How to Install Apps From Outside The App Store

Apple now allows those in European Union (EU) countries to install apps from outside the App Store. The move was made in compliance with the Digital Markets Act, which aims to level out the playing field for tech giants and smaller tech companies in the EU. With that, users from the EU can download apps through alternative app marketplaces and developer websites.

With that, I’ve rounded up a few ways to install apps from outside the App Store. Let’s dive in.

Three Ways to Install Apps From Outside the App Store

1. Sideloading Apps

Sideloading is the most common way of installing apps from outside the App Store. This typically involves downloading software from an alternative marketplace.

Although convenient, sideloading comes with several risks, such as malware infection. However, reputable developers like AltStore comply with Apple’s security standards, minimizing the risk of security vulnerabilities.

To sideload your apps, you will need your computer, your iPhone, and your charging cable ready. If you’re using a Windows computer or an Intel-based Mac, you’ll need to download iTunes to your device. You will also need to download Xcode and the Altserver to your Mac for you to download the AltStore app on your iPhone. In addition, your iPhone needs to be on Developer Mode so you can successfully sideload apps.

How to Activate Developer Mode on your iPhone

First, download Xcode from the Mac App Store. The app is available for free, and developers use Xcode to create software for all Apple platforms. Install Xcode like you would a typical app, and wait for all the necessary files to download.

How to Install the Altserver to Your Computer

Once your iPhone is switched to Developer Mode, you can start installing apps from outside the App Store. The steps below will detail my experience of setting up the Altserver using macOS Sonoma. Here’s how you can do it, too:

1. From your browser, navigate to the AltStore website to download the Altserver installer.
   
2. Save the .zip file to your computer.
   
3. Unzip the compressed file to install the Altserver, then double-clip on the app icon.
   
4. Click Open.
   
5. When the app is running on your computer, you should see a diamond-shaped icon on the menu bar.
   
6. Connect your iPhone to your computer.
7. Navigate to Finder, then check Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi.
   
8. Hover to the menu bar and click on the Altserver icon.
9. Select Install AltStore, then your iPhone.
   
   
10. Type your Apple ID and password.
    

Next, you need to establish AltStore as a trusted developer on your iPhone. To do that, follow these steps:

1. From Settings, tap on General.
   
2. Scroll to VPN & Device Management.
   
3. Tap on your Developer ID.
   
4. Select “Trust [your Apple ID]“.
   
5. Tap on Trust.
   
6. Check to see if AltStore is on your iPhone.
   

NOTE

Any apps installed via AltStore expire after seven days. To let you keep using them, AltStore will “background refresh” your apps. You can also manually refresh your sideloaded apps by tapping on Refresh All on the AltStore app.

How to Sideload Apps from AltStore

Once you open AltStore, you’ll quickly notice that it only has two apps: Delta, a retro game emulator, and Clip, a clipboard manager. Here’s how you can download either one of these apps to your iPhone:

1. Ensure that your iPhone and Mac are connected to the same WiFi connection. As an added measure, you may need to plug in your iPhone to your Mac.
2. From your Mac, launch the Altserver by keying in your Apple ID and password.
   
3. Open the AltStore app on your iPhone, then tap Browse.
   
4. Select the app you’d like to download, then tap Free.
   
5. Log in to the AltStore app with your Apple ID and password.
   
6. The AltStore will give you further reminders on sideloading apps. Tap Got it.
   
7. Tap Free.
   
8. Wait for the app to be loaded to your iPhone, then tap Open to start using the app.
   
   
9. Navigate to your home screen to check if the app was downloaded to your iPhone.
   

If you’d like to see more apps from other third-party developers, here’s how:

1. On the AltStore app, tap Browse.
   
2. Tap Sources.
   
3. Choose from the selected list of sources. To keep you guided, here’s a recent update on the third-party apps on AltStore.
   

NOTE

Due to Apple’s restrictions, you can only install three sideloaded apps to your iPhone at a time. To remedy this, you can “deactivate” an app from AltStore, which backs up all your data before removing it from your device. Refer to this guide to learn more about activating and deactivating AltStore apps.

2. Downloading Apps From Developer Websites

iPhone users in the EU can also install apps outside the App Store through direct downloads. Moreover, your device must be updated to iOS 17.5 Beta 2.

To download an app from a developer’s website, you first need to navigate to the official website of the app you’d like to add. If it’s your first time to download an app from a developer, tapping on “Install” or “Download” will prompt you to permit downloads from Settings. Then, your iPhone will do a Face ID check to download the app. From there, you’re all set.

Any updates to direct downloads will be done automatically. Apple also states that direct website downloads will include information that developers have submitted for review, such as the app’s name, developer details, and screenshots, among others.

3. Jailbreaking Your Device

The last, and riskiest, way to install apps from outside the App Store is by jailbreaking your device. Since Apple operates on a closed software ecosystem, macOS, iOS, and iPadOS are virtually impenetrable from any third parties who try to access its system. This type of ecosystem also protects your device from compatibility issues and security threats.

Jailbreaking gives you access to root systems, lets you tweak your device’s interface, and allows you to install apps from unauthorized sources. While that seems pretty convenient, you’ll also stop receiving OS updates, which often include security patches. The practice also allows cybercriminals to easily hack into your Apple device, potentially compromising your personal and financial information.

Aside from vulnerabilities, jailbroken devices are prone to stability issues, poor battery life, and crashes and freezes. Worse, you might end up bricking your iPhone, Mac, or iPad.

Now that you know how to install apps from outside the App Store, you can have access to apps for specific purposes or are unavailable in specific regions. Meanwhile, here’s an update on what’s coming for Apple Music on iOS 18.