Shadowrocket for Mac and Windows: Choose Apple Silicon or Intel, Install, and Handle First-Launch Security Prompts

Check your platform and how to get the app

Shadowrocket is available for multiple platforms. The iPhone and iPad version is a one-time $2.99 purchase on the App Store; check the App Store listing for system requirements. The Mac versions (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. On a computer, choose your platform on the download page. Installers are provided through this site at /dl/shadowrocket/…; you do not need an iPhone or iPad purchase to install the desktop version.

Before installing, check the device itself rather than guessing from its appearance, purchase year, or browser name. A Mac product line may include different processor architectures. On Windows, check the system type and compare it with the requirements listed on the download page. This guide does not assume a particular installer file extension; refer to the download page for the current file format and installation instructions.

Install on Mac: choose the right architecture, then move the app to Applications

The Apple silicon and Intel options match different processor architectures; they are not different feature tiers. On an Apple silicon Mac, choose the native Apple silicon version. On an Intel Mac, choose the Intel version. Do not switch between builds just to get past an error message, as this can confuse an architecture mismatch with a system security block.

1. Check your processor

   Open Apple menu → About This Mac and note the Chip or Processor line. If it shows Apple silicon, choose that version; if it shows Intel, choose the Intel version.

2. Get the installer

   Go to the Mac section of this site's download page and choose the button that matches your processor. Wait for the browser to confirm the download is complete before opening the file. An incomplete temporary file cannot be used to install the app.

3. Install the app

   If the download is a disk image, open it and follow the instructions to drag the app to Applications. If it is an installer, follow its steps to complete installation. Running the app from a disk image does not mean it has been installed.

4. Open it for the first time

   Open Shadowrocket from Finder → Applications. If a security prompt appears, read it in full and use the next section to distinguish a “cannot verify” message from an explicit warning about a risk.

If macOS says it cannot verify the developer

Gatekeeper checks apps obtained from the internet. A message that the developer cannot be verified means macOS has not completed its trust assessment; it does not indicate a network connection problem, nor does it prove that the file is safe to run. First confirm that the file came from this site's download page and has not been repackaged by someone else. Then decide whether to allow it to open this time.

These steps apply when macOS offers Open Anyway after blocking the app. Wording and button locations can vary between macOS versions, and device management policies may remove this option. If you cannot find the button, do not turn off system-wide protection as a workaround.

1. Keep the prompt visible

   Try opening the app once from Applications and note the name of the blocked app in the prompt. Make sure it identifies Shadowrocket, not another downloaded file or helper app.

2. Open security settings

   Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and scroll to the Security section. Recently blocked apps may appear here with an option to allow them to open.

3. Allow this app to open

   Check the app name and where it came from. If macOS offers Open Anyway, click it and authenticate as requested. Confirm again when the follow-up dialog offers Open.

4. Try launching it again

   Return to Applications and open the app. If the same prompt appears again, note its full text and check for device management restrictions. Do not keep opening installation files from unknown sources.

Install on Windows and handle the first-run SmartScreen prompt

Windows SmartScreen may display Windows protected your PC for a downloaded file without an established reputation. Distinguish this reputation warning from a threat detection by Windows Security: the former may offer more information and a way to continue, while the latter reports a specific detection and should not be dismissed as a routine installation step.

After you have addressed the first-run prompt, continue according to the file type. Follow the installer wizard to choose a location and complete installation. For an archive, extract all files to a fixed folder before opening the app. Running a single file from the archive preview can leave out nearby resources, causing the app to quit immediately or report a missing file.

• If you see a UAC prompt: Check that the program requesting permission matches the installation or network component operation in progress. Do not run the app as administrator by default every time.
• If Windows says the app can't run on this PC: Go to Settings → System → About and check System type, then compare it with the requirements on the download page. Dismissing a SmartScreen warning will not fix an architecture mismatch.
• After installation: Launch the app from its entry in Start. Quit the app before moving or deleting its program folder to avoid leaving shortcuts that point to the old location.

After installation: check configuration and network permissions separately

Installation only means the app is in place. Shadowrocket is a rule-based proxy client, and connecting requires service details or a subscription you already have. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend nodes or subscriptions. If you are moving from another device, first make sure your service permits use on this device and keep your access credentials secure.

Know the difference between Home, Config, and Settings: Home shows connection status and service entries, Config manages rule configurations, and Settings contains app preferences. Control locations vary by platform; do not assume that coordinates in a phone screenshot match the desktop interface.

1. Import an existing configuration: Use a subscription or protocol details you already have, and check that the server address, port, and credentials are complete. Do not enter a subscription URL as an ordinary server address.
2. Check Global Routing: Proxy, Direct, Config, and Scene are different routing modes. If you need rules to route traffic, check Config. Direct does not automatically switch to a proxy connection just because a proxy entry has been imported.
3. Handle system permissions: When enabling a connection for the first time, you may be asked to add a VPN configuration, install a network component, or allow access through the firewall. Verify which app made the request, then follow the system prompt. These requests may not appear just by opening the app window.
4. Test the connection: First check that the intended entry is selected in Home, then connect and open the destination website. If a latency test returns a result but the site will not load, check DNS and routing rules before reinstalling the app.
5. Check automatic behavior: Once a manual connection is stable, review the applicable conditions under Settings → On Demand. If the app reconnects automatically after disconnecting, check both the app conditions and the system VPN settings.

FAQ: distinguish installation issues from connection issues

To narrow down the issue when asking for help, provide four details: device architecture, system version, which platform download page you used, and the full error message. Also say whether the problem occurred while opening the installation file, launching the app, or enabling a connection. This information makes it easier to identify whether to check system security settings, the installer, or network configuration than repeatedly reinstalling.