How to Transfer Shadowrocket to a New iPhone: iCloud Sync, Config Export, and Restore

Identify the four types of data to transfer

Home, Config, and Settings in Shadowrocket store different kinds of information. Seeing a server or subscription group in Home does not mean the rules file has been restored; seeing a file with the same name in Config does not mean Global Routing is using it. Before migrating, record what is working on the old device so you do not have to reconstruct it from memory.

This guide assumes you already have your own service provider and subscription. Get subscription details from your provider; the app purchase and connection service are managed separately. Subscription URLs may contain access credentials. Store them securely like passwords, and do not put them in public notes, shared albums, or public feedback.

Keep the old device until the new one passes the full check. For now, avoid editing the same configuration file on both devices at once. If a sync carries an incorrect change to the other device, an independently exported file gives you a clear restore point.

What iCloud sync covers and how to check it

iCloud sync and saving an exported file to iCloud Drive are not the same thing. Sync depends on the features the app provides and the options actually enabled; saving to iCloud Drive keeps a file you can import manually. Signing in to the same Apple Account on both devices does not mean Home, Config, Settings, and system VPN authorization are all in sync.

First, go to Settings → Apple Account → iCloud and check iCloud Drive and the app's iCloud access. System labels may vary by OS version. Then open Settings in Shadowrocket and check the iCloud-related options shown there. Use the items listed in the app and the data that actually appears on the new device to determine what synced. Do not assume a full-device restore also syncs every item in the app.

Sync is not a separate, versioned backup: deletions and overwrites may sync too. If two files with the same name have different contents, export both before comparing them. Do not immediately overwrite the older file with an empty one. After restoring a system backup, run the same checks—especially which Config is enabled and what Global Routing is set to.

Export a Config file from the old device

Open Config and find the configuration file that is actually enabled. Export that file, not a backup with a similar name. File actions may be in the file's action menu or available by swiping. Open the actions and choose Share, then save the file using the system share sheet. A screenshot of text in the configuration editor is not a restorable file.

1. Identify the source file

   Open Config and note the currently selected filename. Open the file and check whether [Rule], custom rules, and the trailing FINAL match the old device's setup.

2. Export a copy

   In the file actions, choose Share, then select “Save to Files” in the system share sheet. If you save to iCloud Drive, wait for the upload to finish before leaving the old device.

3. Check the file

   In Files, make sure the exported item opens, is not empty, and retains the .conf extension. You could name it before-move.conf to distinguish it from any file you edit later.

4. Keep the source details

   Save the original subscription URL and any necessary manual server settings separately. Exporting a Config does not prove that all connection details in Home have been backed up.

5. Keep a fallback

   Keep the exported copy as an untouched restore baseline. If you need to make changes later, work on another copy and leave the old device in its current working state for now.

If the file references remote rule resources, saving the main configuration does not also save the remote content locally. When restoring, make sure those references are still accessible; any required authentication must also be valid. Do not delete rules or change the fallback policy at random to fix a failed reference.

Restore on a new iPhone or iPad

Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app for Apple platforms, primarily used on iPhone and iPad. It is available exclusively through the App Store. Install it on your new device from the App Store and verify the developer, Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118. Check the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase eligibility.

Your App Store purchase history and iCloud data sync are separate. If you have already purchased the app, first check your purchased items using the account associated with the store. Restoring the app does not verify your subscription's validity period or replace system authorization on the new device.

1. Check for existing data first. Open Home and Config to see what came across through sync or a system restore. Do not import subscriptions that are already present and working, as this may create groups with duplicate names.
2. Import any missing configuration. In Files, find the exported .conf file and use the share sheet to open it in Shadowrocket. Follow the import prompts, then return to Config and confirm that the file appears.
3. Enable the file you need. In Config, select the restored file and check its key contents. Importing a file does not mean its rules are active; it may not be enabled yet.
4. Restore Home items. If a subscription is missing, tap “+” in the top-right corner of Home to open Add Server. Set Type to Subscribe, enter the subscription URL from your provider, and save it. Then update the subscription.
5. Complete the first connection. Select a server you have confirmed is working, then turn on the connection. When the system asks to add a VPN configuration, verify the app name and confirm. Return to Home to check the status.

Manually added servers need to be checked individually for Type, address, port, authentication details, and relevant transport settings. Restoring a note or server name alone is not enough. Keep the port from the original details: even if one item used 443, do not change the ports of other entries to 443. The same protocol does not mean the connection settings are identical.

Check Global Routing after the restore

If you can connect after migrating but traffic is routed differently, check Home → Global Routing first, then Config. The connection switch shows the tunnel state; it does not guarantee that a destination is handled by the same rules as before. Use the comparison below to choose a mode for restore testing, and do not leave temporary troubleshooting settings in place as your final configuration.

If the old device used Scene, check the scene and its conditions too. Switching to Scene does not automatically restore the previous scene. During setup, keep variables controlled: first confirm the selected server and configuration work, then restore scenes and automatic connection conditions one at a time.

Check key rules to verify the files match

This is an example of how to read a configuration, not a replacement for your existing one. example.com is a sample domain. When comparing the old and new devices, check rule order, policy names, and the final fallback—not just the filenames.

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

• DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches domain suffixes. Specific rules that were previously higher in the list should not be moved below the fallback rule during restoration.
• The IP-CIDR example covers the private address range 192.168.0.0/16. If local network access is not working, also check the new device's actual subnet and system permissions.
• GEOIP matches against location data for the destination IP. A page's displayed language alone does not determine whether the rule matches.
• FINAL is the fallback and should come after rules that need to be evaluated first. Having a file does not mean every rule in it is actually matched.

On Demand and connection checks

After manual connections work, go to Settings → On Demand and restore the original conditions. On Demand triggers connection behavior based on conditions; it does not restore missing servers, subscriptions, or rules. Wi-Fi networks may differ on the new device, so recheck the old network conditions instead of copying them and assuming they work.

• Test a manual connection first. Select the target server in Home, confirm the connection status, and visit a destination you know and can use for testing.
• Then test routing. Check one destination expected to use DIRECT and one expected to use PROXY. Use available connection logs to verify the policy; do not rely on opening a webpage once as your only test.
• Then test network changes. Check how On Demand behaves on both Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Keep in mind that cellular testing uses mobile data.
• Test subscription updates last. Confirm the update succeeds, then check that the selected item is still valid. Your provider may change names or remove older entries when updating the list.

Change one thing at a time during verification. If you re-import a subscription, switch Global Routing, replace the Config, and change DNS all at once, even a successful restore will not tell you which step fixed the problem. Comparing the old and new devices on the same network makes it easier to separate missing migration data from differences in network conditions.

Common migration questions

Once the new device passes these checks—subscriptions update, Config is enabled, Global Routing is correct, and manual connections and On Demand both work—you can organize the old device. Keeping a separate configuration copy and the notes needed to restore it makes your next device switch easier than relying on ongoing sync alone.