Sideloading apps on iOS devices doesn’t have to involve jailbreaking iOS – and now it doesn’t have to involve using macOS, either.
Well, not directly.
As iDownloadBlog report, AltLinux is a new Linux “GUI” for AltServer-Linux, a Linux-compatible version of AltSever and a companion tool for AltStore (and the easiest way to install it).
AltLinux delivers the same one-click installation of AltStore to compatible iOS devices as the official AltStore apps for Windows and macOS.
There’s a introductory blog post by Riley Testut, creator of AltStore that explains the mechanics of how all of this is even possible within the strict walls of Apple’s garden. Alternatively: just believe it’s magic 🪄.
AltLinux is an all-in-one bundle that pairs AltServer-Linux with a simple, easy-to-use desktop UI that runs from the system tray. Using AltLinux you can quickly install AltStore to your iOS devices (if they’re on the same network) with a single click – no terminal commands necessary.
You can also use the tray applet to update (‘refresh’) and sideload new apps to your iPhone or iPad, pair it with devices, and quickly restart the AltServer-Linux.
AltLinux features at-a-glance:
- Tray-based UI
- Sideload AltStore to compatible device(s)
- Sideload apps without AltStore
- Runs AltServer in the background in tethered mode
More interestingly, it seems you don’t need to install iTunes or any other Apple software via WINE etc – it all happens on your device now.
This is not the first “GUI” effort in this area, but it is the latest and the most promising. If proof was needed, the official AltStore Twitter account recently tweeted about the project.
Want to try it?
AltLinux is currently designed to work with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, but it should be possible to get it running on similar Linux distros. See the GitHub project page for more details on how install the required dependencies, and download the latest AltLinux release as a .deb installer.
