Installing Shadowrocket on Windows involves more than downloading a file: use the site’s download page as the starting point, let the download finish, and check the file before opening it. This walkthrough covers the download, first launch, and a basic connection check. It also explains how to respond if Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warns that the app is unrecognized, without turning off Windows security features.
This guide is for Windows users who want to install Shadowrocket and confirm that it opens correctly. Get the free Windows version from the download page, check the completed file and its source, then follow the installation steps for the file provided. If SmartScreen appears, verify the source and use the download page’s “installation allowance” instructions rather than disabling protection system-wide. To test connections after launch, you’ll need your own existing configuration or subscription; this guide does not provide, sell, or recommend nodes or subscriptions.
1. Before you download: identify the right source and file
Shadowrocket for Windows is free. The iPhone / iPad version is a one-time $2.99 purchase through the App Store; the Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. The Windows installer is provided through this site’s download page. Start there rather than searching for a copy on a file-sharing site or relying on a link from an unrelated post. A familiar product name in a filename is not proof that a file came from the right place.
Before downloading, make sure you are on the Windows section of the download page and select the Windows download offered there. Do not assume that a package for Mac or Linux can be used on Windows, and do not rename a file to make it appear to be a Windows installer. A filename or extension is a clue to a file’s type, not a way to convert it. Follow the format and installation notes shown on the download page for the available Windows package.
Use the browser’s download list to confirm that the transfer has completed; do not try to open a partial file while it is still downloading. In File Explorer, open Downloads and locate the file you just saved. If you downloaded more than one copy, use the browser’s completed-download entry to identify the latest one rather than guessing from similar filenames. Keep the original filename and extension unless the download page specifically instructs otherwise.
Windows may display a security prompt when you first open a downloaded application. A warning can mean that Windows does not yet recognize the file or its publisher; it does not, by itself, establish that the file is safe or unsafe. Check the source before deciding what to do. If the browser reports an interrupted or failed download, return to the download page and retry there instead of opening the incomplete file.
2. Download and install Shadowrocket on Windows
Use the steps below in order. The download page is the reference for the current Windows package and its installation notes, so avoid following instructions that refer to a different file type or an old version. The labels and prompts Windows displays can vary with system settings; read the prompt shown on your own computer rather than assuming that every dialog will look identical.
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Open the Windows section
Visit the download page and find the Windows platform section. Confirm that the download action is for Windows before selecting it. If you arrived from a saved bookmark, check that the page still shows the Windows instructions and not another platform’s package.
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Wait for completion
Use your browser’s downloads list to confirm the transfer has finished. If it shows an error or an incomplete transfer, do not open the file. Retry from the download page and check that the new download completes before continuing.
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Locate the file
Open File Explorer → Downloads and find the completed file. Compare it with the entry in your browser’s download list. Do not run an older similarly named file from a different folder, and do not change the extension to try to make a file install.
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Follow setup prompts
Open the downloaded file and follow the Windows setup prompts and the instructions for that package on the download page. Review any displayed destination or permission request before continuing. If Windows blocks the first launch, pause and use the SmartScreen guidance in the next section instead of repeatedly opening the file.
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Confirm launch
After setup, start Shadowrocket from the option presented by the installer or from its Windows app entry. Wait for the main window to finish opening. A visible app window confirms that the launch succeeded; it does not yet prove that an existing configuration can connect.
If Windows asks for permission to make changes, check that you intentionally started the installation and that the prompt is associated with the file you obtained from the download page. Do not approve a prompt that appears unexpectedly after opening a document or unrelated website. If a setup step fails, note the exact message and return to the download page’s Windows instructions before trying a different action.
3. If SmartScreen appears, verify before proceeding
Microsoft Defender SmartScreen can warn when an app has limited reputation information on a particular computer. The warning is not an instruction to disable SmartScreen, and it is not a reason to download the same file from an unknown mirror. First check that the download came from the site’s Windows download section, that the browser marked it complete, and that the file you are opening is the one you just saved.
If you cannot confirm the source, stop and do not run the file. Delete the questionable copy, return to the download page, and download again. If you can confirm the source but Windows still blocks the first launch, follow the “installation allowance” instructions shown on the download page. Apply only the steps needed for that specific file. Do not turn off SmartScreen or Windows security protections globally, and do not treat a prompt to bypass a warning as proof of a file’s identity.
Windows dialog wording and controls can change with system configuration. Read the full message and make sure you are responding to the prompt for Shadowrocket, not granting permission to an unrelated app. If the instructions on the download page do not match the prompt on your computer, stop rather than guessing at a similarly named option. You can also close the prompt and recheck the download page and the file in Downloads.
Once the app opens, check that the main window remains responsive and that you can reach its configuration area. If the window does not appear, first check whether setup actually completed and whether Windows left a permission or security prompt waiting for a response. Restarting the computer is not the first fix for an unverified download or an installer that has not completed successfully.
4. Verify the app, then check routing separately
Successful installation and a working proxy connection are separate checks. The first is whether Shadowrocket opens. The second depends on having valid connection details from your own provider and on choosing a suitable routing mode. Installing the client does not include a server, subscription, or service plan. This guide only covers the app and the use of a configuration that you already have.
Routes requests according to the rules in the active Config. This is a useful starting point for ordinary use when your configuration is prepared for rule-based routing.
Suitable for: everyday use with an existing ruleset
Sends traffic through the selected proxy policy rather than relying on the active Config’s usual rule choices. It can help when you are checking a selected entry.
Suitable for: a temporary, direct proxy-routing check
Uses the current network directly. If this mode is selected, a successful connection does not demonstrate that the selected proxy entry works.
Suitable for: checking ordinary direct network access
Start with the configuration you already have and check that its entries have loaded. If you use a subscription, update it only through the source you already use and confirm that the update completes. A subscription name appearing in the app is not necessarily the same as having usable entries available for selection. Keep access links and credentials private; do not include them in screenshots or public support requests.
Conclusion: verify launch before troubleshooting connections
First confirm that Shadowrocket opens and its configuration is visible. Only then check the selected routing mode, an existing connection entry, and a real request. This order helps separate a Windows installation issue from a configuration or network issue.
For a basic post-install check, open the main screen, confirm that your existing configuration is present, and review the selected routing mode before testing a request. In Config mode, a rule may intentionally send a request DIRECT or apply another policy, so the result may not use the selected proxy entry. If the app opens but a request fails, record what you tested and inspect the relevant configuration and network conditions rather than reinstalling immediately.
If Shadowrocket does not open after following the Windows instructions, return to the download page and review the current installation notes, including the “installation allowance” guidance if Windows blocked the first launch. When the app opens but cannot connect, treat that as a separate configuration or connectivity problem. The Windows app is free; the iPhone / iPad version is a one-time $2.99 App Store purchase, while the Mac (Apple silicon and Intel), Android, and Linux versions are also free.