This is the best part of the iPhone. Apple puts certain restrictions on your iPhone, and jailbreaking does just what it sounds like. It hacks the restrictions. This is perfectly legal, and it won't hurt your iPhone. The worst thing that can happen is you have to restore to a backup, so if you don't backup regularly you should now. To backup, go into itunes, connect your iPhone via USB cable and right click on the "Bob's iPhone" . Then, select backup.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If your on iOS 5.0 then BEFORE YOU JAILBREAK update your software to 5.0.1. This provides an untethered jailbreak which means that you can reboot your iPhone. If your not sure, when your in redsn0w check if it says "This jailbreak is tethered" or "this jailbreak is untethered". If it says tethered, do not reboot or you will have to restore your phone. This rule applies to all devices with the prefix "i". This means that you should not install apps that require rebooting in cydia such as winterboard.
Okay, ready? You can follow the video instructions or scroll down for the text version.
Your going to want to find out what version of iOS you have. To do that, go into Settings>General>About and then scroll down to version.
Then, go to Redsn0w's Download Site and click the latest version.
When it's downloaded, open the redsnow app or .exe file and proceed to the instructions. Make sure you tell it to install Cydia.
If you get an error, make sure you have the latest version or comment. But if you get an error, and your phone looks like it is stuck with the connect me to itunes picture, then just reboot by holding the power button down and you can use your iPhone again.
So, now we see the pineapple loading it's stuff onto your phone. Just leave it there, don't try to take a screenshot or anything, that will mess it up.
Once your iPhone loads, you will see all of your apps there and you'll be thinking "Drat, it didn't work." But your wrong; scroll to the last open page of your apps and you'll see a new one. Cydia. This is like the jailbroken app store, I call it the Hackstore, but it is a world to more coolness on your iPhone. Get moving wallpaper, locked folders, free apps (post coming soon) and much more.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If your on iOS 5.0 then BEFORE YOU JAILBREAK update your software to 5.0.1. This provides an untethered jailbreak which means that you can reboot your iPhone. If your not sure, when your in redsn0w check if it says "This jailbreak is tethered" or "this jailbreak is untethered". If it says tethered, do not reboot or you will have to restore your phone. This rule applies to all devices with the prefix "i". This means that you should not install apps that require rebooting in cydia such as winterboard.
By Calvin Spangler Young Apple Geek/fan, iKnow it all, homeschooled nerd, and guru for any thing with the prefix of a lowercase i. Twitter: