details and current on-screen message ready. Keep app connection issues separate from App Store purchase issues.
4. What to do after changing your App Store region
Purchase history and availability in the current storefront are separate factors. Having bought the app with an account doesn’t mean it can be redownloaded immediately from every storefront. If you can’t find it after changing regions or the product page won’t open, the current storefront may not offer it; that doesn’t necessarily mean the purchase record is gone.
- Check the region first: Go to Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region. The exact path may vary on your device.
- Then check the purchase: Confirm the original purchase belongs to the purchase account currently signed in. Don’t assume this based only on having had the app installed on an old device.
- Keep your old device: If possible, keep the app and configuration backup on your old device until you’ve redownloaded the app and verified the setup on the new one. Don’t erase it prematurely.
- Consider a region change only as a last step: Apple may require you to resolve account balance, active subscriptions, payment methods, or other conditions. Read the account page prompts first; changing regions is not a guaranteed way to download the app.
The purchase verification link on this site helps confirm the product identity. It does not change your Apple Account region or restore purchases on your behalf. Whether you can redownload the app depends on what the App Store shows when you’re signed in with the original purchase account.
5. After installation, restore Home, Config, and connection permission separately
Seeing the app icon or opening Home confirms only that the app is installed. Whether your old data transferred depends on the migration or backup restore. Don’t assume App Store redownloading automatically syncs subscriptions, Config, or Settings.
- Check Home: See whether your existing connection entries and subscriptions are there. If the list is empty, reimport your saved subscription URL: on Home, tap “+” in the top-right corner → Type → Subscribe, enter your own URL, save it, then update the subscription. Subscription URLs contain access credentials; don’t share them publicly.
- Check Config: Make sure the configuration files you need have been restored and that the expected file is selected. A successful import doesn’t mean the configuration is active—check its current status.
- Check Global Routing: Make sure the current mode is appropriate for your test. If the old device relied on rules, restore the corresponding Config instead of simply turning on the connection.
- Handle system permission: The first time you connect, review the system prompt to add a VPN configuration, confirm, and complete any required authentication. Purchase eligibility and VPN permission on the device are handled separately.
- Check automatic connection: Go to Settings → On Demand and check whether automatic triggers are enabled. After migration, verify a manual connection first, then test behavior on Wi-Fi and Cellular separately.
The options below compare Shadowrocket’s own Global Routing settings. To restore your previous setup, start with the verified original configuration. After temporary troubleshooting, return to the mode you need for everyday use.
Config
RecommendedChoose a policy based on the rules in the current configuration. To reproduce the old device’s routing behavior, restore both the original rules and their referenced policies. Selecting Config alone won’t restore missing configuration content.
Best for: Restoring everyday routing when you already have working rules.
Proxy
Routes traffic through the proxy by default, which is useful for temporarily checking whether the selected connection works. It won’t confirm that your original domain rules are correct, and test results can still depend on DNS, protocol settings, and network conditions.
Best for: Temporarily distinguishing connection availability from rule-matching issues.
Direct
Uses direct connections. Don’t treat this as proof that the proxy has been restored. Even if ordinary web pages open, that doesn’t confirm your existing connection service is working.
Best for: Comparing access over your local network without a proxy.
For example, if the original configuration uses DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,DIRECT to send a domain suffix direct and FINAL,PROXY as the fallback, check both rules and the related policies. These lines are examples of what to verify; don’t replace your original configuration with them. Rules are matched in order, so missing an earlier entry can change the route.
6. Common questions about restoring Shadowrocket
Why does the App Store still show a price when I’m signed in to the same account?
Check the purchase account on your App Store account page, not just the iCloud account. Then open Shadowrocket from your personal Apps or Purchased list and check app ID 932747118. If it still doesn’t match, check hidden purchases, the original order, and the store region. Don’t confirm payment right away.
Can I redownload it without my old iPhone?
You usually don’t need your old iPhone to redownload the app. You can use the purchase list as long as you can sign in to the original purchase account and the current store and device allow redownloading. If sign-in requires verification, complete Apple Account recovery first. Recovering local configuration from the old phone depends on whether you have a backup.
Why are my subscriptions missing after I downloaded the app?
Purchase history isn’t a configuration backup. Check for subscriptions and connection entries in Home, then check your configuration files in Config. If migration didn’t transfer your data, reimport your saved subscription URL and configuration. Redownloading the app won’t restore local data that wasn’t backed up.
Do I need to buy it again for my iPad?
On your iPad, sign in to the App Store with the original purchase account and look for Shadowrocket in your personal apps list. Check the product page on that device to see whether it can be redownloaded and whether the purchase applies. Compatibility and system requirements are listed on the App Store page. Check the configuration on your iPad separately.
Does the VPN icon mean everything was restored after reinstalling?
The VPN icon indicates the system connection status; it doesn’t prove that subscriptions, policies, and rules have all been restored. In Home, check the selected connection, then verify Global Routing and Config and test a destination you normally use. If something behaves unexpectedly, record connection errors and rule-matching results separately.