How to Use Shadowrocket on iPad: Restore Your App Store Purchase and Navigate the Landscape Interface

At a glance

If you bought Shadowrocket on your iPhone, first check which account the iPad uses for App Store purchases, then redownload the app from your purchase history. This guide covers purchase records, your first connection, landscape layout, and routing settings. It also explains the difference between app ownership and connection settings on the device, so an installed app isn't mistaken for a ready-to-use connection.

Same Apple Account, same purchase

Shadowrocket is a one-time purchase, closed-source commercial app distributed through the App Store, and the purchase works on both iPhone and iPad. After buying it, you can usually redownload it on another compatible device using the same Apple Account used for the purchase—there's no need to buy it again for iPad. Redownload availability may depend on the app's availability in the current storefront, your purchase history, and device compatibility. Check the App Store page for system requirements.

Check the account used for App Store purchases, not just the iCloud account shown at the top of Settings. They may be different. In Settings, open Apple Account → Media & Purchases and check the account used for media and purchases. Older system versions may show Apple ID; menu names vary by device and software version.

App purchase: Determines whether this account is entitled to download Shadowrocket.
Service subscription: Comes from your service provider; buying the app does not include a connection plan.
Device setup: Check the connection entries in Home, rule files in Config, and VPN permission on the iPad separately.

Using the same Apple Account doesn't automatically sync every app setting between devices. Even if device migration restores some data, check the selected connection and configuration on your iPad. Don't assume the iPad is ready just because Shadowrocket is connected on your iPhone.

Redownload from your purchase history

These steps are for users who already have a purchase record. First make sure the iPad can access the App Store. If the store won't load, resolve that issue before searching for the app. App Store account menus can change with system updates: newer versions may show Apps, while older interfaces may show Purchased.

Check the account

Go to Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases and make sure the account matches the one used to buy Shadowrocket. Checking only the account shown under your iCloud profile isn't enough to confirm which account owns the purchase.
Open your purchase list

Open the App Store, tap your account photo, then go to Apps → My Apps. If your device shows Purchased, open Purchased → My Purchases instead. Use the options shown on your device to open your app purchase list.
Find the app

Search for Shadowrocket in the list. Use the Not on this iPad filter to show apps that aren't installed. If you can't find it, clear the filter, check the full list, and verify the purchase account.
Verify and download

Check the developer name, Shadow Launch Technology Limited, the official app icon, and the app ID 932747118, then tap the cloud download button. If you see a price instead of a redownload option, go back and check the account and purchase history.
Open Shadowrocket

Once installation is complete, open Shadowrocket and check Home and Config. The first time you connect, follow the system prompt to allow a VPN configuration and complete any authentication required by your device.

First connection: set up the iPad

After installation, check whether Home has a usable connection entry, then confirm that Config has the intended configuration selected. This guide assumes you already have a service provider and subscription. If you haven't imported a subscription on your iPad, get it from your service provider. An app purchase receipt is not a subscription link.

Import: Tap “+” in the top-right corner of Home, set Type to Subscribe, enter your own subscription URL, review it, and save. The URL contains access credentials, so don't include it in a public screenshot.
Update: Return to Home and make sure the subscription appears and has updated. The update retrieves the connection list currently provided by your service provider; it doesn't copy all app settings from another device.
Select: Choose the connection entry you want to use in Home, then check Global Routing. If you want rule-based routing, also confirm the active configuration file in Config.
Authorize: Turn on the connection and allow the VPN configuration when prompted by iPadOS. Permission applies to this device; authorization on your iPhone doesn't carry over.
Test: After connecting, visit one destination expected to use a direct connection and another expected to use a proxy, then check the connection log. An enabled connection switch indicates that the tunnel is active, but it doesn't guarantee that every destination is reachable.

If your service provider limits the number of devices that can be online at once, connecting your iPhone and iPad simultaneously may exceed that limit. If one device connects while the other drops, check the service terms and device limit rather than repeatedly deleting the iPad configuration. Avoid changing the subscription, rules, and connection entry all at once, or it will be hard to tell which change caused the issue.

Landscape and window width: find features by their labels

Landscape changes the available screen space, not the roles of Home, Config, Data, and Settings. Navigation and the arrangement of lists and details depend on the app interface and current window width. Don't rely on a button always being in the bottom-right corner. Look for the interface label first, then confirm the page you're on.

Tab or context	What it does	Check on iPad
Home	Select a connection, control its status, and check Global Routing	Confirm the selected entry before turning the connection on. A wider list doesn't mean the selection has changed.
Config	Manage rule configurations and check which file is active	Distinguish the file you're viewing from the one that's enabled. Save edits as prompted by the interface.
Data	View traffic statistics recorded by the app	Check the reporting period and whether statistics have been reset. A current reading can't tell you whether an app purchase went through.
Settings	Adjust app settings, including On Demand	Find the setting by name instead of relying on its screen position on another device.
Narrow window or Split View	Connection and routing behavior stays the same at any window width	Some tabs may be hidden. Widen the window or go back one level, then look for the relevant tab.

When the device and system support Split View or windowed apps, Shadowrocket may have less screen space even in landscape. If you can't find Config, make the app window larger and check the navigation again. If the screen doesn't rotate with the device, check orientation lock in Control Center. Rotating the screen doesn't switch proxy modes or change Direct to Config.

Global Routing: choose a mode, not a screen orientation

Global Routing works the same way on iPad as on iPhone. Before choosing a mode, decide whether you want everyday rule-based routing or a temporary way to isolate the effect of rules. The three common modes are compared below. Scene is a separate feature that selects behavior based on configured conditions; without configured scenes, it isn't another name for Config.

Config

Recommended

Routes connections according to the rules and policies in the active configuration. The result depends on which rule matches; the mode name alone can't tell you whether a domain will connect directly or through a proxy.

Best for: Everyday rule-based routing with a working configuration

Proxy

Routes connections entering the tunnel through the proxy, instead of deciding their route through the usual rules in Config. You can use it briefly to check whether a problem is related to rule selection, but the selected connection still needs to work.

Best for: Briefly comparing rule-based routing with proxy connections

Direct

Routes connections in direct mode. If a destination works after switching to Direct, that only shows it can be reached directly on the current network; it doesn't prove that your service provider's connection is working.

Best for: Checking direct access on the current network

Troubleshooting: match modes before comparing devices

If Shadowrocket works on your iPhone but not your iPad, first put both devices on the same Wi-Fi network and use the same connection, configuration, and Global Routing mode. Test the same destination on both. Eliminate setup differences before investigating the devices or network.

For example, DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,DIRECT in Config routes connections matching that domain suffix to DIRECT, while FINAL,PROXY handles connections that don't match any preceding rule. Rules are generally evaluated in order, so check both the specific rules and the final policy. These examples explain the syntax; they aren't a complete configuration file to replace your existing one.

Common questions: repeat charges, disconnections, and Split View

I bought it on iPhone. Why does my iPad still show a price?

First check the account under Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases. Then look for the original purchase in Apps or Purchased on your App Store account page. Don't make another purchase until you've checked for the original record. If the account matches but the issue persists, keep your order details and contact App Store purchase support.

The app is installed, but where are my previous connection entries?

Redownloading the app and restoring connection data are separate steps. First check for a subscription in Home. If there isn't one, get a subscription from your service provider and import it. If your list is there, check the selected entry, Config file, and Global Routing instead of reinstalling the app again.

Will the connection always drop if I leave the app or use Split View?

Switching to another app doesn't necessarily turn off the system VPN. Check the connection status under Settings → General → VPN & Device Management → VPN, then return to Home and check the switch and connection log. If the VPN is still connected but a destination isn't reachable, check the network and selected connection rather than blaming landscape orientation.

Why does the connection come back after I turn it off manually?

In Shadowrocket, go to Settings → On Demand and check whether on-demand connection and its conditions are enabled. On-demand behavior is triggered by settings and network conditions, not screen rotation. To test a manual connection, note your original settings, pause On Demand, run the test, and then restore the settings.

Can I use the same subscription on two devices?

Ask your service provider about device limits, simultaneous connections, and data allowances. App Store purchase eligibility doesn't determine the connection limit for your subscription. If the issue occurs only when both devices are connected, disconnect one to compare, then check your plan limits.

Final checks, in order

Check app access separately from connection setup to narrow down the problem. At the store stage, verify the purchase and installation. In the app, check the subscription, configuration, mode, and system permission. Then test access to your destination and check any service provider limits. Don't change multiple settings at once just because landscape shows more on screen.

Confirm the App Store account used for the original purchase, and verify app ID 932747118 and the developer name.
Confirm that Home has your connection entry and Config has the intended file selected.
Make sure Global Routing matches the purpose of your test, and note the current state of Settings → On Demand.
After connecting, visit the same test destination, then rotate the screen or resize the window to see whether only the layout changes.
If the problem persists, note the network type, connection status, and steps that led to it. Hide subscription URLs, credentials, and personal account details before sharing diagnostic information.