How to Sideload apps on iPhone and iPad [2 Easy Ways] (2024)

Sideloadly and AltStore are new easy ways to sideload apps on iPhone or iPad. Yes, there is no need to jailbreak your iPhone just to sideload apps on it. No matter whether you want to increase productivity on your iPhone or just want to try the beta version of any application, you can do all these things using Sideloadly and AltStore app installers. In this guide, I’ll tell you all about how to sideload apps on iPhone or iPad.

There could be many reasons why someone would want to sideload an app on iPhone. Like if you are a developer and want to test apps and new features before releasing them to the public. The official process is quite lengthy as the app file needs approval from Apple which may take time. So if you want to test an app without waiting, sideloading is one option you can try.

Another reason could be that an app is not available on the App Store but you know it is trustworthy and wants to use it on your iPhone, then you can sideload the app.

Before moving ahead, here are a few things you need to know before diving into the steps.

Table of Contents

What is Sideloading?

Sideloading apps refers to the process of installing apps manually on an iPhone. Although, companies always recommend installing official apps directly from the App Store. Still, if you have trusted IPA (dubbed iOS App Store Package) then you can utilize the sideloading process.

Apple originally brought sideloading capabilities with iOS 13 and iPadOS 13. So, if your iPhone or iPad runs on iOS 13 or newer you can manually install apps on your iPhone or iPad. Not only this but there’s news that Apple could make sideloading even easier with upcoming iOS 17 software. The new report hints that the EU iPhone owners to get sideloading feature in early 2024.

Now you know what is sideloading, how can I install apps manually on my iPhone or iPad? Let’s find out here.

There are many different ways you can use to sideload apps on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but, Sideloadly and AltStore are one of the easiest ways you can use to manually install apps on your Apple device. Both platforms (Sideloadly and AltStore) utilize Apple’s feature which allows sideloading three apps for free for seven days using Apple ID. However, if you are a developer with an Apple Developer account, then apps should stay longer on your device.

Here’s the list of prerequisites you need to check before moving ahead.

Prerequisites:

Sideloadly or AltStore
Windows or Mac Desktop or Laptop
iTunes and iCloud installed on your PC
Apple ID (You can create a dummy account if you want)
Lightning Cable for connecting iPhone or iPad to your Laptop

So, let’s take a look at the two easiest ways to install apps manually on iPhone or iPad.

How to Sideload Apps on iPhone manually using Sideloadly

Sideloadly, as the name suggests, is an app that let you sideload IPAs. This tool is available for both Mac and Windows users for free and there are some additional options you can select while sideloading apps on your iPhone. You can even use this tool to install apps on Apple Mac with M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra, M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max and M2 Ultra, M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max processor. Now let’s take a look at the steps of sideloading apps on iPhone.

First things first, you need to download and install the Sideloadly app on your Windows or Mac.
Launch the Sideloadly app on your PC or Laptop.
Now enter your Apple account details and connect your iPhone or iPad to your system.
Select the device on which you want to sideload the app.
Now download the IPA file which you want to sideload on your iPhone or iPad.
Drag and Drop the IPA on the Sideloadly tool’s IPA box.
Once done, you can press the start button.
Now it will ask you to enter your Apple ID’s password, enter it.
You can see the application available on your iPhone’s or iPad’s home screen or app library.
To open the app, you need to grant access to untrusted developers, you can do it by navigating to Settings > General > Device Management or VPN & Device Management, then grant access to the new developer.
Now try opening the app again.

That’s it, by this simple way, you can sideload any IPA on your iPhone or iPad. If you want to use AltStore, then here are the details.

How to Sideload Apps on iPhone manually using AltStore

AltStore is another famous and easy way which help iPhone users install third-party IPAs. AltStore app lets you manage sideloaded apps on your iPhone, you can use its counterpart named, AltServer on your PC, which lets you allow sideloading apps on your iOS device. Now let’s move to the steps of sideloading apps on iPhone.

Steps on PC:

Firstly, install AltStore on your Windows PC or Mac.
Open the AltStore, then log in with your Apple ID credentials.
Now connect your iPhone to your PC using a Lightning cable.
If you are connecting your device for the first time, then you need to grant access to your PC, by tapping the Trust button on your iPhone’s screen.
Open iTunes on your PC then select your device. Mac users can head over to the Finder for these steps.
Under the Options section, turn the toggle on for Sync with this phone over Wi-Fi, then select Apply.
Once done, install the AltStore on your iPhone by opening the AltServer from the taskbar on your PC, then select the Install AltStore option.

Steps on iPhone or iPad:

Before moving to the steps, you need to grant access to the third-party developers by navigating to Settings > General > Device Management or VPN & Device Management, then grant access to the new developer.

Open the AltStore app on your iPhone or iPad.
Select the My Apps tab from the bottom navigation bar.
Tap the + icon available at the top left corner, it will open the Files app on your iPhone to select the IPAs you want to sideload.
Select the IPA which you want to install on your iPhone or iPad, after selecting the IPA, go back to the AltStore to see the installation progress.
Once the app is installed, you can use it for seven days.
That’s it.

Is it safe to install apps manually on iPhone?

Installing third-party apps manually on iPhone can be a big hit or miss. Things can depend on from which platform you are downloading the app IPAs to install, if it is a beta version of any popular app or developer and already available on the App Store as a stable version, then there’s no need to worry much because Apple has an eye on applications available on the App Store, so this couldn’t be a big issue.

But if you are sideloading the app from unknown developers or an untrusted platform, then you need to take care of a few things for security reasons. Yes, the process of sideloading apps itself is not harmful. However, installing malware or shady apps can put your personal data/information at risk.

So, now you know what is sideloading, whether is it safe to sideload apps on iPhone, and how to sideload apps on iPhone. If you still have any queries left in your mind, then leave a comment in the comment box.

Related Articles:

How to Sideload apps on iPhone and iPad [Easy Guide]

What is Sideloading?

How to Sideload Apps on iPhone manually using Sideloadly

How to Sideload Apps on iPhone manually using AltStore

Is it safe to install apps manually on iPhone?

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