| Name | Cydia Impactor |
| Version | 0.9.52 |
| File Size | 18.60 MB |
| Latest Release | June 4, 2019 |
| Supported OS | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| License | Freeware |
| Developer | Jay Freeman |
Mac OS X, Windows, Linux (32-bit), or Linux (64-bit)
About Cydia Impactor
The rate at which smartphones are developing is complemented with a prodigious development in the applications meant for them. But if an application you need is not readily available on the play store (for android devices) or app store (for iOS) then installing such apps is a cumbersome process.
With the advent of APK files and their straightforward method of installation, it has become simpler to install new apps on an android device. But for iOS, iTunes is the most commonly used app, yet it is not something all are well versed with.
One of the effortless ways to install IPA files on iOS is to use Cydia Impactor. IPA stands for iOS App Store Package and iOS applications come bundled in a single file .IPA extension. Though .IPA is nothing but a zip file.
Cydia Impactor is a custom GUI (graphical user interface) built by an individual developer Saurik (@saurik on Twitter). Saurik aka Jay Freeman is a technology consultant. This app is available for the 3 most commonly used operating systems, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Cydia Impactor enables the transferor sideloads of IPA files straight to their smart portable devices like iPhones and iPads. This app has gained a lot of popularity with iOS users as it has been used to jailbreak iOS 11, iOS12, and iOS13 devices. It can be used to sideload the applications to both the jailbroken and non-jailbroken devices.
One of the most useful features of Cydia Impactor is that it can act as a bridge between your PC and your iOS or Android devices with extensive support for installing and flashing apps.
Downloading and Installing Cydia Impactor
Cydia Impactor can be downloaded from above. It does not need any installation but just one click to open it.
Pre-requisites for using Cydia Impactor on Windows, Mac, Linux
- Check the date and time of the PC you are using; it should be the same as that of your iOS device.
- You should have the latest iTunes installed on Windows or macOS.
- If your PC is running on a Linux operating system, then you must be careful about whether it is a 32-bit or 64-bit processor and install the correct version.
- For android devices, USB drivers need to be installed.
- It is better to have the latest iOS version since the process might sometimes give you provision.cpp.150 error.
Few tips for running and using this app:
- The app also has a menu option that says “Check for updates” which lets you update the app whenever there is an update available.
- Cydia Impact also lets you know when an update is available, though on Linux this feature is not available.
- DO NOT “Run as administrator” as it hampers the drag and drop of a file in Windows 10.
- You cannot download IPA files on Android using Cydia Impactor as these IPA files are meant only for iOS devices.
- For Windows, you might need a device driver if you want to connect to your android device via USB. In case there is an issue in having your USB detected you could use the “USB scan” feature in the Impact app to automatically construct and install a suitable driver for your device.
- For iOS, you would need to have iTunes installed on your device whether you are on Mac or Windows operating systems.
- Impact does not need Xcode installed for its working (even for things like signing an IPA file).
How to download and install IPA files using Cydia Impactor
Method (For 2-factor verification disabled on iOS devices)
- Download Cydia Impactor and update iTunes to the latest version
- Gather all the IPA files you want to install under a single folder (this makes it easy for installation)
- Extract the impactor tool at the same location as the IPA files
- Use an original USB cable (a QC verified one for android) to connect your iOS device to the PC.
- Double Click the impactor.exe file to run it, wait for a few seconds for the app to recognize your iOS device
- Once the app launches, you could either drag and drop your IPA files on the impactor tool or use the menu bar to navigate to “Device -> Install Packages” and upload all the IPA files you want to install.
- You will then need to provide your apple credentials to proceed
- Now go to your iOS and navigate to” Setting -> General -> Device management”. You can see your Apple ID there along with the application you installed just now.
- Click on the ID and then tap on “Trust” to authorize and validate the app.
- Now you can see your new app on the app drawer ready for you to be opened.