If you have a jailbroken iPhone or iPad and want to update to latest iOS 8 version, you can’t update directly from the phone by going to Settings > General > Software updates like a normal non-jalibroken iPhone would do. This is a common problem that many iOS users experience every year when a new iOS version comes out.
Jailbreaking is the most popular process for Apple devices and as the name says, it breaks your phone out of the jail giving it freedom. Freedom means the ability to download and install applications that Apple doesn’t approve like live wallpapers, launchers and themes.
Also Read: How To Back Up Your Phone Before Updating To iOS 8
All these things are not supported by stock iOS. So you need to jailbreak your phone to get the most out of it. Jailbreaking has always been difficult as it takes months for developers to find an exploit. Not only it takes a long time to find a jailbreak for the latest version of iOS, but it also makes it impossible to update your phone when a new version is out.
As you all know by know, Apple has recently released iOS 8 to all supported devices. You can install it by either going to Software updates on your phone or with iTunes. But if you have a jailbroken iPhone, you need to do a few steps more. You can’t go to General > Software updates and install the new version because it will not work.
How to install iOS 8 on jailbroken devices
1. Connect your phone to your PC and open iTunes.
2. Go to iPhone and click on Restore iPhone. This will delete everything on your phone including photos, videos and applications so make sure to back up everything you need.
3. When the process is over, your phone will not have jailbreak anymore. It will be on its factory settings.
4. Select Check for updates and download the new iOS 8 version.
5. Wait for the file to download and install.
6. Reboot your phone.
Also Read: How To Download & Install Final Official iOS 8 Update
Now you have installed iOS 8 on your jailbroken iPhone. As mentioned above, please make a backup before restoring because everything will be deleted. So it is a good idea to save everything you need.