5 Ways to Install IPA on iPhone without Jailbreaking in 2024

For most iOS users, Appstore is the only place to download and install apps. Sometimes, you may want to install an old version of an app or apps that are not available in the App Store. In that case, you can install IPA on iPhone or iPad.

In this post, I will show you 5 methods to sideload .ipa on non-jailbroken iPhones or iPads without jailbreaking. Using a PC or Mac is better, but you can also install IPA on iPhone without a PC or Mac.

Install IPA with Apple Configurator on Mac

Since iTunes 12.7, the Apps section is gone in 2021. It seems impossible to load IPA apps from iTunes. Luckily, another app, Configurator 2, from Apple, can help you install the app through IPA files. You follow the steps below to use Configurator to load IPA files onto your iPhone. 

Step 1.  Install Apple Configurator 2 on your Mac from the App Store.

Step 2. Connect your device to your Mac via a lightning cable.

Step 3. Open Apple Configurator 2, and select your device.

Step 4. Click on Add button and select the App option.

Step 5. Select Choose from my Mac button and browse to select the .ipa file. In a short while, you can see that the aip has been installed on your iOS device. 

Install IPA to iPhone or iPad with Sideloadly

If your app is not signed correctly, it probably will not work after installing via Configurator. In that case, you can use Sideloadly to sideload .ipa files to your iPhone or iPad. It will automatically sign your app. Sideloadly is available for both Windows and macOS. 

Step 1. Download & install Sideloadly on your Windows PC or Mac.

Step 2.  Once Sideloadly is installed, connect your iOS Device to your machine.

Step 3. Drag the IPA file into Sideloadly.

Step 4. Enter your Apple ID email and press “Start”. 

Step 5. Then you will be asked to enter your iTunes/Apple ID password. Go ahead and type your password.

Step 6: Wait for Sideloadly to finish installing the IPA. Once complete, you will now need to go to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management to Trust the email address you entered in Sideloadly.  

After that, you should be able to go to your Home Screen and open the newly installed app.  Other methods mentioned here may fail, but this one has never failed me once. This works for the latest iOS 16 and iPad with M1, though some apps may require Developer Mode to run.

Install IPA on iPhone with Online IPA Installer

If you don’t want to download anything, you can use this free online web service Install On Air. This is often used when you want to share your beta apps with others for testing. 

You just need to upload your IPA file to the Installonair website and generate a sharable link or QR code. Anyone can click the link or scan the QR code to install the IPA on his or her iOS device. 

Since it is an online service, you can use this iOS IPA installer without a PC. You need to download the IPA file onto your iPhone and then save it to the Files app. Then you can upload it to Installonair from the Files app. 

Install IPA on iPhone Directly without Computer

Another method to load the .ipa file onto iPhone would be using IPA installer shortcut for iOS. The Shortcuts app is for automation for iOS provided by Apple. If your iPhone is running iOS 15 or later versions, you can jump to the steps below. 

If you haven’t used any shortcuts before, you need to open the Shortcuts app and create one. You can drag any action into there and run it once. Then go to Settings > Shortcuts and toggle on Allow Untrusted Shortcuts. You need to go through these steps before you can import any shared shortcuts on iOS 14 or 13.

Step 1. Get this Signed Installer shortcut (updated for iOS 17) by opening this link in Safari. Any shortcuts outside of the Shortcuts Gallery are considered untrusted, so feel free to add them. 

Step 2. Copy the link to the IPA app file that you want to install. I save the file to iCloud and use the iCloud share link. 

Step 3. Run the shortcut and paste the link when asked. 

Step 4. Then you will be prompted to install the App. Just tap Install to install the IPA.

That’s it. Your app will be installed shortly and you can see the progress on the Home screen. Be aware that this method would not work for unsigned apps.  If you like the Shortcuts app, you can also find more amazing shared shortcuts from here.

Install IPA with iTunes/Finder on Mac

After Apple removed the App section from iTunes, you can still use iTunes to install your iOS App (.ipa file). However, this only works for Developer provisioning but not for Adhoc provisioning.

If your app is developer provisioning, you can locate your device in a Finder/Locations window and drag/drop that .ipa from another window directly into the Finder app. When you see a green + icon, release the file. After that, you can find the app on your phone.

for Adhoc provisioning apps, you can use Xcode. Just open your device information panel in XCode.  Select “Devices and Simulators”, then select my ‘Device’ and drop the .ipa file in the area. 

Bonus: Install IPA with Cydia Impactor

Cydia Impactor now only works for Apple Developer Accounts. If you have an Apple Developer account, you can refer to the steps below to install iOS apps without iTunes.

Step 1: Free download Cydia Impactor from its official website.

Step 2: Open Cydia Impactor. Drag and drop the IPA file onto Cydia Impactor.

Step 3: Then type in your Apple Developer Account ID and password to continue. 

In a short while, your IPA file will be installed on your iPhone or iPad. If needed, you can download multiple IPA files, and install them with Cydia Impactor all at once. 

Conclusion 

It is always recommended to use apps provided by Apple to install IPA on your iOS device. If your app is unsigned, you can only sideload it to your iPhone or iPad with Sideloadly. In addition, you can also use open-source programs like TrollStore, and AltStore to install unsigned IPA onto your iPhone or iPad.