Jailbreak: Difference between revisions

'''[[wikipedia:Privilege_escalation#Jailbreaking|Jailbreaking]]''' consists of removing restrictions (or "locks") in order to be able to make changes to a piece of technology (e.g. running modified software), in a way that is unintended by the company or person that produced it. The term is more often used when referring to Apple/iOS devices than Android devices.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 Mar 2026 |title=jailbreak |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/jailbreak |url-status=live |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=Cambridge Dictionary}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=JAILBREAK Definition & Meaning {{!}} Dictionary.com |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/jailbreak |url-status=live}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251111213840/https://www.dictionary.com/browse/jailbreak Archived])</ref>

When it comes to Android, it is more often referred to as '''[[wikipedia:Rooting_(Android)|rooting]]'''. It consists of gaining access to the same permissions as the [[wikipedia:Superuser|superuser]] account of the system, and does not make changes to the hardware.{{Citation needed|date=12 Mar 2026}}

Jailbreaking enables users to install unsigned applications and tweak functionality of the {{Wplink|Operating system|OS}}, being able to have complete control of the owned device.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-24 |title=FAQ {{!}} iOS Guide |url=https://ios.cfw.guide/faq/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251226030710/https://ios.cfw.guide/faq/ |archive-date=2025-12-26 |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=cfw}}</ref>

|Legal if you are not downloading pirated software.<!-- Based on machine translation of the citation here. --><ref>{{Cite web |last=Aschermann |first=Tim |date=2018-09-07 |title=iPhone/iPad Jailbreak - legal oder illegal? |url=https://praxistipps.chip.de/iphoneipad-jailbreak-legal-oder-illegal_46467 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811232138/https://praxistipps.chip.de/iphoneipad-jailbreak-legal-oder-illegal_46467 |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=CHIP}}</ref>

|Legal if you are not downloading pirated software<ref>{{Cite web |last=Różańska |first=Joanna |date=2022-12-20 |title=Co to jest jailbreak? |url=https://nordvpn.com/pl/blog/co-to-jest-jailbreak/#czy-jailbreak-jest-legalny |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=NordVPN}}</ref>

|Jailbreaking was declared exempt from the[[Digital Millennium Copyright Act | DMCA]] in 2010<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kravets |first=David |date=July 26, 2010 |title=U.S. Declares iPhone Jailbreaking Legal, Over Apple’s Objections |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/07/feds-ok-iphone-jailbreaking/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251231125132/https://www.wired.com/2010/07/feds-ok-iphone-jailbreaking/ |archive-date=2025-12-31 |access-date=2026-01-11 |work=WIRED}}</ref>

|Legal if you are not downloading pirated software.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elmore |first=John |date=2025-01-27 |title=Unlocking the Truth: Is Jailbreaking Legal in the UK? |url=https://thetechylife.com/is-jailbreaking-legal-uk/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260111223720/https://thetechylife.com/is-jailbreaking-legal-uk/ |archive-date=2026-01-11 |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=TheTechyLife}}</ref>

==Further reading==

*[[Apps deliberately refusing to work on modded devices]]

*[[Battery firmware lockout]]

*[[Phones that do not allow bootloader unlock]]

*[[Sideloading]]