Shadowrocket for iPad: Restore Your Purchase with the Same Apple ID

Same Apple ID means shared purchase history—not synced settings

“Same Apple ID” here means the App Store account used to make the original purchase. The iCloud account shown at the top of Settings may differ from the account used for Media & Purchases, so seeing the same name or profile picture isn’t enough to confirm which account owns the purchase. On iPad, go to Settings → your account → Media & Purchases and verify the account used for the store.

Shadowrocket has two ways to get it: the iPhone / iPad version costs $2.99 as a one-time App Store purchase; the Mac (Apple silicon / Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. On a supported iPad, you can redownload the app using the same App Store account without buying it again. For iPhone / iPad system requirements, see the App Store listing. For other devices, visit the download page for all platforms.

Redownload from Purchases: verify the account, then the app

The names and layout of App Store account pages vary by system version and display language. In English, you may see Apps → My Apps; older systems may show Purchased → My Purchases. Both sections list apps obtained with that account. The app’s Settings screen is not where you find App Store purchases.

1. Verify the account

   Open Settings → your account → Media & Purchases and confirm that the current store account is the one used to buy Shadowrocket. You don’t need to sign out of iCloud to check.

2. Open your purchase history

   Go to App Store → your account picture in the top-right corner → Apps → My Apps. If your system shows Purchased, go to Purchased → My Purchases instead.

3. Find the app

   Search for Shadowrocket. Check that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited and the product page shows app ID 932747118; don’t rely on a similar name alone.

4. Redownload

   Tap the cloud download button and follow any verification prompts. When Open appears after installation, the app is ready to use on this iPad. This step does not add your connection data.

5. Check compatibility

   If you see a compatibility warning, check Compatibility on the product page. System requirements are as listed on the App Store page. Verify the system requirements first; a compatibility notice doesn’t mean your purchase history is missing.

If the app isn’t in your purchase list, check Hidden Purchases on the account page and the account details on your original purchase receipt. If the product page still shows a purchase button, don’t confirm payment yet. First check whether the current account, original purchase history, and store region match. Using devices owned by the same person doesn’t prove they use the same store account.

iPad landscape and split view: find controls by window width

Differences on iPad mainly come down to the available window width, not a different protocol or purchase entitlement. The app gets different amounts of space in full-screen landscape, portrait, Split View, and Stage Manager. Wider windows leave more room for lists and details side by side; narrower windows may require opening a detail view and then going back. The exact layout depends on the current system and app version, so landscape mode does not guarantee a fixed two-column view.

Find features by their names—Home, Config, and Settings—not by remembering “the third item from the left.” When the window changes size, the location of controls and the visible portion of a list may change, but what each section is for remains the same: use Home to check connection entries and the current selection, Config to check configuration files, and Settings to check app preferences.

Before editing, check the page title and selected entry, especially when several entries have similar names. Rotating the screen does not save changes; submit edits using the save control on the current screen. If you can’t see the controls at the bottom, dismiss the onscreen keyboard and check whether the page can scroll.

Keyboard input and importing data: keep long links intact

An external keyboard can make it easier to enter long Server, Password, and subscription URL values on iPad, but you still need to check the formatting. Full-width punctuation, leading or trailing spaces, or typing into the wrong field can let you save an entry that won’t connect. Copy from your existing data, paste it, and check each field. Don’t guess protocol parameters based on similar-looking values.

• Select the entire link: Select the full URL in your source data and press Command-C to copy it. Focus the destination field and press Command-V to paste. If iPadOS asks for permission to paste between apps, choose whether to allow it based on what you’re doing.
• Check the subscription URL: https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx is only a format example and cannot be used to connect. Preserve the actual link in full, including ?, &, =, and everything that follows.
• Keep the protocol and port straight: For example, use the values in your existing data if it specifies Trojan and Port 443. Don’t change Type to Hysteria2 just because it also uses 443.
• Protect sensitive data: Subscription URLs, Passwords, UUIDs, and private keys may grant access. After copying them, don’t post screenshots that show complete credentials in public support requests.

If you have a subscription containing connection entries, go to Home → “+” → Type → Subscribe, enter your own subscription URL, save it, and update the subscription. Then check that the expected entries appear. If you have a complete configuration file, import it through Config using the method specified for that file. The formats differ; a link starting with https:// alone doesn’t tell you where to import it.

First connection: Global Routing vs. On Demand

When you enable a connection for the first time, the system may ask to add a VPN configuration. Confirm the request comes from the Shadowrocket app you’re using, then follow the system prompts to authorize it. Authorization on iPhone does not grant the same permission on iPad; check the connection switch and system VPN status on each device separately.

Choose how to handle requests in Home → Global Routing. Config uses the rules in the current configuration; Proxy and Direct can help isolate issues; Scene applies routing based on a configured scene. This comparison covers routing behavior within Shadowrocket only. These options do not change a subscription’s validity or fix incorrect server credentials.

Rule syntax is the same in iPad landscape mode. For example, DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,DIRECT matches a domain suffix; IP-CIDR,192.168.0.0/16,DIRECT matches the specified address range; and FINAL,DIRECT sends requests not matched by earlier rules directly as a fallback. Choose policies that suit your needs; copying an example doesn’t mean it will work for every network.

Settings → On Demand controls when connections start automatically based on conditions; it is separate from Global Routing, which determines how requests are handled. For initial troubleshooting, first establish a reproducible manual connection, then check On Demand conditions separately. If the connection starts automatically after you turn it off, check this setting and the system VPN status—you don’t need to delete the entire app first.

Works on iPhone but not iPad? Check the differences one by one

If the same subscription behaves differently on two devices, don’t assume the cause is the iPad layout. The devices may be on different Wi-Fi networks or using different configuration files, entries, or Global Routing settings. A service provider may also limit the number of devices connected at once. Keep the test conditions consistent, then compare the specific differences.

• Download issues: If you’re still at the App Store stage, note whether the app appears in your purchase history, whether its product page shows a cloud icon or Open, and whether the system reports a compatibility issue.
• Data issues: If Home is empty or shows the wrong number of entries, check that you imported the right type of data and whether the subscription update reported an error. Don’t try to fix an empty list by buying the app again.
• Connection issues: Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi and compare Server, Port, Type, and authentication fields for entries with the same name. If your provider limits simultaneous connections, disconnect the other device before testing.
• Routing issues: Check Global Routing and the file enabled in Config. If the connection is established but some requests fail, review the rules matched and the resulting policy in the request log.
• Automatic reconnection: Check Settings → On Demand. Test manual and on-demand connections separately so you don’t change both conditions at once.

For further troubleshooting, record four details: window state, section, steps taken, and the exact message shown. For example, “In Split View, opened Home and got an authentication error after updating an existing subscription” is more useful than “iPad doesn’t work.” Before sharing logs or notes, remove subscription tokens, Passwords, UUIDs, private keys, and other account-identifying information.