Restore Shadowrocket on a New iPhone: Redownload from Purchased

1. Restoring the app and restoring your configuration are separate steps

Shadowrocket is a paid, closed-source app available exclusively on the App Store, sold as a one-time purchase. The purchase is linked to the Apple Account used for the transaction—not to a particular iPhone, and not to whether Home contains any servers. If you use the original purchase account and the app is still available to redownload, you usually won’t need to buy it again after switching devices or reinstalling.

A one-time app purchase is not a service plan. This guide assumes you already have your own service provider and subscription. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. App Store recovery restores your eligibility to download the app; it won’t restore your provider account, renew service, or recreate an expired subscription link.

2. Open Purchased with the original purchase account

The Apple Account signed in to iCloud on your iPhone may differ from the one used for App Store purchases. Signing in to iCloud on a new device doesn’t mean the App Store is using your original purchase account. First, check Settings → your name → Media & Purchases to confirm which account handles media and purchases, then open the App Store. Names can vary by system language and interface version: Purchased may appear as Apps first on newer interfaces.

1. Confirm the purchase account

   Go to Settings → your name → Media & Purchases → View Account and check the account details. If it isn’t the original purchase account, make sure you can sign in to the original account, then switch only Media & Purchases. You don’t need to sign out of iCloud on the entire device.

2. Open your purchased apps

   Go to App Store → your account picture in the top-right corner → Apps → My Apps. If your interface shows Purchased, open Purchased instead. If you see a list of family members, select your own purchases.

3. Search for the app

   Search for Shadowrocket in the list, or check Not on this iPhone. Verify the official icon, developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118 rather than relying on a similar name alone.

4. Redownload Shadowrocket

   Tap the cloud download button next to Shadowrocket, complete any required verification, and wait for installation to finish. If you see a purchase confirmation or charge prompt, cancel it and check the account and purchase history in the next section.

5. Check your local data

   Open Shadowrocket and check for existing servers and subscriptions in Home, then check your configuration files in Config. Being able to open the app confirms installation only; it doesn’t mean your rules and subscriptions have been restored.

Removing an icon from the Home Screen may leave the app in the App Library; that isn’t the same as deleting and reinstalling it. Offload App generally keeps documents and data, while Delete App removes the app and related local data from the device. Check which option you’re using, and back up your configuration first if the old device is still available.

3. What to check if you see a price or can’t find the purchase

Seeing a price doesn’t prove your original purchase is missing, and it isn’t a reason to pay again right away. Check both the Purchased list and Purchase History: the former helps you redownload the app, while the latter confirms which account made the transaction. A refunded transaction, a hidden app, or a family member’s purchase doesn’t necessarily count as a valid purchase on your own account.

When searching your purchase history, don’t rely only on the default recent date range. Find the original receipt and check the app name, order details, and purchase account. Keep this information for Apple account or billing support. Don’t share a receipt containing personal information publicly, or give your Apple Account password or verification code to anyone.

4. What to check if the account’s store region differs

The store region is determined by the purchase account’s Country/Region. It isn’t the same as your iPhone’s language, time zone, or device region under Settings → General → Language & Region. Changing the device region won’t transfer purchases from another account or fix a sign-in to the wrong account.

• Check the account first: Make sure the account currently signed in to Media & Purchases is the one shown on the receipt. Even if two accounts have the same name, their purchase histories are separate.
• Then check the store region: Go to Settings → your name → Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region. Check the current setting against the details from when you made the purchase.
• Keep the exact error message: If you’re told that the current country or region is unavailable, note the message and where it appears—on the product page, in Purchased, or during download verification.
• Don’t rush to change regions: Changing Country/Region may involve account balance, active subscriptions, payment methods, and Family Sharing requirements. Read the requirements shown on your account page first.

A region change doesn’t transfer a purchase

The original account still manages the purchase, but availability in the current store and device compatibility can affect redownloading. If you’ve confirmed the original account and transaction but still can’t get the app, contact Apple Support for account and store help. Creating a new account won’t restore an old purchase.

Shadowrocket is primarily for iPhone and iPad. Compatibility and system requirements for Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision are listed on the App Store page; check that page for current details. Before and after switching devices, review Compatibility rather than assuming that an app available on one device will work on another.

5. After reinstalling, restore subscriptions and rules in order

Redownloading the app doesn’t guarantee that all local data will return automatically. Recovery depends on the device backup you used, app sync settings, and configuration files you saved. If you still have the old device, check its Home and Config contents first, then see what actually restored on the new device. Don’t bulk-delete items on both devices at once, or you could remove data you need to keep.

1. Check Home: See whether your existing subscription groups and servers are present. If a subscription is already there, confirm its source before updating it. Don’t import the same link repeatedly just because the list is initially empty.
2. Restore an existing subscription: If it’s genuinely missing, re-import the subscription link you saved. Subscription links can grant access to your account, so don’t post them in public comments or screenshots.
3. Check Config: Make sure the configuration file you need is imported and selected. Check custom entries such as DOMAIN-SUFFIX, IP-CIDR, and FINAL in Rule instead of relying on the file name alone.
4. Check automatic connections: Go to Settings → On Demand and review your existing conditions. After reinstalling, test a manual connection first, then enable automatic connection settings that suit your current network.
5. Allow the system configuration: When a connection requires it, follow the iOS prompt to allow a VPN configuration and complete system verification. An App Store purchase and system VPN authorization are separate steps.

Subscriptions usually update server information; they don’t necessarily restore all local rules, policy selections, or personal settings. If you used a Config file you maintain, restore that file, then check the current mode under Home → Global Routing. If the original configuration is missing, look for a backup rather than replacing existing files with rules from an unknown source.

6. Common questions about restoring on a new device