If you’ve bought Shadowrocket, sign in to the App Store with the Apple Account used for the purchase before switching to a new iPhone or reinstalling the app. Then redownload it from your purchased apps. This guide covers account checks, where to download, what to do if the purchase is missing, and how to restore your Subscribe and Config after installation. Redownloading the app does not automatically restore your connection settings.
1. Understand the difference between purchase access and app data
A completed purchase can be downloaded again from the App Store’s purchased apps list using the same Apple Account, as long as the app is still available to that account and the device meets its requirements. You won’t need to pay again for the same purchase. Switching devices does not transfer purchase access to another Apple Account, and deleting the app does not cancel the purchase.
The iPhone / iPad version costs $2.99 as a one-time App Store purchase. The Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Find links for all platforms on the download page. For iPhone / iPad system requirements, check the App Store listing. For older devices, rely on the compatibility information shown on the device.
2. Check your Media & Purchases account
The Apple Account shown at the top of your iPhone’s Settings may differ from the account used for App Store purchases. Seeing your name at the top of Settings does not confirm which account the store is using. Open Media & Purchases and compare the account with your original purchase receipt.
- Open Settings → Apple Account at the top → Media & Purchases to check the account used for store purchases. If needed, tap View Account for more details.
- Open the App Store and tap the account picture in the top-right corner to check the account. If it differs from the one on your original purchase receipt, switch the store account before looking for the app in your purchases.
- If you need to switch accounts, do so under Media & Purchases. Don’t sign out of iCloud on the entire device just to find an app.
- If you’re prompted for a password, two-factor authentication, or account recovery, complete verification first. A failed sign-in does not mean the purchase history is missing.
If you can’t sign in to the original purchasing account, use Apple’s account recovery process to regain access. The app name, device, or phone number alone cannot confirm which account made the purchase. Being able to open the app on your old phone does not mean the store account on your new phone has the purchase.
3. Redownload from your purchased apps
Check the account before following these steps. App Store menu names vary by system version and display language. Newer interfaces may show Apps → My Apps; others may show Purchased → My Purchases. The goal is the list of apps obtained with the current account.
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Open your account page
Open the App Store and tap the account picture in the top-right corner. First, make sure this is the account used to buy Shadowrocket.
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Open your purchased apps
Go to Apps → My Apps or Purchased → My Purchases. If you see a family member option, select your own purchases to avoid checking the wrong list.
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Find the app
Search for Shadowrocket. If there’s a Not on this iPhone filter, use it to find apps that aren’t installed. Check the product listing before downloading.
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Verify the app
Check the developer name, Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the official icon, and app ID 932747118. Don’t rely on the search term “Shadowrocket” or a similar app name alone.
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Download again
Tap the cloud download icon, verify your account if prompted, and wait for installation to finish. If you’re asked to confirm a new purchase instead of redownloading, cancel and check your account and purchase history.
The cloud icon means the app is available to redownload; it does not mean your Subscribe, Config, or manually added servers will come back. If you see Open, the app is already installed. Find it on your Home Screen or in the App Library; there’s no need to buy it again.
4. If the app is missing from your purchases, check these in order
If you can’t find the app, first distinguish between a missing purchase record and a purchase that exists but can’t be downloaded. For a missing record, check the account and purchase history. If the record is there, note the store message, device compatibility, and account region. Refreshing search results repeatedly won’t change which account owns the purchase.
| What you see | Where to check | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Shadowrocket isn’t in the purchased apps list | App Store → Account; Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases | Check the original purchasing account, not just the iCloud account. |
| Only recent purchases are shown | Media & Purchases → View Account → Purchase History | Adjust the date range or filters to cover when you made the purchase. |
| Purchase history shows the app, but it’s not in the list | App Store → Account → Account Settings → Hidden Purchases | Check whether you hid the app. Use the Unhide or redownload option shown. |
| The product page shows a price | Developer name, app ID, and purchasing account | First rule out a different app or account. Don’t confirm a new purchase yet. |
| A message says the app isn’t available in your region | Account Country/Region and the store message | Save the full message and ask Apple Support to check account availability. Don’t repeatedly change your region just to troubleshoot. |
| The cloud button is there, but the download fails | Device storage, network, account verification, and system requirements | Check each item. A storage or verification issue does not mean you’ve lost purchase access. |
For more transaction details, check Purchase History. If the purchase was refunded or never completed, having installed the app before does not prove you still have valid purchase access. When contacting Apple Support, provide the order details, current account, error message, and device system information. Don’t send your password, verification codes, or provider subscription link.
5. Restore Subscribe and Config after reinstalling
Restoring a purchase lets you download the app; restoring configuration gets it working with your previous settings. Deleting the app usually removes its local data. If you migrated from a device backup, check the new phone to confirm which settings were preserved. Seeing the app icon does not mean configuration recovery is complete.
- If the old phone still works: Before deleting or erasing it, note the entry selected on Home, the Global Routing setting, and the active configuration in Config. Save any passwords or keys only in a secure place you control.
- Using Subscribe: Get the subscription link from your provider. On Home, tap “+” in the top-right corner → Type → Subscribe, enter the link, and save. Then update the relevant subscription. The token in the link is sensitive; don’t share it publicly.
- Using a local Config: Import your saved configuration in Config, then check which one is selected. Adding Subscribe again does not restore custom rules, DNS settings, or policy selections.
- Adding a server manually: Enter the Type and parameters provided by your provider, and check the address, port, authentication details, and transport options. Don’t reuse parameters from another entry based on memory.
- Connecting for the first time: Start the connection from Home, then follow the iOS prompt to allow the VPN configuration to be added. Completing the purchase and granting VPN permission are separate steps.
If you’ve already deleted the old app and don’t have a configuration backup, your App Store receipt cannot restore server settings. Get the subscription or configuration again from your provider, then restore the connection. If a subscription update fails, first check that the link is complete and the service is active, then check your network. Buying the app again won’t fix an expired subscription.
6. Check Global Routing and On Demand after restoring
If the app downloads and opens on your new phone but behaves differently from the old one, check its settings before troubleshooting the purchase. On Home → Global Routing, review the current mode. This section compares three commonly used settings after restoration. The menu also includes Scene; if you used it before, check your scene settings too. Scene is not another name for Config.
Config
ConfigurationTraffic handling follows the rules in the selected Config. Confirm the configuration is imported and selected, then check rule order and FINAL. Traffic that doesn’t match a rule does not necessarily go direct.
Best for: resuming everyday use after restoring and checking your original rules.
Proxy
Route traffic handled by Shadowrocket through the proxy mode to help check whether the selected server works. After switching, make sure a valid entry is selected.
Best for: temporarily troubleshooting rule routing and server connectivity, not for restoring a purchase.
Direct
Handle traffic in direct mode without using the selected proxy server. If this mode is selected, your browsing results won’t tell you whether the proxy server is working.
Best for: checking your basic network or determining whether the proxy route is causing the issue.
Bottom line: Test a manual connection before restoring automatic triggers
First connect manually from Home and confirm the selected entry and Config are working. Then check the automatic trigger conditions under Settings → On Demand. This helps you distinguish connection parameter issues from automatic connection settings.
For example, DOMAIN-SUFFIX in Config matches domain suffixes, IP-CIDR matches IP ranges, and FINAL sets the policy for traffic not matched by earlier rules. Keep the original rule order when restoring; copying just one rule won’t reproduce the old phone’s behavior. On Demand triggers connections based on conditions. It does not restore purchase access or fill in missing server details.
7. Common questions about switching phones and reinstalling
My new iPhone shows a price again. Do I have to pay twice?
Don’t confirm the purchase yet. Open the App Store’s purchased apps list, check the Media & Purchases account, then review Purchase History and Hidden Purchases. If you have a valid purchase record but are still asked to pay, ask Apple Support to check the order.
The app works on my old phone. Why are there no servers on the new one?
Download access and local data are separate. On the new phone, check for entries in Home and configurations in Config. If Subscribe is missing, get the link from your provider and import it again. If local rules are missing, import your own backup.
Do I need to tap Restore Purchases in the app?
This guide covers redownloading the paid app itself. Use the App Store’s purchased apps list; you don’t need to find an in-app restore button to regain download access. Restore configuration separately in Home and Config.
What if I don’t remember which account I used to buy it?
Check the Apple purchase receipts you’ve kept and identify the account on the order, then review purchase history for each account. If you can’t complete sign-in verification, use account recovery instead of buying the app again to replace the original purchase.
The cloud icon keeps spinning. Does that mean my purchase is invalid?
You can’t tell from download progress alone. Check available storage and your network, see whether the App Store needs more account verification, and review the product page’s system requirements. Keep the error message, and avoid repeatedly deleting the app from the old phone if you don’t have a configuration backup.
Get Shadowrocket and continue setup
The iPhone / iPad version is a $2.99 one-time App Store purchase. The Mac (Apple silicon / Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. If you’ve already bought it, follow this guide to redownload with your original account. For other platforms or configuration help, use the links below. Check the App Store listing for iPhone / iPad system requirements.