Unhappy with iOS 5.1 and tethered booting a jailbroken device? A new version of the redsn0w jailbreak utility allows users to downgrade their iOS hardware from iOS 5.1 to iOS 5.0.1, allowing for a return to an untethered jailbreak with the previous iOS version. Perhaps most significantly, the redsnow assisted downgrade works on all A5-equipped hardware, including the iPad 3, iPad 2, and iPhone 4S. There is a caveat though, downgrading is only possible for iOS devices which have SHSH blobs saved with Cydia or TinyUmbrella, an activity that must have been performed on a jailbroken device at the time it was running 5.0.1.

To use the new downgrade functionality in redsn0w, download the latest version, launch the app, and click on “Extras” followed by “Even More” and then “Restore”. You will need the iOS 5.0.1 IPSW file to complete the task.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.11b1

• Get it for Mac
• Get it for Windows

For those without SHSH blobs saved, there remains a tethered jailbreak available for iOS 5.1.1 and an untethered variation for all devices is currently in the works with a release expected sometime over the next few weeks.

You can find more information about this specific release on the Dev Team blog.

iOS 5.1.1 was just released by Apple and believe it or not has already been jailbroken for some A4 devices. The jailbreak remains tethered, for the uninitiated that means each time the iOS device is rebooted it will need to connect to a computer and boot with the assistance of redsn0w.

Compatibility for this jailbreak includes iOS 5.1.1 on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 1, and iPod touch 3rd and 4th gen. The iPad 2, iPhone 4S, or iPad 3 are not yet supported.

How to Jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 with Redsn0w

As with any jailbreak, be sure to backup before proceeding.

1. Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b8b (Mac OS X, Windows)
2. Upgrade to iOS 5.1.1 either by OTA update, iTunes, or by manually installing through IPSW
3. Download iOS 5.1 IPSW for the device you are using and save it somewhere easy to find, yes download the older version of iOS despite upgrading to iOS 5.1.1
4. Launch Redsn0w and click on “Extras”
5. Click on “Select IPSW” and locate the iOS 5.1 IPSW you just downloaded
6. Click “Back” and then click on “Jailbreak”
7. Follow on-screen instructions to enter into DFU mode
8. Let Redsn0w run and install the jailbreak, the iOS device will eventually reboot and look for the Cydia icon to confirm the jailbreak has worked

The need to select older IPSW will likely be eliminated in an upcoming release of redsn0w, but for the time being it remains necessary.

Remember to boot tethered every time you the device turns on and off, that is done by launching Redsn0w, selecting “Extras” and choosing “Just Boot” from the options.

Right alongside the new SAM iPhone unlock method is an updated version of Redsn0w which helps users preserve their unlock. Dubbed Redsn0w 0.9.10b8, the updated release does not include any new jailbreaks and is only useful for individuals looking to save an iPhone unlock achieved through the Subscriber Artificial Module spoof method.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b8

• Download Now (Mac OS X)
• Download Now (Windows)

Saving the SAM Unlock

Using the new version of redsn0w to save an unlock for the future is done in a few simple steps:

1. Open Redsn0w 0.9.10b8 and click on “Extras” and click on “Even more”
2. Connect the unlocked iPhone and click “Backup”
3. Click “OK” at the popup menu to save the zip file to the redsn0w directory

Don’t lose the zip file if you want to keep the unlock, future versions of Redsn0w will likely use it to preserve unlocks.

The new iPad 3 is barely getting into peoples hands but has already been jailbroken by renowned hacker @MuscleNerd (BTW, you can follow us on Twitter too). At this point, it’s more a proof of concept and MuscleNerd cautions it’s “Just a first step, still lots of work to do!”

There is no estimate on when the iPad 3 jailbreak will be publicly available, though typically things move quick from discovery to release. Because the iPad 3 shares a similar processor to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, it’s quite likely those two devices will become jailbroken along the way. Assuming things go well, it’s possible some variation of an iOS 5.1 jailbreak for A5 devices will become available within a week or two.

Currently, iOS 5.1 is jailbreakable as tethered for older hardware only. Stay tuned for more.

A version of Redsn0w has been released to jailbreak iOS 5.1 tethered. While easy to do and easy to reverse, be sure to understand the difference between a tethered and untethered jailbreak. Put simply, tethered means the device must be connected to a computer to boot properly and become usable. Some consider this annoying and therefore it is not always recommended.

Requirements

• Compatible with: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 CDMA & GSM, iPod touch 2nd, 3rd, & 4th gen, iPad 1
• Download iOS 5.1 and update if you haven’t done so already
• Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b6, Mac & Windows versions are available

Notice that iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and iPad 3 are not supported by this jailbreak.

Jailbreak iOS 5.1 Tethered with Redsn0w

• Turn the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch OFF
• Connect the iOS device to the computer using the power cable
• Launch Redsn0w (run as Admin from Windows)
• Put the device into DFU mode: hold the Power button and home button together for 10 seconds, then release the Power button while continuing to hold Home for another 10 seconds
• Click “Jailbreak” in Redsn0w to start the jailbreaking process and click “Next” when asked, you’ll see some console gibberish appear on the screen and when finished you’ll be back at the iOS home screen



• Now you must boot tethered, put the iOS device back into DFU mode (hold Power button & home button for 10 seconds, release Power and hold Home for 10 more seconds) and launch Redsn0w again, click on “Extras” and click on on “Just Boot”



• When the iOS device boots, it will be fully usable

Every time the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is turned on or off it will need to be booted using the Redsn0w tether. This means if the battery dies or the device is rebooted for any reason, you will need to connect the iOS device to a computer running Redsn0w and choose the same “Boot Tethered” option from the Extras menu. If you jailbreak and have the white Cydia icon this means you did not perform a tethered boot, launch redsn0w and do so to resolve that.

Currently iBooks does not work either, if you’re in the midst of reading a page turning novel you may want to avoid this jailbreak for the time being.

The latest version of iOS 5.1 is already jailbroken thanks to the iPhone Dev Team’s newest release of Redsn0w. The jailbreak is tethered however, meaning that each time the iOS device is rebooted it will need to be connected to a computer running redsn0w for boot assistance. iBooks doesn’t yet work either, but an update is expected to resolve that issue shortly. If neither of these two things bother you, grab the jailbreak and enjoy.

Redsn0w 0.9.10b6 works with the following devices running iOS 5.1: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 CDMA & GSM, iPod touch 2nd, 3rd, & 4th gen, iPad 1. Not supported are any A5 based hardware, including iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and iPad 3.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b6

• Download now (Mac)
• Download now (Windows)

For those jailbreaking from a Windows machine, remember to run Redsn0w in administrator mode in order to work properly.

An updated version of the redsn0w jailbreak utility has been made available to resolve a prominent bug with iBooks and also includes other minor bugfixes that could cause crashing. Versioned as Redsn0w 0.9.10b4, the new release continues to be an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 for the iPhone 4 & 3GS, iPod touch 3rd & 4th gen, and iPad 1, and does not provide support to any other devices.

Fixing the iBooks problem for already jailbroken devices is simple enough, all that is required is to download and run Redsn0w 0.9.10b4 over an existing iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak to apply the fix.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b4

• Download now (Mac OS X)
• Download now (Windows)

Alternatively, the Corona untether has also been updated which applies the same iBooks patch without the need for using redsn0w again. Corona can be downloaded on any jailbroken device for free through Cydia.

Another day another version of redsn0w is released… Redsn0w 0.9.10b3 includes a bug fix that caused some apps to not be able to run after the jailbreak was completed. I didn’t run into any problems on an iPhone 4, but if you did encounter any issues with apps crashing with the prior redsn0w jailbreak then you can go ahead and use the latest version to resolve them.

To fix an existing jailbroken device, all you need to do is run the newest 0.9.10b3 version over your existing jailbreak, just be sure to uncheck the “Install Cydia” option.

Nothing else is different about this release, it continues to be an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3rd & 4th gen, and iPad 1. If you’re not sure what to do, read our guide to jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 untethered using Redsn0w.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b3

• Download now (Mac)
• Download now (Windows)

If you are not currently experiencing problems with your jailbreak, this is probably not a necessary download.

A new tool has been released that untethers existing tethered jailbreaks for iOS 5.0.1. This means that if you are using a tethered jailbreak right now, you can download a free package from Cydia to untether your jailbreak and never have to boot with redsn0w assistance again. The package is called Corona and it’s very easy to install.

The current version of Corona untether is compatible with iOS 5.01 on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3rd or 4th gen, iPad 1.

How to Convert a Tethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak into Untethered with Corona

Do this from the currently tethered jailbroken device running iOS 5.0.1:

• Launch the Cydia app and search for “Corona”
• Tap on “Corona 5.0.1 Untether” and then tap the “Install” button in the upper right corner
• Reboot the device

The iOS device will now be untethered, able to reboot at will without connecting to a computer.

If for whatever reason you don’t want to use Corona, you can also download the untethered redsn0w and jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 untethered by running the new version over an existing tethered base, but that is more work than necessary. Corona is by far the easiest choice, and unless you plan on performing a clean installation, it’s the way to go.

The untethered iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak has finally arrived, and it’s extremely easy to use. We’ll walk you through the process, but before proceeding make sure you meet the following requirements:

• Compatible device: iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 1, iPod touch 3rd gen, iPod touch 4th gen
• iOS 5.0.1 installed
• Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b (Direct: Mac OS X or Windows)

iPad 2 and iPhone 4S are not yet compatible due to their use of the A5 CPU, that is a currently a work in progress.

How to Jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 Untethered Using Redsn0w

This walkthrough is intended for those who are currently unjailbroken and using a stock iOS 5.0.1 installation. The instructions are the same for both Mac and Windows and for all iOS hardware:

• Launch Redsn0w
• Connect the iOS device to the computer and then turn it off
• Launch Redsn0w and click on “Jailbreak”
• Put your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into DFU mode: Hold the power button for 3 seconds, continue holding Power button and additionally hold the Home button for 10 seconds, release the Power button but continue to hold the Home button for another 15 seconds
• Let redsn0w do it’s thing, make sure “Install Cydia” is checked, and let the jailbreak install

The iPhone, iPad, iPod touch will reboot and be jailbroken, find and launch Cydia to verify the jailbreak worked. The untethered solution is obviously much easier than the tethered options, there is no redsn0w boot assistance needed after the device turns on and off, and the installation is simplified as well. Enjoy the jailbreak.

Note for Windows users: be sure to run Redsn0w in Administrator mode, this can be done with a right-click.

Already jailbroken? Here is how to convert a tethered iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak into untethered with Corona, it’s very easy and doesn’t require redsn0w.