When you are stuck with an older iOS version and trying to learn how to install iOS 12 on unsupported devices, this is disheartening to inform you that there is no practical way to do so.
At best, you can get the iOS 12 gesture on your iDevice. Jailbreak your iOS 9 with the Cydia Impactor and Phoenix jailbreak app. Then get some Tweaks of the iOS 12 features through Cydia on your device. With those features on your unsupported device, you will get iOS 12 gestures.
Jailbreaking is not recommended unless you have no option left to try. It makes your iDevice more vulnerable as malware and viruses might get their way into your device. Hence, jailbreak removes all your guarantees that Apple Inc. promises against your device.
Devices That Support iOS 12
Apple Inc. launches an update for iOS per annum to entertain the customers with updated features. As soon as the software update is available, the compatible devices receive a notification.
But the unfortunate fact is that these updates don’t allow all devices to get updated. Some devices lag as Apple Inc. chooses, and these devices get marked as non-compatible with furthermore iOS updates.
iOS 12 was launched in 2018. And similar to the prior context, iOS 12 is not supported in all iDevices. Apple Inc. ensured that iOS 12 would be available for all iDevices compatible with iOS 11. You will find a list below concerning the iDevices compatible with iOS 12.
iPad Air 1, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro (12.9, 2015), iPad Pro (9.7), iPad 2017, iPad Pro (10.5), iPad Pro (12.9, 2017), iPad 2018, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, iPod touch (sixth generation), iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max are the devices that are supporting iOS 12.
So in a word, if your device is an iPhone 5s or later, an iPad Air 1 or farther, an iPod Touch of sixth-gen or later, or an iPad mini 2 or later on, you are supposed to have an iOS 12 update on your device.
Features of iOS 12
iOS 12 has improved performance and added unique new features to the iPhone and iPad.
For instance, you will find new features to help you rediscover and even share the photos in your library. Through Screen Time, you and your family will be able to make sense of the time you spend. Memoji, a new and more customizable from customer’s end Animoji, makes messaging more live, exciting, and fun.
Augmented reality has been even more engaging as developers can create shared augmented reality experiences. Siri Shortcuts offer a practical, faster way to get your things done against every app that works with Siri.
And the new privacy features will protect you from getting tracked on the web. These are the notable features that you can get through iOS 12.
For an unsupported device to install iOS 12, get the basic tweaks regarding these features on your device through jailbreak and get the iOS 12 gesture right away.
How To Install iOS 12 On Unsupported Devices?
Whenever Apple Inc. launches an iOS update, you should get a notification through your Settings app. It will notify you that you have a pending iOS firmware update providing that your device is compatible with the very update.
And with the advancement of the updates, Apple Inc. stops supporting some specific devices for the update because of hardware incompetency. And there is no practical way of having the updated iOS on an unsupported device. So, you can’t get the updated iOS on your device if your device is incompatible.
But you might try and have some iOS 12 gestures on your iDevice. Definitely, for this, you need to jailbreak your device. And then, finally, you might get some Tweaks of iOS 12 features through Cydia.
With these Tweaks, you will feel like using iOS 12 on your iDevice. If you are looking for ways to install iPad OS on an unsupported iPad, this part of this content should help you out.
How To Jailbreak iOS 9?
Most iOS 10 supporting devices also support iOS 11 and 12, respectively. For upgrading from earlier to later versions, you must go step by step. In a word, you can’t upgrade your iOS 10 to iOS 12 without upgrading it to iOS 11 first.
Considering that your device doesn’t support iOS 12, we can assume your device has iOS 9. Before jailbreaking, ensure having a backup of your data. You can do that through iTunes.
Now let’s have a look at the process of jailbreaking iOS 9:
Step 1: Firstly, you need to download Cydia Impactor and Phoenix 5.ipa on your PC.
Step 2: Attach your device with the PC.
Step 3: Launch Cydia Impactor on your PC.
Step 4: Then, drag the ipa file into the Cydia Impactor app.
Step 5: You will be required to input your Apple ID and respective password.
Step 6: After that, the Phoenix jailbreak app will be installed automatically.
Step 7: You need to verify the Phoenix jailbreak app by trusting it.
Step 8: Now start the Phoenix app and click on Prepare for Jailbreak to initiate the process.
Step 9: Wait till the process finishes. When finished, your device will reboot.
You should have a Cydia icon on your device, which indicates that your device is jailbroken.
How To Install Apps on Unsupported iOS?
The available apps on the App Store have their competency against specific iOS versions. And in some cases, it’s found that many apps are not supported in older iOS versions.
But there is a way to have the older version of an app on an older iOS for ensuring compatibility. Following are the steps to install an app on an unsupported iOS:
Step 1: Firstly, get the latest iTunes installed on your PC. Visit this link for the most recent iTunes.
Step 2: Open iTunes on your PC.
Step 3: Then, use your App Store account. Log in to iTunes with the same account.
Step 4: Connect your iDevice with unsupported iOS to your PC through a USB cable.
Step 5: Go to the Apps to download your desired app.
Step 6: Go to the My Apps section to visit the apps you have just tried to install on your unsupported device.
Step 7: You should see a message saying that the apps are not eligible to be installed on your iDevice. This is because they are not compatible with your ongoing iOS version anymore.
Unplug your iDevice from your PC when you see this message.
Step 8: Now navigate to the App Store from your iDevice with an unsupported iOS for an app. And again, attempt to install the apps. You must use the same Apple ID that you logged into your iTunes.
The App Store will ask you if you wish to have the older version of the app. By older, it means the version which is compatible with your iOS.
Step 9: Agree with installing the older version. Immediately the download and eventually the installation will start.
Thus, you can have an app installed on your outdated iOS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Jailbreak?
Jailbreak is precisely similar to Android rooting. With jailbreak, you can access your iOS firmware and then tamper with it as you wish.
What is Cydia on an iPhone?
Cydia is a third-party tool that functions on jailbroken iDevices to let the user install other Tweaks and third-party apps. Different features and themes are also available on Cydia.
Is Jailbreaking illegal?
No! The jailbreak is not illegal in the US, as the DMC Act doesn’t say so.
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Final Words
When Apple Inc. stops supporting any specific iDevice for further iOS updates due to hardware incompatibility, you get stuck with the last iOS you had on your device. You cannot enjoy the newer features embedded into updated iOS. And this might make you wonder how to install iOS 12 on unsupported devices.
But as previously mentioned, if Apple doesn’t allow you to have any iOS, you just simply can’t. Instead, you might go for jailbreaking your device. Enjoy some tweaks against some of the features of iOS 12 to have the Android gesture on your Apple device!
