Shadowrocket Backup and Transfer Guide: iCloud Sync, Config Export, and Restore on a New iPhone or iPad

1. Separate purchase history, node details, and config files

Shadowrocket’s purchase history and its in-app data are separate. Reinstalling the app from the App Store does not necessarily restore all nodes, subscription URLs, rule files, or connection settings. Consider the transfer complete only after you have checked the contents on the new device—not just when the app icon appears.

Home is mainly for viewing nodes, subscription groups, and connection status. Config is for managing and selecting config files. Settings must be checked separately. A file exported from Config usually saves rules and related configuration; its presence alone does not mean that every Home entry and device setting is included.

2. Back up the old device in this order

First confirm that the old device is working normally. If the subscription is no longer updating, determine whether the provider’s link has expired or there is a local config issue. A transfer only moves existing data; it cannot fix expired credentials. Get subscriptions and nodes from your provider.

1. Check Home: Note the subscription groups, manually added nodes, and currently selected node. Record separately anything that can be retrieved through a subscription and anything you changed manually on this device.
2. Check Config: Note the currently selected file and any files you edited locally. If a config references remote rule resources, save their URLs and source details too.
3. Check connection settings: Note the current Global Routing selection, then check Settings → On Demand to see whether automatic connection conditions are enabled.
4. Keep the restore source: Save existing subscription URLs somewhere secure. Tokens in these URLs may grant access, so do not post them in public forums.
5. Keep the old device intact for now: Wait until the new device has imported the data, passed the rule checks, and completed real-world access tests before removing anything from the old one.

3. What to check when using iCloud sync

iCloud sync can keep app data in step across your personal devices, but it is not a permanent historical backup. What syncs depends on the app’s options and your device settings. Changes such as deletions or overwrites may also propagate to other devices. Export a separate copy before making major changes on the new device.

1. On the old device, check your account and available storage under the system’s Settings → Apple Account → iCloud, and make sure iCloud Drive and Shadowrocket’s iCloud access are enabled. System menu names may change with interface updates.
2. In Shadowrocket’s Settings, check the iCloud options and confirm that syncing is allowed for the data you plan to transfer. The sync entry point and available options depend on the current interface; do not treat any single toggle as a guarantee that all data is backed up.
3. Keep the old device connected to the internet while its data is saved. On the new device, use the same iCloud account and check the relevant permissions. Do not bulk-delete or recreate entries on both devices at the same time.
4. Open Shadowrocket on the new device and check Home and Config separately. Compare group names, file contents, and custom changes; being signed in does not confirm that the data has synced.

The Apple Account used for App Store purchases may differ from the one used for iCloud. The first is linked to your app purchase history; the second is linked to cloud data. Check each account separately—seeing a purchase does not mean the iCloud data belongs to that same account.

4. Export a config file and check the copy

A separate file copy gives you a saved state to refer back to, especially when transferring rules you have edited manually. Go to Config, find the config in use, open its action menu, and save it to Files using the export or share option shown in the app. The exact entry point depends on the current interface. Confirm that you saved the config contents, not just the URL of a remote file.

1. First save an untouched copy of the original, then make a separate copy to import on the new device. Add a purpose to the filename, such as home-rules-before-migration.conf, to distinguish it from an empty config.
2. Reopen the copy from Files and check that it contains the actual rule content. Seeing a filename does not mean the complete text was saved.
3. Check custom rules, DNS-related settings, and references to remote resources. If the copy depends on remote resources, their URLs must still be valid and accessible after the restore.
4. Save the protocol, server, port, and authentication details needed for manually added nodes separately. Do not assume a Config export includes every node shown in Home.

The following text is only an example to help identify rule content. It is not a complete config file or usable node information. When restoring, use your own original file and make sure policy names such as PROXY have a corresponding meaning in the target config.

[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
IP-CIDR,192.168.0.0/16,DIRECT
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
FINAL,PROXY

Rules are evaluated in order. DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches domain suffixes, IP-CIDR matches IP address ranges, GEOIP classifies traffic by IP location, and FINAL handles traffic that did not match earlier rules. When comparing old and new configs, check not only that the keywords are present, but also that the order, parameters, and final policy match.

5. Restore the app and data on a new iPhone or iPad

Shadowrocket is available only on Apple platforms, and the App Store is the only place to purchase and install it. On the new device, use the original purchasing account to check your App Store purchase history, find Shadowrocket, and reinstall it. The store interface may show an “Apps” or “Purchased” section; follow the options displayed on your device.

• Verify the app: The name should be Shadowrocket, the developer should be Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and the app ID should be 932747118. The icon should match the official icon used on this site.
• Check your purchase history: If you are asked to buy the app, first confirm that the current App Store account is the one used for the original purchase. A successful iCloud sign-in does not mean that the purchase history matches.
• Check availability: For iPhone and iPad system requirements, as well as compatibility with other Apple devices listed in the store, pricing, and purchase availability, refer to the App Store listing.

After installing the app, first check what has synced through iCloud, then add anything that is missing. Do not immediately reimport every subscription; duplicate nodes may appear in different groups and make them harder to sort out. For where to get the app and how to verify it, see the official app verification guide.

1. Check subscription groups and manually added nodes in Home. For a missing subscription, reimport it using the URL you saved, then update it and confirm that the entries appear.
2. Import the saved config file in Config. Use the system share option in Files to open it in Shadowrocket, or use the app’s file import option. After importing, select the config you intend to use.
3. Check the fields for manually added nodes. The server address, port, password or UUID, TLS, and transport settings should match the original details. Copying only the node’s display name is not enough.
4. When connecting for the first time, follow the system prompt to allow a VPN configuration. System authorization is a separate step on the new device; do not assume it is included in the text config file.

This is an example subscription URL: https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx. It is a dummy value and cannot be used for restoring data. Get your actual URL from your provider. Rebuilding nodes from a subscription usually retrieves the provider’s current content, not a complete snapshot of the old device from a specific point in time. Check any fields you changed yourself separately.

6. Verify the connection and rules after restoring

“The node list is showing” and “the restore is complete” are not the same thing. Consider turning off any On Demand automatic connection conditions that could interfere with a manual test. Make one deliberate manual connection, then restore your original automatic connection settings. Change one thing at a time during testing so you can identify the cause of any issue.

1. Check the data: Compare against your old-device checklist and confirm the Home subscription groups, manually added entries, and current Config file. Node counts can change when a provider updates its service, so do not use the total count alone to determine whether anything is missing.
2. Check Global Routing: Select Config when you need to test rule-based routing. Proxy, Direct, and Scene handle traffic differently; do not mistake differences caused by a routing mode change for a damaged backup file.
3. Test the node connection: Select a node you have confirmed is valid, run the connectivity test provided by the app, and open a site you regularly use. A latency result only reflects part of the connection path and cannot replace testing actual access.
4. Check routing: Visit destinations expected to connect directly and through a proxy, then use the connection log to check the matched rules and policies. Pay particular attention to whether custom rules still appear before FINAL.
5. Restore automatic connections: Go to Settings → On Demand, check the conditions you noted from the old device, then enable them and observe the connection status as the network changes.

If the subscription updates successfully but a node will not connect, check the provider’s settings one by one. For example, if the original node uses port 443, the new device must use the same port specified by the provider. Matching ports alone do not confirm that TLS, the server name, or authentication details are correct. Do not switch to a commonly used port just to make troubleshooting easier.

Keep the old device and separate copy until you have checked your usual destinations, rule-based routing, and automatic connections. If you need to undo changes later, stop the connection first and reimport the original config you saved. Do not keep overwriting the only working file without a backup.

7. Common questions about moving to a new device