This guide is for users installing Shadowrocket on Android. It covers downloading the APK, identifying the app that starts the installation, granting temporary permission, completing setup, and making the first connection. Browser download access, Android installation permission, and VPN connection authorization serve different purposes; handle each at the relevant step rather than enabling every permission at once.
1. Android download options and requirements
Open this site’s download guide in your device’s browser and select the Android download. The Android installation package is hosted on this site under /dl/shadowrocket/. This guide does not link to a specific file, so you won’t be left with an outdated link if the package changes. Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app; installing the client and configuring a network connection are separate steps.
There are two ways to get Shadowrocket: the iPhone / iPad version is available on the App Store for a one-time payment of $2.99. The developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited; check the App Store listing for system requirements. The Mac (Apple Silicon / Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. On Android, choose the Android download—not the Mac package suggested by this site’s name.
Before you begin, make sure your device has enough free storage, your browser can access this site, and you know which app you’ll use to download the file. On managed devices or devices with parental controls enabled, an administrator may restrict installation-source permissions. Contact the device administrator rather than switching browsers repeatedly to get around the restriction.
2. Download and install the APK
These steps apply to common Android versions. Depending on the manufacturer, the setting may be called “Install unknown apps,” “Allow from this source,” or “Allow installation of unknown apps.” The key is to grant permission to the app that starts the installation—not to look for this setting in Shadowrocket.
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Open the download page
Open this site’s download guide in your system browser and select Android. If you’re viewing the page in WeChat, use its menu to choose “Open in browser,” then make sure the new page is still the download page on rocket-mac.com.
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Wait for the download to finish
Check the progress in the browser’s Downloads or the system Downloads list. Once the download is complete, tap the APK. A partially downloaded file can’t be installed; don’t try to open it by changing its file extension.
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Allow installation from this source
If Android says apps can’t be installed from this source, tap Settings in the prompt. Confirm that the listed app is the browser you just used, then enable “Allow from this source.”
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Return and install
Return to the system installation screen, confirm the app is named Shadowrocket, then tap Install. If the installation screen doesn’t reappear, open the completed APK again from the same browser’s Downloads list.
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Turn off temporary permission
Once installation is complete, tap Open to launch the app, then return to system settings and turn off the browser’s installation-source permission. This won’t uninstall Shadowrocket. Enable the permission again only when you need to install an update manually.
3. Which app needs “Allow installation of unknown apps”?
Recent Android versions usually manage installation permissions separately for each source app. Try Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps → your browser. If that path isn’t available, search Settings for “Install unknown apps,” then select the app you used to open the APK. Menu names and paths vary; follow the settings page shown in search results or the installation prompt.
A common snag: you grant permission to your browser, then open the APK in a file manager and get blocked again. The permission hasn’t stopped working—the app that started the installation has changed. Try opening the APK from the original browser’s Downloads list first to limit the number of apps that need permission.
Choose the app that opened the APK
Opening from a browser
- Open the APK from the browser’s Downloads list.
- The system permission page should show the browser’s name.
- After granting permission, return to the original download and continue installation.
Opening from a file manager
- Open the downloaded APK from the file manager.
- The system permission page may show the file manager’s name.
- Grant temporary permission only to the source you need.
Check the source app named in the system installation prompt—not which app originally downloaded the file.
If the switch is greyed out or says it’s managed by an administrator, you can’t remove the restriction from an app’s settings. If Android shows a specific risk warning, don’t proceed just because the download completed; first check the page’s domain, the file’s source, and the warning. Installation-source permission does not require enabling Accessibility, device administrator access, or other unrelated permissions.
4. WeChat downloads and common installation prompts
WeChat’s built-in browser may block file downloads or fail to hand the APK off to Android’s installer. First switch to your system browser, then start a fresh download from this site’s download page. Don’t keep tapping the same button in WeChat. If the menu doesn’t offer “Open in browser,” copy the download page URL and paste it into your system browser’s address bar.
Tapped download in WeChat, but nothing happened?
Open WeChat’s top-right menu and choose “Open in browser.” On the new page from this site, select Android. Then check the browser’s Downloads list for a download task; a response to a tap in WeChat doesn’t confirm that the file was downloaded.
Allowed installation, but seeing the same prompt again?
Check which source app the current prompt names. If you granted permission to your browser but are now using a file manager, reopen the APK from the browser’s Downloads list or grant temporary permission to that file manager. You don’t need to allow installation for every app.
Getting a parsing error—should you tap Install again?
Delete incomplete or duplicate downloads, download the file again from this site’s download guide, and wait for it to finish. If the new file still can’t be parsed, note the full error and check the compatibility information on the download page. A damaged file or an incompatible device could cause the problem; the error alone doesn’t identify the cause.
Can’t install an update—should you uninstall first?
Don’t uninstall right away. Check available storage, confirm you downloaded the package for the correct platform, and see whether Android explicitly reports a conflict with the installed app. An update can fail because of a signature or version restriction. Save your existing configuration and note the error before troubleshooting to avoid losing local settings.
If the browser has no download record, check page access and the browser’s download process. If the download is complete but the installer reports an error, check installation-source permissions, storage, and compatibility. Identifying the stage where things failed is more effective than repeatedly downloading the file or changing permissions.
5. First connection and Global Routing
Being able to open the app after installation doesn’t mean a connection is ready to use. The steps below assume you already have a service provider and subscription. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions; the app’s purchase price does not include network service. Keep your subscription URL and its access credentials private—don’t include them in public screenshots or feedback.
- Check for existing server entries on Home. To import a subscription, use the add option, select Subscribe from the Type menu, enter your existing subscription URL, and save. Don’t enter a subscription URL as the address of an individual server.
- After updating the subscription, confirm that server entries appear on Home, then select the server you want to use by default. If the update fails, note the exact message rather than repeatedly testing the connection before any servers appear.
- Check Global Routing. If you’re using a rules-based configuration for the first time, select Config and confirm that the configuration you intend to use is available there. Rules are evaluated in order; the final FINAL rule handles requests that don’t match earlier rules, and its policy depends on the configuration.
- Turn on the connection switch. When Android first asks to set up a VPN connection, confirm that Shadowrocket is the requesting app, then approve the request. This is separate from the installation-source permission used to install the APK.
- Run Connectivity Test and open a page you need to access. If the test fails, first check that your regular internet connection works, a server is selected, and its connection details are complete.
Global Routing controls how traffic is handled after connecting; it doesn’t grant your browser permission to install apps. The three options below can help with basic checks. If the interface also shows Scene, check its scenario-specific settings separately—don’t assume it represents one fixed routing policy.
Config
RecommendedRoute traffic according to the rules in the current configuration. Matching rules such as DOMAIN-SUFFIX or IP-CIDR apply their respective policies. If no earlier rule matches, FINAL determines how the traffic is handled; it doesn’t necessarily go direct.
Best for: everyday use with a rules configuration you’ve already set up.
Proxy
Send all traffic routed through the proxy to the selected proxy. Use this to compare results with Config. It can’t fix an unavailable server or fill in missing connection details.
Best for: temporarily checking whether rule-based routing affects access.
Direct
Handle traffic in scope as direct, without forwarding it through the selected proxy. This can help you compare against your local network, but it won’t tell you whether the proxy server is working.
Best for: temporarily checking access without using a proxy.
6. Permissions and updates after installation
After your first connection, return to system settings and turn off installation-source permission for your browser or file manager. Keep this permission disabled unless you need it. VPN authorization, notifications, and background activity are separate settings; don’t enable them all just because you have a connection problem. If the connection drops when the app moves to the background, first check whether the system restricts Shadowrocket’s background activity, then adjust settings based on your device’s prompts.
- Confirm installation: Open Shadowrocket from your app list instead of repeatedly tapping the downloaded file and reopening the installer.
- Know which update you’re making: Updating the app requires a new installation package. A Subscribe update only refreshes entries in an existing subscription; it doesn’t update the app.
- Keep your configuration: Save any configuration and connection details you need before updating. Don’t make uninstalling and reinstalling your first troubleshooting step.
- Note the exact issue: Distinguish between “download won’t start,” “can’t install,” “can’t import,” and “can’t connect.” Record the exact message shown by the system or app for each stage.
For a reinstall or update, select Android from this site’s download guide. Follow system prompts to troubleshoot installation issues; for connection issues, check Home, Config, and Global Routing. Keeping file downloads, system installation, and app configuration separate helps avoid using the wrong permission setting to solve an unrelated problem.