This guide is for Mac and Windows users installing Shadowrocket for the first time. Confirm your system and processor, then get the installer from this site’s download page. If a system warning appears on first launch, distinguish a source warning from a malware alert or device-management restriction. Allow the app only once, and only after confirming its source. After installation, check app startup, connection permissions, and your existing configuration separately so a connection issue isn’t mistaken for an installation failure.
Before you install: platform, pricing, and download source
Shadowrocket supports iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android, and Linux. The iPhone and iPad app costs $2.99 as a one-time App Store purchase. The Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. For desktop installers, use this site’s download page. Get installers from this site, not from attachments in search results or forwarded files.
To verify the product across devices, check that the App Store listing for iPhone / iPad names Shadow Launch Technology Limited as the developer and shows app ID 932747118. System requirements are as listed on the App Store page. For desktop installations, check the platforms and package details on the download page; mobile system requirements do not apply to Mac or Windows.
Identify your Mac chip in About This Mac
Don’t identify your chip from the computer’s appearance, purchase year, or browser detection. Open the Apple menu in the menu bar and select About This Mac. Check the Chip or Processor field. In localized interfaces, this may appear as “Chip” or “Processor” in your system language. If it shows an Apple M-series chip, choose the Apple silicon version; if it shows Intel, choose the Intel version.
Apple silicon Mac
- Where to check
- Apple menu → About This Mac
- Field to check
- Chip; shows an Apple M-series chip
- Which download to choose
- Mac Apple Silicon
- Match the architecture
- arm64
Choose based on the Chip field—not on how your browser is running.
Intel Mac
- Where to check
- Apple menu → About This Mac
- Field to check
- Processor; shows Intel
- Which download to choose
- Mac Intel
- Match the architecture
- x86_64
Both the Intel and Apple silicon versions are free desktop editions.
If macOS says the app isn’t supported on your Mac, check that you downloaded the right package before changing any security settings. Chip compatibility and macOS compatibility are separate: even the correct chip version may not run if your system is older than the version listed on the download page. Check the requirements and consider updating macOS rather than treating this as a Gatekeeper block.
Install on Mac: copy the app before first launch
A DMG is a disk image that contains installation files, not a folder you should use to run the app long term. Copying the app to Applications before opening it prevents issues such as losing access after ejecting the image or launching a different copy. The paths below use English system names; Applications may have a localized name on your Mac.
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Check your chip
Open Apple menu → About This Mac and check Chip or Processor. Then choose the matching Mac version on this site’s download page.
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Open the disk image
When the download finishes, open the DMG from Finder → Downloads. If macOS says the image can’t be opened or the file is incomplete, delete that download and get it again from this site.
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Copy the app
Drag Shadowrocket into Applications. Once copying is complete, open it from Finder → Applications rather than running the copy inside the disk image.
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Check any warning
If macOS shows a source warning on first launch, confirm the file’s source and app name. Then follow the next section to identify the warning type. Don’t disable system security features.
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Eject the disk image
After confirming the app in Applications opens, eject the disk image from the Finder sidebar. Use the copy in Applications from then on.
If Applications already contains an app with the same name, quit Shadowrocket and back up your existing configuration before replacing it. App files and user configurations are separate. Clearing user data to troubleshoot a first-launch issue could cause unnecessary configuration loss.
Mac blocked the first launch: distinguish source warnings from security alerts
Gatekeeper checks apps downloaded for the first time. “Cannot verify developer” and “will damage your computer” mean different things and should not be handled the same way. Proceed with a one-time allowance only after confirming the file came from this site, you chose the correct platform, and macOS offers an option to allow that specific app.
| Warning or status | What to check and do | What not to do |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot verify developer | After trying to open the app, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and scroll to Security. If Shadowrocket appears as blocked, select Open Anyway, authenticate if prompted, then confirm Open. | Don’t disable Gatekeeper globally or allow a file with the same name from an unknown source. |
| Open Anyway isn’t available | First confirm you opened the app from Applications, then check Privacy & Security again. Buttons and layouts vary between macOS versions; use the option actually shown on your system. | Don’t treat commands that change system security settings as standard installation steps. |
| App is damaged or can’t be read | Stop trying to open it. Check the chip and system requirements, then download it again from this site. If the same warning persists, note the full message and investigate further. | Don’t remove the file’s security attributes to hide the cause. |
| Malware detected or app will damage your computer | Stop. Keep the detection name and warning details, and follow the system’s security recommendations. | Don’t bypass a clear malware warning just to finish installing. |
Older macOS versions may show the path as System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General. Look for the names used in your current system settings; not finding an older button doesn’t mean the installer is faulty. On organization-managed Macs, an administrator may control whether apps can be allowed. Contact your device administrator if needed.
Install on Windows and handle SmartScreen prompts
Open Settings → System → About and check System type under Device specifications. Check the Windows package details and requirements on the download page. Don’t assume that “64-bit” means the app supports every processor architecture. Allowing a file through a source warning won’t fix a system or processor mismatch.
Two ways to handle first-launch prompts on Windows
SmartScreen reputation warning
- Get the installer from this site’s download page, open it, and check the app name shown in the prompt.
- If you see “Windows protected your PC,” select More info to view details.
- Use Run anyway only after confirming the source and file details.
- If there’s no option to continue, stop and check whether a device-management policy is in place. Don’t force your way past the restriction.
Threat detection or management restriction
- If Windows Security reports a threat, first review the detection details in Protection history.
- Don’t treat a threat detection as an ordinary reputation warning, and don’t turn off real-time protection to run the app.
- If an organization policy blocks installation, note the warning and ask your administrator to review it.
- If installation is restricted by system policy or the device is in S mode, first check the device policy and support requirements.
A SmartScreen reputation warning isn’t the same as a malware detection. Being able to click through doesn’t mean Windows has confirmed the file is safe.
Complete the setup using the options shown by the installer. If User Account Control appears, check which app is requesting permission and where the file is located. If you can’t verify the request, select Cancel. Don’t run the app as an administrator permanently just to avoid a confirmation, and don’t disable User Account Control.
Once installation is complete, launch Shadowrocket from the Start menu. If no window appears, check the taskbar and notification area for a running process, then look for compatibility or permission warnings. Double-clicking the installer again may simply restart setup; it doesn’t confirm that the app has launched.
First connection checks: verify installation, permissions, and configuration separately
Opening the main screen confirms only that the app launched. Establishing a connection also depends on your existing configuration, system permissions, and network. Start with manual connections and leave automatic connection conditions unset. After a repeatable basic test, consider configuring on-demand behavior under Settings → On Demand. Available options vary by platform.
- Check that the app launches: Quit and reopen it. Confirm that setup doesn’t restart and the same system block doesn’t appear again.
- Use your existing configuration: In Home, use the add or import option available on your platform to add your own server or subscription. Don’t include subscription links in public screenshots or feedback.
- Check the routing mode: Proxy, Direct, Config, and Scene under Global Routing use different routing methods. Note the current selection when troubleshooting. Direct won’t test a remote proxy route, and Config depends on the rules selected in Config.
- Check connection permissions: When enabling a connection for the first time, read any system request for a network extension, VPN configuration, or permission. Approve only what’s relevant to the action. Dialogs vary by platform.
- Check the network result: Note whether websites load before and after connecting, whether the subscription updates, and the exact error text. If the app launches but a subscription update times out, investigate the network and subscription validity rather than reinstalling immediately.
With Config routing, rules are checked in configuration order. DOMAIN-SUFFIX, IP-CIDR, GEOIP, and FINAL are rule keywords, not installation options; don’t change them to fix a launch block. For details on routing modes, see Proxy Modes. To find settings, see the Settings Reference.
FAQ: downloading again, administrator permissions, and keeping your configuration
Why does my Mac still say the chip isn’t compatible after installation?
Quit the app, then check Chip or Processor again in Apple menu → About This Mac and compare it with the version you chose on the download page. If you chose the wrong one, download the Apple silicon or Intel version as appropriate. Allowing the app in Privacy & Security won’t change its processor architecture.
What if Windows doesn’t show Run anyway?
Note the full warning and determine whether it’s caused by an organization policy, a system restriction on app sources, or a confirmed threat detection. Ask an administrator to handle managed devices. Don’t turn off SmartScreen or Windows Security to force the option to appear.
Should I delete all my configuration before reinstalling?
Clearing your configuration shouldn’t be the first step. Quit the app, back up your existing configuration, and note the error. For launch blocks, first check the download source, architecture, and system compatibility. Configurations and subscriptions may contain sensitive information; keep backups somewhere you control.
The app opens, but the connection fails. Do I still need to allow it?
If the app launches normally, check your existing server configuration in Home, the current Global Routing mode, and connection permissions. Don’t weaken system security settings because a connection failed. When contacting support, include the exact error text and redact passwords, subscription URLs, and access tokens.
Get Shadowrocket and follow the first-time setup guide
The iPhone / iPad app costs $2.99 as a one-time App Store purchase. The Mac (Apple silicon / Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Choose your platform on the download page, then follow the guide to import your existing configuration after installation.