If you’re an iOS user who enjoys the freedom and customization that jailbreaking offers, you might be wondering how to update your device to the latest iOS version without losing your WinRa1n jailbreak. WinRa1n is a popular jailbreak tool that supports iOS 14 and above, and allows you to install Cydia and tweak your device to your liking. However, updating your device to a newer iOS version usually means that you have to restore your device and lose your jailbreak, along with all your tweaks and settings. Is there a way to avoid this hassle and keep your jailbreak intact? The answer is yes, and in this article, we’ll show you how.
What You Need to Know Before Updating Your iOS Device
Before you proceed with updating your iOS device, there are some things you need to know and prepare. First of all, you need to make sure that the iOS version you want to update to is compatible with WinRa1n. You can check the official WinRa1n website or Twitter account for the latest news and updates on the supported iOS versions. As of writing this article, the latest iOS version that WinRa1n supports is iOS 15.1.1. If you try to update to a higher iOS version that WinRa1n does not support, you will lose your jailbreak and have to wait for a new WinRa1n release.
Secondly, you need to backup your device and your tweaks before updating. This is important because updating your device will erase all your data and settings, including your jailbreak. You can use iTunes or iCloud to backup your device, and use a tweak backup tool such as Batchomatic or FlashBack to backup your tweaks. You can find these tools on Cydia or other jailbreak repositories. By backing up your device and your tweaks, you can easily restore them after updating and jailbreaking again.
Thirdly, you need to download the iOS update file (also known as IPSW file) for your device model from a trusted source. You can use websites such as IPSW.me or iDownloadBlog to find and download the IPSW file for your device. Make sure you download the correct IPSW file for your device model and iOS version. You can check your device model and iOS version by going to Settings > General > About on your device. You will need the IPSW file later to update your device using iTunes.
How to Update Your iOS Device Using iTunes
Once you have prepared everything, you can proceed with updating your device using iTunes. Follow these steps to do so:
- Connect your device to your computer using a USB cable and launch iTunes. If iTunes doesn’t recognize your device, you may need to put your device in DFU mode. To do this, press and hold the power and home buttons (or volume down button for iPhone 7 and later) for 10 seconds, then release the power button but keep holding the home or volume down button until iTunes detects your device.
- Click on the device icon on the top left corner of iTunes and go to the Summary tab. You will see a button that says Check for Update or Update. Hold down the Shift key (or Option key for Mac) and click on the button. A window will pop up that allows you to select the IPSW file that you downloaded earlier. Select the IPSW file and click Open.
- iTunes will prompt you to confirm that you want to update your device. Click Update and wait for iTunes to extract and install the iOS update on your device. Do not disconnect your device or close iTunes during this process. Your device will reboot several times and show a progress bar on the screen. This may take some time, so be patient.
- Once the update is complete, your device will boot up to the Hello screen. You can follow the on-screen instructions to set up your device. You can also restore your device from your iTunes or iCloud backup if you want to restore your data and settings. However, do not restore your device from a backup that was made on a higher iOS version than the one you updated to, as this may cause compatibility issues.
How to Jailbreak Your iOS Device Using WinRa1n
After updating your device, you can jailbreak it again using WinRa1n. Follow these steps to do so:
- Download the latest version of WinRa1n from the official WinRa1n website. You can choose between the Windows or Linux version, depending on your computer’s operating system. Extract the WinRa1n zip file to a folder on your computer.
- Run the WinRa1n.exe file (or WinRa1n.app for Mac) as administrator. You will see a window that shows the WinRa1n logo and a Start button. Click on the Start button and follow the instructions to put your device in DFU mode. You can also click on the Options button to change some settings, such as enabling verbose boot or safe mode.
- Once your device is in DFU mode, WinRa1n will automatically detect it and start the jailbreak process. You will see some text and codes on your device’s screen, indicating that WinRa1n is injecting the jailbreak payload. Do not touch your device or computer during this process. Your device will reboot once the jailbreak is done.
- After your device reboots, you will see a new app on your home screen called WinRa1n. Tap on it and you will see a button that says Cydia. Tap on it and wait for WinRa1n to install Cydia on your device. Cydia is the app store for jailbroken devices, where you can find and install tweaks and themes to customize your device.
- Once Cydia is installed, you can launch it and enjoy your jailbroken device. You can also restore your tweaks from your backup using Batchomatic or FlashBack, or install new tweaks from various sources. However, be careful not to install incompatible or malicious tweaks, as they may cause your device to crash or malfunction.
How to Keep Your Jailbreak After Rebooting Your Device
One thing you need to know about WinRa1n is that it is a semi-tethered jailbreak, which means that you need to run WinRa1n again every time you reboot your device to keep your jailbreak. This can be inconvenient if you don’t have access to a computer or if you reboot your device frequently. However, there is a way to make your jailbreak semi-untethered, which means that you can re-jailbreak your device without a computer, using an app on your device. To do this, you need to install an app called ReProvision from Cydia. ReProvision is a tool that allows you to sign and install apps on your device without a computer, using your Apple ID. You can use ReProvision to sign and install the WinRa1n app on your device, so that you can run it whenever you need to re-jailbreak your device. Here is how to do it:
- Launch Cydia and go to the Sources tab. Tap on the Edit button on the top right corner and then tap on the Add button on the top left corner. A window will pop up that asks you to enter a Cydia URL. Enter the following URL: and tap on Add Source. Cydia will add the source and refresh its data.
- Go back to the Sources tab and tap on the source you just added. You will see a list of packages available from the source. Find and tap on the package called ReProvision. Tap on the Install button on the top right corner and then tap on Confirm. Cydia will install ReProvision on your device and ask you to respring. Tap on Respring and wait for your device to restart.
- After your device restarts, you will see a new app on your home screen called ReProvision. Tap on it and you will see a window that asks you to sign in with your Apple ID. Enter your Apple ID and password and tap on Sign In. ReProvision will sign you in and show you a list of apps that you have installed on your device.
- Find and tap on the WinRa1n app on the list. You will see a window that shows the app’s details and a button that says Add. Tap on the Add button and ReProvision will start signing the WinRa1n app with your Apple ID. This may take some time, so be patient.
- Once the signing is done, you will see a green check mark next to the WinRa1n app on the list. This means that the WinRa1n app is now signed and installed on your device. You can now run the WinRa1n app without a computer, whenever you need to re-jailbreak your device. However, you need to make sure that the WinRa1n app does not expire, as the signing is only valid for 7 days. You can check the expiration date of the WinRa1n app by tapping on it on the list. You can also enable the Auto Re-Sign option in ReProvision’s settings, which will automatically re-sign the WinRa1n app before it expires, as long as you have an internet connection.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to update your iOS device without losing your WinRa1n jailbreak, your data and settings, and your tweaks. By following the steps we have outlined, you can enjoy the benefits of both the latest iOS features and the jailbreak customization. However, you need to be careful and check the compatibility of the iOS version and the WinRa1n tool before updating, and backup your device and your tweaks before and after updating. You also need to use ReProvision to make your jailbreak semi-untethered, so that you can re-jailbreak your device without a computer. We hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below.
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