Current state of sideloading
The stable Apple releases, imminent OS transition, and compatibility facts that are most likely to change.
Apple release status
As of this review:
- iOS 26.6.2 is the latest listed public iOS 26 release.
- iPadOS 26.7 is the latest listed public iPadOS 26 release.
- iOS and iPadOS 27.0 RC were released to developers on 9 September 2026.
- Apple says the version 27 operating systems will be available to customers soon; the RC is not yet the general public release.
The source of truth is Apple's live developer release feed. Version-sensitive tool claims should be rechecked after iOS 27 ships publicly.
Compatibility headlines
| Route | Current position |
|---|---|
| App Store, TestFlight, Xcode | Normal Apple-supported routes on current OS releases |
| Official alternative marketplaces | Available in the EU, Japan, and Brazil, with regional differences |
| EU Web Distribution | Available from iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 18 for approved developers |
| AltStore Classic | Current free/paid account signing; refresh model still applies |
| SideStore | Current; initial computer setup plus LocalDevVPN/pairing workflow |
| Sideloadly | Maintainer claims iOS 7 through 26+; current release is 0.60.0 |
| Feather | Current on-device certificate signer; installation mode and entitlements matter |
| TrollStore | CoreTrust range ends at iOS 17.0; 17.0.1 and later are unsupported |
| StikDebug | Supports iOS 17.4 through 18.x; iOS 26+ support requires compatible app-side JIT behavior |
| LiveContainer | Supports iOS/iPadOS 15+; guest-app limitations remain |
Three warnings for the iOS 27 transition
- A tool launching on an RC does not prove that signing, installation, JIT, extensions, or every guest app works.
- Compatibility reports must include the full build number, device chip, signing method, and whether the app requires JIT.
- People preserving a TrollStore-compatible release must not update past its supported boundary. People on current public iOS should not expect TrollStore support.
Apple's iOS 27 release notes are still explicitly beta and RC-era documentation (Apple Developer).
What “supports iOS 26” can mean
The phrase may mean only that the signing tool opens, a basic app signs, installation succeeds, ordinary apps launch, or JIT works with a specific helper. Those are different claims.
For iOS 26 JIT, attaching a debugger is not always enough. Compatible apps may need an app-side executable-memory protocol. The StikJIT integration guide explicitly warns that selecting a generic script does not retrofit an arbitrary JIT engine.
Maintenance rule
Recheck this page after any public iOS/iPadOS release, major AltStore/SideStore/Feather/Sideloadly release, new CoreTrust disclosure, or change in Apple's regional alternative-distribution rules.