Cydia is a replacement packaging and repository manager for the original Installer.app for the iPhone or iPod touch. It was created by Jay Freeman to replace BSD Subsystem and Installer.app. Cydia is a UI frontend to his Open Source APT for Debian called Telesphoreo. Cydia pomonella is the scientific name for the codling moth, which is what we often think of as the stereotypical apple worm. Cydia itself looks similar to Installer.app but adds many improvements to organization, functionality and performance of Installer. With Cydia you:
- See the number of apps in each category
- See details of what installing each app includes such as file size and functionality added
- Search for apps by name
- See changes to your currently installed apps and available upgrades
- See details of currently installed apps and easily manage them
- A full user system for app purchases and reviews
- A theme system
- An iPad version
Cydia App Icon To install Cydia you need to jailbreak your iPhone/iPod touch or iPad. There are many ways you jailbreak depending on which device you own and what version of iOS you have installed. Most notably you can use blackra1n, redsn0w, PwnageTool, Spirit jailbreak, jailbreakme 2.0, and QuickPwn. Also, if you already have Installer.app installed just add http://apptapp.saurik.com/ as a source to Installer and install the package “Cydia Installer” from the “System” category.
Generally if you upgrade your iOS to the latest version from Apple, it will unjailbreak your device and/or prohibit you from being able to install Cydia. Jailbreak developers generally support things one release behind the active iOS version. Use this table to easily find out how to install Cydia depending on your iOS version.
| If you have this iOS version and Device | Install Cydia Using |
|---|---|
| iOS 5.0.1 (A5 iPhone 4S & iPad 2 ) | GreenPois0n Absinthe |
| iOS 5.0.1 (A4 not 4S or iPad 2) | redsn0w 0.9.10b3 (untethered) or Corona |
| iOS 5 (A4 not 4S or iPad 2) | redsn0w 0.9.9b5 (tethered) |
| iOS 5 beta 1 | redsn0w 0.9.8b1 (tethered) |
| 4.3.5 (not iPad 2) | redsn0w 0.9.9b1 (tethered) |
| 4.3.4 | redsn0w 0.9.8b3 (tethered) |
| 4.3.3 | redsn0w 0.9.6rc15 (untethered) |
| 4.3.2 | redsn0w 0.9.6rc14 (untethered) |
| 4.3.1 | redsn0w 0.9.6rc9 (untethered) |
| 4.2.1 | GreenPois0n 1.0 RC5 (untethered) |
| 4.0.2 | Not supported |
| 4.0.1/4.0/3.1.3, 3.2.1/3.2 (iPad) | JailbreakMe.com |
| 3.1.3, 3.1.2 (2G unlock), 3.2 (iPad) | Spirit (Windows + Mac OS) |
| 3.1.3, 3.1.2 (2G unlock) (no new 3GS) | redsn0w (Windows + Mac OS) |
| 3.1.2 (newer 3GS models tethered) | blackra1n (Windows + Mac OS) |
| 3.1.2 (but iPhone 3GS Issues) | PwnageTool (Mac OS) |
| 3.0 (3GS Only) | blackra1n (Windows + Mac OS) |
| 2.2.1 (Obsolete) | QuickPwn (Mac OS & Windows) |
Updates: Good News! GreenPois0n Absinthe has been released by the Chronic Dev Team giving you the ability to perform an untethered jailbreak on the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 with the A5 chip. For detailed instructions check out the GreenPois0n Absinthe page.
The preliminary hacking has finally gotten some results. The iPhone Dev-Team has just announced the initial successful jailbreak of iPhone 4S and iPad 2 running iOS 5 with Cydia. The jailbreak is not yet ready for public use. They are working on a few more hurdles still so hang tight.
Check out the screenshots and video of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 below running Cydia.
This is a video of the first iPad 2 jailbroken running Cydia released by the iPhone Dev Team on Oct 28th 2011. Details to follow.
White Cydia Icon Fix
Sometimes after installing Cydia, you might notice an all white icon. To fix this white icon issue just follow these steps: Open Cydia > Manage > Sources >Edit > Add > Paste the following URL http://apt.saurik.com/cydia-3.7 > Add Source and wait while Cydia updates itself. This should now give you the official Cydia icon.
Cydia has a ton of apps for you to try but some of them can be complicated or not very exciting. This is why we review the best Cydia apps you can download here at AppSafari. To browse our reviews check out the Cydia apps category. We often add new reviews of popular Cydia apps so be sure to come back often.
If you have iOS 4.3.1 you can install Cydia using either redsn0w 0.9.6rc9 (Mac and PC) or PwnageTool 4.3 (Mac only) for an untethered jailbreak.
If you have iOS 4.2.1, you can either use GreenPois0n to do an untethered jailbreak, and you can also try a tethered jailbreak using redsn0w.
With the release of the iPhone 3G which comes with OS 2.0 and the related iPhone pwnage tools many of the apps written for the older Installer.app have to be ported over so developers are working on that. In the next few weeks you will start to see more and more apps in Cydia with lots of cool new features, so check back often.
For Windows users with the iPhone 2.1 software update, you can get both Cydia and Installer on your iPhone really quickly and easily by installing the QuickPwn software on your Windows PC. The entire process is streamlined and takes only a few minutes.
Ultrasn0w for iPhone 3G or 3GS can unlock your iPhone 3G or 3GS with OS 3.0 firmware.
1. Ensure you have upgraded to iPhone OS 3.0
2. Jailbreak your iPhone 3G using redsn0w or PwnageTool & if you have the 3GS use the purplera1n installer app to jailbreak it instead. (after this step you will have Cydia)
3. Run Cydia
4. Add the repo repo666.ultrasn0w.com to Cydia. (that last o is actually the number zero)
5. Search for “ultrasn0w” in cydia and install ultrasn0w
6. Reboot your iPhone 3G
7. T-Mobile USA users should disable 3G before using ultrasn0w
Purplesn0w can also unlock your iPhone 3GS, so use it instead of Ultrasn0w if you wish. The steps are exactly the same as the above. Only use this repo source in Cydia apt.geohot.com and install Purplesn0w from there.
If you have OS 3.1.2 you can use blackra1n or PwnageTool 3.1.4 to jailbreak and get Cydia installed on your iPhone or iPod touch.
If you are running OS 3.1.2, 3.1.3 or 3.2 and want to install Cydia on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, use Spirit. It is simple, takes 30 seconds and best of all it is untethered.
Important: If you install SSH on your device, be sure to change the default root password on your jailbroken device:
1) Install Mobile Terminal From Cydia and run it
2) Type in “su root” and tap return
3) When promted for a password, enter “alpine” hit return
4) Type “passwd” and hit return
5) Type a new password and hit return
6) Re-Enter your new password to confirm and hit return
7) You’re done. You’ve successfully changed your default root password and should feel safer now.
The website jailbreakme 2.0 let’s you install Cydia on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch by just visiting a website, if you have not updated past 4.0.1 yet. No installs or cables needed. Get Cydia in 3 minutes flat.
Most people new to jailbreaking ask the question; is it legal to jailbreak my device?
The answer is, technically yes. Jailbreaking your iPhone will void your contract, but it is not illegal. Having said that, you can restore your device to its factory settings if all else fails as a last resort. Now, it is possible that your device will have issues and you might lose your data stored on the device. This is why it is highly recommended that your always backup your device via iTunes before jailbreaking. This assures that you can restore to a working backup as a worst case scenario.
Cydia keeps getting better on every release and update, and saurik’s support is exceptional. Below are a list of additional features that have been added to Cydia so far.
- Rock was a new mod app store which has been acquired by Cydia.
- Theme Center has been added to Cydia. It gives you the ability to buy and manage jailbreak themes on your iPhone from a single location, as an alternative to a competing app called Theme It. Right now you have a selection of the top selling themes from Cydia in the Theme Center and staff picks. You will soon be able to rate the themes as a user, thanks to the new user account system in Cydia.
- A new user account management system has been added to Cydia that lets users check previously installed packages.
- Cydia is coming to the Mac! Apple is soon to release the Mac App Store. The new Mac App Store won’t allow Mac developers sell in-app purchases for “Lite” apps, create Game Center integration or even to generate promo codes. Since some developers don’t want to deal with going through Apple, Mac Cydia will let you do just that. Contact Cydia via patrick@saurikit.com if you are a developer and want more details on getting your Mac app into the Cydia Mac App Store, set to launch in a few weeks.
- Cydia developers Jay Freeman & chpwn have a new version of Cydia, with full iPad support. It will be out soon with iOS 4.2 jailbreak. Here’s a quick look at how the iPad version of Cydia looks like.
Apple should and sometimes does (folders for example) take a few elements from the Cydia Store and port them to the App Store.
Use iPhone mods and hacks at your own risk! Installing 3rd Party iPhone apps requires you to jailbreak the iPhone before installing the native software and apps. Browse the full list of all iPhone and iPod touch native 3rd party apps filed under the software category.
Cydia Developer’s website is here
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Go to the top of this website, and search for an app called QuickPwn, its a piece of cake
Ok yesterday i jailbroken my iphone everything works good and the app store is good nothing wrong with it. But your problem about the apps u downloaded before. Yes the hole jailbreaking thing resets your iphone so you must have backed up your i phone before u had jailbroken it so u can easily reconnect your iphone again after jailbreaking it and the itunes will sync the games and the music and the contacts that u had before on the iphone before u jailbroken it.Besides that the iphone works just fine.Need any further help
Ok yesterday i jailbroken my iphone everything works good and the app store is good nothing wrong with it. But your problem about the apps u downloaded before. Yes the hole jailbreaking thing resets your iphone so you must have backed up your i phone before u had jailbroken it so u can easily reconnect your iphone again after jailbreaking it and the itunes will sync the games and the music and the contacts that u had before on the iphone before u jailbroken it.Besides that the iphone works just fine.Need any further help
Hey guys I have a quick question. If I jailbreak my phone, will I lose all the apps I have already downloaded? And will I still have the app store? Ty
Hey there! I am also heavily researching jailbreaking my IPhone. So you’re glad that you finally did it, huh? Now after I jailbreak….. is the Apple App Store still there and accesible? And all of my previously donloaded apps from the app store? do they still work on a jailbroken phone? and if so, do i have to download them again? does jailbreaking your phone pretty much “reset” it? can anyone please let me know. I’m really weighing my options here.
Reply
Hey there! I am also heavily researching jailbreaking my IPhone. O you’re glad that you finally did it, huh? Now after I jailbreak….. is the Apple App Store still there and accesible? And all of my previously donloaded apps from the app store? do they still work on a jailbroken phone? and if so, do i have to download them again? does jailbreaking your phone pretty much “reset” it?
I have Iphone 3g 2.2 and it has the app store but i can’t find any application that changes my theme except for summerboard or winterboard which both requires me to jailbreak my iphone?is there any alterenative choice than jailbreaking my iphone in order to get themes.What is the harm if i jailbreak my iphone except for ending my warnaty with apple.
I realy need help I can’t find out how to get Cydia on my iPod touch cause I realy need it so plese help me
I Quickpwned my iPhone 3G a few days ago, after a couple of months reading about the subject. I was actually terrified of something going wrong.
QuickPwn is a piece of cake. That’s it, my iPhone worked like a charm. I have never been happier!
No, it’s perfectly legal. Apple doesn’t like people doing it, but they can’t do anything about it. As US citizens, by law we have the right to modify something that is our property. If you legally bought your iPhone, there should be no problem. But be warned, Apple will not help you if you break your iPhone Jailbreaking it.
I just got an ipod touch and I was wondering if there was ANY way to get cydia on here?
Have not yet gone to a forum where ppl have not encountered problems with jailbreaking their iphone.
Disappointed as I and most would be with some missing functions, ie MMS, Bluetooth file transfer and video, I would prefer Apple to address these issues by way of pressure from customers.
The hot tip is, unless you are an expert at hacking…..
DON’T FCUKING DO IT!!!!
cydia is a good one or not? i hv little confussion… pls give idea to unlock my 3g iphone without any problem in my future.. thanks in advance to all frnds.
You can Jailbreak your iphone 3G even if its on a contract just make sure that when your it on a software like Pwnage make sure you unselect “Activate iPhone” before continuing the process. it is illegal and it does violate your warranty jailbreaking. you can always restore it to factory settings if something goes wrong or if you simply change your mind later on.
Had the same problem. I had to restore my iphone via itunes. Then reinstalled cydia. Everything seems okay for now. I read some other forums that the Kate app might be the culprit but not sure. I also installed cydia on my wifes phone and it worked the first time.
i have installed ILOG on my i phone from cydia installer but my credit card could not be processed by your system so please inform me if you have other means of payment like bank transfer or else
i have cyida and i updated it and now every-time i click it it disapears and goes back to my regular screen i think i need to reinstall cydia but i dont kno how what should i do any suggestions?
me too, this program is great
actually I have already used this software it is better than installer
In order to get Cydia or Installer, you have to jailbreak the Iphone using the program called ” Quickpwn ” for Windows or ” Pwnage ” for Macs. Remember the Iphones have different firmwares. The latest are 2.1 and 2.2 . So first download Quickpwn 2.1 or 2.2 version. Then download Iphone 3g 2.1 or 2.2 ipsw (firmware) respectively. If you don’t know where to get Quickpwn or ipsw, google them. Then run the Quickpwn and follow the procedures step by step. At certain point, the Quickpwn will ask you whether you want to add Cydia, Installer, or Replace Boot Logos. Of course, you want to add them. The tricky part is to put Iphone into recovery mode ( DFU mode by holding power and home button ). If you do it right, Quickpwn will jailbreak your Iphone automatically. Tadada. With Cydia, you can install Cycorder ( Camcorder ), Mixtube ( download youtube to your phones ), Winterboard ( Changing your homescreen ) , Pdanet ( using Iphone as modem ) and other incredible apps that Itunes won’t provide. Check the youtube for video instructions.