Shadowrocket purchase history is tied to the Apple ID used to buy it, not to your old iPhone. This guide is for users who have already purchased the app and are switching devices or reinstalling iOS: confirm the App Store account used for the purchase, redownload the app from your purchase history, then restore connection details and Config separately. Redownloading the app and transferring its configuration are two different tasks. Keep your old device until you have verified the new one.
1. Understand the difference between purchase history and configuration data
Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app sold as a one-time purchase on the App Store. If the purchase remains valid, the app is still available to that account, and the device is compatible, redownloading with the original purchasing account generally does not require paying for the app again. Changing iPhones does not turn an existing purchase into a new one, but purchases made with different Apple IDs are not combined just because they are used on the same device.
Purchase eligibility does not include app data. The App Store lets you download the app again; connection details in Home, existing subscriptions, rule files in Config, and Settings must be restored from an available device backup or transferred separately. Seeing the app in your purchase history does not mean your old configuration will automatically be there when you reopen it.
Bottom line: confirm the account before transferring your data
If the App Store shows a price instead of a redownload option, stop before purchasing and check your purchase history. If the app opens but Home is empty, focus on transferring your configuration; you do not need to download the app again.
2. Redownload from your App Store purchase history
The account used for iCloud on your iPhone may differ from the one used for App Store purchases. Check the account under Settings → your name → Media & Purchases. Do not assume the purchase account is correct just because your iCloud photos have synced. The English interface terms are used below; on other system languages, the corresponding options may appear as “App,” “My Apps,” or “Purchased.” The layout varies by system version.
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Check the purchasing account
Open Settings → your name → Media & Purchases and confirm that the account shown is the Apple ID originally used to buy Shadowrocket. If it is not, make sure you can sign in and complete verification for that account, then switch the store account as prompted. You do not need to sign out of your entire iCloud account to find your purchases.
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Open your purchase history
Go to App Store → your account picture in the top-right corner → Apps → My Apps. Older system versions may show a Purchased option. Open your list of purchased apps; do not rely on Purchase History, which shows transaction amounts and dates.
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Search for the app
Search for Shadowrocket in the list. You can switch to Not on this iPhone to find apps that are not installed. If it does not appear in the search results, return to the full purchase list and check there before tapping the price on the App Store search page.
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Redownload the app
Tap the cloud download button next to Shadowrocket and complete any App Store authentication prompts. If you see Open, the app is already installed. If you still see a price, follow the account and purchase-history checks below.
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Check the first launch
Open the app and check whether Home and Config contain your data. If iOS prompts you to add a VPN configuration, confirm that Shadowrocket initiated the request, then grant permission if needed. Installing the app does not restore connection details or establish a connection.
If the download stalls, first check whether other purchased apps download successfully from the App Store, then check your available storage and network connection. Changing protocol settings in Shadowrocket will not fix an App Store download issue if the app is not installed. Refer to the App Store page for system requirements and purchase compatibility.
3. Can't find it in your purchase history? Check your account, transaction, and region
Not finding the app does not automatically mean the purchase is invalid. First use the original receipt or Purchase History to identify which account made the transaction, then check hidden purchases and the store region. The same display name, device, or payment method is not a substitute for confirming the purchasing account.
| What you see | Where to check | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| The product page still shows a price | Settings → your name → Media & Purchases; App Store → your account picture → Purchase History | Check which account and transaction appear on the original receipt, then search your personal purchase history again. |
| No results in the regular purchase list | App Store → your account picture → your name → Hidden Purchases | If you previously hid the app, look for it under Hidden Purchases and use the available option to unhide or redownload it. |
| You remember buying it, but recent transactions are empty | The date range or filters in Purchase History | Expand the date range to include the original purchase; do not check only recent transactions. |
| A message says the app is unavailable in your region | Settings → your name → Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region | Note your current region and the exact message, then check the account's purchase history and current store availability. |
Changing your account region should not be your first troubleshooting step. A region change may involve account balance, active subscriptions, and payment method requirements, and does not guarantee that a past purchase will be available to redownload. If the account matches and you have the receipt, but the app is still unavailable in the current storefront, contact Apple Support through your device about the purchase history and store availability. Keep the full error message.
4. Family Sharing and avoiding a second charge
Redownloading with your own original account and accessing a family member's purchases are different authorization paths. Whether Family Sharing applies to this purchase depends on the App Store listing, whether Purchase Sharing is enabled, and whether the purchase is available to family members. Joining a family group alone does not guarantee access to the app.
The new iPhone shows a price. Do I have to buy it again?
Do not confirm the purchase yet. Go to App Store → your account picture → Apps → My Apps and check the account under Media & Purchases. If the app still shows a price, check whether the original transaction appears in Purchase History for this account and whether it was refunded.
Can I redownload it from a family member's purchases?
First check the App Store listing for Family Sharing information, then go to Settings → Family → Purchase Sharing. If eligible, open the family member's purchases in the App Store and select the person who bought the app. The option names may vary by system version. Family purchase access does not add the app to your own individual purchase history.
Will I have to pay to install it on my iPad with the same account?
Find the app in the App Store purchase history on your iPad using the original purchasing account, and check that its app ID is 932747118. If it is eligible to redownload, you do not need to purchase it again just because you changed devices. Refer to the App Store page for system requirements and purchase compatibility.
What if I tapped the wrong button and was charged again?
Check Purchase History first to confirm whether a new transaction actually occurred, and distinguish a payment verification prompt from a completed charge. If there is a new transaction, save the receipt and contact Apple through purchase support or the in-system feedback option. Repeatedly deleting and reinstalling the app will not reverse a transaction.
5. Transfer your configuration separately after reinstalling the app
This section assumes you already have your own service provider and subscription. Buying the app does not include a connection plan: redownloading Shadowrocket does not grant access to a service or restore expired subscription credentials. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend nodes or subscriptions. When transferring, use your own existing connection details that are still valid.
While your old device is still available, note the connection type in Home, the currently selected file in Config, the current Global Routing option, and whether Settings → On Demand is enabled. After using Quick Start or restoring a device backup, check each item individually. Do not assume that every sensitive field, file, or system VPN permission has transferred completely.
- Existing subscription: On the new device, tap “+” in the top-right corner of Home, set Type to Subscribe, enter your own existing subscription URL, and save it. Then update it. Do not use a temporary sharing URL as a permanent subscription URL. If the update fails, first check that the URL is complete and the credentials are valid.
- Manually entered connection details: Check the address, port, and authentication fields against the original entry. For example, if the original entry used port
443, enter the same value after transferring it; this is not a universal default for every protocol. Preserve the original TLS, SNI, and transport settings as well—copying only the name is not enough. - Config files: Use an available export or sharing option on the old device to save the local file, then import and select it in Config on the new device. If you used a remote configuration URL, make sure it comes from a source you trust. Fetching it again may give you updated content rather than an exact copy of the old file.
- Rule order: Check that custom rules are still in the intended order. For example,
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,DIRECTis a syntax example, not a replacement for your own rules.FINALis the fallback decision; preserve the original order and policy references when transferring rules. - Sensitive information: Subscription URLs, passwords, WireGuard private keys, and complete configurations may grant access to your connections. Transfer them only using devices and storage you control. Do not post screenshots or files containing full credentials in public forums.
If the old device has been erased and you do not have a restorable backup, your App Store purchase history cannot recover this configuration. Retrieve your details from files you saved, password manager records, or your existing service account, then add them again. Redownloading the app—even repeatedly—will not restore local rules that were never backed up.
6. Remove data from the old device only after verifying the new one
After restoring, test with a connection entry you know works and the original Config file. Avoid changing protocols, DNS, rules, and Global Routing all at once; otherwise, it may be hard to tell whether a problem comes from the transfer or the new settings. Verify the restored configuration first, then make changes one at a time to make issues easier to diagnose.
- Verify the app: Check the official icon, developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118 using the authenticity check guide.
- Verify connection details: In Home, check the protocol and settings for the transferred entry, grant any required system VPN permissions, and test the actual connection. An entry in the list does not mean its credentials are still valid.
- Verify routing: Check Global Routing. Config handles requests according to the selected configuration; Direct and Proxy do not prove that your rules were restored successfully. If you use Scene, check its conditions and the scene selected in practice.
- Verify automatic connections: If you need automatic connections, check Settings → On Demand. On Demand handles system trigger conditions; it does not replace rule matching in Config. When testing, distinguish automatic triggers from the results of a manual connection.
- Clean up only after verification: Test the connection and any required rules on networks you normally use. Once you have confirmed that the new device has all the data you need, prepare the old device. Before handing it over, follow the system's steps to erase personal data and account information.