AppCake is a familiar name to jailbreakers the world over, once one of the most popular tweaks in Cydia that helped us to install IPA files onto the iPhone or iPad very easily. Jailbreaks are no longer as widely available as they once were, although we are starting to see more and more utilities being released again.
And, to be fair, not all iOS users even want to jailbreak. Most, however, would like the chance to install apps other than what is in the app store, and AppCake offers just that. An update to the app has made it available for use outside of Cydia, so all users no have the opportunity to use this unique app for free.
What is AppCake?
AppCake is a free platform for iOS users that allows you to install unsigned IPA files to your iPhone or iPad. These are files that are legal to use, such as game emulators but are not allowed into the official iOS app store because they cannot get past Apple’s policy restrictions. Many of you will be familiar with Cydia Impactor, a similar app, but there is a major difference between them – where Cydia Impactor required that you downloaded the IPA files you wanted from the internet, AppCake has a whole store full of pre-loaded files.
AppCake was released in 2008 by iPASTORE and was developed by iPhoneCake. Recent updates have made it compatible with any iPhone or iPad on iOS 9 through iOS 13 and, as well as already having plenty of apps included in the store, and you can also install your own external files too.
How to Install AppCake:
There is no longer a requirement to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad to use AppCake, although that option is still open to you if you want to. With full support for iOS 13, AppCake apps are signed using enterprise certificates. The downfall with that is that Apple can revoke these certificates – installing an anti-revoke app or reputable VPN will stop this happening.
- Open the Safari browser and go to the AppCake download page.
- Download the profile onto your device, tapping Install on the popup message
- Wait for the app icon to appear on your home page; the installation has finished.
- Tap on the app icon, and you will see an Untrusted Developer error – write the name of the developer down.
- Close the message and tap on Settings>General
- Tap on Profiles, find and trust the developer.
- Now you can use AppCake.
Signing External IPA Files
- Open Safari and download whatever IPA file you want
- Send the IPA file to AppCake.
- Open AppCake and tap on Downloads
- Tap the IPA file, and it will be signed and installed.
AppCake Features
AppCake is packed with cool features for all users, including:
- Thousands of unsigned IPA files ready for you to install
- The option of installing external IPA files downloaded from the internet.
- An ad-free app experience
- The Enterprise Developers Profile makes it easy to use
- User-friendly app, easy to navigate and use
- Option to use torrents for faster downloads
If all that wasn’t enough, you also get a built-in file manager where you can monitor your app download progress and all the files you downloaded. A built-in web server makes it simple to have access to your files from any browser, allowing you to upload and download your files between your desktop or laptop and your iPhone or iPad.
You also get access to an easy to use the search facility so you can easily find apps and games to download, and customizable settings. You can set AppCake to install your files automatically once downloaded, and there are options to help you fix iOS 12 and 13 app crashes.
How to Delete AppCake
This is simple enough to do:
- Open Settings>General and go into Profiles
- Tap the AppCake profile and then tap on Delete App
Alternatively:
- Long-press on the app icon on your home page
- When it begins wiggling, tap the small x at the corner of the icon
- Tap on Delete
Both ways will remove the app from your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
We get asked questions about AppCake on a frequent basis, and these are the answers to the most commonly asked ones.
Is AppCake only For Jailbreaks?
No. It used to be a way of installing modded and tweaked apps on your device using Cydia, but now anyone can use AppCake to install unsigned IPA files, including jailbreak utilities, such as Electra and Unc0ver, easily on to their devices.
Will it Void my Warranty?
No. AppCake is a perfectly legal app to use, requiring the same permissions as an official app store app to download. Because you are not jailbreaking your device to use it, it doesn’t require root iOS access, which means you do not break Apple’s security in any way. You may need to provide your Apple ID when you download AppCake, providing yet another security layer – once your Apple ID is used, Apple verifies AppCake as being safe to use. If you have to take your device to an Apple store for any reason and you are unsure, simply delete AppCake and reinstall it later.
Is AppCake Safe to Use?
Yes, AppCake is 100% safe to use. The developers monitor the app 24/7 and issue regular updates, which you should install to ensure the app remains safe. And because you are not installing a jailbreak, you do not open your iPhone or iPad to the risk of external threats. And we ran our own tests on AppCake and confirmed that there are no viruses, exploits, malware, adware, or spyware, and it will not harm your device or your data.
This is a unique opportunity to use an app that you once needed to jailbreak to use. Now anyone can use it to install all those cool apps and games that Apple doesn’t allow into their store. It’s free, it’s legal, and it’s safe to use, so download it today and enjoy one of the best alternative app stores.
