This guide is for users with arm64 Android devices who are preparing to install Shadowrocket. Follow these steps in order: download with your system browser → authorize the app that opens the file → install → check your first connection. This helps identify WeChat download restrictions, missing install permissions, incompatible APKs, and configuration issues. Installing the app does not provide a connection service; you’ll need your own existing provider and subscription to connect.
1. Check your Android device and download source
The Android version of Shadowrocket (Shadowrocket) is installed from an APK. This guide covers the arm64 option on the download page. Arm64 refers to the 64-bit ARM architecture, not the Android version. Most recent Android phones use this architecture, but a 64-bit-capable processor doesn’t necessarily mean the manufacturer installed a 64-bit operating system. Check the supported app architecture first on older devices, some tablets, and emulators.
Go to the Shadowrocket downloads for all platforms page and find the Android section. The installer is provided on this site at /dl/; there’s no need to look for it in chat attachments or reposted files. Don’t give Mac, Windows, or Linux files to the Android installer, and don’t try to install a file just by changing its extension.
Mac downloads are available for both Apple silicon and Intel. The iPhone / iPad developer is Shadow Launch Technology Limited; check the App Store listing for system requirements. All platform downloads are on the downloads page; this guide covers the Android download and installation process.
2. Download and install with your system browser
Use your system browser to visit this site from the start so that the download history, installer, and source permissions all match. System menu names vary by manufacturer and locale; common English menu paths are included below. If you can’t find the exact option, search for “install unknown apps” in system Settings.
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Open the downloads page
Visit this site in your system browser, go to the Android section of the downloads page, and select the Android arm64 APK. Check your device architecture before downloading, and don’t select an installer for another platform.
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Wait for the download to finish
Open the browser menu and go to Downloads. Wait until the download finishes before opening the file. If it’s still downloading, paused, or failed, resume the download first; opening the file repeatedly won’t restore missing data.
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Allow the installation source
If the system says the source isn’t allowed, tap Settings in the prompt, open the app’s Install unknown apps page, turn on Allow from this source, then return to the installer. Grant permission only to the browser that actually opened the APK.
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Confirm the installation
Check that the installer shows Shadowrocket as the app name, then select Install. If you see a security warning, device management restriction, or incompatibility message, read the specific reason first instead of treating every prompt as a source-permission issue.
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Revoke source permission
After installation, open the app and confirm that its main screen loads. Then go to system Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps, select the app you authorized, and turn off Allow from this source.
The system may treat opening a file from browser Downloads and opening it from a file manager as two different installation sources. If you authorized your browser but then opened the APK in a file manager, it’s normal for the system to ask for permission again. Check the app name shown on the current authorization page rather than enabling permission for every app.
3. What to do if tapping Download in WeChat does nothing
WeChat’s built-in browser may restrict APK downloads or prevent the system installer from opening. You might see an unresponsive button, a download page that doesn’t progress, or a prompt to open the page in a browser. These issues happen while the file is being delivered; they don’t mean Shadowrocket installation failed.
Fix: Open the page in your system browser
Still in WeChat
- Open the menu in the top-right corner of the page and look for an option to open it in a browser.
- If there’s no such option, copy the current page address—not a temporary download status shown on the page.
- Don’t keep tapping the button, and don’t save a blank page as an installer.
Switched to a browser
- Paste the site address into the address bar, then go to the Android section of the downloads page again.
- Start the download again and confirm it’s complete in browser Downloads.
- Open the completed APK and grant permission to the current source if prompted.
The key is to start the download again in your system browser. Simply switching to the browser won’t resume a download that WeChat failed to start.
If the download still won’t start in your system browser, check whether other websites open normally, whether you have enough storage, and whether Downloads shows a specific error. Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data once, and keep an eye on your mobile data usage. There’s no need to change Shadowrocket’s Global Routing or subscription settings before the download succeeds.
4. Identify permission, installer, and system restrictions
“Can’t install” describes an outcome, not a single cause. Note whether the error appears before the download, when you open the file, or after installation finishes, then use the table below. This avoids repeatedly changing permissions to fix a download issue or switching browsers to fix a compatibility problem.
| What you see | Check first | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Message: installation from this source isn’t allowed | Is the app authorized in Install unknown apps the same app that opened the file? | Turn on Allow from this source only for that app, then return to the installer and try again. |
| Message: there was a problem parsing the package | Does Downloads show a complete download, and is the file an Android APK? | Delete the failed download and download the file again from this site’s Android section. If it still fails, check system compatibility. |
| Message: not compatible with your device | Does your system support arm64 apps, and does it meet the requirements listed on the downloads page? | Check your system’s device information. Renaming the file or granting permission won’t change its architecture. |
| Message: not enough storage | Check the available internal storage, not just the space on an external memory card. | Delete files you don’t need to make room for the download and installation, then try again. |
| Message: conflict with an existing app | Is an app with the same name already installed, or does the system report a signature mismatch? | Back up your existing configuration and confirm where the original app came from. Don’t uninstall it before checking for your configuration. |
| Blocked by a work profile or management policy | Is this a managed work device, work profile, or restricted account? | Ask your device administrator which installation methods are allowed. Don’t try to bypass management restrictions. |
5. First launch and Global Routing settings
If the app launches, installation is complete. Establishing a connection also depends on your existing configuration, service details, and system network permissions. Check your connection entry in Home and the configuration you plan to use in Config. An APK isn’t a subscription, and a subscription link doesn’t belong in the system’s installation-source settings.
- Use your existing provider and subscription, and check the imported address, port, credentials, and protocol. Make sure the port matches the value provided by your service; don’t change it to
443just because you’re using TLS. - When you connect for the first time, Android may show a system VPN connection request. Read the app name in the prompt before confirming. This permission is separate from Install unknown apps.
- Before routing traffic by rule, check your Global Routing selection and the Rule in the current Config. A VPN status indicator only confirms that the system tunnel is up; it doesn’t prove that the remote service is reachable.
- For troubleshooting, leave Settings → On Demand turned off and control the connection manually. Once the basic connection is stable, configure automatic activation if needed. This prevents automatic reconnections from complicating diagnosis.
Global Routing → Config
RecommendedChoose a policy based on the rules in your current configuration. Rules are matched from top to bottom. DOMAIN-SUFFIX, GEOIP, and IP-CIDR match different targets, while FINAL handles connections that haven’t matched earlier rules. The matched policy determines the actual route; other traffic doesn’t necessarily go direct.
Best for: everyday rule-based routing with an existing trusted configuration
Global Routing → Proxy
Route traffic handled by the client through a proxy policy to check whether the current connection entry works. If Proxy is reachable but Config isn’t, check the rules and their policy targets; reinstalling the APK won’t help.
Best for: temporarily checking the difference between rule matching and proxy connectivity
Global Routing → Direct
Direct routing can help you check whether your local network can reach a destination. A successful or failed connection under Direct doesn’t show whether a proxy server is working, and it won’t fix incorrect service details.
Best for: comparing access over your local network with access through a proxy
Scene in Global Routing lets you set routing behavior for different scenarios; it isn’t required for installation. This guide uses manual settings to establish repeatable checks, so you don’t need to configure Scene or On Demand during initial setup.
6. Common questions about installing the Android APK
Why am I still asked to grant permission after allowing my browser to install apps?
Check whether you opened the APK from a file manager or another app this time. The system grants permission separately to each app that starts an installation. Open the completed file from browser Downloads, or temporarily authorize the current source and turn off its permission after installation.
The download finished, but there’s no app icon on my home screen. Did installation fail?
A completed download doesn’t mean the app is installed. Open the APK in Downloads and finish installation by tapping Install. If the installer says it succeeded, go to system Settings → Apps and search for Shadowrocket. Some launchers add new apps to the app list without placing an icon on the home screen.
It still won’t parse after I switched networks. Should I keep downloading?
First confirm that the new download completed. If the same device still reports an error with the complete arm64 package from this site, check the device architecture, system compatibility, and management policies, and note the original system message. Don’t keep downloading indefinitely or try installing the file under a different extension.
Installation succeeded, but the connection failed. Should I reinstall?
Usually, start by checking the configuration. Verify the selected entry in Home, the Global Routing mode, the system VPN prompt, and the device’s date and time, then check the address, port, and protocol settings. Reinstalling won’t correct a wrong password or an unavailable remote service, and it could erase configuration that hasn’t been backed up.
For updates, download the Android installer from this site’s downloads page. The system installer will usually handle it as an update. Back up your current configuration first. If you see a signature conflict or another error, find the cause instead of uninstalling as a first step. After installation, delete any old APKs you no longer need from Downloads and revoke temporary installation-source permission for your browser or file manager.