Shadowrocket Interface Guide: Home, Config, Proxy, Direct, Data, and Settings

First, distinguish navigation tabs from routing modes

On iPhone, the bottom navigation usually switches between tabs. Once you’re on Home, Global Routing lets you choose how traffic is handled. On iPad, the navigation layout may change with the window width, so look for the English label rather than a fixed spot at the bottom of the screen. The layout may also change between app versions; the descriptions below explain what each section does.

When following a guide, read the full navigation path. For example, “open Config” usually means the configuration-file tab, while “set Global Routing to Config” changes the routing mode. Remembering only the last label can lead you to the wrong screen—or make you think that opening a configuration file has already enabled its rules.

Home: servers, subscriptions, and the connection toggle

Home is where you handle everyday connection tasks. A server entry stores details such as its address, port, protocol, and credentials. A subscription retrieves and refreshes a set of server entries. The steps below assume you already have a valid subscription URL. Buying Shadowrocket gives you a license to use the app; purchasing the app does not include a server plan.

1. Open Home

   Open Home and check the existing server list and current Global Routing mode. Don’t delete entries you still use just to import a subscription.

2. Add a subscription

   Home → “+” in the top-right corner → Type → Subscribe. Enter your own subscription URL in the URL field, then save. The example https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx is fictitious and cannot be used to connect.

3. Check the server entries

   Return to Home and confirm that the subscription added server entries, then select one. If the list is empty, check the subscription fetch result before trying different routing modes.

4. Choose a mode

   Go to Home → Global Routing and choose Config, Proxy, or Direct for your needs. Before using rules in everyday browsing, check which configuration is selected on the Config tab.

5. Turn on the connection

   Return to Home and switch on the connection toggle at the top. The first time, follow the system prompt to allow a VPN configuration to be added. Then make a new request and check the corresponding entry in Data.

Type in a server entry and Global Routing address different questions. Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard are protocol names; their settings must match the details for your existing server. Proxy, Direct, and Config describe how connections are handled. Setting the mode to Proxy won’t fix an incorrect port or authentication details.

Global Routing: Config, Proxy, Direct, and Scene

Global Routing is on Home and determines the overall way connections are handled. Config follows the current configuration, Proxy sends traffic through a proxy overall, and Direct connects directly overall. These are not speed settings or connection-quality ratings. The same destination can produce different results in different modes.

If the interface offers Scene, treat it as a way to route traffic according to configured scenes, not as a fourth fixed routing mode. Before using it, check each scene’s trigger conditions and actions. Don’t use it as a troubleshooting baseline until you’ve reviewed its settings. To reproduce an issue, note the current value, temporarily select a clearly defined mode, then restore the original setting when you’re done.

After changing modes, existing long-lived connections may not reconnect immediately. For a valid test, close the existing session and make a new request. If a destination works under Direct, that only shows it can connect directly on your current network; it doesn’t confirm that your proxy server settings are correct.

Config: don’t confuse the tab with the routing mode

The Config tab manages configuration files. Config under Global Routing means using the current configuration to handle connections. The tab answers “Which configuration file?” while the mode answers “Should connections follow the configuration?” Having a configuration file doesn’t mean its rules are in effect: make sure the right file is selected and check the current routing mode.

The snippets below illustrate rule keywords; they are not a complete configuration. example.com and 192.0.2.0/24 are documentation examples. The destination or policy referenced by PROXY must also be valid in your actual configuration.

[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
IP-CIDR,192.0.2.0/24,DIRECT,no-resolve
GEOIP,CN,DIRECT
FINAL,PROXY

• DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches domain suffixes. For example, a rule can match example.com and its subdomains.
• IP-CIDR checks whether the destination IP falls within a specified network range. In the example, no-resolve means not to trigger an additional domain lookup for this IP rule.
• GEOIP matches against an IP geolocation database; it is not simply based on a website’s language or domain suffix.
• FINAL handles connections that did not match any preceding rules. Read it together with the order of the rules above it.

Data: find the relevant connection before interpreting traffic totals

Data shows traffic and related connection logs. It isn’t where you edit servers or refresh subscriptions. To troubleshoot, note when you made the request and which destination you accessed, then check for a matching entry. Available fields vary by interface; use the destination, policy, traffic, timestamp, and other details actually shown.

• An entry appears: This means matching traffic was observed, not necessarily that the destination page loaded completely. Check whether the connection finished, whether an error appeared, and what happened when you opened the page.
• Byte count increases: Data was transferred, but it could be from a background request, a retry, or another app. It is not a speed-test result.
• No matching entry: First check the connection toggle, test time, and log range, then make another request. Don’t assume the server is unavailable.
• Results still look the same after changing modes: Make sure you’re checking a new connection, not a session established before the change.

For example, note that Global Routing is set to Config on Home, open a destination page, then check Data for a connection around the same time. If the handling policy differs from what you expected, return to Config and check the rules rather than looking for an “change exit” switch in Data. Before sharing logs, hide server addresses, authentication details, and subscription URLs containing credentials.

Settings: what On Demand and Subscribe do

Settings controls app behavior. Settings → On Demand configures connection behavior triggered by specified conditions, while Settings → Subscribe manages subscription options. Neither selects a server on Home nor replaces the routing mode under Global Routing.

On Demand mainly answers “When should a connection start?” Config rules mainly answer “Where should the connection go?” If the connection comes back after you disconnect manually, first check Settings → On Demand and the corresponding VPN configuration in the system for any trigger conditions. Don’t delete servers or clear configuration files just to keep the connection off.

Refreshing a subscription retrieves server information again. It doesn’t guarantee that a usable server will be selected automatically, and it doesn’t update rule files. After refreshing, return to Home to check the list and current selection, then review Global Routing. If the response isn’t subscription data the app can recognize, switching routing modes repeatedly won’t help; check the URL itself.

Common points of confusion: check each interface section