What Jailbreaking Is And How To Do It

Lincoln · 05-01-2008, 08:06 PM

What is a jailbreak?

Jailbreaking is a process used to allowing installation of Apple-unauthorized applications in your iPhone or iPod touch. It is a very easy procedure. It's also safe: There are no risks in this operation*, as you can easily use iTunes to restore your iPhone or iPod touch to the default factory settings. When you do that, the iPhone will be like new.

Why jailbreak your iPhone or iPod touch from Apple's iron fist?

You should jailbreak your iPhone or iPod if you want to install really cool and useful applications that are not in the iTunes App Store. Many of these apps are a complete must for any iPhone user but are not allowed by Apple in their iTunes App Store.

This is what you can do with a phone that has been jailbroken:

• Use your iPhone as a 3G modem with your laptop (for iPhones with carriers not supporting tethering).
• Record video using Cycorder (for the V1 & iPhone 3G).
• Respond to a text message fron within any app
• Unlock your iPhone installing a simple program, so you can use a pre-paid card when you go out on vacation instead of paying outrageous roaming charges.
• Search websites like Google and YouTube from within Spotlight
• View home screen pages in an Expose-like manner
• Fully theme and customize your iPhone.
• Toggle services like WiFi, 3G, & Location Services from within any app.
• Download files from the internet in Safari
• Play Nintendo Entertainment System games and other emulated classic cames
• And much more

In other words: Do it.

*WARNING* Of course, the usual do this at your own risk and we are not responsible caveats still apply, but this process is really fool proof thanks to Apple's iTunes factory reset. If you are looking to unlock your iPhone now or in the future, DON'T USE THESE INSTRUCTIONS or you won't be able to unlock it. You will need a different process, which we will explain in another How To.

Freeing your iPhone or iPod touch

*Ultimate tip: Take a look at this chart from iClarified; it helps a lot. Thanks to eye-Fone for discovering this.*

Here's the easiest part: Running QuickPwn, PwnageTool, redsn0w, or any other jailbreaking utility. These are all programs that will easily "jailbreak" your iPhone or iPod touch. Jailbreak, as the name says, just means breaking Apple's limitations on accessing your device, allowing you put anything you want in it. This means installing any application you want, and not only the ones that Apple allows you to install.

Step 1. Jailbreak your device. Follow the appropriate link below to a detailed guide on how to jailbreak, depending on what device you own and what firmware version it is running (The latest, which is 3.1.2, is highly recommended.)

iPod touch

iPod touch - 1G or 2G - Mac - OS 3.0

iPod touch - 1G or 2G - Windows - OS 3.0

iPod touch - 1G - Mac - OS 2.0

iPod touch 1G or 2G - Mac - OS 3.1

iPod touch 1G or 2G - Mac - OS 3.1.2

iPod touch 1G or 2G - Windows - OS 3.1

iPod touch 1G or 2G - Windows - OS 3.1.2

iPod touch 3G - Mac - OS 3.1.2 WARNING: This jailbreak is tethered. This means that every time you want to turn on your iPod, you'll have to connect it to your computer and run blackra1n again. Not fun. But it still works.

iPod touch 3G - Windows - OS 3.1.2 WARNING: Same asa above applies; tethered jailbreak.

V1 iPhone & iPhone 3G

V1 iPhone/iPhone 3G - Mac - OS 2.2.1

V1 iPhone/iPhone 3G - Windows - OS 2.0.x

V1 iPhone - Mac - OS 3.0

V1 iPhone - Windows - OS 3.0

iPhone 3G - Mac - OS 3.0

iPhone 3G - Windows - OS 3.0

iPhone 3G - Mac - OS 3.1

iPhone 3GS

iPhone 3GS - Mac - OS 3.0

iPhone 3GS - Windows - OS 3.0

iPhone 3GS - Mac - OS 3.1

iPhone 3GS - Windows - OS 3.1

iPhone 3GS - Mac - OS 3.1.2

iPhone 3GS - Windows - OS 3.1.2

Installing the applications

This is where the fun starts. You will notice one or two new icons on your iPhone or iPod touch's springboard: There will be one called "Cydia", and possibly one called "Icy". These are the main two competing systems for installation of software. It doesn't really matter what you use to install your software - however, Cydia is most widely used and highly reccomended. They all allow to browse through and add a variety of sources/repositories.

• Browsing the catalogs. Whatever system you choose, installing applications is as easy as going through the available catalogs and picking the application you want. NOTE: Icy not pictured. Installer, an old app like Cydia and Icy, was pictured but has been blurred out as it is no longer supported.

• Manually adding applications. There will be times in which you will discover applications on the web which are not in the default catalogs in Cydia or Icy. Fortunately, you can add these by just entering the URL provided by the developer in the web page, a process that is referred to as "Adding a source". Here's how to do it:

• Click on "Manage."
• Click on "Sources."
• Click on "Edit" and then "Add."
• Enter the address in the dialog field.
• Click on "Add source."

Theming your device

One of the big parts of jailbreaking is customizing your device as much as you'd like, something Apple doesn't allow. This is all done via an application available in Cydia, called WinterBoard. WinterBoard is an application that hooks into the device's springboard and CoreUI to theme almost any element of the system you'd like. To start theming, follow the steps below.

Step 1. Download WinterBoard from Cydia. It's available without having to add any additional repositories or sources. After installing, this icon should appear on your home screen:

Step 2. Open WinterBoard. Inside are several items in a list, but they probably won't interest you just yet. You can enable some to test them out by tapping them to select them and then exit the application, but it's recommended you move on to step 3.

Step 3. Open Cydia again, and tap the Sections button at the bottom. Scroll down until you see Themes (SpringBoard) - this section contains over a thousand themes for your iPhone, allowing you to make it look just about any way you want. Download any of these themes, and they'll appear in WinterBoard. Note: An alternative source for iPhone themes, which, in my opinion, are higher quality than several of those found in Cydia, is at MacThemes. Also, check out EverythingiCafe's Cydia Repository for several themes, all which have come from MacThemes.

Step 4. Once you've downloaded a few themes, open WinterBoard again and select them (one at a time, ususally). You'll get many various results, and you can do just about anything with the look of your device. A few examples are below.

And that's it. Now you can install applications from the App Store, Cydia, Installer, and Icy If you have any questions pertaining to the jailbreaking process, applications available on jailbroken devices, or anything else like that, feel free to post them in this thread. Have fun!

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*Some content taken from Gizmodo article on jailbreaking - credit goes to Gizmodo here. Also, all the guides I link to in the post are the property of and are written by iClarified - I am not iClarified, I do not own, nor do I have any sort of affiliation with it. Full credit to iClarified for all linked guides.

patrickj · 05-01-2008, 08:19 PM

This is very good stuff, and is what we need more of at EIC. I reckon there should be a Guides, or How-To's, or both, section that entries like this should live in.

Some suggested amendments for your consideration:

Probably worth explaining the difference between unlocked and jailbroken in this doc, as many new users confuse the two terms.

Where you mention the warranty being voided when hacked, it may be worth stating that that is *if* you are unable to restore cleanly and prevent Apple from realizing you hacked.

On basic jailbreak definition part, it should say that it allows access to areas of the file system which Apple has not granted, which in turn lets us install 3rd party apps.

Definition of SSH = a secure method of remote access to systems. (In our case it usually involves file transfers, but doesn't have to.)

Firmware is generally an interface between hardware and software layers it has to interact with. With the iPhone, the term is almost interchangeable with 'operating system'.

Pwnage - is safer largely because it allows restore of JBed firmware via iTunes.

Lincoln · 05-01-2008, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by patrickj

This is very good stuff, and is what we need more of at EIC. I reckon there should be a Guides, or How-To's, or both, section that entries like this should live in.

Some suggested amendments for your consideration:

Probably worth explaining the difference between unlocked and jailbroken in this doc, as many new users confuse the two terms.

Where you mention the warranty being voided when hacked, it may be worth stating that that is *if* you are unable to restore cleanly and prevent Apple from realizing you hacked.

On basic jailbreak definition part, it should say that it allows access to areas of the file system which Apple has not granted, which in turn lets us install 3rd party apps.

Definition of SSH = a secure method of remote access to systems. (In our case it usually involves file transfers, but doesn't have to.)

Firmware is generally an interface between hardware and software layers it has to interact with. With the iPhone, the term is almost interchangeable with 'operating system'.

Pwnage - is safer largely because it allows restore of JBed firmware via iTunes.

Edited. Thanks.

By the way - this is almost exactly 10,000 characters. I had to remove several words to add in what you suggested.

patrickj · 05-01-2008, 09:23 PM

Cool. Sorry - meant to mention this in my first reply but forgot - have now mentioned in another thread that I think your post could do with being broken up into several, each covering a very specific topic.

This one should maybe end after defining jailbreak. Then do separate ones for: Essential Apps To Install After Jailbreak, Connecting via SSH, iPhone Themes How-To etc.

Two advantages to this - lazy readers have less to read through on each specific topic, and it lets you use more meaningful and descriptive post titles, so that at a glance people can find relevant things more easily just by their post title ...

themanofthedark · 05-01-2008, 09:28 PM

do I recognize some of my own words in this?

aaronsiphone · 05-02-2008, 07:45 AM

Bravo.....uve talked me into jailbreaking my phone now with ur swarve language!! Oh hold on I'm already jailbroken...good read tho!

Lincoln · 05-02-2008, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by patrickj

Cool. Sorry - meant to mention this in my first reply but forgot - have now mentioned in another thread that I think your post could do with being broken up into several, each covering a very specific topic.

This one should maybe end after defining jailbreak. Then do separate ones for: Essential Apps To Install After Jailbreak, Connecting via SSH, iPhone Themes How-To etc.

Two advantages to this - lazy readers have less to read through on each specific topic, and it lets you use more meaningful and descriptive post titles, so that at a glance people can find relevant things more easily just by their post title ...

But then I would have to have all of the comments above the be deleted. Otherwise it would look rather ugly.

- John

Gundam01 · 05-03-2008, 10:04 AM

Hi. I just re-unlocked my brand new phone and now I'm trying to install apps into it. The problem is that it can't seem to find a host. Does my phone have to be activated with a working sim card and all? I tried hooking up via wifi but everytime I do, it can't seem to recognize the password eventhough I changed my wireless modem's password twice just so I can hook up to it. Are there apps that I can install just by using the usb cable? Also, where do I get a copy of Spring Board (or is it summer board now) and NES apps? Much obliged...

Lincoln · 05-03-2008, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Gundam01

Hi. I just re-unlocked my brand new phone and now I'm trying to install apps into it. The problem is that it can't seem to find a host. Does my phone have to be activated with a working sim card and all? I tried hooking up via wifi but everytime I do, it can't seem to recognize the password eventhough I changed my wireless modem's password twice just so I can hook up to it. Are there apps that I can install just by using the usb cable? Also, where do I get a copy of Spring Board (or is it summer board now) and NES apps? Much obliged...

As far as your Wi-Fi issues goes, see if this article form Apple offers any assistance.

Applications from Installer do not require Wi-Fi to be installed. They can be installed over an EDGE connection. Also, if you have an iPhone application on your computer that you wish to put on your phone, you can place it on the phone via SSH, which is explained above.

SummerBaord is in Installer. After you have installed Community Sources, look in 'All Packages' and find the package named 'SummerBoard'. Install it and then reboot.

NES.app can be installed form installer. ROMs for the application can be found and are available for download all over the internet.

- John

Ramesh · 05-05-2008, 01:07 AM

Wait, so after pwning, can one restore using iTunes as in the past? Has anyone done it?