The wait has finally come to an end as the Yalu jailbreak for iOS 10.2 was released recently to support most 64-bit devices. Although it’s still in beta, Luca Todesco has acknowledged that the jailbreak is almost stable and safe to install.
Now that the jailbreak is available, there are a number of important things that you need to know about it. In this article, we will go through most of the important points related to the iOS 10.2 jailbreak in the hopes of keeping you as informed as possible.
What is Jailbreaking?
Jailbreaking is the process of removing restrictions imposed by iOS. Hackers achieve it by using vulnerabilities or exploits in Apple’s mobile operating system. It provides root access to the iOS file system and manager, so you can run software that has not been approved by Apple. It allows users to install jailbreak apps, tweaks and themes from Cydia, a third-party alternative to the App Store, to customize the look and feel of their device and also enhance the functionality.
Is Jailbreaking legal?
Jailbreaking is legal. In October last year, the U.S. Library of Congress has granted Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) exemptions for jailbreaking smartphones like iPhone, tablets, smart TVs, and other all-purpose computing devices. This gives users who like to tinker the ability to modify their software without breaching copyright law.
Can I Jailbreak iOS iOS 10 – 10.2?
The latest version of the Yalu jailbreak supports iOS 10.0.1 – iOS 10.2. This means that you can jailbreak iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch running on iOS 10.0.1, iOS 10.0.2, iOS 10.0.3, iOS 10.1, iOS 10.1.1 and iOS 10.2.
The jailbreak works only with 64-bit devices including:
- iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus (only on iOS 10.1 – iOS 10.1.1)
- iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone SE
- iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad Pro
- iPod Touch 6G
What iOS firmwares does the new jailbreak support?
The new Yalu jailbreak supports the following iOS firmwares:
- iOS 10.0.1
- iOS 10.0.2
- iOS 10.0.3
- iOS 10.1
- iOS 10.1.1
- iOS 10.2
If your device is running on an older firmware, you can check our downloads page to see if there’s a jailbreak available for the firmware.
What devices does the jailbreak support?
- iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus (only on iOS 10.1 – iOS 10.1.1)
- iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone SE
- iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad Pro
- iPod Touch 6G
Yalu jailbreak doesn’t support 32-bit devices such as:
- iPhone 5c, iPhone 5 and older models
- iPod touch 5G and older models
- iPad mini, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4
If you want to jailbreak Apple TV, then check out the LiberTV jailbreak for tvOS 10 – tvOS 10.1:
- LiberTV Jailbreak Released for Apple TV 4 running tvOS 10.0 – 10.1
- How to Jailbreak Apple TV 4 running tvOS 10.0 – 10.1 with liberTV Jailbreak
Does the iOS 10.2 Yalu Jailbreak work on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus?
As of this writing, the jailbreak doesn’t support iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but it works with the remaining 64-bit devices.
Where do I download the Yalu jailbreak?
The jailbreak can be downloaded directly from our download Yalu jailbreak page. Do not download from any other website that claims to have an iOS 10.2 jailbreak as it may be malicious and fake.
Is the jailbreak semi-tethered? What does it mean?
The Yalu jailbreak is semi-tethered, just like the iOS 9 Pangu jailbreak. This means that when you reboot your jailbroken iOS 10 device, the jailbreak will be disabled but Cydia and all installed tweaks will remain on your device, but will not work. To re-jailbreak and use tweaks again, you will have to use the Yalu jailbreak app on your device.
Can I jailbreak iOS 10.2.1 or iOS 10.3?
No, the Yalu jailbreak currently supports devices running iOS 10.0.1 – iOS 10.2, it cannot jailbreak iOS 10.2.1 or iOS 10.3. Make sure to check the devices that are compatible with this jailbreak.
Can I downgrade or upgrade to iOS 10.2?
The signing window for iOS 10.2 has been closed, which means that you can no longer downgrade or upgrade to iOS 10.2 using iTunes. However, if you had already saved the SHSH blobs for this firmware, you can use Prometheus to downgrade.
How to Jailbreak iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch on iOS 10 – iOS 10.2?
If your device is on iOS 10.2, read the following guide for jailbreaking it:
Alternatively, if you’re on iOS 10.1 – iOS 10.1.1, read this guide:
How can I remove the Yalu jailbreak without restoring?
To remove the iOS 10 jailbreak without restoring, you will have to erase your device using iCloud. Here’s a nice guide for removing the iOS 10 Yalu jailbreak without restoring.
Why do I need to provide my Apple ID for jailbreaking?
The Yalu jailbreak uses Cydia Impactor for sideloading the jailbreak app onto your device. To install and execute this app on your device, it first has to be signed with a valid Apple developer certificate. By providing a valid Apple ID, a free certificate is created and installed on your device so that you can launch the jailbreak app.
Rather than using your real Apple ID, we would recommend that you create a new Apple ID for the purpose of this jailbreak to stay on the safe side.
Will the jailbreak expire?
If you install the jailbreak app with a non-developer Apple ID, it will work for 7 days before expiring. After it expires, you can use Cydia Impactor to install the jailbreak app again.
Will tweaks get removed after the jailbreak certificate expires?
Cydia and tweaks will remain on your device after the certificate expires. Also keep in mind that your jailbreak will not be disabled if the certificate expires. Only the jailbreak app will stop working, which is required for re-jailbreaking your device after it reboots.
What happens after the jailbreak certificate expires?
After the certificate expires, all installed tweaks, Cydia and jailbreak will remain on your device. Only the jailbreak app will stop working, which is required for re-jailbreaking your device after it reboots.
If you want to renew the certificate, you will have to use Cydia Impactor on your computer to install the jailbreak app onto your device again.
Can I install OpenSSH?
No, the jailbreak already comes with a working SSH daemon (dropbear). Installing OpenSSH can create issues on your jailbroken device.
How can I fix Cydia Impactor error: “provision.cpp:150 Please Sign in with an app specific password.”
This error is shown when you have 2-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID. Read our guide on how to fix the provision.cpp:150 issue by creating an app-specific password.
Which jailbreak tweaks are compatible with iOS 10.2?
Now that you have jailbroken your iOS 10 device, it is important to install only compatible iOS 10 tweaks to avoid facing issues and bootloops. To find out which tweaks are compatible, you can take a look at our list of jailbreak tweaks compatible with iOS 10.
Can I use “Erase All Content & Settings” option?
No, this method doesn’t remove Cydia and the jailbreak and can cause issues.
How do I enter No Substrate Mode on iOS 10?
This is what you need to do to enter No Substrate Mode:
- Reboot your device to disable the jailbreak.
- Open the Yalu jailbreak app.
- Tap on “go” and immediately hold the Volume Up and Sleep/Power buttons.
- Keep holding the buttons until your device restarts and the Lock screen appears.
How can I fix the error “Could Not Open File /var/lib/dpkg/status” in Cydia?
Read this guide to find out how to fix this problem in Cydia.
Ask iPhoneHacks
We hope we’ve answered all the questions you may have about jailbreaking. If you’ve any other questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below, and we will be happy to answer them.
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Update: This FAQ has been updated as of March 5, 2017.
