Install Shadowrocket on Linux: DEB, RPM, or AppImage

Check your distribution and architecture first

Installing Shadowrocket on Linux involves more than checking a file extension. DEB and RPM are package formats for different package management systems; AppImage is an executable application file. Each must match your CPU architecture and runtime environment. Run these read-only commands in a terminal first; they do not change system settings.

cat /etc/os-release
uname -m

Use ID and ID_LIKE in /etc/os-release to identify your distribution and its family. The output x86_64 from uname -m indicates the common 64-bit Intel / AMD architecture; aarch64 usually indicates ARM64. The package must have both the right format and the right architecture. AppImage files also cannot run across CPU architectures.

Using RPM does not mean every RPM-based distribution can install the same file. For example, a system may not use dnf, or its core library versions may differ. If dependencies are missing, check the specific error rather than changing the file extension to DEB or forcing the installation past dependency checks.

Get the package and check its details

Go to the Linux section on the site’s app download page and choose a file in an available format for your architecture. The download page resolves the package from the site’s /dl/shadowrocket/ path. Don’t guess the filename from an example or pick an arbitrary file just because multiple older downloads appear in your browser’s list.

1. Check your system

   Run cat /etc/os-release and uname -m to note your distribution family and CPU architecture.

2. Choose a format

   On the app download page, choose the Linux DEB, RPM, or AppImage package. Don’t substitute a package for a different architecture if yours isn’t listed.

3. Note the file location

   In your file manager, confirm the download is complete and note its full path. The commands below prompt you to enter the actual path, so they don’t rely on a fixed package filename.

4. Check package details

   For DEB files, use dpkg-deb -f; for RPM files, use rpm -qpi. For AppImage, start with file to identify the file type and architecture.

Install DEB with apt

On Ubuntu and Debian, use apt to install a local DEB package. Unlike simply unpacking the file, apt checks package dependencies and tries to get the required components from your system’s configured software sources. If those sources are unavailable, installation may stall while downloading dependencies.

read -r -p 'Enter the full path to the DEB file: ' pkg
dpkg-deb -f "$pkg" Package Version Architecture
dpkg --print-architecture
sudo apt install "$pkg"

The architecture details should be compatible. For example, if your system architecture is amd64, choose the matching x86-64 package. Review apt’s installation plan before proceeding. It’s normal for the terminal not to display characters when you enter your sudo password; this doesn’t mean your keyboard has stopped working.

• “File not found”: Make sure you entered the full path to the downloaded file, not the downloads folder or a web address from your browser.
• “Unmet dependencies”: Note the full dependency names and version requirements, then check whether your distribution meets the package requirements.
• Out-of-date package indexes: Run sudo apt update and try again once it completes. This updates the package indexes; it doesn’t upgrade all your system software.
• An earlier package operation is unfinished: Read apt’s prompts and resolve the package manager’s current state. Don’t start multiple installation processes at once.

After installation, open Shadowrocket from your desktop’s application menu. Don’t run the entire graphical client with sudo just to work around an ordinary startup issue. If system network permissions are needed, follow the authorization prompt shown.

Install RPM with dnf

On Fedora and other systems that use dnf, install the downloaded local RPM package with dnf. It checks dependencies and displays the transaction plan. The query commands below only read package information; the final install command is the one that changes your system.

read -r -p 'Enter the full path to the RPM file: ' pkg
rpm -qpi "$pkg"
rpm --eval '%{_arch}'
sudo dnf install "$pkg"

Check that the Architecture shown in the RPM details matches your system. If the output reports dependency conflicts or an incompatible core library version, first check whether you chose a package for the wrong distribution. Don’t force the file onto your system by skipping dependency checks.

Grant AppImage execute permission first

Unlike DEB and RPM packages, AppImage files don’t need to be registered in the system package database. But “no installation required” doesn’t mean “no runtime requirements.” The file needs execute permission, must be stored somewhere that allows execution, and may require FUSE at runtime. Save it to a local folder in your home directory first, then run it from a terminal to see any errors.

read -r -p 'Enter the full path to the AppImage file: ' app
file "$app"
chmod u+x "$app"
"$app"

chmod u+x grants execute permission only to the file’s owner. There’s no need to make the file writable by everyone. The last line runs the file you entered. If the terminal reports Exec format error, check the architecture and file type first; repeatedly changing execute permissions won’t fix an architecture mismatch.

• Permission denied: Check the owner and execute bit with ls -l "$app". If the execute bit is set, check whether the file’s partition is mounted with the noexec option.
• Missing libfuse.so.2: The AppImage runtime needs a FUSE 2 compatibility library. Depending on your distribution, the package may be called libfuse2 or libfuse2t64. Check your system’s software sources for the right package, then install it.
• Double-clicking opens only a file picker: Set the execute permission, then try running the file once from a terminal. A file manager’s double-click behavior is no substitute for checking the error log.
• The required GLIBC version is unavailable: This is a core runtime compatibility issue. Don’t replace the system libc manually; use a system environment that meets the runtime requirements.

Check after first launch

An open window only confirms that the application started; it doesn’t mean a working connection is available. The steps below assume you already have a service provider and subscription of your own. This site does not provide, sell, or recommend nodes or subscriptions. The installation package does not create service credentials.

1. Go to Home and use the add option. Choose Subscribe as the subscription type, paste a subscription URL you already have, and save it. Don’t paste a subscription URL into the address field for an individual server.
2. Update the subscription in Home and check that the expected configuration items appear. If the update returns nothing, first check the subscription’s validity, response content, and access status. Don’t reinstall the app right away.
3. To route traffic by rules, open Config, confirm the relevant configuration is imported and enabled, then set Global Routing to Config.
4. Select an available item, turn on the connection, complete any required network authorization when prompted, and test a website you know is accessible.

When troubleshooting, distinguish between a subscription update failure and an access failure after connecting. The first occurs while fetching configuration; the second can also involve service status, DNS, and routing rules. Don’t change the package and several settings at once, or it’ll be hard to tell what fixed—or caused—the issue.

For your first test, connect manually. If you previously enabled automatic connections, check the current state of Settings → On Demand so existing conditions don’t change the connection during testing. Available options vary by platform; check what’s actually offered.

How to identify common errors

When recording an error, include the command, full error message, and system architecture. Don’t include subscription URLs, access tokens, or server passwords in public logs. The issues below are grouped by when they occur—before installation, at startup, or after connecting—to help distinguish dependency problems from subscription problems.