How to Restore Shadowrocket on a New iPhone: Redownload from App Store Purchases

1. Confirm the original purchase account and download access

Shadowrocket is a paid app with a one-time purchase, available exclusively through the App Store. In normal circumstances, you can redownload the purchased app on a compatible device using the same Apple Account used for the original purchase. You do not need to buy it again just because you have a new iPhone. The purchase must still be valid, and the app must be available in your current store. Check the App Store listing for system requirements.

The “original account” means the Apple Account used for the App Store transaction; it may differ from the account used for iCloud on your new phone. The account shown at the top of Settings and the account used for Media & Purchases can be different. Seeing your contacts and photos sync does not tell you whether the App Store is signed in with the account used for the original purchase.

• On your iPhone, go to Settings → your name → Media & Purchases to check the account used for purchases.
• Open the App Store, tap your profile picture in the top-right corner, and check your account details. If you need to sign in again, use only the original purchase account that belongs to you.
• If you’re not sure which account you used, check your saved Apple purchase receipts or search for Shadowrocket in the purchase history of your accounts.
• Check the product name Shadowrocket, developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118. Don’t assume a purchase based on a similar name alone.

Buying the app ≠ buying a service plan. Your purchase history confirms eligibility to download the app; it does not create connection details or replace a subscription from a service provider you already use. Having used Shadowrocket before only shows that the app was installed on a device. Check the purchase history to find which account has download access.

2. Redownload from App Store purchases

Before setting up your new phone, keep your old phone working for now. Confirm that you can redownload the app and have a way to restore your configuration before changing anything on the old device. App Store menu names vary by system version and display language. In English, you may see Apps → My Apps; older versions may show Purchased. These options are available from your account profile, not from a purchase-restore button inside the app.

1. Check the account

   Open App Store → your profile picture and confirm that you’re using the original purchase account. If not, sign in to the purchase account under Media & Purchases. You don’t need to sign out of iCloud on the entire device to redownload the app.

2. Open your purchased apps

   From your account page, open Apps → My Apps, or the Purchased option shown on your device. If the list has filters, select Not on this iPhone to find apps that aren’t installed on your device.

3. Find the app

   Search for Shadowrocket in your app list and check the official icon and product details. Searching your purchased apps is different from searching the entire App Store and is a better way to check whether that account has previously acquired the app.

4. Download again

   Tap the cloud download button and complete any account verification requested by the system. If you see Open, the app is already installed. If you see a price, stop and check your purchase history in the next section; don’t try paying to see whether access is restored.

5. Check the first launch

   Open Shadowrocket and check Home and Config for your existing data. If the system asks to add a VPN configuration when you first enable a connection, review the prompt and follow the system steps to authorize it. This authorization is separate from your App Store purchase.

If you used device-to-device migration to set up your new iPhone, the app icon may appear on the Home Screen before the app itself finishes downloading from the App Store. Seeing the icon does not mean the download and data restoration are complete. Wait until the app opens normally, then check your configuration. Don’t repeatedly delete the icon while the download is in progress.

3. Price shown or app missing: check the account, purchase history, and storefront

A price on the product page does not, by itself, prove that your original purchase is no longer valid. Common causes include a different purchase account, a hidden app, or a change in availability in your current storefront. Note the button and message shown on screen, then check each item one at a time. Avoid changing accounts or regions and reinstalling the app all at once, so you can identify what’s causing the problem.

A change in storefront region needs separate attention. Redownloading depends on current store availability; a purchase in your history does not guarantee that the app will always be available in every region. Changing your device language or Region does not change your App Store storefront, which is determined by your purchase account. Changing Country/Region may involve account balance, active subscriptions, and payment method requirements. Review the conditions shown by the system before deciding, and avoid switching regions repeatedly while troubleshooting.

4. Restore your connection configuration separately after reinstalling

Redownloading restores the app itself; purchase history does not store your service provider’s connection details. If you migrated from a full-device backup, check what data actually appears on your new phone rather than assuming app data was restored. If you deleted and reinstalled the app, don’t assume your old local configuration is still there. If your old phone still works, check where your existing configuration came from before deciding how to restore it on the new device.

• Check Home first: Make sure your existing connection entries are there and the right one is selected. If the list is empty, buying the app again won’t restore those entries.
• Then check Config: Review the active configuration file and rules. Seeing connection entries in Home does not mean your original rules file was restored too.
• Restore an existing subscription: If you previously used a subscription to manage entries, go to Home → “+” in the top-right corner → Type → Subscribe, enter your existing subscription URL, save it, and then update it. Retrieve the URL from your own existing service records.
• Check manual settings: If you added the connection manually, compare Type, address, port, and the authentication fields for the protocol against your original records. Don’t change the protocol or port at random just because you reinstalled the app.
• Check authorization last: When you first enable a connection, follow the system prompt to add a VPN configuration. Authorization only allows the system to establish a connection; you still need to verify that the configuration works.

Subscription URLs often contain access credentials. When organizing your records or describing a problem to support, don’t share the full URL, password, or authentication fields. To illustrate the URL format, use sample text that cannot connect to a real service, such as https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx. Don’t include your actual address in screenshots.

If entries appear after updating the subscription but the connection still fails, troubleshoot the connection rather than continuing to work on purchase restoration. Record three separate results: whether the app installs, whether configuration is present, and whether it connects. This helps pinpoint the issue and avoids accidentally deleting data that still works on your old phone.

5. Check Global Routing after moving phones; don’t repurchase to fix routing

After restoring your configuration, check Global Routing in Home. It determines how traffic is handled and does not affect your App Store purchase eligibility. Use the options below only for initial testing on the new device: confirm your rules and selected connection first, then choose a mode. You may also see Scene in Global Routing. It relates to scene settings and is not required to restore a purchase.

If your old phone used automatic connections, also check Settings → On Demand. On Demand controls connection triggers; it is not a purchase-restore switch. First verify a manual connection, then restore the automatic trigger conditions you used before. Don’t mistake automatic reconnection behavior for a download problem or repeatedly delete the app to troubleshoot it.

• Check 1: If the App Store downloads and opens the app, the app acquisition step is complete.
• Check 2: If Home entries and Config settings are present, the restoration source has been imported. You still need to check that the settings are valid.
• Check 3: Enable the connection, visit your destination, and review the connection logs to confirm how traffic was handled. This completes the practical usage check.

6. Common questions about moving phones and redownloading