AppCake is a name known by most jailbreakers, given that it used to be one of the most popular Cydia apps of all time. Now it is there for any iOS user, regardless of whether they have a jailbreak or not, and it is a completely free way of installing third-party apps and games.
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What is AppCake?
AppCake was developed by iPhoneCake and released in 2008 by iPASTORE. It offers one of the easiest ways of installing IPA files on an iPhone or iPad, files that Apple will not sign and allow into their store because they don’t quite meet their strict policies. AppCake is packed with a massive choice of preinstalled apps and games, but it also provides a way of sideloading files you download from the internet too.
How to Install AppCake
First off, while a jailbreak is NOT a pre-requisite of installing AppCake, you can still run the app store through Cydia if you so choose.
Second, AppCake is unofficial, andas such, you cannot install it via the iOS app store. That said, it isn’t difficult to get it on your device but there are a couple of things to be aware of. Your iPhone or iPad must be on iOS 8 or above – AppCake does now have support for iOS 14. And the app is built using expired enterprise certificates, and there is a risk that Apple will revoke these, causing the AppCakeapp to crash. You can use an anti-revoke app on your device to prevent this from happening.
Here’s how you install AppCake on your device:
- Open the Safari browser and go to the linked AppCake download page
- Tap the configuration profile link and tap Install on the popup confirmation message
- Go to your home screen and wait – AppCake will be there when the installation has finished
The Untrusted Developer Error:
Because you are using an unofficial app, you may see an Untrusted Developer error when you tap the app icon the first time. This just tells you that Apple cannot verify the developer, but you can – here’s how to fix it.
- Make a note of the name of the developer on the error message and tap on Cancel
- Open your Settings app and go into General
- Tap on Profiles and tap the developer name in the list
- Tap the Trust or Verify button and close Settings
AppCake is now ready for you to use.
How to Use AppCake:
There are two ways of installing apps in AppCake:
Method 1: Preinstalled Apps
- Open the app store
- Find an application or tweak to download and tap it
- Follow any directions on the screen to install it
You may need to follow the Untrusted Developer steps when you try to use the app.
Method 2: External IPA Files
- Open Safari browser and download an IPA file onto your device, using a safe source only
- Send the file to AppCake and then open AppCake
- Go to your file explorer folder and tap the file
- It will be signed and installed on your device
Can I Use AppCake Without a Jailbreak
Absolutely. Although AppCake used to be a Cydia-only app, the developers have made it available to all users, regardless of whether they have a jailbroken device or not. In fact, AppCake offers you a safe way of jailbreaking your device if you want to because it offers some of the more popular recent jailbreak utilities.
AppCake Features:
It’s fair to say that AppCake is one of the most comprehensive of all app installers. Like many others, it offers thousands of apps and games to download, but it also gives you an easy way to sideload external files too. It’s completely free and you don’t need to use a jailbreak. On top of that, it is legal and safe to use. But the developers went one step further and included some extra, cool features:
- File Manager – monitor your download progress and manage all your files
- Web Server – access your apps via your device or a browser – the easy way to upload and download between your devices
- Search Facility – makes it easy to find specific apps and games
- Custom Settings – have your downloads automatically install, stop app crashes on iOS 12 and iOS 13 and many more
How Safe is AppCake?
AppCake is one of the safest app installers but, being unofficial, it’s not surprising that people question this. Because the developers have an excellent reputation to maintain, they monitor the app daily and fix any issues that they spot immediately. Users can report anything they find on the official Twitter feed and updates are issued to fix them – it’s down to you to install these to keep the app safe.
Add to that the fact that you don’t have to jailbreak or use your Apple ID and you have a perfectly safe and legal app to use.
Try AppCake on your device today – you may never return to the official app store.