Restoring Shadowrocket on a new iPhone involves two separate steps: first, retrieve the app from the App Store using the original purchase account; then restore your existing connection details and Config. This guide is for users who have already purchased the app but can’t find the download option on a new device or find their settings missing after reinstalling. Check your account, purchase history, store availability, and connection permissions in order—don’t confuse an app purchase with restoring its configuration.
1. Separate purchase access from local configuration
Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app sold as a one-time purchase. The purchase is associated with the Apple ID used to complete the transaction. Apple now also uses the name Apple Account in its account interface; in this guide, “original account” means the account used to purchase the app from the App Store, not just the account used for iCloud sync. Deleting the app does not remove its App Store purchase record, but locally stored data may be deleted along with the app.
Redownloading answers the question “Can this device get the purchased app?” It does not restore servers in Home, Subscribe details, Config files, or Settings preferences. Check each of these separately, even after the app icon returns. Purchasing the app does not include connection services; importing them later assumes you already have your own provider and subscription.
Verify the purchase record first, then restore your configuration
If the App Store still shows a price, pause and check the account first. If the app opens but Home is empty, move on to restoring your configuration—don’t buy it again to fix missing data.
2. Redownload from Purchased using the original account
On your new iPhone, open Settings → your account at the top → Media & Purchases, then check which account is used for media and purchases. It may differ from the iCloud account shown at the top. You only need to verify the account used for the purchase; you don’t need to sign out of iCloud on the entire device to retrieve the app. If you do need to switch Media & Purchases accounts, read the system prompts first and check how the change may affect existing media services.
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Check the account
Compare with your old device or purchase receipt and confirm that Settings → your account at the top → Media & Purchases uses the Apple ID that originally purchased Shadowrocket. Don’t rely only on the name shown at the top of the device.
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Open Purchased
Go to App Store → your profile picture in the top-right corner. In newer interfaces, look under Apps → My Apps for your app history. If the interface shows Purchased, open it and select My Purchases if needed. Menu names vary by system version and interface language.
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Find the app
Search for Shadowrocket in your app list. To narrow the results, switch to Not on this iPhone; on iPad, the corresponding list shows apps not installed on the current iPad.
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Verify and download
Open the matching listing, verify the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited and the app ID is 932747118, then tap the cloud download button. If prompted, authenticate your account as directed by the App Store.
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Check your data
After installation, open Shadowrocket. First check whether Home contains your servers and Config contains your configuration, then decide what needs to be imported or restored. There’s no need to turn on the connection switch right away on first launch.
Once the App Store recognizes a valid purchase made with the original account, the app will usually show a cloud download button instead of a purchase option. If it shows Open, the app is already installed. Try searching for it on your device before assuming it’s missing because its icon isn’t on the Home Screen. Refer to the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase eligibility.
3. What to check if Purchased is missing or a price still appears
Search results, your app list, and transaction history serve different purposes. Not finding the app in search doesn’t prove it was never purchased. A transaction in your history confirms a past purchase, but doesn’t guarantee that the app can be redownloaded under current store conditions. Check the account, hidden purchases, and store region in the order below. Don’t repeatedly tap the price button to test it.
- Check that you’re using the same account: Check Media & Purchases on both the old and new devices. If you’ve used multiple Apple IDs, use your purchase receipt to identify which account made the transaction rather than guessing from your usual email address.
- Check that the transaction exists: Go to Settings → your account at the top → Media & Purchases → View Account → Purchase History, then adjust the date range and look for Shadowrocket. Older purchases may fall outside the default date range.
- Check whether the app is hidden: Open your App Store account settings and look for Hidden Purchases. Hidden apps may not appear in the regular purchased list; use the option on that page to unhide or redownload the app.
- Check whether the store region has changed: Go to View Account → Country/Region to check your current store. Region affects app availability and visibility. Don’t change regions just to test; first review your existing purchase record and the system prompts.
- Check device compatibility: Review the compatibility details on the App Store listing. If your older device doesn’t meet the requirements, follow the store’s guidance rather than looking for another way to get the app.
The App Store is the only place to reinstall the app. To verify the product, visit the store information from this site’s genuine app verification page. Refreshing search results, restarting the device, or repeatedly deleting the app won’t transfer a purchase from another account to yours.
4. Restore Home, Config, and system permissions after installation
Restoring from a device backup and redownloading the app are separate processes. Whether a backup contains app data and whether it restores successfully depend on the backup contents and the system’s restore results. Don’t assume all your configuration will automatically return after switching devices. Check what’s there first, then use your own saved information to fill in anything missing.
- Check Home: Make sure your existing servers or Subscribe entries are there. If the list is empty, use the connection details you saved yourself. To add an existing subscription link, go to Home, tap “+” in the top-right corner → Type → Subscribe, then save and update it.
- Check Config: Verify that your original rules configuration is present and selected. If you exported a configuration file, restore it using the file import process. Restoring Subscribe alone does not restore custom rules.
- Check Settings: Review DNS, connection preferences, and Settings → On Demand. Automatic connection conditions from your old device may not suit the new one. Verify the connection manually first, then enable automation conditions.
- Grant system permission: When you first connect, if the system asks whether to allow a VPN configuration, verify that the request is from Shadowrocket and approve it as prompted. Redownloading a purchased app and granting VPN permission are separate steps.
Subscription links often contain credentials. Keep them somewhere secure and don’t include them in public screenshots or support requests. If the list remains empty after an update, check that the link is complete, that it returns valid content, and that your existing service is still available. These issues are unrelated to your App Store purchase record.
5. Verify the connection after restoring, then return to your usual settings
Being able to open the app only confirms that installation is complete. To check the connection, keep the network, destination, and your existing connection details the same, changing one setting at a time. First make sure the correct server is selected in Home, then check Global Routing. Don’t change the server, Config, and DNS at the same time, or it’ll be hard to tell what caused the difference.
Config
RecommendedWith your original configuration restored and verified, requests are handled according to its rules and policies. Config doesn’t always mean “proxy only some traffic”; the actual result depends on its rules and which ones match.
Best for: Restoring your usual routing settings after confirming the original rules work
Proxy
Routes requests handled by this mode through the selected proxy path. Use it temporarily to check whether rule-based routing is affecting the result. It won’t fix invalid connection details, and it doesn’t mean all system traffic will necessarily use the same path.
Best for: Briefly comparing results with Config when an existing proxy connection works
Direct
Use the direct path as a comparison to see whether your current local network can reach the same destination. If a destination won’t open under Direct, that alone doesn’t mean the app installation or purchase restore failed.
Best for: Checking basic local network connectivity, not verifying proxy availability
Global Routing may also offer Scene for choosing a scenario; it isn’t a fourth transport protocol. If you used Scene on your old device, check the corresponding scenario settings too. After verifying a manual connection and an actual request, restore your Settings → On Demand conditions. Then test switching between Wi-Fi and cellular once and check that the connection behaves as expected.
6. Common questions about switching devices and reinstalling
Do I have to pay again when I get a new iPhone?
Use the original purchase account to redownload the app from your personal purchased apps list. Once the store recognizes a valid purchase, there’s no need to pay again. If a price appears, check Media & Purchases, Purchase History, and your store region before completing another transaction.
Why can’t I find it even though I’m signed in to iCloud with the original account?
Open Settings → your account at the top → Media & Purchases and check which account is signed in there. Your iCloud account and App Store purchase account may differ. Look for the purchase under the store account that completed the original transaction.
The app downloaded, so why is my server list empty?
The store restores your access to the app, not your connection details. First check what came back with your backup, then use your own saved information to restore Home and Config. Buying the app doesn’t create servers or renew an existing connection service for you.
Can I restore it on a new iPad?
On your iPad, use the original purchase account in the App Store to view your app list. Check the product listing for compatibility and purchase eligibility before proceeding. Refer to the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase eligibility; don’t rely only on whether it installed on your iPhone.
What if there’s no “Restore Purchases” button?
This is about redownloading a paid app from the App Store. Go to your personal purchased apps list there; you don’t need to look for a Restore Purchases button in Shadowrocket first. If the app is installed but its configuration is missing, restore your data from Home, Config, and Settings in that order.
To finish, confirm that the App Store recognizes the original purchase, the app opens, your existing configuration is complete, system permissions are granted, and actual requests behave as expected. Checking each item separately helps distinguish store, data restoration, and connection issues—and avoids using repeated reinstalls as a substitute for troubleshooting.