Apple is all set to release iOS 10 in a few hours from now. Apple had patched several exploits used to jailbreak iOS 9.3.3 or lower so you won’t be able to jailbreak iOS 10 using the Pangu Jailbreak tool.
Here are 9 things jailbreakers must know with the imminent release of iOS 10. If you’ve been jailbreaking for a long time then you would probably already know them, however, if you’re new to the world of jailbreaking then I would recommend going through them.
#1. Do Not Update or Restore
Pangu jailbreak won’t work with iOS 10, so if you’re either on iOS 9.3.3 or lower, you should avoid upgrading to iOS 10 if you don’t want to miss your favorite jailbreak tweaks. If you’ve a jailbroken device, then upgrading to iOS 10 will wipe the jailbreak along with the jailbreak apps and tweaks. Apple has also stopped signing iOS 9.3.3 firmware files so you won’t be able to downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9.3.3.
If your device is on iOS 9.3.4 or iOS 9.3.5, even then, you should think twice before upgrading to iOS 10, as one of the golden rules of jailbreaking is to stay where you’re and avoid updating your device to the latest iOS software update to improve your chances of jailbreaking your iOS device.
#2. Save SHSH Blobs
Tools like TinyUmbrella allowed you to save the SHSH blobs while the firmware is still being signed, so you could use it to create (stitch) a pre-signed IPSW file using tools like Redns0w, which could then be used to restore your device with an iOS version that Apple was no longer signing. However, Apple has closed the loophole that allowed users to use the SHSH blobs to downgrade to an older version in newer devices (iPhone 4S and later) and also in iOS 7 or later. So you cannot restore to 6.x or higher using SHSH blobs except on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPod touch 4G (and iPad 2 to iOS 5.x if you have iOS 4.x and iOS 5.x SHS blobs).
Even though it is not possible to downgrade to an older iOS version that Apple has stopped signing, it is a good practise to save SHSH blobs using TinyUmbrella. Semaphore, the developer of the tool has said that SHSH blobs will be relevant again thanks to a new exploit discovered by iH8sn0w, developer of Sn0wbreeze and Posixspwn jailbreak tools, indicating that it will be possible to downgrade to an older iOS version using SHSH blobs. TinyUmbrella is currently compatible with iOS 9.3.4 or lower.
You can follow our guide if you need help on how to save SHSH blobs.
Read: How to save SHSH blobs for your iPhone or iPad using the new TinyUmbrella
#3. Install Cydia Impactor
Cydia Eraser (Cydia Impactor was renamed Cydia Eraser recently) allows you to remove the jailbreak from your jailbroken device and return it to stock Apple iOS software without the need of restoring (updating) it.
This can come in very handy when you want to sell your device, as it allows you to remove the data and all your personal data without having to restore your device. Since restoring your device would mean installing the latest iOS software update, Cydia Impactor gives you the option to remain at the iOS software update that can be jailbroken, which can be very valuable.
You can install Cydia Eraser for free from Cydia.
#4. Install OpenSSH for SemiRestore
SemiRestore which is compatible with all jailbroken devices running iOS 5 – iOS 9.1, allows you to restore your jailbroken iOS device to near stock condition without losing the jailbreak. It is useful in situations where Cydia Eraser cannot be used. SemiRestore can come in handy when you get into a reboot loop issue because of a problematic/buggy tweak, and the volume up trick to fix the problem does not work. Since it removes the jailbreak tweaks during the restore process, it can help in such cases. At the moment, SemiRestore is available only for iOS 9.1 or lower.
SemiRestore needs OpenSSH to be installed on the jailbroken device for it to work, so install it from Cydia as soon as possible to you use SemiRestore in case you have a problem with your jailbroken device. Please note that you should change the root password of your jailbroken iOS device after installing OpenSSH to prevent someone from remotely accessing your iOS device. You can check our guide if you need help.
5. How to Get Out of Reboot Loop problem
In case you’re not aware, it is possible to recover from a reboot loop problem on your jailbroken device thanks to the safe mode feature of mobile substrate. There are a number of people who still don’t know this, and end up restoring their device, and thus end up losing their jailbreak. So if you get into an endless reboot loop after installing a jailbreak tweak, check our article on how to recover from it. Every jailbreaker should know this trick.
Read: How to fix endless reboot loop problem on your jailbroken iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
#6. Stop the Jailbreak Tweaks Binge
If you’re someone who installs anything and everything from Cydia, then you may want to take it easy, and reassess the situation. You should be very careful while installing jailbreak tweaks as a bad tweak could easily force you to restore your device, which would mean that you will lose the jailbreak and all the tweaks installed on your device.
It may also be prudent to check iPhoneHacks.com for the reviews or feel free to ask us a question about the tweak you want to install in our Forums.
#7. Uninstall Jailbreak Tweaks that you don’t use
Since you are more likely to run into an issue with a tweak due to compatibility issues with other tweaks, it is a good idea to uninstall jailbreak tweaks that you do not use. This will reduce the probability of running into an issue.
#8. Do not tinker with the File system
We have come across readers who have got into trouble for trying to tinker with the filesystem such as deleting a file using iFile etc, which ends up being a system file and results in forcing the user to restore their device. You should only be tinkering with the filesystem if you know what you’re doing, and now with the lack of a jailbreak for iOS 8.4.1, you’re better off avoiding it as much as possible.
#9. iOS 10 Jailbreak Status
The good news is that iOS 10 has already been jailbroken. Pangu team members showed off a working jailbreak for iOS 10 with a screen-cast of Cydia running on the device at the Mobile Security Conference happening in Shangai in July. The team members did not reveal more information about the jailbreak, but as per the pictures, it is evident that they have done some significant work to get Cydia up and running on the next version of iOS. Todesco had also released a teaser video to show that he had successfully jailbroken iOS 10.
We’ll let you know as soon as we’ve any further updates about the iOS 10 jailbreak. Don’t forget to join our Facebook Fan page, follow us on Twitter, add us to your circles on Google+, subscribe to our RSS feed, our Daily Newsletter or subscribe to our all-new push notifications on your Mac in Safari for the latest updates.
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