How to Redownload Shadowrocket After Switching iPhones: Restore It from Purchased with Your Original Apple ID

1. Check your purchase before paying again

Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app sold as a one-time purchase through the App Store. A completed purchase is associated with the Apple ID used at checkout, not with the old iPhone itself. On a new iPhone or iPad, you can restore the app from your purchase history without paying again if you use the same purchasing account, the app is available in your current store, and your device meets the requirements.

“Redownload for free” applies only if you already have a valid purchase; it does not mean the app is free to get for the first time. If the product page still shows a price, don’t confirm payment yet. A price button alone doesn’t prove your original purchase is invalid. Check the account and order first, then look in your purchased apps.

• Check: Look for Shadowrocket in the original purchasing account’s history—not for an app icon that may once have appeared on your Home Screen.
• Verify the app: Check the official icon, developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118.
• Supported devices: This guide focuses on iPhone and iPad. Check the App Store listing for compatibility, system requirements, and universal purchase details for Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision.
• What’s restored: Redownloading the app does not restore local configuration or provide a service connection. App purchase ≠ service subscription.

2. Check the Apple ID under Media & Purchases

The Apple Account shown at the top of your device may differ from the account used for App Store purchases. Apple ID is now also called Apple Account; in this guide, “original Apple ID” means the account that actually made the app purchase. Being signed in to the original account for iCloud doesn’t confirm that the App Store uses the same account.

1. Check the purchasing account

   Open system Settings → tap your name at the top → Media & Purchases to see which account is used for media and purchases. This is system Settings, not Settings inside Shadowrocket.

2. Find the original order

   Go to Media & Purchases → View Account → Purchase History and look for Shadowrocket. Adjust the date range to match when you purchased it, and compare the result with your App Store receipt if needed.

3. Sign in to the original account

   If you’re signed in with a different account, first make sure you can access the original account and complete its verification. Then sign out of Media & Purchases only and sign in with your own purchasing account. You don’t need to sign out of iCloud to redownload the app.

4. Return to the App Store

   Go back to the App Store, tap your account picture in the top-right corner, and open your purchases. Confirm that the account page shows the account you just checked, then continue to the redownload steps below.

Switching accounts may require verification and can affect account status for other media services. If you can’t verify, use the account recovery process provided on your device. Don’t keep switching accounts to test, and never share verification codes, passwords, or full receipts. When contacting support, provide only the information needed and redact personal details.

3. Redownload from your App Store purchases

Purchase records and the list of apps available to redownload serve different purposes: Purchase History confirms transactions, while Apps or Purchased under your account helps you find apps you’ve obtained. Menu names can vary by system version and display language. Look for the relevant section rather than an exact label.

1. Open your app list

   Open App Store → tap your account picture in the top-right corner → Apps → My Apps. If the account page shows Purchased, open Purchased → My Purchases. Some layouts show your purchased apps directly.

2. Filter for apps that aren’t installed

   Select Not on this iPhone; on iPad, select Not on this iPad. If you don’t see this filter, search for Shadowrocket in the full list of purchased apps.

3. Verify and download

   Check the app name and official icon, then tap the corresponding cloud download button. If you need to verify the product page, check that the developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited and the app ID is 932747118.

4. Open the app and check

   Once the download finishes, open Shadowrocket and check Home and Config. First confirm whether your data is present; the app opening successfully doesn’t prove that your existing subscriptions and rules have been restored.

If the button says Open, the app is already installed and you can launch it. A cloud icon means you can start redownloading it. If the button still shows a price, return to the previous section and check the purchasing account and order—don’t pay again just to test. If the download spins or takes a long time, also check available storage, your network connection, and whether the App Store requires account verification.

4. Can’t find it in purchases? Check your account, hidden purchases, and store region

“App not found” can mean different things: it doesn’t appear in search results, it’s missing from your purchased list, or it appears in the list but won’t download. These aren’t the same issue. Note exactly where the process stops to help determine whether it’s a purchase-account problem or an availability issue in your current store.

Check your store region under system Settings → tap your name at the top → Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region. The store region is separate from the system language and the device’s standard region format. Changing the device language won’t automatically switch the App Store back to the region used for the purchase.

Changing your store region may depend on factors such as your balance, subscriptions, payment method, and Family Sharing status. If you need to change it, review and complete the requirements shown by the system first. An order on your original account doesn’t guarantee the app can always be redownloaded in every region or on every device. If you’re still blocked, use the support option in the App Store or Settings on your device and describe the order and current error message.

5. After restoring the app, check Home, Config, and connection permissions separately

Purchase history covers your right to obtain the app; it doesn’t save the server details you entered in the app. A system backup may restore some app data to a new device, but you’ll need to check whether everything transferred. If you set up the device as new and reinstall the app, don’t assume your configuration transferred just because you used the same purchasing account.

• Home: Check whether your existing servers or subscription groups are listed. If the list is empty, restore it using data you saved or information from your existing provider. A purchase record can’t recover a lost subscription URL.
• Config: Check that the configuration files you need have been imported and selected. Restoring the Home list doesn’t mean your original rule files have also been restored.
• VPN permission: If you’re prompted to add a VPN configuration when connecting for the first time, review the prompt and grant permission as required by the system. Authorization on your old device doesn’t replace this step on the new one.
• Settings → On Demand: If you previously used automatic connection conditions, check them again after migration. Don’t rely on automatic triggers to verify connectivity before completing a basic connection test.

Global Routing determines how connections are handled; it doesn’t determine the app’s purchase status. After restoring your configuration, use the settings below to check your test conditions. This comparison is only for checking recovery within Shadowrocket.

In Home, select the server you want to use, turn on the connection switch, then run Connectivity Test. If the test fails, check the server details, current network, Global Routing, and Config in that order. Don’t start by deleting and reinstalling the app—you could lose data that hasn’t been backed up. For the full walkthrough, see Getting Started; for connection issues, see Troubleshooting.

6. Frequently asked questions about redownloading after switching devices