How to Add Servers to Shadowrocket: Subscribe, Add Server, QR Code, and Clipboard Import

First, Understand the Difference Between Server Entries, Subscribe, and Config

“Adding a server” usually means making existing server details appear in Shadowrocket’s Home list. A server entry stores the protocol and parameters needed to connect. Subscribe retrieves a set of entries from a subscription URL you already have, while Config is for viewing and managing configuration files. These are not interchangeable: pasting a single server share link into Subscribe or using a subscription URL as a server’s Address usually won’t work as expected.

Before you begin, make sure the information comes from a service you already use, then check whether you have a subscription URL, complete parameters, a QR code, or copyable share text. A protocol name alone, without an Address, Port, and the required credentials, isn’t enough for manual setup. Shadowrocket reads and uses the details you enter; whether an entry connects also depends on the information being valid and current network conditions.

Method 1: Import an Existing Subscription with Subscribe

If you have a URL that starts with https:// and is used to retrieve a server list, handle it with Subscribe. The path, query parameters, and token are all part of the original URL; don’t remove them when copying, and don’t treat an example URL as a working service. The example below shows the format of a subscription URL only; it is not a real subscription:

https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx

1. Check the Original

   Copy the complete subscription URL from your existing information. Check that you’ve copied the beginning, end, and all query parameters, and watch for extra spaces or line breaks before pasting.

2. Open the Option

   In Home, open the add option and choose Subscribe under Type. When viewing configuration files in Config, don’t mistake a configuration file for a subscription server list. Button placement may vary in the current app interface.

3. Paste and Save

   Enter the URL in the subscription address field and save as prompted. The name can help you identify the subscription; it doesn’t replace the actual URL.

4. Check the List

   Return to Home and check the subscription and its server entries. To retrieve changes, use the update option currently available for that subscription. Verify separately that it was saved and that entries were retrieved.

A subscription appearing without any servers in the list doesn’t necessarily mean you chose the wrong option. First check that the URL is complete, then confirm it can retrieve content on your current network and that the returned content is in a format the app can recognize. If the subscription has changed, use the update option to retrieve the new content; simply selecting an existing entry won’t update it.

Method 2: Enter Server Details Manually with Add Server

If you have the protocol, Address, Port, and credentials for a single server but no subscription URL, open the add option in Home, choose the appropriate Type, and fill in Add Server. Identify the protocol before entering details: Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard require different fields. Don’t enter one protocol’s password or identifier in a field for another protocol. A server name alone isn’t enough to determine the Type.

Enter the domain or IP address provided in your source information under Address, and the specified number under Port. Don’t guess based on the protocol. The 443 below illustrates how a port is written; use it only if the original information explicitly specifies 443. Set TLS, transport, SNI, and other options according to the source information as well. If these settings don’t match, the connection may fail even when Address and Port look correct.

After entering the details, return to Home and check that the entry’s name, Type, and server address are as expected, then select it and test the connection. For VMess or VLESS, enter the UUID exactly as provided. If transport or TLS parameters are also specified, check each one against the source information. WireGuard uses its own keys and network parameters; don’t use the password fields shown above as a template.

Methods 3 and 4: Scan a QR Code or Import from Clipboard

QR codes and clipboard text are ways to deliver information, not new connection protocols. A QR code may contain a single server share link or just a regular web address. Text may be a supported share link or a few lines of parameters for manual entry. After reading it, check what the app actually recognized rather than assuming the scan or paste worked as intended.

If the QR code is displayed on the same iPhone, the camera usually can’t scan the screen it’s on. Use copyable text provided with the existing information, or an image-reading option if the current app offers one. The same principle applies on iPad, though the interface may look different depending on the device layout. If some fields are missing after recognition, don’t guess the password, UUID, or keys; check the original information.

How to Check Whether an Imported Entry Works

First, make sure the intended entry appears in the Home list and that it’s selected. Then connect as prompted by the app and use the connection status shown in Home and Connectivity Test to help troubleshoot. An entry in the list only means its details were saved or read; it doesn’t confirm a successful connection. Interpret test results in light of your current network and routing mode.

• Entry doesn’t appear: Go back to the import option and check the information type. For Subscribe, check the complete URL and update result. For QR code or clipboard imports, check whether the content was recognized. For manual entry, make sure you saved it.
• Entry appears but won’t connect: First check Type, Address, Port, and credentials, then verify the required TLS, SNI, and transport settings against the source information. For a subscription entry, try updating it and confirm that the details are current.
• Connection looks fine, but traffic isn’t routed as expected: Check Global Routing in Home. Proxy, Direct, Config, and Scene are different routing modes. If Direct is selected, don’t expect all traffic to go through the selected server.

When using Config mode, also check the rules in the current configuration file. DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches domain suffixes, IP-CIDR matches IP ranges, GEOIP matches based on geographic location, and FINAL handles requests that didn’t match earlier rules. A rule may route traffic through a proxy or directly. The result for one website doesn’t, by itself, prove that a server entry is correct or incorrect. Check the connection test, selected entry, and rule result separately.

Common Issues: Duplicates, Empty Lists, and Format Mismatches

Start by checking the current app interface against your original information. Before making changes, note the entry’s name and source so you don’t confuse subscription entries with manually added ones. Two entries that look the same may be managed through different options.

Before setting up Shadowrocket for the first time on iPhone or iPad, make sure you’re getting it from the App Store. The listed developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and the app ID is 932747118. Check the App Store page for system requirements. Shadowrocket is a one-time purchase; buying the app and obtaining your own connection details are separate matters. Once you’ve verified the app, choose the import method that matches the information you already have.