For anyone installing Shadowrocket on a Mac or Windows PC for the first time. Check your device and download source, distinguish system reputation warnings from explicit security blocks, then complete the first launch and connection checks. An installation warning does not mean the connection is failing, and you do not need to disable system-wide protection just to open the app.
Before installing: check your device and download source
Shadowrocket for Mac is available for both Apple Silicon and Intel, while the Windows version has its own download option. Start with the downloads for all platforms and choose your device. Don’t rely on “Mac” in a filename to determine compatibility, and don’t treat rehosted attachments in search results as installers from this site.
There are two ways to get Shadowrocket: iPhone and iPad: a one-time $2.99 purchase on the App Store; Mac (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux: free. The iPhone and iPad app is by Shadow Launch Technology Limited. Check the App Store listing for system requirements. The app’s price is separate from any service provider charges; buying the app does not include a service plan.
Desktop installers are available through this site’s download guide and are served from /dl/shadowrocket/. If your browser says the download is incomplete, wait for it to finish before opening the file. Clicking an unfinished download again won’t resolve a system warning. Save any configuration you’re editing before installation, especially when updating an existing copy.
Mac installer: Apple Silicon or Intel
Open the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select About This Mac. The Chip or Processor field is a more reliable guide than the year of purchase: the same product line can use different chip platforms. Don’t guess based on the laptop’s appearance, memory, or other software installed on it.
Choose based on the field shown in About This Mac
Apple Silicon
- The Chip field shows the Apple chip model.
- Choose Mac Apple Silicon in the download guide.
- Use an installer that matches your chip; don’t treat compatibility translation as a default installation step.
Intel
- The Processor field shows the Intel processor name.
- Choose Mac Intel in the download guide.
- If you see an architecture compatibility warning, check the download option and your Mac’s processor again.
Use the fields shown on your Mac. Both Mac types have a matching download option, so there’s no need to guess based on the year.
After downloading, follow the instructions included with the file. If it opens a disk image containing the app, move the app to Applications, then launch it from there. If an installer wizard appears, install to the location it specifies. Don’t repeatedly launch the app before copying is complete, and don’t confuse the disk image window with the installed app.
macOS “cannot verify the developer” warning: allow this app to open
“Cannot verify the developer” is a macOS warning about an app’s source and signature verification. It does not, by itself, mean the installer is corrupted or prove that the file is safe. First confirm the file came from this site’s download guide and matches your Mac’s chip, then use the system’s option to allow this specific app. The wording and button location can vary between macOS versions.
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Try opening the app
Open Shadowrocket from Applications and read the system alert. If macOS says it cannot verify the developer, dismiss the alert and note the app name shown.
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Open Settings
Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section. On older systems, check System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General.
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Check the app name
Make sure the blocked app is the Shadowrocket you just tried to open, then click Open Anyway. Don’t do this for an app with a different name or an unknown source.
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Confirm the launch
Authenticate with your Mac account if prompted, then select Open in the confirmation dialog. Wait for the app window to appear; make sure you’re not still looking at the installer window.
Open Anyway is generally available for the most recently blocked launch. If you can’t find it, first check whether you actually tried to open the installed app, then return to Security settings. A company- or school-managed Mac may restrict this option; ask your device administrator instead of changing organizational policies.
Windows SmartScreen: review the details before deciding
The “Windows protected your PC” SmartScreen warning may relate to file reputation. It is not the same as an explicit threat detection by Microsoft Defender. Consider running the file once only after confirming its source, purpose, and warning details. The installer may also request administrator access and show a separate UAC confirmation.
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Finish downloading
Get the Windows version from this site’s download guide and wait for the browser to finish downloading. Find the file in Downloads in File Explorer, and make sure you don’t open an older copy with the same name.
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Review the details
Open the file. If SmartScreen appears, click More info and check the app name and publisher. If the name doesn’t match or you can’t confirm the source, don’t run it.
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Run the file once
After confirming the file’s source and checking that there’s no explicit malware alert, select Run anyway if that option is available. This applies to the current file and doesn’t require turning off SmartScreen.
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Finish installing
Follow the installer. If UAC appears, check the program details before confirming. When installation is complete, launch Shadowrocket from the Start menu or its installation location.
If More info or Run anyway isn’t available, the block may be a different type or the device may be managed by an organization. Don’t repeatedly change the file extension, disable real-time protection, or force the installer to run as administrator. Note the full warning first. If Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history shows an explicit threat, stop and investigate instead of dismissing it as a routine reputation warning.
First launch: understand permissions, configuration, and connectivity
When the app window opens normally, installation and first launch are complete, but the server or rules may still need to be configured. If you already use a service provider, get your subscription link from them. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend servers, subscriptions, or related services.
Launch and system permissions
- App window
- First, confirm that the main sections, such as Home, Config, and Settings, are visible.
- Permission prompts
- When you first enable a connection, review any prompts for network components or VPN configuration.
- What to approve
- Approve only system requests triggered by your current action in Shadowrocket and clearly related to that action.
- Check that it worked
- After closing the app, you can launch it again without returning to the installer or security warning.
Network access methods vary by operating system. Follow the prompts shown by your current app and system.
Check configuration and connectivity
- Home
- Check your existing server entries. To enter one manually, use Add Server.
- Config
- Check the active configuration file. To add a subscription, use Subscribe and enter the link provided by your service provider.
- Global Routing
- Check the current selection: Direct connects without a proxy; Config applies the active configuration rules.
- Settings
- Keep the existing settings for now. Once the basic connection works, you can consider automatic connection options such as On Demand.
Test a manual connection first, then add automatic connection conditions. This makes it easier to distinguish installation issues from configuration issues.
When entering a server manually, the protocol, host, port, and authentication details must match the information from your service provider. Use the port they specify; don’t assume every Trojan server uses port 443, and don’t enter a subscription URL as the server host. If the app opens but websites won’t load, check server availability, subscription updates, and Global Routing instead of reinstalling.
Installation and security warning FAQ
My Mac says the architecture isn’t supported. Will clicking “Open Anyway” help?
No. Allowing an app to open won’t make an incompatible architecture compatible. Open the Apple menu → About This Mac again, check Chip or Processor, then choose the matching Apple Silicon or Intel version in the download guide.
There’s no “Run anyway” option in Windows. Where can I enable it?
Read the full warning first and confirm that it is from SmartScreen and whether your device is managed by an organization. If the button isn’t available, don’t disable system protection just to install the app. Explicit threat alerts and organizational restrictions require different steps; the one-time allow option does not apply to them.
The app opens, but the connection fails. Should I reinstall?
Check the server in Home first, then review the configuration and subscription update status in Config, and confirm that Global Routing is set as expected. Installation issues usually prevent the app from launching or loading components. Reinstalling won’t fix incorrect service provider credentials.
A security warning appears again after an update. Can I rely on my previous decision?
Don’t approve the new file just because the previous one opened successfully. Save your current configuration, confirm the updated file’s source and architecture in the download guide, then respond to the current warning. A new file may trigger another reputation check, but an explicit security block still means you should stop and investigate.
For useful troubleshooting notes, record three things: the full system warning, the platform and chip you selected when downloading, and whether the issue occurred before installation or after connecting. Don’t include a full subscription URL, password, or authentication token. This helps identify where the process failed without exposing credentials in screenshots or logs.