Shadowrocket for Mac: Choose the Right DMG and Install It

1. Check your Mac’s processor before downloading

Apple silicon and Intel Macs use different processor architectures. A DMG intended for one architecture may not be the right choice for the other, so identify your Mac first instead of choosing based on the file size or a guess about its age. The download page lists the Mac options; select the one that matches the processor reported by macOS.

On your Mac, open the Apple menu  → About This Mac. Look for the chip or processor description in the overview. A Mac that reports an Apple chip, such as an M-series chip, is an Apple silicon Mac. A Mac that reports an Intel processor is an Intel Mac. The wording and layout of About This Mac can vary by macOS version, but the processor family is the key detail.

Do not use the Mac’s model name alone to pick a download: similar product names can refer to different generations and processor types. If you are helping someone remotely, ask them to read the processor line from About This Mac rather than relying on a photo of the computer or an approximate purchase year. If the page offers a choice that does not match the result, pause and confirm which file applies before proceeding.

• Apple silicon: Choose the Apple silicon Mac download shown on the download page.
• Intel: Choose the Intel Mac download shown on the download page.
• Not sure: Return to Apple menu  → About This Mac and check the processor description again.

2. Download the matching DMG

Use the all-platform download page and open its Mac section. Confirm the processor option you identified, then download that DMG. The page is the place to check the available Mac packages and their current instructions; this article intentionally does not name a fixed filename or version, since those can change. Avoid using a file from an unfamiliar mirror or a download link copied out of context.

Once the download finishes, open Finder → Downloads and locate the DMG. If your browser saved files to a different folder, check the browser’s download list and use its option to reveal the file in Finder. Keep the original download until Shadowrocket has opened successfully; deleting it too early can make it harder to repeat the installation or confirm which file you used.

If the file does not appear in Downloads, check whether the browser paused or blocked the download, whether you selected another destination, or whether the download has not completed. Do not open a partial file. If macOS reports that the disk image cannot be opened, first remove the incomplete download and download the matching DMG again from the download page. If the same message persists, note the exact wording and check the page’s installation guidance before changing system settings.

3. Install the app from the mounted disk image

Double-click the downloaded DMG in Finder. macOS should mount it and display its contents in a Finder window. Follow the instructions shown there. If the window presents Shadowrocket and an Applications shortcut, drag Shadowrocket onto Applications and wait for the copy to finish. If the DMG provides a different installation flow, follow the instructions included with that download instead of assuming a drag-and-drop window will always be present.

1. Open About This Mac

   Select Apple menu  → About This Mac and identify whether the Mac uses Apple silicon or an Intel processor. Keep that result in mind while choosing the download.

2. Choose the Mac build

   Open this site’s download page → Mac and select the option that matches the processor shown in About This Mac. Download the file and wait until it has finished.

3. Open the DMG

   In Finder, open Downloads or the browser’s chosen save folder, then double-click the downloaded DMG. Wait for macOS to mount it and display its contents.

4. Copy the app

   If the mounted window shows an Applications shortcut, drag Shadowrocket onto Applications and let the copy complete. If the window gives another installation instruction, use that flow instead.

5. Open Applications

   In Finder, select Applications and open Shadowrocket from there. If macOS shows a security prompt, use the download page’s installation-allowance instructions for the first launch.

Wait for the copy to finish before closing the mounted window. Then open Finder → Applications and look for Shadowrocket. Opening the app from Applications also makes it easier to distinguish the installed copy from the item displayed inside the mounted DMG. If you open the app directly from the disk image, you may be using the temporary mounted copy rather than the one placed in Applications.

After confirming that the app opens from Applications, eject the mounted disk image using Finder’s eject control beside its name. Ejecting only unmounts the installer volume; it does not remove the app from Applications. Keep the downloaded DMG until you have completed the first-launch check, then remove it if you no longer need the installer. If a copy prompt appears again, check whether Shadowrocket is already in Applications before replacing or duplicating it.

4. Handle a macOS security prompt carefully

On a first launch, macOS may stop the app and display a security message. This is an operating-system gate, not proof by itself that you selected the wrong processor build. Read the exact message, confirm that you downloaded the Mac version from this site’s download page, and follow that page’s “installation allowance” instructions for a first-open block. The instructions are there to guide this specific step; do not try unrelated settings or repeatedly open the DMG as a substitute.

Security messages can have different causes and wording, so do not assume every prompt has the same resolution. If the message says the app is damaged, the file cannot be verified, or the app cannot be opened, note the complete text. Check that the DMG download completed and matches your processor, then refer to the download page’s guidance. If the prompt differs from the documented case, stop and use the exact message to identify the relevant next step rather than broadly weakening macOS security controls.

Do not approve a prompt merely because it appears during installation. The source and the exact message matter. If you cannot confirm that the file came from the expected download page, stop and download it again from there. Likewise, if the message does not match the first-launch instructions, preserve its wording and check the current installation guidance instead of applying a procedure intended for another warning.

5. Verify the installation and prepare for first use

After the first successful launch, close Shadowrocket and open it again from Finder → Applications. This quick check confirms that the installed app can start without relying on the mounted DMG. You can also use Finder’s Applications folder to check that there is one installed copy in the expected location. A working launch confirms installation; it does not by itself confirm that a network configuration is complete or that a connection is available.

Shadowrocket is a client, and installing it does not include network service. This guide does not provide, sell, or recommend servers, subscriptions, providers, or invitation codes. Any later configuration or import assumes you already have your own service details. Keep installation troubleshooting separate from connection troubleshooting: a security prompt is a macOS launch issue, while a failed connection may involve the user’s own configuration or network conditions.

• App does not appear in Applications: Reopen the DMG and follow the instructions displayed in its window. Check that the copy operation completed.
• App appears but will not launch: Record the exact macOS message, verify the download source and processor match, and consult the download page’s installation guidance.
• App launches but a connection does not work: Treat this as a separate configuration check. Confirm that your own details are complete and that the selected settings match them.
• Need another platform: Use the download page to select the relevant platform; do not reuse the Mac DMG on another operating system.

For reference, the Mac version is free. The iPhone / iPad version is available through the App Store for a one-time $2.99 purchase, with system requirements shown on its App Store listing. Windows, Android, and Linux versions are free. These are app acquisition details, not a purchase of network service. When returning to the Mac setup later, the useful checklist is simple: confirm the processor in About This Mac, choose the matching DMG on the download page, install according to the mounted window, and use the download page’s instructions if macOS blocks the first launch.