Shadowsocks for Windows

shadowsocks/shadowsocks-windowsReviewed by AI

What it does

Shadowsocks for Windows is a tray app that connects your computer to a Shadowsocks proxy server. It can set the Windows system proxy, send only some websites through the proxy using rules (PAC mode), switch between several servers and use plugins. It is for people who already have a Shadowsocks server or provider, often to get around censorship. It needs .NET Framework 4.8 and the Visual C++ 2015 runtime. The last release is from February 2022, so the app is no longer actively updated.

How easy it is to install

B · installer plus one simple step · Windows

Windows is the only platform: you download the release package and run it from the tray, then type in your server details; it also needs .NET Framework 4.8 (built into recent Windows) and the Visual C++ 2015 x86 runtime.

Numbers on GitHub

Stars: 59,506on Oct 31, 2026
Downloads: 144,768,71221,192 this week
Growth: —no gain in the last reading

Stars over time

Facts

Runs on: Windows
You need to install: .NET, Other tools
Disk space: 0 MB–1 MB · from the installer
Accounts or keys: None
Cost: Free · Free (GPL-3.0); you still need a Shadowsocks server or a paid provider.
License: GPL-3.0 (Copyleft)
Can replace: Proxifier, Surge
Last update: Jan 1, 2025

Risk signals (5)

Attentionstale releases
Last release on 2022-02-08 (1723 days ago)
automatic check
AttentionLow OpenSSF Scorecard
OpenSSF Scorecard 1.8/10
automatic check
Attentionlegal status varies by country
The app's purpose is sending traffic through a Shadowsocks proxy (topics 'proxy, shadowsocks'), and the default PAC rules send non-Chinese domains through it (README: 'geositeProxiedGroups is initialized with geolocation-!cn'). Using tools that get around network blocking is legal in many countries but restricted or banned in others.
AI review
Infono recent commits
Last commit 2025-01-01 (665 days ago) and last release 4.4.1.0 on 2022-02-08.
AI review
Infono files in latest releases
The three latest release entries (4.4.1.0, 4.4.0.0, 4.3.3.0) list no platform files in the data collected, so the download may have to be found elsewhere on the release page.
AI review

Evidence is shown in its original language.

What Radar could not check

Whether the 2022 release still works on current Windows 11 builds.
Whether its encryption options are still up to date against current blocking methods.
How the server you connect to handles your traffic; that depends on who runs it.
Whether it is legal to use where you live.
Which file you actually download from the release page.