Universal Guide on How to Root/Jailbreak/Unlock Your Smartphone

The aim of this article is to provide an evergreen Universal jailbreak/rooting guide. This article will remain ever fresh with regular updates as required.  Android rooting, iPhone Jailbreaking and windows phone unlocking are all pointing to the same processes. These are terms used to describe the process of granting access to the system app of iOS, Android OS and Windows OS respectively. By the time you are done reading this article, you will be able to jailbreak any iOS or tvOS that has a jailbreak exploit. In addition, you will be able to root every Android device. I mean the existing ones as well as the upcoming ones.

Apple iOS/tvOS users call it “jailbreaking”. In the Android community, it is known as“rooting”. As for Microsoft windows phone users, they call it “unlocking”. All of these point to one process; You want to have more freedom and control over your phone. On a personal note, I always Jailbreak my iPhone so that I can install a Bluetooth Cydia tweak/app(Airblue) on it. For windows, you can unlock it so that you can sideload .xap apps, amongst others. Although and drop is by default an opensource OS, you can still do more if you root your phone. For example,  you can stop unnecessary ads, I can uninstall default apps, tweak my CPU performances and lots more.

 

• 4 methods of fixing Samsung health not working on rooted and non-rooted phones
• Hack All Nokia Symbian Phones Without Pc [One click Method]

Universal Jailbreak/Rooting Guide

You may want to ask, how possible is it to produce an all-in-one tutorial for Jailbreaking or rooting smartphones? Well, the answer is simple. I will give the guides including the materials needed in jailbreaking any iOS, any android, and some tips on how you can sideload apps on Windows phone. All you need to do is to relax and read on as I unravel this. Sincerely, gone are the days when I will have to post an article on every iPhone iOS jailbreak or Android root. I have synthesized everything in this article and it is useful for both the presence and the feature.

Why do people fear to root an Android or jailbreak their iPhone? 

We have both user’s constraints and manufacturer’s constraints. If a user factors in the little risk and inconveniences of rooting or jailbreaking a phone, such user might not go ahead with it. Also, if you merely chat, send messages, or call with your phone, then you may not need to root or jailbreak it. Fortunately, the benefits of rooting or jailbreaking outweighs its constraints.

Disadvantages/risks of rooting an Android phone

•  You may void your warranty(especially on phones that need a bootloader unlocking before root). Mobile phone manufacturers have installed some security system app into the OS to detect any modification. By extension, your manufacturer will discover a root on your device(the latest Samsung phones with their Knox patch makes it difficult to unroot a new Samsung phone). Once you root a Samsung 56,s7, and newer, you immediately lose your warranty because you have triggered the Knox).

However, for most other phones, once you root and you want a warranty claim, just unroot and you are good to go.

• Secondly, many Android users are afraid to root their phones because they fear that rooting would make it vulnerable to malware/hacking. Well, I will say, root or no root, please be careful with the information on your phone.
• Thirdly, some believe that when you root your Android, you tend to be tempted into installing 3rd party applications that will eventually crash your phone. This is not entirely true. I will warn that you should not get over yourself by installing apps from untrusted sites after rooting. Maintain the app installation decency you have been adopting prior to rooting.

What are the dangers or risks of jailbreaking an Apple iOS or tvOS device?

Things are not as bad for Apple users after jailbreaking their iPhone, iPad, iPod or tv. Worst case scenario, you will restore your iPhone and lose your jailbreak. You won’t lose void your warranty unless you take your phone to an Apple store for a repair in a jailbroken state.

Apple this to say on jailbreaking and I quote:

“Apple strongly cautions against installing any software that hacks the iOS. It is also important to note that unauthorized modification of the iOS is a violation of the iPhone end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.”

Whilst Apple acknowledges the US government’s DMCA exemption

 

ruling that makes jailbreaking legal, that doesn’t mean that they have to allow it in their warranty agreement. Basically, it’s illegal for them to stop you from doing what you want with your device, but it’s legal for them to refuse to provide any support for it if you have done anything they don’t like.

• As a precaution, if you have to take your device to an Apple store, just restore it to its factory settings beforehand. This completely removes all traces of having jailbroken, and the stock device will then be accepted by Apple under warranty as there is no way of knowing you jailbroke it.
• The second and a more serious concern for appl lovers is the fact that you may soft-brick your device if you perform the jailbreak process incorrectly. Luckily, an iPhone hardly ever dies from a software problem. Your last resort is a full restore with iTunes if you get stuck.

Universal jailbreak/rooting guide for all Apple Devices

By Apple devices, I mean every device that runs on Apple iOS, tvOS, WatchOS, and macOS. However, within the context of this article, we are focusing our attention on jailbreaking Apple devices that run on Apple iOS.

What is jailbreaking an Apple device?

According to idownloadblog, Jailbreaking any apple device(ios, or tvOS) is the process by which Apple’s operating systems are modified to remove restrictions and give the user greater control over the device. These modifications typically allow running unsigned code, as well as reading and writing to the root filesystem. Both of which are normally prevented by Apple.

The increased privileges permit customizations and unfettered app installation which are not available to users with a stock device. Jailbreaking is most popular on, and most associated with, Apple’s mobile operating system iOS, though it also exists on tvOS and watchOS.

Typically, jailbreaking adds an unofficial application installer to your device which lets you download 3rd-party applications, tweaks, and extensions that are unavailable through Apple App Store. These packages open up endless possibilities to do things on your iOS device that a non-jailbroken iOS device would never be able to do.

What is the relationship between iOS jailbreak and Cydia?

In a nutshell, Cydia is the App Store for jailbreak applications. Just like the App Store, you can browse Cydia for new additions to your device, read about them, get or purchase them, then download and install them. Most apps and tweaks in Cydia are free, but it is not unusual for a more complex jailbreak offering to cost a few dollars.

What benefits are derivable from jailbreaking?

 

The main reason people jailbreak is to install third-party applications and tweaks that Apple wouldn’t approve of on the App Store. Tweaks don’t exist on the App Store at all, as they aren’t applications. They are extensions, additions, or adjustments to already-installed applications, and to the operating system itself.

For example, Apple doesn’t allow you to customize the general user interface of your device. Thanks to the jailbreak community, there are many tweaks that completely change the way your iPhone looks. Be it changing icons, hiding icon names, adding more than four applications to the dock, adding a dark mode, or applying an entire theme, sounds, and all.

Furthermore, If you value function over aesthetics, jailbreaking can cater to you too. Functionality tweaks, which bring subtle improvements to the way your iOS device operates, are also available on Cydia.

Other benefits include: swiping across the keyboard to move the text cursor rather than fiddling with the magnifying glass, setting your phone to perform complex events in response to certain button combinations, turning off read receipts in third-party messengers, installing apps from unknown sources, connecting wirelessly to other devices via SSH, displaying Wi-Fi channel and strength information, the list goes on and on. Remember that you can also install a file manager as well as a Bluetooth app that can enable you to send and receive files across other mobile platforms.

 

Are there different types of jailbreak?

There are 4 types of jailbreak: tethered, semi-tethered, semi-untethered, and untethered. The first two are uncommon and aren’t much use to the average user. Nearly all recent jailbreaks have been semi-untethered, which means that after every reboot you must re-run the jailbreak app on your device. This reactivates your jailbreak to let you use your tweaks. Your device will work normally as a stock un-jailbroken device until you do this. Untethered jailbreaks are becoming rarer due to the difficulty in building them, but don’t have the limitations of a semi-untethered tool. An untethered jailbreak is persistent, meaning you can reboot your device without having to re-jailbreak each time.

Is it legal to jailbreak an iPhone?

First, let’s clear up a common misconception: jailbreaking is completely legal in the US and the rest of the world.  The US government has periodically upheld the status of jailbreaking as explicitly legal and exempted it from broader issues of copyright law.

The status in other countries varies but generally falls into “neither legal nor illegal provided it is not used for copyright infringement.  In summary, there is really nothing to worry about. Even if you don’t live in the US, there’s almost no chance that Apple would come after you for jailbreaking your device. It hasn’t happened a single time, in any country, despite a flourishing community jailbreaking since 2007.

Please note: the act of jailbreaking is not illegal.

However, any crimes you commit on the device remain illegal. If you use your jailbreak to illegally torrent movies, download paid apps for free, or commit other cyber and copyright crimes, you’re still breaking the law. Stick to using your jailbreak to set up your device the way you want it, not to steal.

 

Preparing your iPhone for a Jailbreak

It is imperative that you prepare your iPhone for the jailbreak ever before you venture into it. You need the following requirements and prerequisites

• To start with you need to take back up your phone with iTunes
• Next, know your iPhone’s model by visiting this Apple support site. Alternatively, connect your iDevice to iTunes and it will display the model.
• Furthermore, navigate to settings>>general>>about on your iPhone then note down the following in case you run into problems: version is the same as the OS version, model, serial number, IMEI, modem firmware. God forbid, you might need some of these in a worst-case scenario when trying to revive your phone in case you get into trouble. View this from the picture below

• In addition, make sure your MFi-certified Lightning cable is original. Also, let your phone’s battery to be fully charged

Tips for jailbreaking all Apple iOS devices

The trick is to point you to websites that have the expertise, authority, and trust in jailbreak issues.

• The first step is to find out if your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch version of iOS can be jailbroken. For example, we currently have a jailbreak for iOS 11.2-11.3.1 with Electra1131. No jailbreak for iOS 11.4.1. 

Available jailbreak tools and the supported iOS/tvOS(Courtesy idownloadblog)

iOS 10.2-10.3.3

• doubleh3lix: only 64-bit devices, except iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
• Meridian: all 64-bit devices, including iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
• h3lix: all 32-bit devices.

iOS 10.0-10.1.1

• doubleh3lix: only 64-bit devices, except iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
• Meridian: all 64-bit devices, including iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
• h3lix: all 32-bit devices.

iOS 9.3.5

• Phœnix: 32-bit devices only.
• 64-bit devices: no jailbreak available.

iOS 9.3.4

• Home Depot: 32-bit devices only. UNTETHERED!
• 64-bit devices: no jailbreak available.

iOS 9.2-9.3.3

• Pangu for Mac, Windows, and Linux: 64-bit devices only.
• Home Depot: 32-bit devices only. UNTETHERED!

iOS 9.1

• Pangu for Mac and Windows: 64-bit devices only.
• Home Depot: 32-bit devices only. UNTETHERED!

iOS 9.0-9.0.2

• Pangu for Mac – Windows.

iOS 8.4.1

• EtasonJB: 32-bit device only. UNTETHERED!
• 64-bit devices: no jailbreak available.

iOS 8.3-8.4

• TaiG for Mac – Windows.

iOS 8.0-8.1.2

• TaiG for Windows.
• PP for Mac.

iOS 8.0-8.1

• Pangu for Mac – Windows.

iOS 7.1-7.1.2

• Pangu for Mac – Windows.

iOS 7.0.2-7.0.6

• evasi0n7 for Mac – Windows.

How to search for the jailbreak status of your Apple device

• The trick is that you will need to subscribe to or bookmark some Apple iOS authority sites. The most complete site for all jailbreak is idownloadblog and I recommend them every day all day.  The list of the recommended sites are as follows:

1. idownloadblog/jailbreak status, For idb downloads, for Cydia tweaks update on IDB
2. RedmondPie, 
3. ioshacker.com  and so on.

• Alternatively, you can perform a google search that will take you directly to the site that has the most recent jailbreak information. I will give an example of the exact search tag you should use on www.google.com. Use the following examples to search for updates on the yet to be released iOS 11.4.1 jailbreak:

1. site:redmondpie.com iOS 11.4.1 jailbreak
2. site:idownloadblog.com iOS 11.4.1 jailbreak
3. site:ioshacker.com iOS 11.4.1 jailbreak

Note: replace iOS 11.4.1 with your iOS version. In a jailbreak, your iOS firmware version is more important than the device model.

1. Finally, follow the instructions provided by the sites judiciously which in some cases is also available in a video. Be aware that you need to prompt an alert when there is a public jailbreak for your iOS. Otherwise, once Apple releases another version, the jailbreak will be patched. In addition, make sure you don’t restore your iOS if you are not planning to lose your jailbreak. Summarily, ensure that there is a jailbreak for the iOS you are planning to restore to before you perform the restore via iTunes.

Universal jailbreak/rooting guide for all Android devices

This is an era where Android is proving more than a handful of iOS devices. Android phones are basically everywhere in different designs and by different manufacturers. In this section, you shall be introduced to the Universal jailbreak/rooting guide for all Android devices irrespective of the brand or model. This tutorial will also help you to root yet to be released on Android phones.

Definition of  Android Rooting

According to wiki, rooting is the process of allowing users of smartphones, tablets, and other devices running the Android mobile operating system to attain privileged control (known as root access) over various Android subsystems. As Android uses the Linux kernel, rooting an Android device gives similar access to administrative (superuser) permissions as on Linux or any other Unix-like operating system such as FreeBSD or macOS.

The android root is often performed with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on some devices. Thus, rooting gives the ability (or permission) to alter or replace system applications and settings, run specialized applications (“apps”) that require administrator-level permissions, or perform other operations that are otherwise inaccessible to a normal Android user.

Advantages/benefits of rooting your Android

. Immediately expectable advantages of rooted devices include the following:

• Firstly, there is a freedom associated with you truly owing your device. In the end, all of these boil down to one thing: you own your device, and you should be able to do with it as you please. certainly, with root access, you truly own your device and open yourself up to all the possibilities other parties try to block.
• Secondly, rooting your Android affords you support for themes(Modern android flagships now come with a theme store. At least s7,s8,s9, noted8 note9 and later can install 3rd party themes), allowing everything to be visually changed from the color of the battery icon to the boot animation that appears while the device is booting, and more.
• Also, after root, you gain full control of the kernel, which, for example, allows overclocking and underclocking the CPU and GPU.
• Full application control, including the ability to backup, restore, or batch edit applications, or to remove bloatware that comes pre-installed on many phones.
• Custom automated system-level processes through the use of third-party applications.
• Ability to install a custom firmware (also known as a custom ROM) or software (such as Xposed, Magisk, BusyBox, etc.) that allows additional levels of control on a rooted device.
• Unlock Hidden Features and Install “Incompatible” Apps you can install carrier-blocked apps, get features from the latest version of Android,
• Boost Your Phone’s Speed and Battery Life you have even more power. For example, with an app like SetCPU you can overclock your phone
•  Block Ads in Any App
• Back Up Your Phone for Seamless Transitions few things like apps and data, but you won’t necessarily be able to backup system apps and their data or automate the entire process, as well as Titanium Backup, can.
• Remove Preinstalled Crapware and bloatware
• Rooting your Android will give you the opportunity to flash a Custom Kernel. Some of Android’s most under-the-hood tweaks require a custom kernel, which you can only flash with a rooted device.

How to root All brand name Android phones

By brand name Android devices, I mean such devices as Samsung, Oneplus, Xiaomi, Huawei, HTC, Sony, Pixel, LG, Motorola, and so on. The good news is that It is much easier to root android phones compared to their iPhone counterpart. However, recent Samsung phones starting from galaxy s6 is proving to be a thorn in the flesh with its security on rooted phones.

A universal guide to rooting all Samsung phones

To root most Samsung phones you’ll need to use a program called Odin. It’s a low-level firmware flashing tool that can push image files to the storage and overwrite existing images. You’ll also need the correct USB drivers for Windows computers. If you’re using a Mac computer or running Linux, the software that flashes images is called Heimdall.

They both work essentially the same and carry the same risks — if you try and flash the wrong image or a bad image, your phone isn’t going to boot up. While this is often recoverable, know that there is always a chance you can ruin your phone or tablet, and your warranty is voided as soon as you begin.

Also, many Samsung phones ship with Knox security enabled. Knox is part of Samsung’s special “Samsung Approved For Enterprise” feature where personal and work environments can be separated in a way that allows both to coexist on the same device

Preparation for rooting any brand name Android phone

Before you proceed to the rooting process below, ensure that the followings are in place.

• Think twice and see if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for you. You actually need to think deeply if you are using any Samsung phone that is running on iOS 6 or later.
• In addition to the above, if your phone has a locked bootloader, you may be better off not rooting it especially if it is still under a warranty.
• Dedicate your time to this and prevent interruption and distraction.
• Back up all your files into an external drive.
• Search online to be sure that your device is not carrying any factory bug
• Finally, search for your phone’s firmware version under settings>>about phone>>software information. Next, note some details down as shown in the image below. The details to note include the Android version, kernel version, baseband version, and build version. These are very important in case of an eventuality.

Steps to rooting all brand name popular Android phones

There only one trusted a website for rooting every brand name/premium Android phone. This site is an xda-developers website. It is from this very site that every rooting exploit is released. As easy as it is to root an android phone, one needs to be careful as one wrong step, and you can ruin your beloved phone. you need the following prerequisites before you root your phone:

Depending on which phone you have, unlocking the bootloader is slightly different. The “standard” way is by using the OEM unlock command. We have many comprehensive articles on the internet that explain this. If you’re using a Motorola, HTC or LG phone (as well as other brands like Huawei or Sony) you’ll likely need to get a token you enter during the process. You’ll find how to do that and who to get it from at each vendor’s developer pages. Remember that unlocking the bootloader on your Android may affect the warranty status.

If your phone does not require unlocking the bootloader, you can proceed to the rooting process

• To root any brand name android phone, you need to check your android phones settings>>about device note the model number(e.g, Samsung galaxy s7 edge is sm-g935f, note8 is N950F, and so on) the exact model of the phone is the most important fact in finding a compatible root for your phone.
• Next, you need to find the application and process of rooting your phones. There is only one site that will not disappoint you. This site is xda-developer. however, the site is very large and it can be frustrating navigating through thousands of threads to find what you want. Also, the site’s search box is not as efficient as that of Google. Don’t worry, i will teach you how to use google to search for your device’s rooting guide on the xda-developers forum. To search for how to root any brand name(xda doesn’t provide rooting guides for Chinese phones like tecno, infinix and so o. Not to worry, i will give you a guide on those later in this article) android phone on XDA, follow these steps:

1. Type the following into the google search engine box without the quotes “site:forum.xda-developers.com root galaxy note 9 N960F” you will get a result like the one in the picture below. 
2. Note: you must replace “Samsung galaxy note 9” with your phone’s name. Also, you must replace N960F with your phone’s exact model number.

• For God knows how long, xda-developers has been the go-to destination for all Android rooting and development. Fortunately, that is not going to change anytime soon. I endorse them without thinking twice. 

Universal jailbreak/rooting guide for other Android devices

It is pretty easier to root all MTK-based devices. Most Chinese android phones like Tecno, Infinix, InnJoo, Tecno, Gionee, are very easy to root with kingoroot app, Just install the app and follow the instructions to root your device.

Universal jailbreak/rooting guide on how to root Android TV IPTV boxes

Fortunately, most android boxes come to pre-rooted. However, if you are very sure that yours is without root access, please use kingoroot app to attempt a root on your Android tv box.

Other apps that you can use to root non-brand name Android phones

In most case, the kingoroot app would root all other android devices not supported by XDA forum. If this is however not the case, you can loot into any of the following apps:

• Vroot
•  srs root
•  rootgenius, and so on

HOW TO JAILBREAK OR UNLOCK A WINDOWS PHONE-LUMIA OR MICROSOFT

Hitherto, adventurous users like me run away from windows mobile phones because of its close nature without the option of easy unlocking in other to sideload apps.

There are a lot of different methods to jailbreak Windows Phone but the link am about to drop here has the easiest method. This method is applicable to smartphones running Microsoft Windows 8, 8.1, or later Read the full guide here

CONCLUSION

As explained above, to jailbreak an iPhone, you need to be very alert as to know when the jailbreak utility is being released. To root a brand name Android you only need to be careful and weigh your options. As for any mtk-based android devices you don’t need to worry much. Most Chinese phones come pre-rooted and preloaded with 3rd parry Apps and games. Windows phones can also be rooted/jailbroken. Apparently, you will gain more than you lose by jailbreaking your phones as it affords you unlimited access to the expensive device you just acquired.