How to change Jailbroken iPhone or iPad’s root password

BY Gautam Prabhu

Published 20 Jul 2014

If you’re new to jailbreaking, and have just jailbroken your iOS device using the Pangu jailbreak then it may be a good idea to change the default root password to prevent someone with malicious intent from gaining access to your device.

Update:

If your device is on iOS 8 or higher, then check this guide:

➤ How to change the root password on your jailbroken iPhone or iPad in iOS 8

 

This is especially important if you’ve installed OpenSSH.

You can follow these simple steps to change the root password on your jailbroken iOS device:

Install Mobile Terminal

  • Launch Cydia
  • Tap on the Search tab
  • Search for MobileTerminal
  • Tap on MobileTerminal from the search results
  • Tap on Install, followed by Confirm to install MobileTerminal on your device.

Change root password

By default password assigned by Apple is alpine.

  • Launch the MobileTerminal app
  • Type su root at the prompt and tap the return key

Mobile Terminal - Password Change

  • Enter alpine and hit the return key.
  • Then type passwd and hit the return key to change the password.
  • You will be prompted to enter the new password twice. Enter it twice when prompted. (Note that your keypresses will not be displayed on the terminal screen for security reasons)

Change mobile password

You should also change the password of the mobile user, which is the regular user account on your device.

  • Enter passwd mobile and hit the return key.
  • You will be prompted to enter the new password twice. Enter it twice when prompted.

That’s it. You can close the MobileTerminal app.

You can also check out our video tutorial:

You can also change the password via OpenSSH, but I prefer this method as you don’t need a computer.

Update:

If your device is on iOS 8 or higher, then check this guide:

➤ How to change the root password on your jailbroken iPhone or iPad in iOS 8

Let me know how it goes.