Shadowrocket for Mac and Windows: Download, Install, and Fix First-Launch Warnings

1. Check your platform and architecture before downloading

Shadowrocket for Mac comes in two DMG installers: one for Apple silicon and one for Intel processors. Don’t guess based on your computer’s size, purchase year, or browser. Check your system information first, then choose the matching option on the download page. The page also lists downloads for other platforms.

There are two ways to get Shadowrocket: the iPhone / iPad app is available on the App Store for a one-time payment of $2.99. The developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited; check the App Store listing for system requirements. The Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Get the desktop installers covered here from this site’s download page.

On Mac, choose Apple menu → About This Mac. If you see Chip with an Apple processor name, choose the Apple silicon version. If you see Processor with Intel listed, choose the Intel version. On Windows, open Settings → System → About and check System type under Device specifications. “64-bit operating system, x64-based processor” matches the x64 installer in this guide.

2. Mac: Choose the right DMG and install

A DMG is a disk image. Double-clicking it mounts a volume in Finder. Mounting the installer and copying the app to Applications are separate steps. Running the app directly from the mounted image can cause confusion later when you eject it, tidy up your Downloads folder, or update the app. After copying it, always launch Shadowrocket from Applications.

1. Check your processor

   Open Apple menu → About This Mac and check the Chip or Processor field to identify Apple silicon or Intel. Don’t choose based on the computer’s appearance.

2. Download the disk image

   Go to the Mac section of this site’s download page and select the option for your processor. Wait for the browser download to finish before opening the DMG; don’t open a temporary file that’s still downloading.

3. Copy the app

   Open the DMG and drag Shadowrocket into Applications. If you’re asked whether to replace an app with the same name, quit any running copy first, then decide whether to replace it.

4. Launch from your Mac

   In Finder, open Applications and double-click Shadowrocket. Once the copy is complete, you can eject the mounted disk image from the Finder sidebar. You don’t need to open the DMG again.

If your Apple silicon Mac asks to install Rosetta when you launch the app, check whether you accidentally downloaded the Intel version. The Apple silicon and Intel versions aren’t ranked alternatives; each is made for a different processor architecture. If an Intel Mac says the app isn’t supported, first check whether you downloaded the Apple silicon version rather than repeatedly trying to bypass a security warning.

3. Mac: Fix the “cannot verify developer” warning

macOS Gatekeeper checks apps downloaded from the internet. A confirmation dialog on first launch doesn’t necessarily mean installation failed, but different warnings require different responses. Follow the steps below only after confirming the file came from this site’s download page, the app is named correctly, and the warning is about developer verification. Don’t use these steps if macOS says the app will damage your computer, contains malware, or is damaged.

1. Note the warning

   Write down the full message, then close the dialog. Make sure you’re opening the copy of Shadowrocket in Applications, not another file with the same name in Downloads.

2. Open Security settings

   Go to Apple menu → System Settings → Privacy & Security, then scroll to the Security section and look for the recently blocked app.

3. Allow this app to open

   If macOS shows Open Anyway for Shadowrocket, click it and confirm with Touch ID or an administrator password when prompted. Then choose Open in the next dialog.

4. Check that it opens normally

   Quit the app, then open it again from Applications. If it’s still blocked, check whether the message now refers to damage, system incompatibility, or a device-management restriction. Don’t dismiss different kinds of warnings as if they were the same issue.

Open Anyway usually appears only after you’ve recently tried to open a blocked app. If the button isn’t there, try opening Shadowrocket from Applications again, then return to Privacy & Security and check. Wording and location may vary slightly between macOS versions. A company- or school-managed Mac may also have execution restrictions set by an administrator, which your account might not be able to change.

4. Windows: Run the EXE and identify the warning

Browser download warnings, SmartScreen reputation checks, User Account Control prompts, and security software threat alerts occur at different stages. Check the window title before deciding what to do. An unfinished download can’t be launched, and an architecture mismatch isn’t a SmartScreen issue.

1. Check your system type

   Open Settings → System → About and check System type to confirm your system and processor. On an x64 PC, choose the 64-bit Windows EXE on the download page.

2. Finish downloading the installer

   Get the installer from the Windows section of this site’s download page. Confirm the browser has finished downloading it, then open it from File Explorer → Downloads.

3. Check the reputation warning

   If “Windows protected your PC” appears, first confirm the file’s source and name. For a file you’ve confirmed came from this site, select More info to view details. Continue only if Windows offers Run anyway and no threat alert is shown.

4. Install and launch

   Follow the setup wizard. If User Account Control appears, check the file, path, and publisher details. Cancel if anything seems suspicious. After installation, launch Shadowrocket from the Start menu.

“Unknown publisher” means the dialog couldn’t verify publisher information; it doesn’t prove the file is safe. Likewise, an app name alone doesn’t confirm where a file came from. Cancel if Windows explicitly detects a threat or if you didn’t just get the installer from this site. You don’t need to turn off Microsoft Defender, the firewall, or real-time protection.

If the dialog has no Run anyway option, an organization policy, app control rule, or system mode may be blocking it. Don’t try to bypass the restriction. On a personal PC, check the current protection status under Windows Security → App & browser control. Ask your administrator about managed devices. If your browser blocks the download, read the specific reason instead of assuming every block is a reputation warning.

5. After first launch, distinguish installation from connection

If the app window opens normally, installation and startup are complete. That doesn’t mean a subscription has been imported, a server is reachable, or the system proxy is active. When troubleshooting, note what happens at each stage: nothing happens when you click the app, the app quits after opening, the system requests permission during connection, or the connection succeeds but webpages won’t load. These point to different issues and shouldn’t all be blamed on the installer.

• First, check that only one instance is running: On Mac, look for Shadowrocket in the Dock or Activity Monitor. On Windows, check the taskbar or Task Manager. Don’t repeatedly overwrite the app files while it’s running.
• Next, prepare your connection details: Use your own server and subscription, and check that the address is complete before importing it. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend nodes, subscriptions, or VPN services.
• Know what each configuration is for: Servers and subscriptions in Home, rules in Config, and app preferences in Settings serve different purposes. Desktop navigation may vary by platform; refer to the interface you see.
• Understand routing modes: Proxy, Direct, Config, and Scene under Global Routing control how traffic is handled; they aren’t installation permissions. Changing routing modes won’t fix Gatekeeper or SmartScreen blocking the app from launching.
• Test a manual connection first: Once the basic connection works, configure automatic connections. On Demand controls when a connection is triggered. The mobile Settings → On Demand path is not a desktop system-permission setting.

If the app requests network-related permissions when you first connect, check that the prompt was triggered by your action and that the app identity matches. This permission is separate from allowing the installer to run. Note the dialog text so you don’t mistake a system authorization issue for an expired subscription or repeatedly uninstall the app over a connection problem.

6. Common installation and first-launch questions