How to unlock and jailbreak your iPhone with PwnageTool

While the iPhone isn’t technically available here in Malaysia, many of us already have it. One of the most common questions for ‘unsanctioned’ iPhone users is how to unlock their iPhones for use with the local celcos.

It’s a daunting subject, especially with the threat of having your precious iPhone becoming ‘bricked’, or disabled. Some “iPhone unlocking services” take advantage of this and charge ridiculous prices to unlock your iPhone.

This tutorial shows you how to unlock and jailbreak your iPhone (and iPod touch) using PwnageTool for Mac. Windows users, there are some links at the end of this tutorial for you, and also it shows you why its so not worth to pay the guy at Low Yat RM500 to unlock your phone.

Update: Just to clarify, the iPhone 3G currently cannot be unlocked with PwnageTool. The unlock currently applies to 2G iPhones only. However, you can still follow this tutorial to jailbreak already-unlocked 3G iPhones (e.g. from Singapore), 2G iPhones and iPod touch’s (What’s the difference between unlocking and jailbreaking? Here’s the answer.).

Disclaimer: myMacBUZZ does not claim responsibility for any problems that may result by following these instructions. Please sync and backup your iPhone before you do anything. Proceed at your own risk!

Step 1: Getting the tools

The first step unlocking your iPhone is to get the Pwnage Tool by the iPhone DevTeam. Make sure you get the latest version (2.1). You can download it via their official torrents (recommended) or if you’re in a hurry, here’s a link to a direct download.

Next, you have to download the latest iPhone firmware. There are 2 ways to do this:

Direct download the appropriate firmware for your iPhone. (iPhone1,2_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw for iPhone 3G and iPhone1,1_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw for iPhone 2G). Update: You should use Firefox to download the firmware. Safari somehow saves the firmware in individual pieces and not a .ipsw file.
OR
Plug your iPhone to iTunes and run the firmware update. Make sure to Download only and not Download and Install. This way, you’re sure to download the correct version. Once it’s done downloading, you can find it in your user folder under ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates/iPhone1,2_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw

Extract PwnageTool from the .dmg and put that along with the iPhone firmware in the same folder on your Desktop.

Step 2: Build a custom cracked firmware

Here comes the fun part!

Launch PwnageTool and you’ll be greeted with the below. See what the DevTeam say? Their software is 100% free to use. Click OK to proceed.

Choose the device you want to unlock and/or jailbreak. Yes, iPod touch’s work too. We’ll be using Simple Mode so make sure you’ve selected the correct mode in the upper left of the screen. Click the blue arrow at the bottom right to proceed.

You’ll then see ‘Browse for IPSW’ screen. PwnageTool should be able to find the IPSW you downloaded in Step 1 automatically. If not, just click Browse and look for it in the folder on the Desktop from Step 1. Click the blue button to proceed.

PwnageTool will ask your confirmation to create an .ipsw file on your desktop. Click Yes to continue. Your Mac may ask you to provide an administrator password in the next few steps.

PwnageTool will then ask you if you would like to activate your iPhone. If you’re using an iPhone 2G that’s locked to another network (e.g. from US or UK) click Yes. If your iPhone comes unlocked (e.g. from Hong Kong) I think you can click No.

Ed’s note: I’m not very sure about this but I think this shouldn’t cause too much trouble. If in doubt, click Yes.

Pwnage Tool will then build your custom cracked .ipsw file. Grab a coffee while waiting.

Once the .ipsw file has been created it will show you the ihaz success screen. It will now help you to restore your iPhone with the newly created cracked .ipsw file.

If you’ve got a virgin iPhone, answer No to put your iPhone into Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU) mode, a.k.a. Recovery Mode.

Step 3: Put your iPhone into DFU mode

Putting your iPhone into DFU mode involves a series of button combinations. They can be a bit complicated, so PwnageTool will help guide you.

Start by plugging your iPhone in and then turning it off.

PwnageTool gives you a countdown to help you get ready…

..then press the Home and Power button.

Release the Power button after 10 seconds..

..but keep holding the Home button.

If you followed the steps correctly, you’ll enter DFU mode. Otherwise you’ll get insulted by the iPhoneDev Team (u want get zune?). Don’t worry if you see this screen below, PwnageTool will give you the option of trying again.

Step 4: Restore your iPhone with your cracked .ipsw file

If you successfully entered DFU mode (and your iPhone is plugged in), iTunes will give you the following message:

iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode. You must restore this iPhone before it can be used with iTunes

Go into iTunes, hold the Alt/Option button on your Mac keyboard as you click Restore.

A file browser will pop up. Select the custom cracked .ipsw you created in Step 2 and click Open.

iTunes will now restore your iPhone. Grab another coffee and when iTunes is done, you’ll see this message:

Once your iPhone reboots, you can safely insert your Maxis/DiGi/Celcom SIM card into your iPhone. Congratulations! Enjoy your pwned iPhone.

You’ll also notice Cydia and Installer on your iPhone. These 2 applications allow you to add jailbreak apps on your iPhone or iPod touch alongside legal apps from the iTunes App Store. Sweet.