How to Manage Multiple Shadowrocket Subscriptions: Groups, Sorting, and Duplicate Servers

Understand the difference between subscription sources, server entries, and config files

Multiple subscriptions do not mean multiple rule configs. Home is primarily for viewing servers, subscription groups, and connection status. Config is where you manage config files, and traffic matching is determined by the active config. Adding two subscriptions to Home does not automatically merge any rules they may include, and moving a group to the top does not route all traffic through that group.

Before organizing, note three things: which source the selected server belongs to, the current Global Routing mode, and which config is active in Config. To route traffic by rules, check Global Routing → Config. Proxy, Direct, Config, and Scene serve different purposes; switching modes is not a substitute for removing duplicate subscriptions.

Group by source: keep one active entry for each subscription

Distinguish subscriptions by source name instead of renaming every server. For example, name two plans from the same source “Source A · Daily” and “Source A · Backup,” and use “Source A” and “Source B” for different providers. These are example labels for local reference; they do not indicate service quality or priority.

1. Record the current setup

   Open Home and note each subscription’s remarks, entry count, and currently selected server. Check URLs only on your device; do not put complete URLs containing tokens in public notes.

2. Check each source

   From Home, open the subscription’s edit screen and check its URL and Remarks. To add a subscription, go to Home → “+” in the upper-right corner → Type → Subscribe. When organizing existing sources, do not add the same URL again.

3. Use consistent remarks

   In the subscription’s edit screen, enter the source and purpose in Remarks. Save, return to Home, and make sure the group heading is easy to distinguish. Change only the remarks; do not also modify the URL, authentication parameters, or server port.

4. Update one group at a time

   Use the update action for the relevant subscription, updating one source at a time. Check the result and any changes to the entries so you can identify which group regenerated duplicate content.

5. Verify before cleaning up

   Select a known working entry in a group you plan to keep, then verify the connection using the same routing setup as before. Once you confirm that the entry works, deal with duplicate sources and inactive entries.

A URL is a credential, not a group name

https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx is only a format example and cannot be used to connect. Query parameters in a real link may contain access credentials. Do not remove parameters just to make two URLs look alike, and do not merge links with different tokens without checking them first.

Reorder the list without confusing display order with server selection

Sorting the list makes entries easier to find; it does not change the actual connection route. Sorting by name works well when entries share a consistent prefix. Sorting by test results can help compare responses on your current network, while manual ordering lets you keep a preferred browsing sequence. Available sorting options depend on the current Home interface. Do not mistake any order for automatic failover.

First decide whether you are reordering subscription groups or servers within a group. After opening the sorting or editing controls in Home, check the result on a small group before changing others. Subscription updates may rebuild entries in the order returned by the source, so check after updating to see whether your local order was retained. For lists that change often, source remarks are easier to maintain than manually sorting every entry.

A response-time test is a one-time result for the current network and test target. It does not represent sustained throughput or prove that an entry can reach every destination. Do not delete entries in bulk because they ranked lower in one sort; first rule out changes to your local network, then decide whether cleanup is needed.

Remove duplicate servers: check the source, then compare connection settings

A matching name does not mean two entries use the same connection. Different protocols can use the same address, and entries with the same address and port may have different authentication details. Compare the protocol, server address, port, authentication, and transport settings. Do not deduplicate based only on the displayed name or location label.

• The same subscription was imported twice: Two groups have the same URL, similar content, and matching changes to their entries. Once you confirm the group you are keeping can update, delete the extra subscription record to prevent the entire group from being generated again next time.
• Subscription entries and manual copies are both present: One entry belongs to a source group, while the other was added as an independent server. If the manual copy is only for historical testing, confirm that no rule policy depends on it before deleting it.
• Different sources return the same connection: Compare the settings before deciding which copy to keep. If you still need to manage both sources independently, keep both groups and use remarks to distinguish them, so their origins do not get confused.
• Duplicates within the same source: If identical content reappears after an update, check what the source is returning. Deleting the local entries alone usually will not prevent them from being generated again on the next update.

For example, two Trojan entries pointing to port 443 on the same address may use different passwords or TLS server names. Two VLESS entries may also differ in UUID, transport, or related parameters. Compare every setting before deciding that they are duplicates. Do not change ports or disable verification to remove duplicates; that changes the connection requirements rather than organizing the list.

If duplicates return after an update, check what generated them

Deleting entries locally changes what you see now; organizing the source affects future updates. First find which subscription generated the extra entries, then address repeated imports or duplicate source content. Do not repeatedly delete the same entries while keeping the duplicate subscription that generates them.

Remove an inactive subscription: confirm what has failed before removing its source

A failed update does not mean a subscription has permanently stopped working. A timeout may be caused by the current network path; an authentication error may mean the link has expired or the credentials have changed; if the subscription updates but some connections fail, check the server settings and reachability separately. Distinguish “unable to fetch the subscription” from “unable to connect to a server” to avoid deleting a source that still works.

1. In Home, identify the affected group and note the error message and network conditions at the time.
2. Open that subscription’s edit screen and check that the URL is complete, especially that query parameters have not been cut off or followed by extra spaces.
3. If a direct fetch times out and you already have a working proxy, check Settings → Subscribe → Update via Proxy, then retry that source on its own. Note the original setting before changing it.
4. Once you confirm that a source is no longer needed, switch to a working server in a group you are keeping. Then use the delete action for that subscription record in Home, and check whether the confirmation dialog refers to the entire subscription or just one server.
5. Return to Config and check whether any custom policies refer to a deleted name. Then test destinations that should connect directly and those that should use a proxy.

If you need automatic connections, also check Settings → On Demand. On Demand controls when a connection is triggered; it does not restore deleted subscriptions. Even if a connection starts automatically while you are organizing, that does not mean it is using the entry you just kept. Confirm the selected entry in Home and the policy that actually matches.

FAQ: Updates, duplicate names, and connection changes