How to Jailbreak Using redsn0w 0.9 (OS X)

[Kyle Matthews]

{last updated November 1st, 2012}

This OS X only guide (Windows guide here) will teach you how to jailbreak various devices using redsn0w 0.9. The current version of redsn0w 0.9 is 0.9.15b3. Note this is an UNTETHERED JAILBREAK, meaning you can reboot your phone just like you normally would.

This guide should be used with the following device/firmware combinations (if you're not sure, here's how to find your iOS firmware version and how to find your iOS device type):

• iPhone 3G | 4.3.4
• iPhone 3GS | 4.3.3
• iPhone 3GS | 4.3.4
• iPhone 3GS | 4.3.5
• iPhone 3GS | 5.0
• iPhone 3GS | 5.0.1
• iPhone 4 | 4.2.9
• iPhone 4 | 4.2.10
• iPhone 4 | 4.3.3
• iPhone 4 | 4.3.4
• iPhone 4 | 4.3.5
• iPhone 4 | 5.0
• iPhone 4 | 5.0.1
• iPad 1 | 4.3.3
• iPad 1 | 4.3.4
• iPad 1 | 4.3.5
• iPod touch 3G | 4.3.4
• iPod touch 3G | 4.3.5
• iPod touch 4G | 4.3.4
• iPod touch 4G | 4.3.5
• iPod touch 4G | 5.0
• iPod touch 4G | 5.0.1

If you prefer the simpler version of this guide with no pictures, click here.

Alright, let's get started. First thing you'll need to do is download the Mac version of redsn0w 0.9.15b3 from mod.my/redsn0wmac0915b3. Double-click the zip file to unzip it, and open the redsn0w folder to see the redsn0w icon.



Making sure your device is connected, double-click redns0w to launch it. You will see the redsn0w home screen - press the Jailbreak button.



Before you do anything on the next screen, power off your device by pressing and holding the sleep button (the button on the top) until the slide to power off screen comes up. Slide to power off.



Alright, NOW you can press Next on the redsn0w page which tells you to power off your device. NOTE: redsn0w will IMMEDIATELY ask you to press and hold the sleep button on the device, then continue holding it while pressing the home button, then continue holding the home button while letting go of the sleep button. Make sure your device is in your hands before pressing Next in redsn0w.



After successfully following the prompts of holding buttons down (this is entering DFU mode for the device), redsn0w will tell you it is Exploiting with limera1n. You can now let go of the home button on your device.



redsn0w will go through a few screens, telling you it is waiting for a reboot, then popping up a new window with various status messages as it jailbreaks your device.





Once that is done, you'll be shown a screen asking what you'd like to do. The default action (which we'll be doing in this guide) is to Install Cydia. You're welcome to check any other boxes you'd like, but please only do so if you know what you're doing. Press Next when you've selected your choices.



redsn0w will now tell you Uploading ramdisk, which will take a few seconds, and then say Done! Once it says Done! it is safe to close redsn0w, as the rest of the jailbreak process will happen on the device itself.





Your device will now scroll a bunch of command line messages as the jailbreak completes. After a minute or so of the scrolling text, you will see the pwnapple logo with some more status updates (the final step before your jailbreak is complete).





That's it! You're now holding a jailbroken device. Not too bad, eh?

[DehKhoda]

I did all steps but cydia icon is white color and when i press automatically will close cydia apps

[Simon]

I did all steps but cydia icon is white color and when i press automatically will close cydia apps

It is a tethered jailbreak. So once you have cydia installed you need to run redsnow again, click extras and choose the just boot option.

[emerica6708]

Nice guides, you might want to add a warning in there about not to reset all data and settings in the iPhone, causing it to boot loop if jailbroken. I'm sure mostly people new to jailbreaks will use this and they probably don't know not to do that. Just an idea, but good job.

[blanked]

try to boot it worked for me

[Susty]

Also, once you've installed this, you can install BigBoss semi tether, with this, atleast if your battery dies or you reboot, you don't need the pc to start it. You will have some limited functions (Cannot open mail, safari or jailbreak apps) until you reboot with redsn0w, but it is a small step forward until an untethered option is available.

[emerica6708]

Also, once you've installed this, you can install BigBoss semi tether, with this, atleast if your battery dies or you reboot, you don't need the pc to start it. You will have some limited functions (Cannot open mail, safari or jailbreak apps) until you reboot with redsn0w, but it is a small step forward until an untethered option is available.

There was an update that let's you patch safari.app so that you can use it in the semi tethered state.

[jccenteno1]

I am having trouble finding the semi tether from BigBoss on Cydia... Can anyone direct me to where it can be found?

[cyberactivo]

If I jailbreak my iPhone 3GS using this guide, will it disable or affect in any way the GPS?

[Simon]

If I jailbreak my iPhone 3GS using this guide, will it disable or affect in any way the GPS?

No, jailbreaking will not affect your GPS. Only installing the iPad baseband does that but this guide is not about that.

[cyberactivo]

Thanks for the quick reply!!

I will try it today, again THANK YOU!!

[cyberactivo]

No, jailbreaking will not affect your GPS. Only installing the iPad baseband does that but this guide is not about that.

it seams i cannot jailbreak my 3GS device anymore. I forgot i had updated to iOS v5.0.1 and redsn0w is failing with the following message:



Any suggestions?

[Simon]

You need a newer version of redsnow for 5.0.1, 0.9.9b8: https://sites.google.com/a/iphone-dev.com/files/home/

[cyberactivo]

You need a newer version of redsnow for 5.0.1, 0.9.9b8: https://sites.google.com/a/iphone-dev.com/files/home/

I am still getting the same error message: Unrecognized build. I've tried the suggestion displayed:

"NOTE: You can manually specify which build to use by going to Extras->Select IPSW (sometimes you can use this trick and just use the latest supported build to for your device)."

But no luck. any other suggestions?

[arghwhymustiregister]

Seems like even the newest version of redsnow can't jailbreak 5.0.1.. Read the comments there, did not work for me either - unrecognized ipsw/fingerprint error

[Simon]

You have to point redsnow to a 5.0 firmware for it to jailbreak 5.0.1.

[Bumpnski]

You have to point redsnow to a 5.0 firmware for it to jailbreak 5.0.1.

Why is the jailbreak on the iPhone 4s, "iPhone 4 Steve," Taking so long to come out. Really annoying!

[Simon]

Why is the jailbreak on the iPhone 4s, "iPhone 4 Steve," Taking so long to come out. Really annoying!

How would I know

[froeg]

I had my iPhone 4 with 5.0.1 successfully jailbroken a week ago. However, when using MyWi on Friday, my phone decided to automatically reboot which caused me to have to tether it to my computer and do a Just Boot. Unfortunately, that didn't work and my phone went into a loop of the Apple logo. I then did a complete restore of my phone and attempted to jailbreak it again, but it would not work. It seems that maybe the IPSW is not working. I used iPhone3,3_5.0_9A334_Restore.ipsw as the configuration. Any help would be much appreciated!

Can someone tell me where to download the iOS 5.0 firmware file that I'm supposed to point the IPSW to?

[arghwhymustiregister]

@Simon:thanks mate, will try it right now!@froeg:Here you can find the firmwares