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Jailbreaking Methods for iPhone

f4780y

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The following is a list of the current methods which can be used to jailbreak your iPhone:

iPhone5
evasi0n jailbreak tool
iOS 6.0-iOS 6.1

iPhone4S
Absinthe 2.0.1 - Firmware 5.1.1 via jailbreak payload, available from greenpois0n.com.
Need a guide to help you? See here (Windows): http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/h...-using-absinthe-2-0-1-windows-[5-1-1]-40153/; or here (Mac): http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/h...phone-using-absinthe-2-0-1-mac-[5-1-1]-40152/

redsn0w 0.9.x - Windows and OSX - Firmware 5.1.1 via jailbreak payload, available from Dev-Team Blog
Simply connect your iPhone4S to your PC, start redsn0w, and press "jailbreak" to begin!

Absinthe - Firmware 5.0.1 via jailbreak payload, available from greenpois0n.com.
Need a guide to help you? See here - http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/h...-jailbreak-iphone4s-5-0-5-0-1-absinthe-31990/

iPhone4 & 3GS
Absinthe 2.0.1 - Firmware 5.1.1 via jailbreak payload, available from greenpois0n.com.
*For guides, see those listed under Absinthe 2.0.1 for the iPhone 4S

redsn0w 0.9.x - Windows and OSX - Firmware 5.1.1, 5.1, 5.0.1, 5.0, 4.3.5, 4.3.4, 4.3.3,, 4.3.2, 4.3.1, 4.3, 4.2.10, 4.2.9, 4.2.8, 4.2.7, 4.2.6 via jailbreak payload, available from Dev-Team Blog
See our tutorial for redsn0w here - http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/h...jailbreak-ios5-using-redsn0w-beginners-25943/

sn0wbreeze 2.9.6 - Windows Only - 5.1.1, 5.0.1, 5.0, 4.4.4, 4.4.3, 4.3.3, 4.3.2, 4.3.1, 4.2.8, 4.2.1, 4.1 via custom firmware, available from iH8sn0w.com

Pwnage Tool 5.1.1 - OSX Only - Firmware 5.1.1, 5.0.1, 4.3.3, 4.3.2, 4.3.1, 4.3, 4.2.8, 4.2.7, 4.2.6 via custom firmware, available from Dev-Team Blog

jailbreakme.com - Firmware 4.3.3, 4.3.2, 4.3.1, 4.3, 4.2.8, 4.2.7, 4.2.6
Available from jailbreakme.com - NOTE: You must visit this site using Mobile Safari on your phone!

ac1dsn0w - OSX Only - Firmware 5.0.1, and 5.0 via jailbreak payload, available from Pwn Dev-Team
See our tutorial for ac1dsn0w here - http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/h...jailbreak-ios5-tethered-using-ac1dsn0w-27724/

For most of these jailbreaks you will require a downloaded copy of the appropriate firmware version for your phone in order to use the tool. Don't forget, we have provided you with all the necessary download links in this thread - http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/i...ple-ios-firmware-download-links-iphone-17213/

Don't forget, once you have identified a JB to try out, we have an extensive list of tutorials.

Older methods for older firmware and devices:
greenpois0n RC6.1 - Windows & OSX - Firmware 4.2.1, 4.2.6 from - Absinthe 2.0 has arrived! | greenpois0n.com
greenpois0n RC4 - Windows & OSX - Firmware 4.1 from - Absinthe 2.0 has arrived! | greenpois0n.com
limera1n - Windows & OSX - Firmware 4.1, 4.0.2, 4.0.1, 4.0 from - limera1n
Jailbreakme.com (2.0) - iPhone via Mobile Safari - Firmware 4.0.1, 3.1.3

Colour Key:
GREEN - indicates the newest IOS version which can be jailbroken and untethered with a particular JB tool.
ORANGE - indicates the newest IOS version which can be jailbroken but remains tethered to the tool.

What's the difference between an untethered and a tethered jailbreak?
An untethered jailbreak means you can reboot your device at any time and the jailbreak will continue to function as expected. Ideally, you want to always be running an untethered jailbreak.

However, from time to time we have to live with a tethered jailbreak as the only option for a particular device and IOS version until such time as an exploit to untether it is found (untethering a jailbreak is an order of magnitude more complex than producing the tethered one).
If a jailbreak is tethered then you must reboot your device whilst it is connected, or tethered, to your PC which is running the program you used to jailbreak it originally (or a reboot tool provided with the jailbreak, such as iBooty from sn0wbreeze).
If you don't tethered boot your device, one of two things will happen. Either the device will hang at the Apple logo if you have mobile substrate or anything else installed which hooks into the kernel of the OS. In this situation you will need to wait until you can connect your device to your PC and boot it properly in a tethered state. Or, the device will boot to stock IOS but none of your JB apps will work. You may also not be able to use some stock apps, such as Safari, which most JB's move to a different part of the disk as part of their original installation.

What's the difference between a jailbreak that uses a payload versus one that creates a custom firmware?
redsn0w, greenpois0n, and limera1n all deliver the jailbreak as payload via a ramdisk on top of your currently installed IOS system. This means that these methods will leave your current applications and settings intact without the need to re-sync with iTunes.
jailbreakme.com exploits a userland bug on the device and delivers it's payload straight onto the device vai a malformed PDF through Mobile Safari.

It should be possible to complete a jailbreak using and of these payload methods in literally a few minutes if you are well prepared.

pwnage and sn0wbreeze jailbreaks both cook a complete custom firmware file which must then be restored onto your device. This means you have a clean fresh installation of IOS + the jailbreak when you finish. You therefore won't have any of your previous applications or settings unless you then connect to iTunes and restore from backup and re-sync your files. These methods take a bit longer. You will need to download a stock firmware file to feed into the tool and then, once cooked, install it on your device via iTunes. In order for these types of jailbreak to work the tool must be able to put your device into what is known as a "pwned DFU" mode so that it is fooled into accepting the installation of a firmware which did not come from Apple.

Which method should I use?
Of course it's all down to personal choice!

If your device and IOS version is suseptable to the jailbreakme.com 3.0 exploit, most users will find this the easiest and most convenient method. Simply fire up Mobile Safari on your iPhone and visit jailbreakme.com, and follow the instructions You will be jailbroken normally within a minute.

Next in order, and assuming you have your device set up the way you want on the correct version of IOS, then you will probably prefer any of the other jailbreak payload tools, such as redsn0w, since these will install very quickly and leave your apps intact. It is possible to complete a redsn0w jailbreak in less than 15 minutes as long as you have the correct firmware downloaded to your local disk.

If on the other hand you need to upgrade IOS to a later version in order to jailbreak, or you are the sort of person that likes to start clean and fresh from time to time, one of the custom firmware jailbreaks, such as pwnage or sn0wbreeze, may suit you better…

Happy Jailbreaking!
 
Last edited:
Please note this list is a work in progress and is not yet complete.

It is up to date as regards the latest devices and firmwares, however it lacks detail on older "legacy" jailbreaks. These will be completed over time for historical accuracy.

Feel free to provide details as a reply to this thread or via PM and I will incorporate them into the first post :D
 
f4780y said:
Please note this list is a work in progress and is not yet complete.

It is up to date as regards the latest devices and firmwares, however it lacks detail on older "legacy" jailbreaks. These will be completed over time for historical accuracy.

Feel free to provide details as a reply to this thread or via PM and I will incorporate them into the first post :D

Great post f478oy
 
Owners of CDMA (Verizon) iPhone4's should read the update relating to redsn0w in the first post. Looks like you are out of luck for a working jailbreak for the time being.
 
f4780y said:
Owners of CDMA (Verizon) iPhone4's should read the update relating to redsn0w in the first post. Looks like you are out of luck for a working jailbreak for the time being.

Thanks for the heads up. Im going to pass it along
 
I know this is extremely unlikely, but does anyone know of any eta for a reliable tethered/untethered 4.2.10 JB on verizon?
 
This is such a very informative list. Keep on sharing and thanks.
This is very helpful to me.
 
Main post updated with the news that the 4.2.10 tethered jailbreak is once again viable for CDMA iPhone3 owners.
 
Hi folks
I jailbroke and unlocked my rogers iphone...but my bell sim card will not work....any help would be appreciated

Anita
 
Ive only just Jailbroken my iphone 4 for the first time. The tethered part is a bit of a pain, is there a way to "downgrade" the OS on the iphone so I can use the 4.3.3 untethered JB?
 
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