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Quick start

This guide will walk you through sideloading your first app with Impactor. You’ll learn how to connect your device, sign in with your Apple ID, and install an app.
Before starting, make sure you have installed Impactor for your platform.

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Prerequisites

  • An iOS device running iOS 9.0 or later
  • A USB cable to connect your device
  • An Apple ID (free account works)
  • An .ipa file of the app you want to install

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Step-by-step guide

1

Launch Impactor

Open Impactor on your computer. You’ll see the main interface with a clean, user-friendly design.
First time users will see an empty device list. This is normal—we’ll connect your device in the next step.
2

Connect your iOS device

Connect your iOS device to your computer using a USB cable.
  1. Plug in your device
  2. On your iOS device, tap “Trust” when prompted
  3. Enter your device passcode if requested
  4. Impactor should automatically detect your device
Linux users: If your device isn’t detected, try plugging it in first, then restarting Impactor. See the installation guide for troubleshooting.
3

Sign in with your Apple ID

Impactor uses your Apple Account to request certificates and provisioning profiles from Apple, similar to how Xcode works.
  1. Click on the sign-in option in Impactor
  2. Enter your Apple ID email and password
  3. Complete two-factor authentication if prompted
How it works: Impactor replicates what Xcode does by using your Apple Account to:
  • Register your device with Apple’s servers
  • Request a signing certificate (valid for 365 days)
  • Create provisioning profiles for your apps
Without a paid developer account, you’re limited to 7-day app validity and a limited number of apps/components.
Your Apple ID credentials are used only to authenticate with Apple’s servers. Impactor stores your certificate locally for future use.
4

Select an app to sideload

Now you’re ready to install your first app.
  1. Click the button to select an .ipa file
  2. Navigate to your downloaded .ipa file and select it
  3. Impactor will analyze the app and display information about it
Don’t have an .ipa file? You can:
  • Use Impactor to install SideStore for managing apps
  • Install LiveContainer for running iOS apps
  • Download apps using tools like ipatool
5

Install the app

Click the install button to begin the sideloading process.Impactor will:
  1. Register your app with Apple’s servers
  2. Request a provisioning profile with proper entitlements
  3. Download the certificate and provisioning profile
  4. Sign the app using apple-codesign-rs
  5. Install the app on your device using idevice
The process typically takes 30-60 seconds depending on the app size and your internet connection.
6

Trust the app on your device

After installation, you need to trust the certificate on your device:
  1. On your iOS device, go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management
  2. Tap on your Apple ID under “Developer App”
  3. Tap Trust and confirm
Apps signed with a free Apple ID expire after 7 days. You’ll need to re-sign and reinstall them using Impactor.
7

Launch your app

You’re all set! Find the app on your home screen and launch it.
If the app crashes on launch, make sure you completed the trust step in Settings.

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What’s next?

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Install SideStore for easier management

Impactor supports properly installing SideStore, which allows you to refresh apps wirelessly:
  1. Download the SideStore .ipa file
  2. Install it using Impactor following the steps above
  3. Impactor will automatically populate the pairing file for SideStore

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Generate a pairing file

Impactor can generate a pairing file for apps to communicate with your device remotely:
  1. Connect your device
  2. Go to the Utilities page in Impactor
  3. Click install for a supported app (SideStore, Feather, Antrag, etc.)
  4. The pairing file will be automatically generated and placed
Supported apps for pairing files:
  • SideStore - Install iOS apps with your Apple ID
  • Feather - Install apps using raw certificates
  • Antrag - List installed iOS apps
  • Protokolle - View system logs
  • And many more!

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Advanced features

Impactor supports advanced features for power users:
  • Tweak injection - Inject .deb and .dylib files using ElleKit
  • Framework support - Add .framework, .bundle, and .appex directories
  • Custom entitlements - Request entitlements like increased-memory-limit for emulators
  • AppSync support - Install apps if you have AppSync installed
  • P12 export - Generate P12 certificates for SideStore/AltStore

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Troubleshooting

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Device not detected

  • macOS/Windows: Make sure your device is unlocked and you tapped “Trust”
  • Linux: Plug in your device first, then restart Impactor. Ensure usbmuxd is running
  • All platforms: Try a different USB cable or port

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Installation failed

  • Make sure you’re signed in with your Apple ID
  • Check that your device has enough storage space
  • Verify the .ipa file isn’t corrupted
  • Try signing out and back in to refresh your certificates

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App crashes on launch

  • Ensure you trusted the certificate in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management
  • Some apps may not work when sideloaded due to DRM or server-side checks

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Certificate errors

  • If you’ve reached the app limit (3 apps), revoke certificates in Impactor settings
  • Your certificate is stored locally and lasts 365 days—copy it to other machines if needed

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Need help?

If you’re still having issues:

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