When ever we buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod or any other iOS device, we often heard of terms like Jailbreaking, Unlocking, Cydia, Installous and many more. Out of all, jailbreaking and Cydia are most popular terms, as they give us the power of installing any premium iPhone apps for free. Cydia is basically the App Store for a jailbroken device. It’s like the secondary App Store where you can get third-party custom apps after you jailbreak. Jailbreaking is the only way to get Cydia on your iOS device. Cydia is where you download, install, and manage everything for your jailbroken device. Today, we will dive into the world of Cydia and lets learn and understand what is Cydia and why you should have Cydia installed on your iOS device. Cydia is for jailbreak. One can’t be without the other. The Cydia app store powers most of the jailbroken iDevices, letting you discover and install and manage tweaks or the various Cydia free apps.
What is cydia, how to use cydia,what is cydia app, what does cydia do, cydia jailbreak
What is Cydia?
It’s an independent, third-party installer application for all the iDevices. Developed by Jay Freeman (Saurik), it’s similar to the official App Store. Cydia /sɪˈdi.ə/ is a package manager mobile app for iOS that enables a user to find and install software packages on jailbroken iPhones and iPads. It also refers to digital distribution platform for software on iOS accessed through Cydia software. Cydia is an application that allows you to add other applications to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. A stock devices comes with many applications. If you take a look at your iPhone, you should see a new app called “Cydia”. Tap it, and and let us walk you through this new app store
To get Cydia, it’s important for you to jailbreak your iOS device, which we have discussed further in this tutorial. Most of us have heard the terms “Jailbreak” and “Cydia” many times but not everyone knows what they mean. Users who have just switched to iOS may be wondering why they can’t get the same theme as their friend or why their iPhone won’t do the things that someone else’s phone or iPad does. Everyone has the option of customizing their iPhone or iPad; it isn’t something that just the select few can do. How do we do this? Read on to find out all you need to know.
Steps to Purchase Cydia Apps : What is cydia app |
| 1. Launch Cydia and find the tweak you want to purchase . Popular Cydia tweaks are mostly paid . Here in this example we are choosing Barrel app [image below] which is a popular animation app for iOS devices .
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| 2. Tap on it and look for the Purchase button at the top of the screen – check the price as well
Tap the Purchase button and then choose whether to login through Facebook or Google . We choose Google for our transaction .
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| 3. Approve your Cydia app to access the Google account info for billing purposes and linking it to your login’s so the apps could be downloaded again every time you jailbreak and delete cydia and re-install it .
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| 4. Now choose your preferred payment option – Amazon or PayPal and you will be transported to the relevant website . We choose Paypal for this tutorial . Put in your payment details for your account on Paypal as shown in the image below .
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| 5. Wait for the payment to be processed – you will see Payment Successful which confirms your purchase
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| 6. Tap Back to go back to the information page for your chosen tweak . There you will see confirmation of your purchase and also confirmation that future updates of the tweak will be free, provided the developer has deemed it so. Below you get the Barrel tweak on iOS .
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How Do I Get Cydia ? What is cydia app
There is only one way to download Cydia and that is by jailbreaking your iOS device. Right now, we have three active jailbreak teams, and you can find more news about each one at the links below, including full instructions on how to use their jailbreaks:
- Pangu 9 [image below]
- Taig 9 [ext link]
- PP 9 Jailbreak [ext link]
What is Jailbreaking ?
Jailbreaking is a process of using a small piece of software to break through the security chains that Apple wraps the iOS up in. This removes the restrictions that Apple has in place and allows us to access the root system, thus allowing us to modify our devices.
Why Cydia was developed when we had the App Store?
Now that’s a question I asked myself when I wasn’t familiar with it. I mentioned above it is quite similar to the App Store. So what’s the difference? Well, some important apps for your iDevice can’t be approved by Apple. Those apps and tweaks can be found in Cydia but not at the App Store.
To start, you should think of Cydia as an unofficial App Store filled with a ton of apps and features that Apple doesn’t allow on an iPhone. Navigating all those features is a bit difficult at first, but thankfully the key to understanding how to use the Cydia store lies in understanding the terminology it uses.
The first and most important step is to understand how the repositories work.
One of the more confusing parts about Cydia is the repositories (aka Sources). Repositories are essentially different servers that have jailbreak apps located on them. Basically, you can picture a repository as a separate store within Cydia—like an Amazon private seller.
If you look at our list of jailbreak apps you’ll notice that we usually include the source where you can find the app we’re talking about. For the most part you should be able to get away with the default list of sources, but you may come across a tweak or app that you need to add a new source repository for. To add a new source tap Manage > Sources > Edit > Add and you’ll get a URL popup to add a new source. Once you do you can search for the app you’re looking for and Cydia will index the new source.
Difference Between Apps, Tweaks, Widgets, Themes
- Apps: Apps on Cydia will operate the exact same as an app from the iTunes App Store. The only difference is that they’re not approved by Apple. This means you’ll see apps that do things like network tethering, reskinning of the interface, and provide alternate means to send and receive text messages. For the most part these are self-explanatory and are divided up into categories under the Sections menu much like the App Store.
- Tweaks: Tweaks are a little more confusing. Basically a tweak is a slight enhancement to a pre-existing app usually found in the “Add-On” folders under the Section menu. These tweaks usually don’t have an icon on your homescreen. Instead, they’re usually configured under the Settings menu on your iPhone. One example of this is Sparrow+. The purpose of the tweak is to enhance the official Sparrow mail app by adding push notifications and changing Sparrow to the default mail client.
- Widgets:Widgets are somewhat new to iOS but after the release of the excellent Dashboard X Cydia is getting flooded with them. Widgets can exist in one of three places: the Notification Center, on the homescreen (with Dashboard X), or on the lock screen. They’re essentially shortcut buttons and tools that make information available to you outside an app. You’ll usually find these in Cydia in the Add-Ons folders much like the tweaks.
- Themes: If you want to customize your iPhone, themes are how you do it. The two most popular means of doing this are Dreamboard andWinterboard. To use themes you need one of these two apps installed. Themes are found under in the Themes folders on Cydia.
As you’re getting used to how the Cydia store works it’s usually best to stick with downloads in the above four categories. Most other tools are meant for developers and are best left alone until you know what you’re doing.
Why you have to jailbreak to get Cydia ? What is cydia app
Apple tends to be a bit restrictive and doesn’t allow users to download apps that are not purchased from their App store. The only way you can make use of any third-party apps is to jailbreak your device first. Cydia is included as part of the jailbreak package as the portal for gaining access to those apps and you will not find it as a standalone download anywhere.
So, tell me what I can actually do with Cydia.
It would probably be a lot quicker to tell you what you can’t do. Think back to when you were a child and you went into a sweet shop for the first time. Now think of Cydia as that sweet shop. It is packed to the rafters with all sorts of goodies – apps, tweaks, mods, themes, ringtones, you name it, and you’ll find it.
What’s jailbreaking?
So I assume, you get a clear picture about what is Cydia and now lets learn how you can get Cydia. Though, I’m not explaining any jailbreaking tutorial, in this post and will talk extensively about process and background of Jailbreaking.
Jailbtreaking is the process of modifying iOS and get root access to perform many action and remove all restriction imposed by Apple. To install Cydia, jailbreaking is must. In other word, jailbreaking is hacking iOS.
There were rumors going on a couple of months back that it’s declared illegal, the whole world continues to jailbreak. While Apple seeds new firmware’s to counter it, the latest being iOS 5.1. However, the hackers work hard to find exploits which lead to jailbreaking of the newest firmware after a few months of release. A little bit of history now, the battle between Apple and jailbreaking has continued since 2008, when George Hotz released the first jailbreak tool known as Geohot. Jailbreaking can be divided into three sub-part, which we have discussed below.
What is tethered, semi tethered and untethered jailbreak? What is cydia app
Tethered jailbreak requires you to plug in the iDevice into the computer every time the device reboots. Untethered jailbreak counters that and allows you to reboot without any barrier. Semi-tethered jailbreak allows you to reboot without any issues but some of the downloaded jailbreak apps are not accessible. However, full access is available again once connected to the computer.
- What is cydia, how to use cydia,what is cydia app, what does cydia do, cydia jailbreak
What are different tools of used for jailbreaking?
The list is long. But the names I know are SpiritJB, Limera1n, Blackra1n, PwanageTool, Redsn0w, Greenpois0n, Sn0wbreeze and JailbreakMe. I have heard about AprilRa1n too which is for the iPad 3. Anyways, you can install Cydia on your iOS device by jailbreaking. The tool you would choose depends on many factors such as the iOS version, locked or unlocked iPhone and the iDevice version (iPhone 4S/4/3GS, iPad 3/2/1, iPod Touch 4G/3G or Apple TV).
How to jailbreak iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch?
Below are the list to jailbreak iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch devices. All latest jailbreak tools installs Cydia automatically during the jailbreaking process.
- PP jailbreak tool
- TaiG jailbreak tool
- Pangu8 jailbreak tool
- Pangu iOS 7 jailbreak tool
- evasi0n7 jailbreak tool
- p0sixspwn jailbreak tool
- evasi0n iOS 6 jailbreak tool
We recommened evasi0n7 jailbreak tool for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
Note: Jailbreaking an iPhone is not that tough but again it’s not that non-technical too. You should buy a jailbreaking package or premium support, so that if your phone is stuck while jeailbreaking, you can easily get quick support.
Is Cydia safe? What is cydia app
I’ll be honest here. It’s not 100% safe as almost every jailbreak app is approved on the Cydia Store. This also includes the chances of malware apps being approved. So, before you download any app or tweak from Cydia, make sure you read about it on Internet and then only installed it. I recommend downloading apps and tweaks from only trusted repositories. ModMyi and BigBoss are the safest one available.
Also, take care of compatibility issues with tweaks. Last time, I installed an Android style screen from Cydia on iOS5 (iPhone 4), my phone got hung and I had no choice but to reformat my iPhone. So, to avoid any such cases with it, better read FAQ and know what you are doing. But, but the end Cydia is like must have app for your iPhone or iPad.
What is Cydia made up of and how do I use it ?
When you first open Cydia you will be confronted with a number of different things to look at:
- Sections – If you are new to Cydia head here first. This is where everything is placed into categories and you’ll be able to easily search this to find the type of app or tweak you are looking for.
- Search – This is where you search for a specific tweak or app instead of having to go through each separate repository.
- Manage – This is where you will add and edit specific repositories that are not already included as part of Cydia. It’s also where you can find out if you have enough space to download that smart new app or where you can remove stuff you no longer need.
If you are interested in installing Cydia, you should also know what you’re in for next. Once you open it, you’ll find 5 tabs. Here are the details:
- Home: Here you’ll find some sponsored apps, account information, sources FAQ and some important settings.
- Changes: All new programs and updates can be found here. This particular tab is updated every time Cydia is opened.
What are Cydia repositories?
It is an online hub where the developers release and store their tweaks for quick access and installation. Two of the most popular repositories are BigBoss and ModMyi and most of the tweaks developed nowadays are released into these two repos. We all do a separate post on most popular Cydia repos and apps in coming week. Meanwhile you can read:
BigBoss
This repository comes pre-loaded with Cydia and hosts thousands of new and old jailbreak tweaks, apps, themes and more. It comes pre-installed in Cydia.
BigBoss Repo URL: http://apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia/
ModMyi
Another important Cydia repo that jailbreakers cannot live without. ModMyi is known for the themes that are hosted on this repository in addition to other jailbreak related stuff. It comes pre-installed in Cydia.
ModMyi Repo URL: http://modmyi.com/repo/
iF0rce
iF0rce serves a variety of hacks for your iOS devices. It is particularly known for AirBlue Sharing tweak that allowed iOS users to share stuff via Bluetooth.
iF0rce Repo URL: http://apt.if0rce.com
Ryan Petrich’s repo
One of the most well known iOS Jailbreak developer Ryan Petrich’s repo is a must have for anyone looking for fresh and super useful tweaks.
Ryan Petrich’s repo url: http://rpetri.ch/repo/
FilippoBiga’s Beta Repo
Just like Ryan Petrich, Filippo Biga also develops great jailbreak tweaks and he hosts them on his beta repo.
Filippo Biga’s Repo url: http://filippobiga.me/repo
ZodTTD’s Beta Repo
The ZodTTD repo comes pre-installed on Cydia but if you want to try out tweaks and other stuff when it is in beta then the ZodTTD’s repo beta is for you.
ZodTTD’s Beta repo url: http://cydiabetas.zodttd.com/
Pushfix
Pushfix repo url: http://cydia.pushfix.info/
HASHBANG Productions
Hashbang repo url: http://cydia.hbang.ws/
InsanelyiRepo
Insanelyi Repo url: http://repo.insanelyi.com
Sinful iPhone Repo
Sinful iPhone Repo url: http://sinfuliphonerepo.com
XSellize repo
XSellize Repo url: http://cydia.xsellize.com
iSpazio Repo
iSpazio Repo url: http://repo.ispazio.net
BiteYourApple repo
BiteYourApple Repo url: http://repo.biteyourapple.net
How to purchase apps from Cydia?
Cydia offers some awesome paid tweaks to spice up your iPhone or iPad. You need an iTunes Apple ID to purchase apps from the app store. Cydia allows you to login with a Facebook or Twitter account and pay via Amazon gift cards or Paypal. Payments are easier than you expect.
I recommend these latest Cydia tweaks:
Flex 2
Flex 2 is essentially a jailbreak tweak that allows you to create or download other jailbreak tweaks, so it’s kind of a bonus jailbreak tweak of sorts.
Flex 2 allows you to dig deep into an app’s code and change things around. From there, you can save the changes and give it a name, turning it into a jailbreak tweak that you can then share with other Flex 2 users within the jailbreak tweak.
FlipControlCenter
One of the greatest jailbreak tweaks for Control Center is FlipControlCenter, which lets you change around the toggle buttons and even add more into the mix for a fully customizable Control Center on your iPhone.
F.lux
Perhaps one of the most popular jailbreak tweaks of all time, F.lux is a unique one that actually addresses a health concern.
F.lux essentially changes the color temperature of your screen to a warmer tone in order to get rid of that nasty blue hue that screens emit, which can cause eye strain and mess up your natural sleep schedule.
Folder Enhancer
If you’re looking for an all-in-one tweak for folders, then Folder Enhancer is the one to get. There are a lot of cool things you can do with it, like automatically close out of the folder when you launch an app, as well as change how many apps appear in one folder page.
Forcy
One tweak that gives older iPhones 3D Touch capabilities is Forcy. There are a couple of other similar tweaks, like RevealMenu, but Forcy seems to be the best one. It comes with 3D Touch’s Quick Actions, Peek, and Pop.
HapticPro
One nice feature of Android is the haptic vibrations with every key tap or button press, and if you want that same feature on the iPhone, HapticPro gives you just that.
iCleaner
Want to clean out all of the junk on your iPhone? iCleaner is a jailbreak app that deletes all of the unused temporary files and cache files that build up over time from app that you’ve installed and even from apps that you probably deleted a while ago.
InstantTouchID
To unlock your iPhone, you have to first push on the home button and then rest your finger on the Touch ID sensor. However, InstantTouchID is a jailbreak tweak that allows you to simply just rest your finger on the Touch ID sensor to unlock your phone. No need to even wake up your iPhone first.
Live Photos Enabler
An exclusive feature of the iPhone 6s is Live Photos, which essentially turns your photos into animated GIFs of sorts, but with Live Photos Enabler, you can bring the new feature to older iPhones with ease.
LocationFaker
Whether you’re wanting to keep your location private or want to bypass location restrictions in some apps, LocationFaker is an easy-to-use jailbreak app that allows you to change your iPhone’s location to anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds.
Browser Changer
Do you use a web browser on your iPhone other than Safari? Then it might be nice to actually change iOS’s default browser to your preferred one using Browser Changer. This means that any links from other apps will now open in the web browser of your choice and not just default to Safari.
Bytafont 3
iOS 9 comes with the new San Francisco font, but if you’re not a huge fan of it, you can use Bytafont 3 to change the font to whatever you want. The possibilities are endless here.
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