(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As NGU doesn't seem to have a collective thread regarding jailbreaking, I thought it would be a good idea to add a single thread where the community can pitch in to create the best resource for jailbreaking.

This thread will be a core to all your jailbreaking needs. It includes a definition of what jailbreaking is, reasons why you should jailbreak, tutorials on how to jailbreak your devices, what to do after you've jailbroken and even more.

Feel free to contribute to this thread either by PMing me or adding it in a post below.

Current version: 1.2
Updated: 07/02/2013
Added more tweaks and added a symbol to show if they aren't compatible with iOS 6 yet. Changed repo for GamePlayer tweak. Reduced width of Glossary table.

Thanks to You must login or register to view this content. for his jailbreak tutorials!

[multipage= What is jailbreaking? ]

What is jailbreaking?

When you purchase a new iOS device, it comes with a preinstalled version of iOS, usually the latest version. Unfortunately for us iOS lovers, Apple has effectively locked down iOS and made it so that it cannot be modified, meaning third party apps and tweaks cannot be installed. However, shortly after the first iPhone was released back in 2007, someone had come up with a method of installing a third party application on their iPhone, which then led to the first jailbreak.

So, what exactly is a "jailbreak"? A jailbreak is a piece of software that is run on a computer (or on your device) that removes your device from Apple's "jail", allowing third party applications and tweaks to be installed. It does this by taking advantage of exploits and vulnerabilities within iOS to gain access to the phone's root user account.

There are two different levels of vulnerabilities that iOS hackers can use: userland and bootrom. A userland vulnerability is the most commonly found exploit, and was the vulnerability used in the new evasi0n jailbreak released just yesterday. It takes advantage of vulnerabilities in the software in order to achieve the jailbreak. However, it can be patched with software so userland jailbreaks typically don't last very long. Alternatively to this, a bootrom vulnerability is the best kind of exploit there is. Bootrom-level jailbreaks take advantage of a hole in the device's bootrom to achieve the jailbreak. Unlike userland jailbreaks, this cannot be fixed using software updates and will last the entire lifespan of the device. As an example, the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4 had a bootrom-level vulnerability discovered in 2010 that is still in use today to achieve a tethered jailbreak (geohot's limera1n).

On top of this, there's three other kinds of jailbreak: untethered, tethered and semi-tethered. These are very simple to understand. A jailbreak, regardless of it's core vulnerability, will need an exploit in order to run the jailbreak procedure upon every boot sequence in order to pwn the kernel each time and allow the jailbreak to actually work. In untethered jailbreaks, this has already been done. To prove this, you have the ability to reboot your device back into the jailbreak. Evasi0n is an untethered jailbreak. Tethered is the opposite of this. Tethered jailbreaks do not yet have the initial code execution to be able to kickstart the jailbreak procedure upon boot and therefore when you reboot, you need to use a computer to pwn the kernel for you. A semi-tethered jailbreak, albeit rare, do occur from time to time. Semi-tethered jailbreaks still do not have that initial code execution, however they can reboot into "normal" mode, as if your device isn't jailbroken, so you can make calls and such. Ideally, you want an untethered jailbreak.

[multipage= Can I jailbreak? ]

You can use You must login or register to view this content. to tell you if your device can be jailbroken or not. It's frequently updated by MuscleNerd whenever a new jailbreak is released.

[multipage= How do I jailbreak iOS 6.0? ]

Please read You must login or register to view this content. before continuing.

iOS 6 - 6.1 Jailbreaking tutorial - You must login or register to view this content.

You will be downloading a program called evasi0n. The same developers that make redsn0w and greenpoison created this.
This is compatible with the following devices

iPhone 3gs
iPhone 4
iPhone 4s
iPhone 5

iPad 1
iPad 2
iPad 3
iPad 4
iPad mini

iPod 4
iPod 5

Carriers does not matter when jailbreaking a phone.

Download link:
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Mirrors if the site doesn't load:
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The jailbreak can be done from an OTA update so if you didn't restore with iTunes it is no problem.

How to jailbreak your iDevice:

******* TAKE OFF ANY PASSCODE LOCK YOU HAVE ON YOUR DEVICE PRIOR TO JAILBREAKING *****************

-Plug your device into your computer.
-Close iTunes if it comes up.
-Drag evasi0n from it's zip file and put the program on your desktop.
-Run evasi0n and wait for your iDevice to be recognized.
-If your device is on iOS 6 or higher it will say supported
-If you are not on iOS 6 or higher, use iTunes to update your device then return here.
-Click the "jailbreak" button on the program and lay your device down. DO NOT TOUCH IT UNLESS TOLD OTHERWISE.
-After a few moments, your iDevice will reboot. This will happen multiple times. IT IS NORMAL.
-Eventually, evasi0n will tell you to unlock your device and run an app. DO NOT DISCONNECT FROM YOUR PC
-Unlock your phone and tap the new "Jailbreak" icon. The app will crash. THIS IS NORMAL AS WELL.
-evasi0n will do the final steps for your device.
-Once the progress bar reaches 100% you may disconnect your device because the computer is no longer needed.
-Your device will reboot a couple more times. Once it finally boots up and runs normally, you will have the Cydia icon.
-Open Cydia and let it "prepare the filesystem" This will take a few moments and then your device will reboot again.
-DONE. Enjoy your jailbroken device on iOS 6!

[multipage= How do I jailbreak iOS 5.0? ]

Jailbreaking iPod Touch 3G iOS 5.1.1 (Final firmware for the iTouch 3G)

Redsn0w:
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Jailbreaking your iPod 3G

-Plug up your device.
-Close iTunes if it comes up.
-Run Redsn0w as administrator.
-Click jailbreak.
-Redsn0w will literally do everything for you.
-DO NOT UNPLUG YOUR DEVICE.
-Eventually Redsn0w will tell you that the jailbreak had been installed correctly.
-The device MAY reboot a few times.
-Find Cydia on the home screen and open it. Let the filesystem prepare.
-Your device may reboot again.
-Done! Enjoy your jailbroken device!

[multipage= How do I jailbreak iOS 4.0? ]

Jailbreaking the iPhone 3G


Download Greenpoison
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-Plug in device
-Close iTunes if it comes up
-Open greenpoison
-Turn off your phone
-Hit jailbreak and follow the directions to put your device into DFU mode
-The rest of the process is handled with greenpoison
-DO NOT DISCONNECT FROM PC
-When JB is complete and device is fully operational, find the Cydia icon
-Open Cydia and let it prepare the filesystem
-Device may reboot
-DONE. Enjoy your jailbroken device!

[multipage= What to do after jailbreaking ]

After jailbreaking your device, what can you do? Well, practically anything. Newer jailbreaks now install the APT graphical frontend and third party app store Cydia, created by Jay Freeman (saurik) that allows you to install unofficial apps and tweaks to your device. You can also add other repositories to find even more great content to enhance your experience with iOS.

Whether it be to theme your device, change certain existing features or gain new ones, Cydia is your one stop shop for all that. Some of mine and the community's favorite tweaks and repositories can be found in the next section.

[multipage= Repositories ]

Cydia works by acquiring a package list from each repository installed on your device and then organizing the list into a scrollable list of installable packages on your device. However, you aren't stuck with the default repositories, so I've added some of my personal favorites below which you can add to Cydia by going into the Manage tab, then selecting Sources. From there, tap Edit and then Add.

xSellize
Repo address: https://cydia.xsellize.com or https://apt.xsellize.com
xSellize is a great repository, especially for cracked Cydia addons that normally charge to install. It has a wide variety of skins and themes for your devices too.

Rainstone
Repo address: https://repo.rainstone.co
Rainstone is mainly for users with a device lower than the fifth generation (iPhone 4S, iPad 3). It has several Siri ports that allow you to install Apple's voice assistant on unsupported devices such as the iPhone 4 and 3GS.

iHacksRepo
Repo address: https://ihacksrepo.com
Similar to xSellize on what is offered, but seems to be more focused on tweaks than themes. A great repository regardless.

insanelyi
Repo address: https://repo.insanelyi.com
Similar to iHacksRepo and xSellize in what is offered.

SiNfuL iPhone Repo
Repo address: https://sinfuliphonerepo.com
Similar to xSellize, insanelyi and iHacksRepo. Some of the cracked apps here are better than others however.

Ryan Petrich
Repo address: https://rpetri.ch/repo
A great repo full of tweaks in the making by Ryan Petrich. Be careful, some are still in beta.

iPhoneCake
Repo address: https://cydia.iphonecake.com
Has several notable tweaks including AppCake, an alternative to Installous, and GamePlayer, an iOS memory editor for games.

[multipage= Tweaks and other addons ]

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I have practically all of these installed on my phone 24/7 and I run an iPhone 4, so they should work on your devices with ease.

(*) - not compatible with iOS 6 (yet)

Auxo
Repo: BigBoss
Price: $1.99

An amazingly redesigned app switcher. Definitely how Apple should do it.

AirBlue Sharing (*)
Repo: BigBoss
Price: $4.99

AirBlue Sharing is an awesome tweak that gives you the ability to wirelessly send and receive files to and from devices using Bluetooth, a feature that Apple has never included in iOS by default. You can send and receive to and from other iOS devices running AirBlue, Android devices, and computers with Bluetooth services available. It's paid but it's definitely worth it. You can find cracked versions but none of them ever worked for me.

AppCake
Repo: iPhoneCake (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

AppCake is a great alternative to the now defunct Installous. It works in an identical fashion to Installous, allowing you to download & install cracked IPA files right on your device.

AppSync (*)
Repo: xSellize (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

Created by Hackulo.us (which shut down last month), this tweak allows you to sync cracked apps to and from your iTunes library stored on a computer. A must have for anyone who uses AppCake, vShare or iPASTORE.

biteSMS
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free (ads after 7 days, buy license to remove)

A great replacement for the messaging system allowing you to send and reply to messages from anywhere within iOS.

CameraTweak
Repo: BigBoss
Price: $0.99

Adds some much needed additions to the default camera app including timer, time delay and increased grids.

Cascade
Repo: BigBoss
Price: $0.99

Adds a coverflow-esque layout to the dock area.

Chrome Download Manager
Repo: ModMyI
Price: $3.00

CDM allows you to download files using the Chrome browser. It functions in the same way as the Safari Download Manager, except on Chrome. It's another paid app but a cracked version can be found on xSellize.

ClutchPatched
Repo: CrackLords (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

This is a command line cracking utility that you can use to crack your own iOS apps. It's great if you want to start sharing apps you've bought, but unless you know how to use Terminal, I'd skip it.

CyDelete
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

CyDelete allows you to delete Cydia tweaks that add icons to the home screen as if they were official iOS apps. You can even delete Cydia with it, but that would leave you without a graphical frontend to install tweaks.

Deck (*)
Repo: ModMyI
Price: -

Deck gives you an amazing side bar that allows you to control and access most aspects of your device from anywhere. Similar to SBSettings.

f.lux
Repo: Cydia/Telesphoreo
Price: free

This tweak uses the results of a scientific study and instead of dimming your screen at night, it increases the warmth of the colors, which makes it easier to read the screen. A definite must-have.

Five Icon Dock
Repo: Cydia/Telesphoreo
Price: free

With Five Icon Dock, you can cram an extra icon into the dock. I use this in conjunction with Five Icon Switcher and Five-Column Springboard (both below). Highly recommended.

Five Icon Switcher
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

Similar to Five Icon Dock except this one crams an extra app into each page of the app switcher. Highly recommended.

Five-Column Springboard
Repo: ModMyI
Price: free

Similar to Five Icon Dock and Five Icon Switcher, this one adds a fifth column of apps to the springboard, allowing you to fit even more apps on one screen. Highly recommended.

GamePlayer
Repo: Duowan (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

GamePlayer is an absolute must-have for any iOS gamer. It's a memory editor that allows you change ingame values such as currency, kills, points across a huge range of games including GTA Vice City, CO Black Ops Zombies, CO Zombies and many more. A definite must-have.

iAP Cracker (*)
Repo: xSellize (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

iAP Cracker is a cracker for in-app purchases, allowing you to buy coin packs / currency from in-game stores for free. It doesn't work on all games however, so beware.

iFile
Repo: BigBoss
Price: $4.00

iFile allows you to browse the entire filesystem of your device under the root account. It's an absolute must-have and definitely worth the buying price. However, if you're looking to get it free, a cracked version can be found on xSellize.

iPASTORE
Repo: CrackLords (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

Another Installous alternative, which allows you to download and install cracked apps on your device.

LowPowerBanner
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

Getting sick of the annoying "Low Power" popups? LowPowerBanner turns those popups into notification bars and plays a sound too (configurable). Additionally, you can tell it at what percentage of battery it should alert you. Highly recommended.

MobileTerminal
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

If you're a Mac OS/Linux fan and you love Terminal, then this is an absolute must have and doesn't need to be explained. It gives the ability to run a command line terminal right on your device.

Nitrous
Repo: BigBoss
Price: $0.99

This tweak boosts the speed at which your device executes Javascript and is an absolute must have, especially as it's less than $1.00 to buy.

PasswordPilot
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

If you're sick of entering your Apple ID password, this tweak will automatically insert it for you. Be wary to use a passcode when using this tweak incase your device is stolen, however.

SBSettings
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

An absolute must have for any jailbroken device, SBSettings allows you to alter the most commonly used toggles on your device anywhere using a handy drop down window. You can even add it as a notification center widget. A definite must-have.

ShowCase
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

This tweak simply changes the case of the keyboard depending on whether shift/caps lock is on or off. It's only small but it's great. Highly recommended.

Skyra1n (*)
Repo: Rainstone (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

This is one of the best Siri ports I've ever used allowing you to choose which Siri server you want to use (I recommend WordJelly). Highly recommended for 3GS/i4 users who want Siri.

StayOpened
Repo: ModMyI
Price: free

This tweak will keep the App Store open after you install or update an app. Highly recommended.

SwipeSelection
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

This is truly one of the most useful and greatest tweaks I've ever used on my device. It simplifies the process of moving the cursor or selecting text my allowing you to just swipe your finger over the keyboard. A definite must-have.

Torch
Repo: ModMyI
Price: free

(for iPhone 4 and above) This tweak puts a button on your lockscreen allowing you to quickly turn on and off the camera flash as a torch, giving you light when you need it most. Highly recommended.

UnlimTones
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

Allows you to download and import ringtones into your device, and also create your own.

Unlock iOS6 Maps
Repo: BigBoss
Price: free

This gives 3GS and i4 users the ability to use turn-by-turn directions and 3D maps in Apple Maps.

vShare
Repo: xSellize (You must login or register to view this content.)
Price: free

Yet another Installous alternative, allowing you to download and install cracked apps on your device.

Winterboard
Repo: Cydia/Telesphoreo
Price: free

Gives you the ability to fully theme your device. Highly recommended.

Zeppelin
Repo: ModMyI
Price: free

Bored of your carrier name in the status bar? Replace it with an icon of something else instead, such as the Batman symbol.

[multipage= Glossary]

Confused about what a term means? Here's an index of them.

APT	Advanced Packaging Tool. Debian's (and Cydia's) packaging tool involved in installing and removing software.
Baseband	Controls all operations that make use of the antenna. Has it's own RAM and firmware in NOR flash.
Bootloader	Runs right before the main OS starts, and performs signature checks. It also loads the OS.
Bootrom	Also known as SecureROM. First significant code that executes upon boot. Read only. If a bootrom exploit is found, it will last the entire lifespan of the device.
Cydia	The graphical frontend for APT created by Jay Freeman (saurik). Named after Cydia Pomonella, the name of the traditional apple worm.
Icy	Another Cydia alternative. No longer maintained.
Installer	The original third party app store. No longer maintained.
Installous	The cracked app store. Closed in December 2012.
iOS	The name of Apple's mobile operating system. Formally called iPhone OS.
iPad	Apple's tablet computer, running on iOS. Currently in it's fourth generation.
iPhone	Apple's iOS powered smartphone. Currently in it's sixth generation.
iPod Touch	An evolved version of the original iPod. Features a touch screen and similar specs to iPhone and runs on iOS. Currently in it's sixth generation.
iPhone OS	The former name of iOS before the iPad was unveiled.
Jailbreak	The name given to the method of removing your device from Apple's "jail".
Kernel	The core of the OS. Functions as a bridge between applications and the data processing done at hardware level.
OTA	Over the air. Refers to over the air updating added in iOS 5.
Respring	The process of restarting the Springboard application.
Semi-tethered jailbreak	A jailbreak that lacks the initial code execution to allow you to reboot into jailbreak mode, but does allow you to reboot into normal mode. Only requires a computer to boot into jailbreak mode.
Springboard	The name of the application that functions as the home screen.
Tethered jailbreak	A jailbreak that lacks the initial code execution to allow you to reboot into jailbreak mode. Devices with tethered jailbreaks require a computer to complete to boot sequence (by pwning the kernel).
Ultrasn0w	A Cydia package that unlocks your device. Maintained but does not work on newer basebands. Last supported on 01.59.00 (iPhone 4).
Unlock	A method of unlocking your device to other carriers.
Untethered jailbreak	A jailbreak that includes the initial code execution to allow you to reboot into jailbreak mode.

Nice thread JB

3 hours. :p