When you see and hear about the amount of money that Apple makes on just a quarterly basis, a lot of that can be chalked up to Apple “Services”. Included in that, is the App Store, which is built into every Apple device you own. And while there are a slew of free apps available for download, there are just as many paid apps, let alone those that offer in-app purchases.
Apple’s ability to collect 30% on every purchase has been a sticking point for years. However, thanks to legislation from the EU, the days of being limited to installing apps just from the App Store may be over. A European law known as the Digital Market Act will be implemented starting in 2023, with companies being required to comply by sometime in 2024.
When the dust has finally settled, it seems as though you will be able to download and install third-party app stores without needing to jump through a bunch of hoops. That being said, if you have the time (and energy), you don’t need to wait unitl 2024 if you want to sideload apps on iPhone, as you can do so right now!
The app has been around for a few years at this point and comes from Riley Testut, who is an iOS app developer that has been working on mobile video game emulation. But at its core, AltStore is essentially an alternative App Store where you can download two different apps.
What makes AltStore special, is that unlike the “glory days” of Cydia, you don’t need to worry about your iPhone being compatible with the latest jailbreak. Instead, the developer found a way to “tricking your phone into thinking it’s installing apps that you made yourself, when really they can be any apps whatsoever.”
How to Install AltStore
It should come as little surprise, but the process to sideload apps on iPhone isn’t just as easy as installing a .ipa file. Instead, you’ll need to actually sideload AltStore, which can be done from a Windows or macOS computer. But before you can sideload the app onto your iPhone, you’ll first need to get AltServer up and running.
Open your web browser of choice on either Windows or Mac.
Scroll down until to reach Download AltServer for…
Select either macOS or Windows.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install AltServer.
Once installed, restart the Mail app on your Mac.
Open the Mail app.
In the Menu Bar, click Mail.
From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
Click Manage Plug-ins.
Check the box next to AltPlugin.mailbundle.
Click the Apply and Restart Mail button, when prompted.
Wait until the Mail app is finished restarting.
Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
With the iPhone unlocked, open Finder on the Mac.
Select your iPhone in the sidebar of Finder.
Click the checkbox next to Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi.
In the menu bar, click the AltServer icon.
Hover over Install AltStore and select your iPhone from the pop-out menu.
Sign in with your Apple ID email and password.
Click Install.
Once AltStore is finished being installed on your iPhone, you’ll want to fire up the app for the first time. Don’t be alarmed if the app force-closes the first time, just tap the icon again and it should open right up.
How to Sideload Apps on iPhone
With AltStore successfully installed, you’re that much closer to being able to sideload apps on iPhone. In fact, the steps are as easy as installing apps from the Apple App Store, just with a different interface.
The only “catch” with trying to sideload apps on iPhone with AltStore, is that you’ll need to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your computer that has AltServer installed and running. Otherwise, when you attempt to install the app, it will fail and you might be forced to start the entire process from scratch.
Open the AltStore app on your iPhone.
Tap the Browse button in the bottom toolbar.
Locate the app that you want to install.
Tap the Install button.
Once installed, tap the Open button to launch the app.
As it currently stands, AltStore only has a few apps available for download. The most popular of which is Delta, which is a retro game emulator for the iPhone and iPad, something you won’t find on the built-in App Store from Apple.
However, another nice option that AltStore offers is that you can add third-party sources. We won’t list any here, but you should be able to find some sources pretty easily, depending on whether you want to sideload apps on iPhone.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.
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