Shadowrocket Global Routing: Choose Proxy, Direct, or Rule Mode

1. What Global Routing controls

Global Routing is a traffic-handling choice on Home. It is separate from starting the VPN connection, selecting a server, and choosing or editing a configuration file. Those controls work together, but they do not mean the same thing. A connection can be active while traffic is handled in Direct mode, for example, and a configuration can be present in Config without being the mode currently selected under Global Routing.

For a useful mental model, check the settings in this order: first confirm that the intended connection is selected; next confirm that the connection is active; then check Global Routing; finally, if you use Config, verify that the intended configuration is selected and that its rules match the traffic you are testing. This sequence helps distinguish a connection problem from an unexpected route.

The four options are not four different connection servers. Proxy and Direct are broad routing choices; Config applies rule-based decisions from the active configuration; Scene applies the behavior associated with a selected scene. A mode change affects new traffic, but an app may keep an existing connection open for a while. Close and reopen the page or app you are testing before deciding that a change had no effect.

These are routing choices, not guarantees that every app request will succeed. A website can still fail because the selected route is unavailable, the destination does not respond, DNS resolution fails, or the app retains an older connection. Use the same destination and the same network when comparing modes so that the result is meaningful.

2. Choose a mode for the task

For most users who want some destinations to use a proxy and others to connect directly, start with Config. In this mode, the active configuration’s rules determine the route. A rule may match a domain or another condition and assign a policy such as PROXY or DIRECT. The order of rules and the final fallback matter: if a request does not match an earlier rule, the fallback determines what happens next.

Proxy is useful when you deliberately want a broad proxy route, or when you need a temporary comparison that avoids relying on domain-specific rules. It does not mean that every destination is reachable; the selected route must still work, and the destination must accept the connection. If a custom policy or group is involved, check which member is selected rather than assuming its displayed name has a particular behavior.

Direct is a useful baseline when you want to see whether a destination works without the proxy route. It is also a practical way to identify whether a failure is tied to the proxy path or occurs on the current network regardless. A failed Direct test does not automatically mean the app is misconfigured: the network may not allow direct access to that destination.

Scene is for users who have configured scenarios and want to switch among them. Treat it as a selectable profile, not as a synonym for Config or an automatic “smart” route. Scene behavior depends on what has been assigned to the selected scene. If a test produces an unexpected result, inspect the scene’s settings and repeat the test under Config to determine whether the active configuration’s rules behave as expected.

For example, a configuration might route a particular domain through PROXY, send another category through DIRECT, and use a final rule for everything else. Selecting Proxy instead of Config changes the test: it no longer demonstrates whether those individual rules are working. Selecting Direct also bypasses the intended proxy policies. Always match the mode to the question you are trying to answer.

3. Change the mode on Home and verify it

Before changing Global Routing, note the current selection and the test destination. If you have a working setup, avoid editing configuration rules during the same test. On iPhone or iPad, the labels and arrangement can vary slightly with the app version, but the relevant controls are on Home. The following sequence keeps the change easy to reverse.

1. Check the connection

   Open Home and confirm that the intended server or connection entry is selected under SERVER. Check the connection status separately. If it is not active, first start the connection and respond to any iOS VPN configuration permission request.

2. Open Global Routing

   On Home, tap the current option in the Global Routing row. Review the available choices—Config, Proxy, Direct, and Scene—and select the one that matches your test or everyday use.

3. Confirm the target

   If you chose Config, open Config and check that the intended configuration is active. If you chose Proxy, verify the selected proxy route. If you chose Scene, inspect which scene is selected and what behavior it contains.

4. Test one site

   Open or reload one known destination in the app you normally use. Use the same network and the same destination for any comparison. Give the request time to complete; an earlier open connection may continue using its existing route.

5. Check the result

   Review the request or connection log, if available, and compare the matched domain, policy, and result with the mode you selected. Record whether the page loaded separately from any latency or connectivity test result.

6. Restore your mode

   When a temporary test is complete, return to Home → Global Routing and restore your everyday choice—often Config for rule-based routing. Reopen the destination once more to confirm the restored behavior.

Connectivity Test can help check a connection, but it does not necessarily test the same domain, DNS lookup, or complete web request as Safari or another app. A successful test result does not prove that every website follows the expected policy. Likewise, a loaded page alone may not tell you which route it used. Use the available request log to confirm a rule match when you need to verify routing rather than general reachability.

When comparing modes, avoid changing the selected server, DNS settings, configuration file, and Global Routing together. If you change several variables and the page starts working, you will not know which one mattered. Keep a short note of the original mode and restore it after testing. Do not share logs that expose private domains, addresses, or other sensitive configuration details.

4. Verify rule-based routing and fix common mismatches

If you expect Config to send a specific website through a proxy, check both the active mode and the rule itself. The selected mode must be Config, and the active configuration must contain the relevant rule. Editing a local file that is not selected will not change the behavior of the active configuration. Also check that the policy named in the rule exists and is spelled as expected.

A simple example illustrates the relationship between a domain rule and a fallback. It is a syntax example, not a complete configuration; place rules in the existing Rule section rather than replacing unrelated settings. The example routes example.com and its subdomains through PROXY, while other unmatched requests use DIRECT.

[Rule]
DOMAIN-SUFFIX,example.com,PROXY
FINAL,DIRECT

DOMAIN-SUFFIX matches the domain and its subdomains. Enter the domain itself, without a URL scheme, path, port, or wildcard prefix. Rules are evaluated in order, so a broader rule placed earlier may match before the rule you intended to test. FINAL is a fallback for traffic that did not match a preceding rule. If your configuration uses a different policy or fallback, interpret the example in light of that file rather than copying it blindly.

If Config behaves differently than expected, check for an earlier matching rule, an unexpected fallback, a policy-name mismatch, or a different active configuration. If the rule appears correct but the request still fails, separate routing from DNS and connection troubleshooting: confirm the domain resolves, check whether the selected route can reach the destination, and compare with one other known site. Avoid treating latency alone as proof that the website’s full request succeeded.