Shadowrocket Android APK: Download and Install

1. Check your device and download option

On your Android device, choose the arm64 installer from the download page for all platforms. arm64 refers to the processor architecture an app targets. A 64-bit-capable processor does not necessarily mean the device is currently running a 64-bit version of Android. For older devices, lightweight system builds, or specialized hardware, check the manufacturer’s system information rather than relying on the device’s product name.

Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app with two ways to get it: the iPhone / iPad version costs $2.99 as a one-time App Store purchase; check the App Store listing for system requirements. The Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. This guide covers the Android APK, so you don’t need to follow the iPhone purchase steps.

• Use the right source: Open this site’s download page from this article and choose the Android section. Don’t use chat attachments or files hosted by unknown sources.
• Check available storage: Your device needs room for both the download and the app’s data after installation. If you see a storage warning, free up space before trying again.
• Check device restrictions: Work profiles, school-managed devices, and parental controls may block app installations. Ask the device administrator to adjust the policy.
• Know what installation provides: Installing the app does not give you a connection configuration. The steps that follow assume you already have a service provider and subscription. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend connection configurations or subscription services.

2. Download and install in a browser

Android installation permission is usually managed separately for each app that starts an installation. For example, if you download the APK in a browser and open it there, grant permission to that browser. If you open the same file in a file manager instead, you may need to grant permission to the file manager. Follow the app name shown in the installation prompt; you don’t need to allow every app to install files.

1. Open the download page

   Open this site’s download page in your system browser, find the Android section, and select the arm64 APK. If the page is open in WeChat, use the menu in the upper-right corner to choose “Open in browser” first. The menu label may vary by system and WeChat version.

2. Wait for the download to finish

   Check your browser’s download history and wait until the task is complete before opening the file. Seeing the filename in the list doesn’t mean the download has finished. Don’t start installing while the download is still in progress, paused, or failed.

3. Allow this source

   After opening the APK, if Android says this source isn’t allowed to install apps, go to the settings page provided in the prompt. Check the name of the browser or file manager, then enable “Allow from this source.” A common path is Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps.

4. Return to the installer

   Go back to the installation screen and confirm. On some devices, you may need to reopen the APK from your download history after returning. If a security check explicitly reports a risk or a policy block, verify the source and read the prompt; don’t disable system-wide security protections.

5. Open the app and revoke permission

   When installation is complete, open Shadowrocket and make sure it reaches the main screen. You can then return to the source permission page and turn off “Allow from this source.” This won’t uninstall the app. If you update it manually later, grant permission again when prompted.

Manufacturers may place this setting under “Security,” “Privacy,” or “More settings.” If you can’t find it, search Settings for “Install unknown apps” and check which app is starting the installation. If the switch is disabled on a managed device, downloading again won’t remove the restriction.

3. WeChat download doesn’t start? Try this

Downloads may behave differently in WeChat’s built-in browser than in a standalone browser. If tapping the download does nothing, briefly redirects, or returns to the same page, first check whether the download was actually handed off to a browser. A page without an error doesn’t mean the APK was saved to your device.

If WeChat’s menu doesn’t include “Open in browser,” copy the address of the download page, switch to your system browser, and paste it there. Copy the web page address, not an unfinished download task. In the browser, select the Android download button again and check the result in its download list.

• No download in history: First fix where the page is opening or resolve network access. There’s no need to check installation permissions yet.
• Download failed: Check available storage and your network connection. Delete the failed task and download again to avoid opening an old file by mistake.
• Download complete, but the file won’t open: Open it from your browser’s download history or a file manager. If Android reports a parsing error, check that the download completed and that your device supports the app’s architecture.

4. First launch: installation, configuration, and connection

Opening Shadowrocket confirms that installation succeeded. To connect, you’ll also need a valid configuration of your own, a working network, and system VPN permission. Home shows connection status and entries, Config is for configuration files, and Settings contains app settings. Labels and locations may vary by version; Android’s “Install unknown apps” switch is not an in-app setting.

If you already have a subscription, follow the getting started guide to import your own link, then check that an entry you can select appears. For illustration, https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx is a dummy value and won’t connect. Real links may contain access credentials, so don’t post them in public comments, screenshots, or support requests.

• Check the import first: If the list is empty or the subscription update failed, check the original link, its validity period, and your network. Reinstalling the app repeatedly won’t help.
• Then select a connection entry: In Home, choose an entry from your own configuration and start the connection. The first time Android asks to set up a VPN connection, read the prompt and confirm the app’s identity.
• Check for another VPN: Android usually allows only one active VPN service per user or profile. Another VPN or a filtering tool that uses the VPN interface may cause a conflict.
• Check background restrictions last: If the connection drops only after the screen locks, check Settings → Apps → Shadowrocket → Battery for background restrictions. Labels vary by manufacturer; there’s no need to loosen every permission in advance.

5. Installed, but access is unreliable? Check Global Routing

After installation, access can also depend on Global Routing. Note the current mode before troubleshooting, then change just one setting to compare. Don’t update a subscription, switch connection entries, and edit rules all at once; even if access returns, you won’t know which change fixed it.

The syntax below shows how rule order works; it is not a connection configuration and contains no server details. Check the effect of these rules only in Config mode; they are not required for installation. PROXY requires an available proxy policy. The example domain is for demonstration only.

[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
IP-CIDR,192.168.0.0/16,DIRECT,no-resolve
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
FINAL,PROXY

• DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches example.com and its subdomains, but not other domains that merely contain the same string in their names.
• The IP-CIDR example covers the specified private IP range. no-resolve means this IP rule won’t trigger an additional domain lookup.
• GEOIP,CN,DIRECT uses an IP geolocation database; it does not make decisions based on a webpage’s language or a website’s name.
• FINAL handles requests that didn’t match any earlier rule, so place it last. Rules are evaluated from top to bottom. A broad rule near the top may prevent a more specific rule below it from matching.

6. Installation and update FAQs