Jailbreak iOS 5

Apple released iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad today. And you can already jailbreak it.

Before you do that though, there are a few caveats. First, this is a “tethered” jailbreak, which means that if you need to reboot your device, you’ll have to connect to a computer and run the jailbreak utility again. There’s currently no untethered jailbreak available for iOS 5.

Second, if you jailbreak, you may not be able to access all of the new features in iOS — such as over-the-air operating system updates.

Third, if you have a carrier unlocked iPhone, which allows you to do things like use an AT&T iPhone with T-Mobile’s network, you may want to wait a little while before you update. While the ultrasn0w unlocking utility reportedly works, it hasn’t officially been updated for iOS 5 yet.

Update: You can now unlock an iPhone or iPad running iOS 5 using ultrasn0w — but you’ll need to make sure you preserve your older baseband. 

Jailbreaking an iOS device allows you to access settings that are normally unavailable — and to install apps that aren’t available from the App Store. This includes apps which can dramatically change the look and feel of the iPhone by altering features such as the boot animation, keyboard, or notifications.

Not all apps written for jailbroken devices have been updated to support iOS 5 yet, and this method for jailbreaking doesn’t yet support the Apple iPad 2.

OK, if you’ve read all of that and you still want to jailbreak iOS 5, here’s how to do it:

The first thing you need to do is download and install iOS on your device using iTunes 10.5. Once that’d done, you can follow the steps below.

1. Connect your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to your computer with a USB cable and power it off by pressing-and-holding the power button until you see an option to “slide to power off.” Swipe that slider to turn off your device.

2. Download the latest version of redsn0w from the iPhone Dev Team. Version 0.9.9b5 for Mac or Windows should be able to automatically select the appropriate IPSW file. If you’re using an earlier version you may have to manually select the IPSW. I’m using a Windows computer, so the rest of my instructions will assume you are as well — but the steps should be similar on a Mac.

3. Unzip redsn0w to a new directory and then double-click on the file labeled redsn0w.exe.

4. Click the button that says “Jailbreak.”

5. As long as your device is plugged in and powered off, click “next.”

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter DFU mode. This involves holding the power button for 3 seconds, continuing to hold it while you press the home button for 10 seconds, then releasing the power button by continuing to hold the home button for another 15 seconds.

7. Select the “install Cydia” option and click “next.

8. Redsn0w will do the rest of the work and you’re device will be jailbroken.

But you’re not entirely done yet. This is a tethered jailbreak, so if you ever have to reboot your device you’re going to need to connect to a computer and run redsn0w again.

In fact, you may not be able to use the Cydia store to install third party apps until after you’ve rebooted your device, so you’ll probably have to take the following steps.

1. Connect your device to a computer with a USB cable.

2. Fire up redsn0w 0.9.9b4 or higher.

3. Select “extras” from the start screen.

4. Choose the “Just boot” option.

Redsn0w will give you instructions again for entering DFU mode and then it will help your device boot. This time the process should be much quicker since you’re not jailbreaking your device again, you’re just booting it without losing your jaibreak.

You won’t have to do this every time you tap the power button on your device, since that typically just turns off the screen. But if your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad crashes or you need to power it down completely for another reason by holding the power button and sliding to shut down, you’ll need to use redsn0w to reboot.

Brad Linder

Brad Linder is editor of Liliputing and Mobiputing. He's been tinkering with mobile tech for decades and writing about it since...

114 replies on “How to jailbreak iOS 5”

    1. It doesn’t seem likely. The version of Siri that’s being released with the iPhone 4S seems to be linked to the A5 processor. It probably won’t work on older devices, and the same problems that have prevented hackers from jailbreaking the iPhone 5 could keep them from digging into the iPhone 4S and backporting the software. 

    2. word is it is in the process of being ported over via the JB community.  They have it running on a older iPod Touch already

          1. Huh… that is interesting. @Musclenerd posted today to say that it probably wouldn’t be available: http://twitter.com/#!/MuscleNerd/status/124107107443277826

          2. Siri is likely not going to be ported because it would be a form of piracy. It would be taking files from the 4S and moving them directly to older devices. They do not approve of piracy (And jailbreakers don’t need more hate from the over zealous piracy haters). So unless someone who doesn’t care about piracy ports it, it’s not coming.

      1. iOS 5 is the keyword my friend, not just iOS. Just like iphone 4S is the latest one and not just ‘iphone’

    1. because the ipad 2 is different.. Apple had fixed most of the loop holes, and it takes more time to find new ones just be patient theyll come up eventually

    1. iTunes downloads the IPSW for you. On Windows, it’s in your My DocumentsUsernameApplication DataApple ComputeriTunesiPod Software Update directory. If you’re using a Mac it should be in a similar folder. 

      1. just so u kno, you can go online and find the .ipsw to download, then jailbreak away. I jailbroke iOS 5. all the new features work and even though it’s tethered, it’s not that bad. most of the cydia apps I’ve downloaded only needed a “respring”. when u respring u don’t have to connect to a computer. only if u reboot or your battery dies. anyway, good luck. and if your successfull. download bitesms 6.0 beta for ios 5. it’s very stable for a beta, but it integrates very nicely with ios 5’s notification center. good luck!

      2. and don’t listen to chewingpencaps. u r not screwed, just download the .ipsw. just google “iOS 5.0 ipsw download” and u can download it. redmondpie, tysiphonehelp, just to name a few. it’s prolly all over the web now. now go free that idevice!

    2. actually, you do if you update through iTunes.
      You should find your IPSW under C:UsersAdministratorAppDataRoamingApple ComputeriTunesiPod Software Updates (Windows 7)

    3. all ipsw files are available at http://theiphonewiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Firmware 

      downloads are a bit slow… you aren’t the only one :)

    1. they r working on a untethered. supposedly they found 5 userland exploits for an untethered jb. so prolly in the next couple weeks. just keep checking. might even be released today, unlikely, but a nice thought…

  1. Anyone know of a method to downgrade on iOS 5 from BB 6.15 to a BB that allows GPS to work again. Its fora 3GS

  2. redsn0w shutdown and gave me “dont send error” and now when i try jailbreaking all over again, it says enexpected error !! 
    any help please?

  3. For at least a while tonight, nearly all my Google searches for recent (past 24hrs) posts on ios5 Jailbreaking led to this iOSJailbreakNow-page which claims to be an official DevTeam Untethered jailbreak. However, my BS spidey senses are tingling. They have these surveys where you have to sign up to paid phone services.

    But why can’t I find a single post denouncing it as a scam if it is? There are a ton of blog references to it, but they all seem suspiciously alike.

  4. so ive been trying to do this for a couple of mins but i keep getting an error “the connected device doesn’t support untethered options” Ive been looking for an option to select tethered but cant find anything im using an iPhone 3gs thats jailbroke now on 4.2.1 any help would be great.

        1. I have the same problem too… I had 4.3.3. jailbroken. I updated to 4.3.5. not jailbroken because 5 was coming out and didnt want to do the process twice. I updated today my old bootrom 3GS with ios 5 (IPhone2,1_5.0_9A334.ipsw).
          Then started the process with redsnow 0.9.9b4 (on mac os) without specifying the ipsw presses jailbreak and at one stage it asked me for the ipsw. I went back and specified in extras the ipsw. restarted my iphone several times but always i get the same error as you “the connected device doesn’t support untethered options”.

          What can I do?

          1. I had the same problem and relved it by selecteing “yes” on the popup that came after I selected the IPSW (the popup window asked if its  “new” iPhone 3gs even that mine was purchased a week after the official release)

          2. Thanks Simon! Cydia was installed but when device booted the Cydia icon is white and when i execute Cydia it closes without even starting. I had this in the past but I dont remember how this white icon of cydia is fixed. But thanks anyway!

          3. ok i found how i fixed the white cydia icon. you just shut down the phone, start redsnow, select the ipsw and then click yes to the bootrom even if i have the old bootrom and then select the Just Boot Tethered button and follow the process.

    1. i passed this alert message, but now it doesnt even turn on ! I press the Power Button, the Apple sign appears then the loading sign appears then stop and freezes !!! 
      any help?

      1. repeat step no.3 & 4, the reason why u got stuck at apple logo screen coz its tethered JB. u gonna have reboot thru redsn0w agn. hope this helps :D

          1. Yeah you can. Just do the steps to put it in dfu mode. Regardless of what your device is doing, it’ll go into dfu.

          2. thank u it works! but dude I have another serious prob. I have a Gevey Sim installed ! does it work? because it’s not working with me.

          3. You can enter DFU directly from the apple logo… just do what you normally do. the screen shuts after approximately 5 seconds. 

      2. thank u it works! 
        but dude I have another serious prob. 
        I have a Gevey Sim installed ! does it work? because it’s not working with me.

      3. u have to open up redsnow again then go to extras > just boot tethered now > then follow the screen then it should turn on :D

  5. Do you upgrade to iOS 5 then JB it, or can you JB the ISPW then install? also will this work for iPad 2? :(

  6. PLEASE HELP. Using custom firmware 5.0(iClarified) with redsn0w 0.9.9b4. Point the redsnow to it and then go back and hit jailbreak. Check cydia. Redsnow does what it does takes less than a minute. It then goes over to the iPhone which takes less than a minute (lots of white text). It then goes black and the boot logo pops up. The boot logo then keeps looping off and on FOREVER! I can’t shut it down. I can barely put it into DFU then tell redsnow to “just boot” it does and after a few flashes the pineapple shows up but straight away the recovery logo comes on again and I have to plug back into iTunes and downgrade and start all over again! WTF! Any ideas?

  7. im stuck in safe mode wtf? anyone know a way to get out of there. btw i keep using just boot and it wont get me out of this shit

  8. I successfully jailbroke my iPhone 4 with iOS 5. Cydia works fine until I try to install Installous. Every time I press the ‘Add’ button (after ‘Manage’ – ‘Sources’ – ‘Edit’), Cydia crashes and jumps back to the home screen again. So… so far, I haven’t been able to use my cracked apps yet. Anyone have the same problem, and does anyone know how to fix? Thanks.

  9. Hii  ma name arun.  frm japan…  ma  fone is a sofbank locked one…..

    I  downloaded  ios 5 GM  frm torrentz.eu[ faster download] .  Guyz  once U finish dwnloadin  chk the size of tht file…. after tht  dwnloed redsnow 9.4 b….k………..  keep a copy of the dwnloaded  ios5 file and browse  a copy in .94b[ hope evryone knw the process…….  simply use the jail break option and install tht…. once its finished……….. U might get the logo  or  if finshed get tht  wait symbol…………. [ dnt be panic…… ]  tkae  red snow again  go to extras, there is an option to jst boot or smethn click tht follow the instructions…..  wait  a pinapple wil again cme………..  once done……… U will get the login screen…. setup  ur fone……….. its jail broken…………….

    am not an expert  …. but spent 12 hrs for ths… nd i got it done………. cydia is not crashin as of now…..  evrythn perfect………….

    U guys  if  U cud chk at the time of jail breakin……….. smetimes U cud see sme error…….. thn  heck its gone………… jst chnge tht ios file…………..  

    hope smeone got it done……………….  thnx 

  10. I m getting NO SERVICE after jailbreaking, tried restoring the network setting and turning Aeroplane mode off and on

  11. I am getting a NO SERVICE error after jailbreaking, any ideas? I have done network restore and also airplane mode cycle

    1. It depends on if you have SHSH blobs for 4.3.3 saved via Cydia or some other method. If so then you are indeed able to downgrade, although it make take a few tries. 

  12. How does one with baseband 6.15 upgrade to iOS5? Through iTunes or with an as yet unavailable custom IPSW?

  13. This is not working!!! i have a Gevey Sim installed. Dont think this works for a Gevey Sim….. Every time i do a tethered reboot, the phone goes upto the loading sign and then just hangs…. not even switching off…. :(

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  15. After seeing all this im afraid to upgrade my phone. I have Tmobile using my unlocked phone. I jailbreak with 4.1 blackra1n and havent changed since. Everything works perfect and im afraid to upgrade, but I really would like to find a upgrade that won’t jack up my phone. I think I may just hold off for a while as they say if it aint broken don’t try to fix it. I would love to upgrade to 5.0 but I just dont want my phone to change. Any ideas anyone

  16. I have 1.59.00 Baseband, how can I upgrade to IOS 5 preserving the BB, Im a windows user, please help!

  17. i did everything properly and everything seemed to have worked perfectly fine but when i put sim in it says invalid sim…how do i fix this?

  18. I upgraded my iphone to IOS 5 on itunes. now when i turn it on it says invalid (i dont have the ATT sim). i tried following all the instruction for jailbreaking it but i have run into same problem again and again. i work on win7 so i use redsn0w_win_0.9.9b4. i tried using sn0wbreeze-v2.8b8 but the problem is same. the phone enters DFU mode and then nothing happens. no updating disk or anything. can someone please help.

  19. Good article thanks and worked like a charm. Can now use multitouch on my iPad 1 – what a difference that makes!

  20. My iPhone 4.3.5 Version is currently jailbreak Tethered with Redsnow 9.8b3 and it works perfectly well…unless there is an untethered Jailbreak available for IOS5 i think it would be wise for me not to upgrade it to IOS5 and Tethered break it again..I’m not going to screw up my iPhone….Will wait for the Untethered Jailbreak!!

  21. i find the snowbreeze version better…. you can actually find the full step by step guide for how to jailbreak
    iOS 5 while keeping your baseband and how to get free apps … all in one
    article here. http://bit.ly/ool54q

  22. I have a problem with my tethered iPhone. It doesn’t want to open any application, or photos/settings. 
    Do you know what can be the issue? Please HELP GUYS! 

  23. Ye it works pretty well. A few probs with mine though. The iPhone App Store app flashes on then off so no connection to the store from the iPhone itself. If the phone is switched off and rebooted the app store is then available! Obviously something to do with a conflict or Apple is getting cute. iTunes access is fine so apps can be downloaded from there. Pretty good effort I’d say.

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