Aug 19, 2026 · Install · About 10 min

Shadowrocket for Mac and Windows: Choose Apple Silicon or Intel, and Fix First-Launch Blocks

Learn how to check your Mac chip in About This Mac and choose the right DMG, then follow the macOS and Windows steps for developer verification alerts and SmartScreen.

At a glance

For anyone installing Shadowrocket on a Mac or Windows PC for the first time. Check your chip and system type, then get the right installer from our download page. If a warning appears on first launch, identify whether it’s an app reputation warning, an architecture mismatch, or a specific security alert before taking action. This guide covers Open Anyway on macOS, More info in Windows SmartScreen, and basic connection checks after installation.

1. Check the platform and download source

Mac and Windows users should choose the right platform on our download page. Installers are served from /dl/shadowrocket/ on this site. Mac downloads are available for Apple Silicon and Intel; choose based on your Mac’s chip, not its appearance or purchase year. For Windows, check your system type against the requirements listed on the download page. Installer filenames may change, so use the current download page rather than relying on an older filename.

Two ways to get Shadowrocket
iPhone / iPad: $2.99 one-time purchase on the App Store; Mac / Windows / Android / Linux: free
Two chip options
Choose a Mac download: Apple Silicon or Intel, based on About This Mac

Get Shadowrocket for iPhone / iPad on the App Store from Shadow Launch Technology Limited. Check the App Store listing for system requirements. The Mac (Apple Silicon / Intel), Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. Buying the app does not include a service plan, and installing it does not provide a working connection. To connect, you’ll need your own provider and subscription. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend nodes, subscriptions, or providers.

2. Check your Mac chip and choose the right DMG

On macOS, use the information in About This Mac to identify your hardware. If it shows Chip and an Apple chip name, choose the Apple Silicon version. If it shows Processor and lists Intel, choose the Intel version. Field names vary by macOS language, but the chip manufacturer still identifies the right download.

  1. Check your Mac

    Open the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select About This Mac. Check Chip or Processor. Don’t use the device name, memory, or macOS version to determine the processor type.

  2. Choose your chip version

    Open the Mac section of our download page. Choose Apple Silicon for an Apple chip or Intel for an Intel processor. The two downloads are for different architectures; you only need one.

  3. Open the disk image

    Wait for the browser to finish downloading, then open the .dmg. If the disk image contains the app and an Applications folder, drag the app into Applications. If the package includes other installation instructions, follow the instructions provided.

  4. Launch from Applications

    After copying the app, open Shadowrocket from Finder → Applications. Make sure the copy is complete, then eject the disk image so you don’t launch the app from the mounted volume in your Downloads folder next time.

An Apple Silicon Mac can run some Intel apps, but that doesn’t mean the Intel version is the best choice. If an Apple Silicon build is available, choose the version that matches your Mac’s architecture. If you see a processor unsupported or app incompatible message, check About This Mac against the download page first. Don’t mistake an architecture mismatch for a Gatekeeper block.

Apple Silicon checklist

Where to check
Apple menu → About This Mac
Field to look for
Chip, with an Apple chip name
Download to choose
Mac Apple Silicon
Where to launch
Finder → Applications

Choose based on the chip field, not screen size or the Mac’s appearance.

Intel checklist

Where to check
Apple menu → About This Mac
Field to look for
Processor, with Intel listed
Download to choose
Mac Intel
Where to launch
Finder → Applications

Choose the Intel installer for an Intel Mac, not the Apple Silicon version.

3. macOS can’t verify the developer: identify the warning first

If macOS says “cannot verify the developer” or “Apple cannot check it for malicious software,” first confirm you started the download from this site’s download page. Then consider using the one-time option provided by macOS. These alerts are different from “will damage your computer,” a confirmed malware detection, or a corrupted file; don’t treat every warning as a reason to allow the app.

  1. Note the full text of the alert, then close it. Make sure you’re opening the copy of Shadowrocket you just moved to Applications, not an email attachment, chat download, or another copy with an unknown source.
  2. Go to Apple menu → System Settings → Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section. Older versions of macOS may use System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General.
  3. If the page shows a blocked app entry that matches your recent launch attempt and offers Open Anyway, check the app name and click it. You may need to confirm with your password or Touch ID.
  4. When the next system dialog appears, select Open and check whether the app launches normally. Only allow this specific app after checking its source; don’t change your system-wide security settings.

If the disk image won’t open or macOS says the app is damaged, delete that download, return to our download page, and get the version that matches your Mac. Wait for the download to finish before trying again. If the same alert appears after downloading again, stop trying to allow the app. Keep your macOS version, chip type, and the exact error text, then continue with troubleshooting. If macOS reports malware or recommends moving the app to the Trash, do not follow the allow steps above.

4. Install on Windows and use More info in SmartScreen

On Windows, check Settings → System → About → System type before choosing a download. Then check the Windows package requirements on our download page. “64-bit” alone doesn’t tell you whether a system is x64 or ARM64; check the download page and your system’s compatibility to determine whether an ARM device is supported.

  1. Check your system

    Go to System → About, note the System type, and confirm that your system meets the requirements on the download page. If you see “This app can’t run on your PC,” check the architecture and system compatibility first.

  2. Finish the download

    Get the Windows installer from our download page and wait for the browser to finish downloading before opening it. The installation process depends on the file and installer wizard provided. Don’t treat a partially downloaded temporary file as the installer.

  3. View details

    If Windows displays “Windows protected your PC,” select More info and check the filename and Publisher. “Unknown publisher” only means Windows hasn’t identified a publisher here; it does not, by itself, prove the file is trustworthy.

  4. Continue only if it’s appropriate

    Continue only after confirming the source, checking that there is no specific threat report, and seeing the Run anyway option. If User Account Control appears next, check the app and publisher information before deciding whether to allow the request.

  5. Launch the app

    Complete the installation wizard, then open Shadowrocket from the Start menu. If Run anyway isn’t available on a device managed by an organization, contact your administrator. Don’t force the installation by changing security settings.

SmartScreen app reputation warnings, Microsoft Defender threat detections, and User Account Control permission prompts are three different mechanisms. SmartScreen may offer a way to view details and continue; a specific threat detection means you should stop; a permission prompt asks whether the app should be allowed to make this system change. One warning is not a reason to disable other protections.

5. After first launch: check the connection, then review routing

After installing Shadowrocket on a Mac or Windows PC, opening the main window only confirms that the app runs; it doesn’t mean a connection is available. To connect, import your existing configuration and check the server address, port, and protocol settings. Read any system prompt requesting network access or a VPN configuration, and confirm it was triggered by the Shadowrocket app you just opened. Permission prompt names vary by platform.

  1. Make sure the configuration was saved successfully. The sample subscription URL https://example.com/sub?token=xxxx is shown only to illustrate the format and cannot be used as a real subscription.
  2. In Home, check the SERVER list and current selection, then run Connectivity Test. A response only shows that the test target was reachable at that time; it doesn’t mean every website is accessible.
  3. Check the current Global Routing mode. Config, Proxy, Direct, and Scene are different routing choices, not connection speed settings. Scene also depends on the scenes you’ve configured.
  4. If the app connects or disconnects automatically on certain networks, check whether Settings → On Demand is enabled and review its conditions. For an initial diagnosis, test the connection manually first, then check the automatic triggers separately.

Config: Route by configuration

Recommended

Routes connections according to the rules and policies in the current configuration. Check which configuration is enabled, then review the rule order. For example, DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,DIRECT sends matching domains to DIRECT.

Best for: Routing by destination with a verified working rules configuration

Proxy: Check the proxy path

Routes connections handled by the app through the proxy path. Use it to compare results with rule-based routing. It doesn’t guarantee that the selected server is available, nor does it mean all system traffic will necessarily be handled by the app.

Best for: Briefly checking rule or policy choices in Config

Direct: Check the direct path

Uses a direct path for connections controlled by this mode. If the result changes after switching, that can help identify a proxy path or rule issue, but it doesn’t tell you whether the remote service is available.

Best for: Comparing access over your local network and the proxy path

Rule troubleshooting comes after installation. For example, FINAL,DIRECT is a fallback rule at the end of a ruleset, not an installation option. Changing it won’t fix a macOS developer verification alert or Windows architecture incompatibility. For the full setup process, continue with the user guide. Avoid changing the installer, server, and rules all in the same test.

6. Common installation issues and what to check

For Mac and Windows troubleshooting, keep track of three things: where the action took place, the exact alert text, and what happened next. The questions below are organized by installation stage. Change one thing at a time. On managed devices, follow your organization’s policies rather than disabling protections to get the app running.

I downloaded the Intel version for Mac. Can I switch to Apple Silicon?

Check the Chip field in About This Mac, then quit Shadowrocket and get the Apple Silicon version from our download page. Before replacing the app, keep your existing configuration and follow the system prompts to copy the new version. Don’t delete the configuration folder or run both copies at once.

Why does the app open from the DMG but disappear after I eject it?

You may have launched the app from the mounted disk image without copying it to Applications. Open the DMG again, check its contents, and copy the app to Applications as instructed. Then launch it from Finder → Applications and eject the disk image.

macOS only offers “Move to Trash.” Can I continue?

Read the full warning first; don’t treat it as a routine developer verification alert. If macOS says the app will damage your computer or detected malware, stop and don’t open it. If it says the file is damaged, download it again from our site and check once more. If the error persists, keep the exact message and don’t use Terminal to force-remove the restriction.

I clicked More info in Windows, but there’s still no button to continue. What now?

Check whether the prompt is from SmartScreen and whether the device is managed by an organization. If Run anyway isn’t available, don’t keep looking for a workaround. Give your administrator the file source, a screenshot of the alert, and your System type. Don’t turn off Windows Security or add an exclusion.

The app opens, but Connectivity Test times out. Does that mean the installation failed?

If the app launches and opens Home normally, troubleshoot the connection next. Check the selected SERVER, whether your existing subscription updated successfully, the address and port, and the Global Routing mode. A test timeout doesn’t prove the installer is faulty; you usually don’t need to uninstall and reinstall first.

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