iOS 16 Jailbreak: Current Status & Everything to Know [2024]

Since the emergence of the very first iPhone, jailbreaking has become increasingly popular among users who want more control over their devices. Nearly every version of iOS has been jailbroken eventually, and this guide will specifically focus on how to jailbreak iPhones running iOS 16, as well as the pros, cons, and risks involved.

What is Jailbreaking?

In the context of iPhones, jailbreaking refers to the idea of circumventing certain software limitations by exploiting vulnerabilities in the software. It gives the user a certain level of access to restricted parts of the operation system, so you are essentially getting an escalated level of privilege to configure and alter your phone.

The Android equivalent of this process is known as “rooting,” and while the term, jailbreaking originated from iPhones, it has since become synonymous with other devices as well, such as the PlayStation 4.

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The Current Status of iOS Jailbreaking

While programmers like epeth0mus and checkra1n used to publish jailbreak scripts for most iOS versions, Apple has tightened its security measures in recent years, making jailbreaking significantly more difficult.

In 2021, after the release of iOS 15, Apple restricted an third party apps to modify user settings. This was done to strengthen iPhone’s cybersecurity and prevent its native apps from becoming unstable.

In the broader scheme of things, jailbreaking is no longer a viable option. Instead, sideloading may come up as the new jailbreaking (if Apple allows it) since most developers have already abandoned the jailbreak community.

How to Jailbreak iOS 16

While there are a number of different jailbreak tools available, it is advisable to choose one that supports iOS 16 for your particular iPhone and more importantly, is safe to use. For this guide, we will be using palera1n.

1. Jailbreaking an iPhone Using a Windows/Linux PC (palera1n)

Since Windows doesn’t have a dedicated jailbreaking tool, the recommended approach is to use the Linux Ubuntu environment to execute the jailbreak process. This necessitates booting into Ubuntu using a bootable USB drive.

Prerequisites:

• A PC running Windows or Linux.
• A USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage
• An iPhone
• Rufus (to create a bootable flash drive)
• The latest version of palera1n.

Step 1: Create a Bootable USB Drive for Ubuntu

To create a bootable USB drive, we will use Rufus to flash Ubuntu onto the drive.

1. Download and launch Rufus.
2. Connect the USB drive to your computer.
3. Under boot selection, choose Ubuntu and click on Start.

   

4. When prompted, select “Write in ISO Image Mode(Recommended)“, and click OK.

   

5. Ubuntu is now installed onto your flash drive. Click on Close to exit Rufus.

Step 2: Booting into Ubuntu

Now that you have a bootable flash drive ready, boot into ubuntu.

1. Restart your PC and access your PC’s boot menu. (Typically, this involves pressing F2, F10, or F12, depending on the manufacturer.)
2. Select your USB Flash Drive.
3. From the GNU GRUB menu, choose Ubuntu and press Enter.

   

4. When prompted, choose “Try Ubuntu once.”

Step 3: Jailbreaking iPhone via palera1n

For this part, we will be using the checkra1n jailbreak. Here’s how to jailbreak your iPhone:

1. Download the jailbreaking tool from its website.
2. Extract the .zip file and open the folder.
3. Within this folder, right click and choose “Open in Terminal”

   

4. Type chmod +x * in the Terminal window.
5. Type sudo sh install.sh to run the installation.

   

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to put your iPhone into recovery mode.
7. Click on Semi-Tethered Jailbreak to start the jailbreaking process.

   

8. Once the jailbreak is complete, press OK.
9. Reboot your iPhone.

2. Jailbreaking an iPhone Using Mac (palera1n)

On Mac, things are a lot simpler with guided instructions and step-by-step instructions of what to do. Here’s how to go about the process.

Prerequisites:

• A system running macOS.
• An iPhone
• The latest version of palera1n 

Step 1: Download and Install palera1n

1. Download the palera1n jailbreaking tool from its website.
2. Double click the downloaded file to open it.

   

Step 2: Installing Homebrew

1. Open your web browser and go to brew.sh.
2. Copy the command that appears below the words “Install Homebrew.“
3. Open a new terminal window and paste the command.
4. Press Enter to install Homebrew and all of its required packages.

Step 3: Installing Other Required Packages

1. Open the “palera1n GUI-version number” folder you downloaded.
2. Drag and drop “install_deps4.sh” onto a new terminal window. Hit enter to run it.

   

Step 4: Launching the palera1n GUI

1. Open a new terminal window.
2. Type the following command: cd
3. Drag the “Palera1n GUI-” folder, followed by the version number, into the terminal window.
4. Type ;python3 palera1n.py
5. Press Enter. This will open the palera1n GUI.

   

Step 5: Pair Your Device

1. Click “Pair iDevice” to connect your device.
2. Choose between a semi-tethered or fully tethered jailbreak.
3. Enter your iOS version. If you don’t know your version, go to Settings > General > About.

   

Step 6: The Jailbreak

1. Enter DFU mode on your device.
2. Click “OK” again once your device is in DFU mode.
3. This will start the jailbreaking process. Your device may restart a few times, but know that this is normal behavior while jailbreaking.

   

Is Jailbreaking Worth It?

The evaluation on whether jailbreaking is worth it or not hinges on your individual needs and risk tolerance. While jailbreaking can unlock a lot of your phone’s functionalities, it simultaneously exposes your device to certain types of malware and viruses due to compromised security measures.

In some instances, post-jailbreaking procedures can trigger device instability or sometimes even brick it altogether. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks before deciding to jailbreak your iPhone.

iOS 16 Jailbreaking: Pros and Cons

Since jailbreaking bypasses software limitations set by Apple on iOS, it allows for exploring the full potential of a hardware. At the very basic level, it allows you to change the root of the software, meaning you can install third-party apps, tinker around with the software, and even introduce or modify features of your own.

It even allows you to optimize the performance of your device, and access features that aren’t normally available. The list goes on, but on a broader scale, it allows you to play around with the software of your device.

On the flip side, you don’t have the privilege to update your iPhones to newer versions of iOS. Additionally, there’s also the risk of bricking up your phone in the process, which is always risky and worth considering before starting. Moreover, there is also a chance that jailbreaking might ironically ‘break’ some features on the software and cause the phone to malfunction.

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The Future of iOS Jailbreaking

It’s true that jailbreaking has been a popular practice among enthusiasts for years, but with recent changes in Apple’s software policies and the introduction of new features, its relevance seems to be dying down. Not to mention how, if made official, sideloading could further diminish the need for jailbreaking.

Moreover, Apple’s recent approach to device customization has made it easier for users to achieve many of the same results without the need for jailbreaking. For instance, Apple has introduced customizable lock screens on iOS 16, something that was previously only possible through jailbreaking.

Even if all of the above is sidelined, the increasing complexity of jailbreaking has made the barrier for entry into this space so difficult to overcome that one needs to be really well-informed to enter. Even older, much experienced jailbreak developers are leaving the scene, making it harder for users to find reliable jailbreak solutions.

While jailbreaking may still appeal to a small niche of users looking for more extreme customization or access to certain unofficial apps, its overall relevance in the iOS ecosystem is likely to diminish over time. In short, jailbreaking is more or less, dead.

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Conclusion

With every iteration of iOS, it is intriguing to see developers push out new jailbreak features and tools, but with the newest software policies in place, jailbreaking is becoming obsolete. However, if you somehow have an older iPhone, say iPhone 8 running iOS 16, jailbreaking may come across as a way to prolong your usage.