For a long time, iOS 9.3.5 was limited to semi-untethered jailbreaks, requiring you to re-run an app every time your device rebooted. However, as of March 2026, a full untethered jailbreak is now available for these legacy devices using a combination of the Phoenix tool and the iocaste untether. Core Components
The Exploit (Phoenix): A semi-untethered tool that supports all 32-bit devices on iOS 9.3.5–9.3.6.
The Untether (iocaste): A recent package from the lukezgd repository that converts the semi-untethered state into a permanent, fully untethered one. Supported 32-bit Devices
This method is exclusively for 32-bit (A5 and A6 chip) devices: iPhone: Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Go to product viewer dialog for this item. iPad: 2, 3, 4, Mini (1st Gen) Go to product viewer dialog for this item. iPod Touch: 5th Generation ios 9.3.5 untethered jailbreak
These video guides provide step-by-step instructions for both the initial jailbreak process and applying the untether:
The story of an untethered jailbreak for iOS 9.3.5 is a digital legend, a tale of a cat-and-mouse game played at the highest level, involving espionage, tragic timing, and a community refusing to let hardware die.
Here is the story of how the "Phoenix" rose from the ashes. For a long time, iOS 9
Could a true untether ever be released? Technically, yes. There are likely undisclosed kernel vulnerabilities lingering in iOS 9.3.5 that could be chained with a persistent code-signing bypass. However, with Apple deprecating 32-bit support entirely in macOS and iOS, the likelihood of a developer spending dozens of hours to package that exploit is near zero.
The community has moved on. The last great untethered jailbreaks were for iOS 9.1 (Pangu) and iOS 8.4.1 (Etason). For iOS 9.3.5, the "Holy Grail" remains a myth.
Note: This does not actually downgrade; it upgrades you to 9.3.6 and patches the kernel. On your iOS device, go to Settings >
iOS 9 is old; the ecosystem is mature. Here are essential tweaks to modernize the experience:
https://cydia.akemi.ai/) Required to install unsigned IPAs.In the annals of Apple’s mobile operating system history, iOS 9.3.5 occupies a unique and infamous position. Released in August 2016, it was not a feature-rich update but a panicked security patch. The update closed a chain of three zero-day vulnerabilities (collectively known as “Trident”) that had been actively used to deploy the Pegasus spyware against a single human rights activist in the UAE. For most users, iOS 9.3.5 was a mandatory security fortress. Yet, for the jailbreak community, it became a holy grail—a heavily fortified system that seemed impervious to public exploits. The eventual release of an untethered jailbreak for iOS 9.3.5, spearheaded by developer Siguza and the team at Phœnix, represents not just a technical triumph but a watershed moment marking the end of an era in iOS exploitation.
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