How to: ipa file (what is it and how to open it)

Introduction

Apple gadgets are literally conquering the whole world, despite their considerable price.
New products come out every year, and everyone wants to keep up with the development of new technologies and new developments. Most owners of gadgets from the cult company Apple hack the system in order to expand the functionality of their devices and install tweaks from Cydia. By doing this, they do the so-called iPhone jailbreak. This also allows you to install cracked programs and utilities without restrictions.

This article will talk about how to install applications on iOS gadgets.

In order to gain access to change the gadget’s file system, you need to check the availability of suitable firmware for the device on specialized resources.

If available, you can safely install the AppSync tweak.

Let's sum it up

Undoubtedly, the Apple brand is conquering an increasing number of users, thereby increasing its popularity. Of course, an expensive gadget means expensive maintenance, and only licensed software. Using pirated programs can harm expensive “toys”.

reading time: 3 minutes

Many owners of Apple mobile devices who jailbreak their iPhone hack the system to expand the functionality of the gadget and install tweaks from Cydia. But jailbreaking also allows you to install jailbroken applications. In this material we will look in detail at how to install ipa files on iPhone.

Install ipa via iTunes

xml file: what is it and how to open it?

This is the simplest and most accessible way for almost all users of Apple brand gadgets to install any applications. To do this, you need to perform several manipulations:

Download and install the latest current version of iTunes;
Download the desired game or application. The file format must be *.ipa;
Double-click on the file to open it in iTunes. After this, it will be added to the list of iTunes applications;
After that, we connect the gadget to a personal computer and go to the following path: iTunes - iPhone - “Programs”;
Mark the desired application and click “Synchronize”.

As a result, the required application will be successfully installed on the gadget.

Sour IPA

Traditionally, it was believed that hops and acid did not play well together, but in the last couple of years, an IPA substyle has evolved to bring these once disparate entities together. This was made possible by the development of NEIPA, with minimal bitterness and a pronounced fruity hop character, and sour-kettle technology, which uses lactobacilli to give the beer a pleasant, although not very complex, acidity. Barrel aging, lactose, vanilla, and other spices and additives enhance the character of a sour IPA, more reminiscent of fruit juice, cocktail or smoothie. Acidity, an integral component of the natural juice flavor, completes the balance of this beer, making it surprisingly enjoyable.

Brewski & Amager Bryghus Sour Envy | AF Brew I Got Mango Worms

Install ipa via iTunes

How to install a dmg file on windows 10. how to open a .dmg file? video: how to open a dmg file

This is the simplest and most accessible way for almost all users of Apple brand gadgets to install any applications. To do this, you need to perform several manipulations:

Download and install the latest current version of iTunes;
Download the desired game or application. The file format must be *.ipa;
Double-click on the file to open it in iTunes. After this, it will be added to the list of iTunes applications;
After that, we connect the gadget to a personal computer and go to the following path: iTunes - iPhone - “Programs”;
Mark the desired application and click “Synchronize”.

As a result, the required application will be successfully installed on the gadget.

vShare app

This is another popular application that allows you to install ipa files. It is worth describing, if only because the principle of its operation is somewhat different from other programs. And the most important difference is that all files are stored on the server of this application, so installing them through this program is even simpler.

To install the application via the vShare utility, use the following algorithm:

Open this utility.
Connect the repository - https://repo.appvv.com/.
Find and install the utility and run it.
Search the application for the program you need and download it (you can download several programs at the same time).

How to download AppSync

Another must-have item is the AppSync application, which allows you to install and use hacked games and programs. You can download and install it from the Cydia store.

Launch Cydia.
Open the Repositories tab.
Click Edit – Add.

You will need to restart your iPhone after installing AppSync.

Some questions related to .ipa files

If you downloaded an .ipa file but cannot find it on your computer, you can enable the display of extensions for all file types. This will make it convenient for you to sort files of the same type.

To do this in Windows XP, directly in the folder, click on the “View” Menu item. Here you will see an item that says about displaying file extensions, check the box next to it and now its extension will be displayed at the end of each file.

The same operation in Windows 7 looks slightly different. For a similar effect, go to the Control Panel and select the “Appearance and Personalization” section. Then follow the prompts in the image below.

Location Settings in Windows 7

If you downloaded a file with the name “cracked” in the file name, then this file was probably hacked. We will further describe how to install this and regular file types using different methods.

Using third party programs

In addition to the official ones, there are several popular third-party programs that can be used to install *.ipa files. Similar applications are iFunBox and iTools.

iFunBox

The main feature of this program is its speed. True, the developers didn’t even bother with the interface. But functionality is the main advantage.

How to work with iFunBox:

Download and install the program;
Select the desired application and download it to your computer;
Then we connect the gadget to the workstation, launch iFunBox and select the following sequence: “Data management” - “Installation”;
Then you should specify the path to the *.ipa file, which is located on the computer, and perform the installation.

However, there is one unpleasant point: the developers strongly do not recommend installing applications larger than one gigabyte. Subsequently they may not work correctly.

iTools

This utility, unlike iFunBox, has a more attractive design, but cannot offer anything new to its users.

How to use the iTools application:

Download and install the utility;
Find and download the required *.ipa file;
We connect the gadget to the computer;
Launch the program, go to the “Applications” tab - “iPhone” and click the “Install” button;
Then we specify the path to the *.ipa file and wait for the installation to complete.

vShare

This program is also very popular. But all applications and games that are available for download using vShare are located on the servers of the software module itself. This greatly simplifies the entire procedure, but may limit the list of available resources.

How to use the program:

Open the Cydia application;
Connect appvv repository;
We find vShare in the list of available programs and install it;
We launch the application, if necessary, update it to the latest version;
Select the one you need from the list of available programs and games and download it.

This application is good because it allows you to install several programs at the same time without speed restrictions.

Installing ipa using third-party utilities

Today there are several programs that replace iTunes. Almost all of them allow you to install applications on your iPhone. The most popular utilities are iFunBox and iTools.

iFunBox

A distinctive feature of iFunBox is its high speed. However, the application does not have a beautiful interface - the developers focused on functionality.

To install the program using iFunBox you need:

Download and install the iFunBox manager.
Download the required program.
Connect your smartphone or tablet to your PC.

There is one nuance in the operation of iFunBox.

The developers do not recommend installing applications larger than 1 GB. After installing the game, it may crash after the initial splash screen.

iTools

The iTools application, unlike iFunBox, has a modern interface. But in all other respects the utilities are similar.

Download and install iTools.
Download ipa file.
Connect iPhone to PC.
Open iTools.
Go to the Applications tab.

How to jailbreak Odyssey via AltStore

Note: If you already have AltStore installed, you can skip straight to step 16.

2) Double click on the ZIP file you downloaded and drag the AltStore icon into your programs folder.

3) Launch the AltStore program.

4) Select the AltStore icon from the menu bar at the top and click the Install Mail Plug–in option:

5) On the pop-up window, click Install Plug–in:

6) If prompted, enter your Mac password and then click OK:

7) A notification will appear indicating that the plugin has been installed. Click OK:

Open the Mail app and select Mail > Preferences from the menu bar:

9) At the top, select the Basic tab and click the Manage plugins button:

10) Check the box next to AltPlugin.mailbundle and click the Apply button.

Now you need to download AltStore to your iOS device.

11) Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer using a cable.

12) On the menu bar, click the AltStore icon and select Install AltStore > :

13) Enter your Apple ID information and then click Install:

If a message appears indicating that AltStore is being used on another device, click Continue anyway. Once the installation is complete, the following notification will appear:

14) The AltStore icon will appear on the home screen of your device. Don't launch the app, but first go to Settings > General > Device Management and select your Apple ID.

15) Click the blue Trust button [your Apple ID, and then click the red Trust button again.

AltStore is also installed on the device. Now you need to install the Odyssey jailbreak.

17) Now select the downloaded Odyssey.ipa file from the download manager in Safari:

18) Click the Share button in the upper right corner:

19) Scroll to the right and select the Copy to AltStore option:

20) AltStore will download the .ipa file, after which the Odyssey icon will appear on the home screen:

21) Open your home screen and launch the Odyssey app:

22) Now click the Jailbreak button:

23) During installation, Odyssey will ask you to reboot your device. Click OK:

24) Once the device boots up, you can open the Odyssey app and click the Jailbreak button again to continue. The device will respring.

25) The Sileo icon will appear on the home screen:

Congratulations, you have just installed the Odyssey jailbreak on your device! Now you can proceed to installing tweaks.

Installing the Odyssey jailbreak is a fairly simple and straightforward process that does not take much time.

Using apps without jailbreak

Jailbreaking methods are always a race with Apple developers. Users find vulnerabilities and gain access to the system, developers roll out new versions with fixes and security improvements. If you don't want to participate in this competition, use other programs to install applications through Cydia, such as Asterix or Cydia Impactor.

Asterix

This is a new installer for programs, games and other content from third-party manufacturers. It does not require jailbreak or Cydia tweak to install applications. Everything is set up very simply - you don’t even need a computer.

Launch the Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad.
Go to the Asterix program page.
Click Download it now and wait for the application to finish downloading, which will be installed as a certificate.

After adding Asterix to the system, its icon will appear on the home screen. Launch it and click on the big down arrow button to open the section with applications and emulators. To download and install a game or program, select it and click Get. Safari will open the download page. The advertisement will run for three seconds, after which the Get Link button will appear. After clicking on it, the installation of the application will start.

Asterix runs on iOS 10 and iOS 11. If an earlier version of the system is installed on your iPhone or iPad, you will have to jailbreak and install programs through Cydia or use another program - Cydia Impactor.

Cydia Impactor

This is a redesigned jailbreak that allows you to exploit vulnerabilities in the system to gain access to the file system. Installing applications through Cydia Impactor will not cause any difficulties. You need to find the game or app you want to add to your iPhone or iPad and download its iOS IPA file.

Installing applications on iPhone via Cydia Impactor is available from your computer. To do this, download and install the program on macOS, Windows or Linux. Then:

Download the IPA file of the game or application you want to install on your mobile device.
Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer. Click "Trust".
Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.
Launch Cyfia Impactor and select your connected device.
Transfer the IPA file to the program window.
Enter your Apple ID information.
When a warning window from Apple Developer appears, click OK.

If you did everything correctly, Cydia Impactor will install the application automatically. To run it on an iPhone or iPad, go to the “General” section in the settings and click on “Device Management”. Select a developer certificate and confirm your trust in it.

After completing these steps, applications installed through Cydia Impactor will be available on your mobile device. There is no need to jailbreak, which is very convenient, because in new versions of iOS, vulnerabilities are quickly closed by developers.

How to install ipa on iPhone without jailbreak

Sometimes owners of Apple gadgets need to install a third-party application on their device that has the ipa extension. This extension is used by all applications for iOS operating systems. Installing ipa is not at all difficult, but you need to keep in mind the rules on how to install a file with such an extension, since the methods by which this can be done are different. The greatest difficulty for users is the situation in which they need to download and then use a program with a similar extension without jailbreaking.

How to install ipa on iPhone in different ways - see the instructions below for details.

Download and install AppSync

This software package is undoubtedly an indispensable and mandatory component for further manipulations (installation, use). You can download and install AppSync from the Cydia store.

This process is not at all complicated:

Launch the Cydia application;
Open the tab called “Repositories”;
Click the following items: “Edit” - “Add”;
We add certain repositories: “angelxwind”, “hackyouriphone”;
Confirm the addition;
In the search we find the AppSync extension for the required version of the iOS operating system;
We are installing the tweak.

For the application to work correctly, you need to restart your gadget after installing it.

How to install an ipa application using third-party programs on iPhone

Besides iTunes, there are other ways to install ipa on iPhone. You can perform these actions using third-party software.

iFunBox

Installing third-party applications on the iPhone, for example, the iFunBox program, allows you to download ipa files without much difficulty. To do this you need:

Download iFunBox manager for iOS.
Install the files to be transferred.
Connect your smartphone to your computer.
Go to iFunBox, open the “Data Management” section and click on installation (ipa). If iFunBox does not see the iPhone, you need to try to connect again.

The main menu of the iPhone Box program, with which you can transfer files to your iPhone

On some computers, it happens that iFunBox crashes when trying to connect to an iPhone. If the problem cannot be solved, then you need to remove iTunes completely and download it again.

Note! The developer does not recommend downloading utilities larger than 1 GB, because

There may be problems.

iTools

iTols allows you to download ipa files to your iPhone. In terms of functionality, this software is very similar to the previous one, but it has a more user-friendly interface. To transfer files, you must:

Download the iTools manager in your browser.
Download the applications that need to be transferred.
Connect your phone to your computer and go to iTools.
Click on the Applications tab and switch to iPhone.
Click “Install” and select the one you need.
Wait for the download to complete.

If iTools does not see the user's iPhone, then this problem may arise due to several reasons, for example, the use of a non-original cable or an old version of iTunes/iTools. Therefore, often for a normal connection it is enough to update iTunes or change a non-original cable to a factory one (further in the article all possible causes of problems and ways to solve them).

Apple Configurator

This is high-quality software from the manufacturer that can be downloaded to an iMac or MacBook, so this option is suitable for owners of Apple computers. There are several steps you need to follow:

Download Apple Configurator 2 to your MacOS device (available in the App Store).
Next, connect your phone to your computer and run the downloaded program.
An image of the user’s smartphone will appear in the “Programs” section.
Now you need to select everything with ipa resolution and drag it onto the phone photo. The installation will begin.
Next, pick up your smartphone and turn on the downloaded application. If a notification appears on the display that the developer is untrustworthy, then you need to go to “Basic” – “Device Management” in the phone settings, select the one you need and assign the “Trusted” status.

Apple Configurator on MacBook

After all these steps, the downloaded content can be opened on your smartphone.

Note! If you can't connect your Mac to iPhone, you need to check if the cable is working. If the cord is fake, you will need to replace it

Cydia Impactor

First, you need to install the latest iTunes update on your computer. Then install the Cydia Impactor application and follow the algorithm:

Connect your smartphone to your computer and assign it “trusted” status.
Launch the installed program on your PC.
Enter your Apple ID account credentials.
After this, an error code 201 or “Apple developer” may appear on the display; you just need to click on “OK” and wait for the installation.
Next, pick up the phone and launch the files. If a warning about an unreliable developer appears on the display, then you need to act as described above.

As soon as the software becomes “Trusted”, it will load without problems.

AppSync

To be able to download applications with ipa format to a smartphone, the user needs to jailbreak the phone:

Go to Cydia.
Open the "Repositories" menu.
Next “Edit” and “Add”.
On the page that opens, you need to add the repositories https://cydia.angelxwind.net/ and https://repo.hackyouriphone.org.
Then confirm the addition and find the AppSync program in the extended list.
Download the tweak.

Attention! You can also download the ipa istaller tweak for iPhone in the BigBoss repository. Judging by user reviews, it works no less stable

Apple News: iPhone, MacBook, iPad

What are presets and how to use them: cheat sheet

By default, Apple devices do not allow installation of applications not from the official store. This is due to the company’s security policy towards clients. This policy is completely justified, but, nevertheless, there are ways to circumvent the prohibitions. Users can perform the so-called jailbreak procedure - escaping from prison, literally translated from English. Or in simpler words – system hacking, which opens access to the gadget’s file system and expands the list of available service capabilities.

Jailbreaking is not supported by Apple for obvious reasons, but it is not a prohibited procedure. The main point to consider is that after this operation, the license for the device ceases to be valid. Which, however, can be fixed by reflashing the system and removing traces of “hacking.”

Jailbreak plays an important role in the question of how to open an ipa file on iPhone. This format is used for applications developed specifically for Apple devices. You won’t be able to open them on other gadgets, even if you use the iOS simulator. However, according to the standard, .ipa files cannot be included even on Apple devices, since these applications do not belong to the official Apple store. To neutralize this prohibition, a special software package AppSync is used. It is available for download in Cydia.

The installation procedure is as follows:

Enable the Cydia service;
Go to the “Repositories” section;
Click Edit-Add;
We add specific repositories. We need, in particular, "angelwind" and "hackyouriphone";
Confirm the action;
Using the search menu, select AppSync for the appropriate iOS type;
Installing functionality;
Reboot the device for the changes to take effect.

Now we have full access to the file system

Important: before performing further manipulations with the system, make sure that the firmware required for your operating system can be easily found on the network and, if necessary, set the standard iOS settings

Installation options for .ipa files

There are three main ways to open an ipa file on iPhone.

Method number 1. Using iTunes

The most affordable option. We will need:

Download and install iTunes;
Save the application to your device in .ipa format;
Double click on the file to activate it through iTunes. The service will automatically replenish the list of iTunes programs;
Connect the gadget to the PC. Go to iTunes – iPhone – Programs. Select the appropriate applications and enable synchronization.

If all actions are completed correctly, the application will be available in full upon completion of synchronization.

Method number 2. iFunBox service

Standard service, without a fancy interface. It is immediately clear that the authors of the program placed the main emphasis on its functionality. Our procedure:

Save and install the iFunBox application;
Download the required .ipa file;
Connect the device to the computer;
In the iFunBox manager, select “Manage application data”, then “Install .ipa application”. We show the system where the required file is located;
We confirm the installation.

The recommendation from the developers of the service is not to install large applications (over 1 GB in size) through it.

Method number 3. iTools program

This service clearly paid more attention to design. This did not have any negative impact on its functionality. The manager is freely available online and can be used on a Windows PC. How to open the ipa file after downloading and connecting the gadget to the PC? We will need:

Enable the application, go to the Applications section;
Go to the iPhone section;
Select “Install”;
Show where the required file is located;
Wait until the installation finishes.

All three methods are clear and easy to use. The main thing is to use them wisely, and work only with those applications that are guaranteed to be safe for your device.

Method two

This method was invented by Chinese craftsmen, and most importantly, it does not require jailbreaking, because not everyone wants to “upgrade” the device, exposing it to potential danger. Although there is a nuance here: this method implies the operation of only non-hacked applications that were linked to someone else’s account.

To get an update for such an application, you will have to wait until some altruist decides to release it for everyone. Also, this method is only “friendly” with the Chinese language, so you will have to remember the location of the symbols in the program.

Procedure:

Download the necessary .ipa application for your iPhone;
We install the 25pp program, which, by the way, is provided completely free of charge (this program is a full-fledged analogue of Ituls for iPhone, which means that you can install not only your .ipa applications, but also those that are presented in the AppStore, which couldn’t come at a better time) ;
After installing the program, connect a standard cable to your computer and iPhone;
Next, following the prompts in the images, select your iPhone in the program, select the file that should be downloaded and transfer it to the 25pp program window, as is the case with iTools.

Step 1. Select the Applications section

Step 2. Select the .ipa file

Step 3. Transfer the file to the program

That's it, the application has been installed on your iPhone and is ready to use.

How to install an ipa application using iTunes on iPhone

The easiest and most official way to install ipa is to download and configure it in iTunes.

To do this, you need to follow the algorithm:

Start downloading the latest version of iTunes.
Download any desired game or program in ipa format.
Double click on the file to open it in iTunes. Next, the program will be added to the list of iTunes applications.
After this, you need to connect the device to the computer and perform the chain of actions: iTunes – iPhone – “Applications”
Next, mark the files that need to be transferred to the iPhone or iPad.
Click on sync and the data will be transferred.

Once the process is complete, you need to find the installed files on your phone and use them.

How to install ipa files downloaded to iphone and ipad (jailbreak, video) | apple

Many users of iOS devices practically do not use computers, because most operations with the device can be performed without iTunes. Updating and installing programs and firmware can be done over the air. Using a computer is only necessary to obtain a jailbreak and install applications downloaded from the Internet in *.ipa format. If you use this type of program download, pay attention to the Ipa Installer tweak from Cydia.

This extension allows you to install a file downloaded directly to your device. The tweak has its own file manager, so it can find a saved ipa application anywhere in iOS. In order to save files on your device, you can use tweaks Safari Downloader or Chrome Downloader Plus, depending on which browser you prefer to use. In addition, the almighty iFile can always come to the rescue. Ipa Installer allows you to open downloaded files from the Safari browser or those located in Dropbox. However, to do this you will have to buy the extended version of the tweak for $3.

Pgyer - free App Store and ipa installation without jailbreak

reading time: 5 minutes

Today there is only one official way to install applications on iPhone. Of course, this is the App Store. In addition, programs for iOS can be installed using third-party utilities. But for successful installation you will need a jailbreak. In this article we will tell you how to install iOS applications bypassing the App Store without jailbreaking.

You can install applications for iPhone without hacking the firmware or going to the App Store using a Chinese service called Pgyer.com.

This free App Store is essentially a platform for testing applications for iOS and Android, and allows you to download ipa files without jailbreaking. However, it can be used not only by developers, but also by ordinary users. With its help, you can easily install almost any application on your mobile device - paid or free - bypassing the App Store.

It's worth noting that Pgyer has a number of limitations that are worth considering.

The service allows you to upload only files in .ipa and . apk. In addition, the size of the installation file should not exceed 500 MB.

Installing the Pgyer app for iOS

To install the Pgyer client on your iPhone or iPad you need:

Open Safari mobile browser.
Go to Pgyer.com.
At the bottom of the page, select the Mobile app section.

After this, a Pgyer icon with a loading indicator will appear on one of the desktops. Separately, we note that the process of downloading and installing the application is quite lengthy. Moreover, this depends little on the connection speed. The service works quite “slowly”.

Registration in the Pgyer service

While the download is ongoing, we recommend registering at Pgyer.com. This can also be done in the official Pgyer client for iOS. However, for greater reliability, it is better to register on the site. To do this you need:

Open Safari.
Go to Pgyer.com.
At the top of the window that opens, go to the Register section.
Fill in all the required fields and press the Register button.

Launching the Pgyer application for the first time

When you launch the official Pgyer client for iOS for the first time, a notification banner about an “untrusted developer” will appear on the screen of your mobile device. To launch the application, you need to press the Trust button. After this, the Pgyer client will be launched. Users will only have to log in to the service using their account.

Since Pgyer is a Chinese service, the vast majority of text in the application is in Chinese. However, thanks to the simple interface, you can master the free App Store.

Main sections of the Pgyer application

The interface is divided into three large sections. The first is the free App Store where applications available for testing are located. They are free to download and use. Each application has its own information card. It contains basic information and usually contains several screenshots.

The second tab is a section dedicated to the user account. It contains basic information and a list of applications loaded into the service.

How to install an application available in the Pgyer service

To install an application available in the Pgyer database, users need to:

Open the official Pgyer app for iOS.
Go to the first section.
Find the program you need or find interesting (you can use the search function for this). Note that the service has quite a lot of programs and games with English-language names.
Go to the page of the application you like.
Press the Install button. It is located on the right side of the window below the title.

After this, the download process will begin. As with installing the official client, the application download process can take quite a long time. In addition, it may be interrupted periodically. In this case, we recommend waiting a bit and then continuing with the installation.

Method one

To install a hacked application, your phone will need a Jailbreak, only in this case you will be able to install AppSync from Cydia, which in the future will be necessary to correctly download our application to the iPhone. How to make a Jailbreak - read this article, and then the installation process on an already jailbroken phone will be described.

Add a repository that contains AppSync:

Open Cydia and select the profile type. In total, here you can choose from three profile types, but we recommend choosing “Developer” so that you can see absolutely all the files being installed;
Next, look for the “Manage” tab, find it and go to the “Sources” section;
Click “Edit” and then “Add”;
Now a window will open in front of you, into which enter the address - https://cracklords.info/repo;
Click “Add” and a copyright warning will appear in front of you. It is a pure formality, so we simply ignore it and click the “Add Anyway” button;
The final stage will begin, and when completed, click “Return to Cydia.”

Click on the repository selected above - https://cracklords.info/repo
In the window that appears, select the AppSync you need. For example, for iOS 5.0—5.1.1 AppSync 5.0+ is suitable, and for iOS versions 6.0—6.1 AppSync 6.0+ is required, and so on;
Click the “Install” button and wait for the process to complete. When finished, click “Confirm”;
We return to Cydia, restart the desktop, and then your iPhone or other i-device;

So that the description does not look unfounded, we have selected a video that will show you all of the above, thereby making the installation process as easy as 2+2.

Further, it is strongly recommended to install at least one free application from the App Store in order to “light up” your phone in this way. The installation can be done using several programs, but we chose Ituls, because even the most dim-witted user can carry out the installation with it. You can download it on the Internet.

Installing .ipa file via iTools

Finally, open the window with the downloaded .ipa file, and open Aituls next to it. Then simply drag the program into the window with the name of your phone, after which the synchronization process with the iPhone will begin. Did you think there would be more steps? We wait for the end and rejoice at the installed application.

Understanding the .xcarchive archive

When we select Xcode Product -> Archive from the menu After this, the compilation system will parse, compile and package the current Xcode project and finally generate the target object. Target One of the Archive (archive) We can Window -> Organizer -> Archives View all cached historical archive information on the page:

So-called "archiving" means that after the source code is compiled, the various files, resources and records generated by that compilation are encapsulated in one place, making it easy to manage and track.

Right-click to select the archive and click Show in Finder. You can see this in Finder.xcarchive Suffix files.

This .xcarchive file contains our application and its symbol table information (symbol information) with other relevant resources, right click to select Show package contents We can view the specific file structure in the archive:

The meaning of each folder:

BCSymbolMaps

The comparison table generated after Xcode hides the BitCode symbol table (Symbol Hiding) will match the dSYM file one by one.

dSYMs

Save the symbol table (debug symbols) compiled this time to symbolize and analyze the crash stack.

Products

Save the application package (.app) generated by this compilation.

It should be noted that while this package includes the executables and other resources needed to run the application, it will be different from the version downloaded by the end user. the subsequent export operation will further process it.

SCMBlueprint

If Xcode opens version control (Preferences->Source Control->Enable Source Control), the SCMBlueprint folder will store version control information for that compilation, including git version, repository, branch, etc.

If you want to revert to the original version of this compilation in the future, you can find the information you need from this SCMBlueprint.

SwiftSupport

If you are in the Build Settings Open target ALWAYS_EMBED_SWIFT_STANDARD_LIBRARIES The standard library file (.dylib) corresponding to the version of Swift used in this build will be placed in this folder.

When publishing the application, these standard libraries will also be copied into the ipa bundle.

But now SwiftABI has stabilized, and packages released by Xcode 10.2 and later no longer need to bring their own reference libraries into the app bundle on iOS 12.2 and later systems, saving some space.

What is an IPA file?

is the file format used for iOS apps that run on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices. The name stands for “iOS app package”. IPA files are equivalent to the “.app” app bundles that macOS uses. They use the common Zip format, despite their unusual file extension.

What's inside an IPA file?

A valid IPA file should always contain a top-level folder, and - if it is intended to be distributed through the App Store - it will also contain some . Here's an example IPA for iBooks 3.2, shortened to show the basic structure:

$ unzip -l iBooks\ 3.2.ipa Archive: iBooks 3.2.ipa Length Date Time Name ——— ———- —— —- 06-18-2014 10:43 Payload/iBooks.app/ -2013 13:11 Payload /iBooks.app/iBooks 13 17:43 Payload/iBooks.app/Info.plist 06-18-2014 10:42 Payload/iBooks.app/_CodeSignature/ 13 13:11 Payload/iBooks.app/_CodeSignature/CodeResources 8 11 -07-2013 17:43 Payload/iBooks.app/PkgInfo 06-18-2014 10:43 Payload/iBooks.app/SC_Info/ 06-18-2014 10:42 Payload/iBooks.app/Settings.bundle/ 13 17 :44 iTunesArtwork 14 10:43 iTunesMetadata.plist

In the example above, the file is the application binary. is the application icon as shown in the App Store. A is a dictionary of information with a set of metadata about the application, with its name, author, release date, and so on.

Can I run IPA on my computer?

It is not possible to run an IPA file on a Windows PC, although it is possible to extract the files in Windows. In some cases you can run IPA on macOS, but most often you can't.

IPA files contain iOS-specific binaries. They may be built for 32-bit iOS devices (such as the iPhone 5c and below) or for newer 64-bit devices released since iOS devices use ARM architecture, whereas your Windows PC or Mac probably uses x86 . This means that without a special built-in x86 binary, your computer will not be able to run the iOS app.

If the IPA was created for debugging on a Mac, it may contain an x86 binary. If so, then it can most likely be launched using the iPhone Simulator included in Xcode on Mac. The iPhone simulator comes bundled with Xcode and can be installed for free from the App Store on all Macs.

How can I open an IPA file on Windows?

Double-clicking a file in Windows causes a window to appear asking you to select the program you want to use to open the file. To extract files from IPA on Windows, you need to download DMG Extractor and install it. Once DMG Extractor is installed, you can double-click your IPA file and it will automatically upload to DMG Extractor.

To manually open an IPA file, follow these steps:

Click the "Open" button in the top left menu or simply drag and drop the file.
From the top menu, click "Extract" and select to extract all files.
Select the destination folder for extraction.
Your IPA file should be extracted successfully and you can find it in the folder that pops up.

Also, if you are happy with changing the Windows configuration and changing the file, there is another approach:

Open → → → → and make sure “Hide extensions for known file types” is not checked.
Rename the file to have the extension
Double click on it and view it using a regular Zip viewer

App slim

To compress the size of an app's installation package, we first need to know how much space the installation package takes up and what parts of those spaces it consists of, and then perform targeted optimization.

View the end user installation package size

In fact, the application package from the local XCode archive or the ipa package from the export will be different from the version downloaded by the end user (usually the volume will be much larger). Since Apple can recompile the app (if BitCode is loaded), it will also distribute different resources (e.g. 2x, 3x pictures) for different device models and iOS versions, and finally compresses the entire .ipa in a way to reduce data consumption when downloading from the App Store.

So how do you estimate the batch size of a user's final download? In fact, we can find it right on the iTunes Connect page.

Open iTunes Connect and select My App -> Activity -> All Build Versions, and then select the version to view:

Find App Store File Size Button:

In the pop-up list, you can see
Latest iOS Version Next is the package size downloaded by different devices:

Two columns in the list:

Download Size: Indicates the size of the compressed application downloaded over the wireless network.
Installation size: The amount of disk space this app will occupy on user devices after installation.

Analyze application package size

To more clearly see what resources are taking up the space of the application installation package, we can use some file tools to analyze the unpacked ipa package, for example derlien

You can intuitively see the ratio of different file types.

Check unused resources

As the application continues to iterate, we often unintentionally introduce a lot of unused resources, or some resource references were removed from the code, but they were not removed from the package in time, causing the application's package size to be wasted.

To find these resources that are no longer in use, we can use the open source tools LSUnusedResources to check the entire project.

For some special situations, such as when used in code ] The way resources are accessed, LSUnusedResources also supports the use of regular expressions for fuzzy matching.

Compress pictures

Image files are the most common resource in an installation package and often take up a significant portion. The volume of an uncompressed image is often quite large. Compress an image resource using some space saving tools:

Lossless compression ：ImageOptim
Lossy compression ：tinypng

Use asset catalogs to store assets

Compared to the method of directly dragging and dropping images into the project directory, using Asset Catalogs will save more space. Asset catalogs will store all images in a highly optimized custom format and will also provide maximum compression for PNG images.

The XCode project template will automatically generate an Assets.xcassets file, we can also create additional .xcassets. Finally, in the ipa package, these xcassets will be compressed into an Assets.car file, which also guarantees security to a certain extent.

In addition to image assets, asset catalogs can also store text, data, and even AR, Apple TV-related assets, which is very versatile, so it is recommended:

Resources that can be managed using asset catalogs, try using asset catalogs to manage

Analysis of LinkMap files

As mentioned above, most of the space occupied by application packages is the executable file (MACH-O) generated by the final compilation. The size of the executable file is not only related to the amount of code, but also depends on the compiler version, compilation options, link library, target architecture, and other influences.

We can analyze the generated LinkMap to understand the components of the MACH-O file.

To find the corresponding LinkMap, first in Xcode Target -> Build Settings -> Write Link Map File Set to YES, and then Target -> Build Settings -> Path to Link Map File Set the LinkMap generation address in the settings (usually use the default address in the folder build), after the archive is successful, we can find the compiled LinkMap at the appropriate address:

LinkMap records compile-time link information used to describe the structure of executable files, including the code segments __TEXT and the data segment __DATA Distribution:

There are many scripts on the Internet that can parse and parse LinkMap, such as:

Visualization tool
JS script
Command line tool

After receiving the analysis results, we can accurately understand the location and space occupied by each module, link library and method in the executable:

For some modules with a large proportion, general optimization ideas:

Find alternative, small-scale dependent libraries or implement them yourself
Remove unnecessary instructions from the static library such as armv7s, x86, etc., leaving only armv7 and arm64 needed to free
Improve code reuse
Next, analyze the methods and modules that are not used in the code to simplify the code base.
Reduce demand

Use bit code

Bitcode is an intermediate language between the interface language (OC, Swift, C) and the interface language (X86, ARM machine code) in the LLVM system.

Full compilation (from source code to an .O object file) consists of three main steps:

Frontend (Frontend) Responsible for compiling various types of source code into an intermediate bitcode representation.
Optimizer Responsible for various types of bitcode optimization, some logical equivalent transformation of the bitcode that makes the code more efficient and smaller in size.
Backend (Backend) Also called CodeGenerator, which is responsible for compiling the optimized bit code into machine code specifying the target architecture such as x86, arm64, etc.

We can do this in Xcode Target -> Build Settings -> Enable Bitcode Enable the bitcode option so that during archiving, the mid-generated bitcode will be embedded in the associated binary (.o) file for submission to the App Store.

As mentioned above, as an intermediate language, LLVM bitcode can directly compile the final program from it. Once Apple receives the bitcode we uploaded, it will use the latest technology and compiler to recompile the application for different terminal devices. The recompiled version is often smaller and more efficient than our locally compiled version of XCode.

If you need to support a new platform or implement new compilation technologies later, Apple doesn't have to rely on the developer to reload and directly uses the existing bitcode to compile the new version of the ship.

It's worth noting that: when packaging, if some third party dependent libraries do not have bitcode enabled, or they are included but do not have bitcode in the final link library, then the entire project cannot be compiled with bitcode.

Loading resources on demand (resources on demand)

After iOS9, Apple provides On-Demand Resources feature to reduce installation package size. We can mark some resources as "download on demand" and request the operating system to be downloaded from the App Store when we need to use it. This feature is very suitable for some large games, apps with paid content, or a lot of media resources that are not usually used.

Of course, on-demand downloads are only for resource files used by the application and do not include binary executables or source code.

On-demand resources can be easily configured in XCode.

First in Target -> Resource Tags Create a resource tag, a tag represents a group of resources that can be loaded independently and we will use this tag later in the program to ask the operating system to load the corresponding resource bundle into a local directory.

Resources contained in different tags may be duplicated. The app store itself will be different and will not be downloaded again.

Next, find the resource files you want to load on demand and assign them to one or more of the tags you created earlier.

Finally, in the code we can use NSBundleResourceRequest：

Request to download resources on demand
Mark the resource as used (this way the loaded resource will be cleaned up, saving local space)
Manage the resource download process, set priorities, track download progress, etc.
Define disk capacity warning

The following code is a simple request to load a resource:

// Setting up tags for loading NSSet *tags = ; // Create an NSBundleResourceRequest object resourceRequest = [ initWithTags:tags]; // Requesting resources and processing callbacks ;

The following diagram summarizes the lifecycle of an on-demand resource:

Checking 301 redirect

Checking 301 redirects is not difficult. You just need to enter the old address of your page or site in the browser bar. When setup is correct, you will be redirected to the new URL. Sometimes, to correctly check a 301 redirect, you need to clear your browser's cache. As a rule, after all the manipulations, the check is successful.

To finally confirm that the 301 redirect is configured correctly, it is recommended to check the server response using special services (for example, 2ip.ru) or use the Netpeak Spider program. It will allow you to receive additional information about your site. The server response should be “301” or “301 MovedPermanently -> 200 OK”.

You may also be interested in: Redirect from http to https: increasing site security

Possible difficulties when installing ipa applications on iPhone

When installing an ipa application on an iPhone, problems may occur. There are several reasons for this:

An old version of iTunes is installed on the PC or it is missing altogether. If the user has not updated the program for a long time or has not installed it on the PC at all, then it is necessary to download the latest version;
outdated version of the program. If the user uses a third-party program to download ipa applications, then you need to download its latest version. This can be done on the official website of the developer;
system failure. From time to time, failures occur in the system and the servers begin to work unstable. In such a situation, the user needs to wait until the program starts functioning normally and try to download the application again;
damaged or fake cable. For the manager to find the iPhone, you need to connect via the original USB. Using a non-original cord will not only prevent you from downloading an ipa-format application, but will also disrupt the operation of the device as a whole;
driver failure. Your computer may have outdated drivers installed that need to be updated. To do this, you need to select “Portable devices” in the task manager and click on the “Update driver” tab, then search for drivers according to the instructions on the screen.

Now the user knows how to install an ipa file on iOS devices and what are the features of this format. If you are unable to download the required application, it is recommended to follow the advice from the article, since there may be several sources of the problem.

Problems and errors

Users of the iTools utility encounter a common error when installing applications on their device, which is indicated by the “Installation Error: Verification Failed” pop-up window. This malfunction does not allow you to install the selected content and is caused by several reasons, these are:

Outdated utility software;
Faulty utility software;
The cracker has damaged or inactive files.

Troubleshooting errors can be resolved by the following steps:

All files of iTools and iTunes programs and accompanying additional applications are deleted from the computer;
Next, up-to-date working software is downloaded and installed on the PC, including iTools, iTunes, and localization.

You can always download the latest version of iTools from the main page of the site. Go to download iTools

A possible reason for such errors may be a mismatch with the version of the device’s operating system; therefore, an update or change of device with the appropriate iOS is necessary.