Shadowrocket for Mac and Windows: Install on Apple Silicon or Intel, and resolve security warnings

1. Check the platform and how to get it

Shadowrocket is available in two ways: iPhone and iPad users can get it on the App Store for a one-time payment of $2.99; versions for Mac (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux are free. Find links for all platforms in the download guide. Desktop and other free-platform installers are available through the site’s /dl/shadowrocket/ path, linked from the download page.

The App Store listing identifies Shadow Launch Technology Limited as the developer for iPhone and iPad. Check the App Store page for system requirements. For desktop, don’t look for an installer through the mobile purchase flow or infer architecture from the year you bought your computer. Macs sold in the same year may use different chips.

A one-time app purchase is not a service subscription. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend servers or subscriptions. The connection checks below assume you already have your own service provider and configuration; installing the app does not provide a working connection.

2. Choose the right version for Apple Silicon or Intel Mac

Open the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your Mac screen and select “About This Mac.” If you see “Chip” followed by an Apple chip name, choose the Mac Apple Silicon version on the download page. If you see “Processor” followed by an Intel name, choose Mac Intel. Don’t use the case color, screen size, or presence of a Touch Bar to identify your Mac.

On Windows, open Settings → System → About, check “System type,” and compare it with the supported architecture and system requirements on the download page. If your device has an ARM processor, don’t use the Mac Apple Silicon version. The same processor architecture name does not mean installers for different operating systems are interchangeable.

3. Install and open the app on macOS

When the download finishes, quit Shadowrocket if it’s running, then start the installation. Follow the steps below for a DMG disk image. The image window in Finder is the installer source; the copy in Applications is where you launch the app day to day. Downloading a file to your computer does not install the app.

1. Check your chip

   Open Apple menu → About This Mac, note the “Chip” or “Processor” field, then choose the matching Mac version in this site’s download guide.

2. Open the disk image

   In Finder, open the DMG in your Downloads folder. If macOS reports that the image is incomplete or can’t be mounted, download it again rather than trying to bypass a security warning.

3. Copy the app

   Copy Shadowrocket from the disk image to Applications. If prompted to replace an existing item, first make sure the old app is closed and that you’ve saved any configuration you need.

4. Launch from your Mac

   Open Finder → Applications → Shadowrocket. Once the copy is complete, you can eject the installer image from the Finder sidebar.

5. Review permissions

   Review prompts shown on first launch and those related to networking. Approve a configuration change only after confirming the app’s source and that the app named in the prompt matches the one you’re using.

If you see “Application is not supported” or a message that the app can’t be used on this Mac, check the architecture and system requirements first. Bypassing a security warning won’t fix an architecture mismatch or an unsupported macOS version. Repeatedly opening the same incompatible installer won’t change the outcome; go back to the download guide and choose the right version.

4. macOS says “Apple could not verify the developer”: what to do

macOS checks apps downloaded from the internet. “Apple could not verify the developer” and “will damage your computer” are different warnings. Only check for an option to allow an individual app if you’ve confirmed the file came from this site’s download page and the warning is about source verification or an unverified developer.

On older versions of macOS, the corresponding option may be under System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General. If you don’t see a button to allow the app, first check whether the warning is actually about developer verification, whether you launched the copy in Applications, and whether your device is managed by an organization. Don’t use Terminal commands to remove download flags in bulk or disable system security checks.

5. Windows SmartScreen warnings and permission prompts

On Windows, get the Windows version from this site’s download guide and run the installer. If you see “Windows protected your PC,” review the security warning rather than treating it as a step to skip. First confirm where the file was downloaded from, then check the app and publisher information shown in the warning.

1. Read the warning. Check whether it comes from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, malware detection, an organization policy, or another security tool. Each type of warning requires a different response.
2. Check “More info.” If SmartScreen offers this option, expand the details and check the app name, publisher, and file source. An unknown publisher does not confirm that an app is safe. If the details don’t match, cancel.
3. Proceed only if it’s appropriate. Consider selecting “Run anyway” only if you’ve confirmed the source, no specific threat has been detected, and Windows provides this option. If it’s unavailable, don’t force the installation by disabling protections or changing Group Policy.
4. Review permission requests. If a User Account Control window appears, check the program name, publisher, and file location before deciding whether to allow it. Don’t run an unknown program as an administrator just to get past a prompt.
5. Finish and launch. Complete the installation using the installer’s on-screen steps, then launch Shadowrocket from the Start menu. Confirm that the app opens normally before setting up a connection.

SmartScreen’s “Run anyway” and User Account Control’s “Yes” address different issues: the former relates to app reputation and launch blocking; the latter authorizes system changes. Neither confirms that a connection is established. If Microsoft Defender reports a specific threat or your device has stricter app-control policies, stop the installation and contact your administrator. Don’t add a whole-drive exclusion or turn off real-time protection.

6. Check the connection in Home after installation—don’t change system security settings first

If the app opens, it has passed the launch stage. Website access also depends on your existing server configuration, routing mode, and network status. The desktop layout may differ from the mobile version; use interface labels such as Home, Config, and Settings to find your way around. For initial troubleshooting, connect manually rather than setting up Settings → On Demand, so automatic connections don’t interfere with testing.

• Check that a configuration is present. View the server list in Home. If you use Add Server to enter details manually, the protocol, address, port, and authentication information must match your own service details. Port numbers aren’t the same for every configuration.
• Distinguish subscriptions from rule files. An existing subscription imports and updates server details; rule files in Config define routing behavior. Importing one does not automatically set up the other.
• Check Global Routing. Proxy routes traffic through a proxy; Direct connects directly; Config routes traffic according to the configuration; Scene selects a scene. Note the current setting first. To test rules, select Config and make sure a valid rule file is available.
• Run Connectivity Test. A test result shows reachability only under the conditions tested; it doesn’t prove that every website, DNS lookup, or service connection is working. Check actual access and logs to continue troubleshooting.
• Keep the original settings. Configuration fields differ across Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard. Don’t switch protocols or change authentication details at random just to clear an error.

If you don’t have a configuration, follow the quick start guide to import your own existing details. If a configuration is present but the connection fails, see connection troubleshooting. DOMAIN-SUFFIX, GEOIP, IP-CIDR, and FINAL are rule-matching conditions or fallback rules. Changing them won’t fix an installer that won’t open or a system permission that was denied.

7. Common installation questions

Change one thing at a time during troubleshooting and record what the prompts say before and after each change. During installation, note the file source, device architecture, and system error. For connection issues, note the selected server, Global Routing mode, and test result. This helps distinguish installation problems from network problems and avoids repeatedly changing settings in the wrong area.