How to add ipa files to your iPhone

by Sebastien on August 4th, 2008

147 Comments
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It s not a secret anymore many iPhone games and applications have been cracked (and
still are). Basically, you can get 2 types of files. The normal .app file, and th
e cracked ipa file. We already covered the method to install .app files on your
iPhone. Now here is the other method, the most popular one, to install cracked .
ipa files such as games and applications on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
As a reminder, this is illegal! I do not encourage anyone to hack or crack iPhon
e games. Some developpers spend quite some time working on them and they don t wan
t to see their work ripped off. If you see an iPhone game or application that yo
u like, download it legally through the App Store.
This method works for all firmwares from 2.0 to the current firmware available.
The only thing that changes is the MobileInstallation file that you have to inst
all. Each device (iPhone/iPod Touch) has its own MobileInstallation file for eac
h version of the firmware. I started tracking these MobileInstallation files fro
m iPhone 2.1. I do not have them for older firmwares and I do not have them for
iPod Touch, although they might be the same as the iPhone s. I don t own an iPod Tou
ch, thus I never tried this before on one but some users reported to me it worke
d great.
By the way, you may want to check my list of cracked iPhone games and applicatio
ns.
How to install ipa files on an iPhone or iPod Touch?
Step 1: Make sure your iPhone is jailbroken. If it s not, visit our jailbreak sect
ion to figure out how to jailbreak your iPhone.
Step 2: Once your iPhone is jailbroken, go to Cydia > Manage > Sources > Edit >
Add http://cydia.hackulo.us/ as a source. Tap Done.
Step 3: Once Hackulo.us has been added as a source, search for AppSync in Cydia. I
nstall the version of AppSync that matches your iOS. For example if you are on i
OS 4.0.2, you want to install AppSync for OS 4.0.
Step 4: Still in Cydia, search for Installous. Download and install the app. Ins
tallous is like an App Store for cracked apps.
Step 5: Reboot your iPhone.
Step 6: Go to Installous and search for cracked apps. Download and install them.
Done!
Old way to install cracked apps
1. You need to be on jailbroken iPhone with Cydia installed. For this, you may u
se QuickPwn, PwnageTool, or WinPwn. See my tutorials for on how to jailbreak you
r iPhone or iPod Touch using any of these tools.
2. Install OpenSSH from Cydia on your iPhone. Click on Cydia and then click Inst
all (Sections)>Networking>OpenSSH then click Install>Confirm (if you get a runni
ng out of disk space error click ok ).
3. Log into WinSCP. The first time you try to login you may get a connection tim
eout error, click retry several times (up to 20 times!) and it should work. If y
ou still get an error, reboot your iPod/iPhone and try again.
4. Navigate to /private/var/mobile/ folder
5. Set the permission of the Applications folder to 777 (make sure reclusive is
checked).
6. Stay in the /private/var/mobile/ folder.
7. Create a folder called Documents in the /private/var/mobile/ folder. Make sure
to spell Documents correctly, with a capital D .
8. Set the permission to 777.
9. Navigate to the root level and open the /Applications folder.
10. Create a folder called Documents inside the /Applications folder and set permi
ssion to 777.
Note: You will only need to create these two Documents folders once
11. Go to <root> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileInstallation.framework
12. Rename the file MobileInstallation to MobileInstallation.bak
13. Download this patched MobileInstallation file from HERE. Note that you have
to download the patched file for the firmware you are running. ie. if you are ru
nning 2.1, you need the MobileInstallation 2.1 patched file.
14. Place the patched file into the /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileInst
allation.framework folder and set the permissions 775 for the patched MobileInst
allation file. If there is some type of extension (ie .dylib), then you need to
remove that extension.
15. Reboot your iPhone/iPod Touch
16. Download cracked ipa Games and apps from Here.
17. Download at least one App from Apple App Store (Free or Paid). What I do is
I download one app from the App Store using iTunes, then I sync my iPhone and re
boot it. Then I download one app from the App Store on the iPhone and reboot the
phone. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: Otherwise you will get an error! [Only need to d
o this once]
18. Drag and drop the .ipa file you downloaded into the iTunes Application libra
ry.
19. Sync your iPhone/iPod Touch and enjoy!
Errors:
The application XXXXXXX cannot be opened
Fix: Reboot your iPhone or iPod
0xE800001 Error:
FIX: Change usb port and reboot your iphone/ipod Touch.
If this doesn t work try going into: Control panel->System->Device Manager->Univer
sal Serie Bus Controller->Right click Apple Mobile Device USB Driver and update
driver.
0xE800013 Error:
You get this error when you already have the app
FIX: Simply delete the .app folder that u have ssh d and reboot.