This is an introductory article which explains what futurerestore is and how it works, as well as how to follow our futurerestore guides to upgrade/downgrade your device.
Beforeattempting any of the guides,everyone should read this article. It explains whether the guides apply to you, and if they do, which ones you should follow, as well as making sure that you fulfil the requirements for it to work.Not everyone can use futurerestore.
What is futurerestore?
The futurerestore tool was originally developed bytihmstar, though it contains many pre-existing internal components from other authors, and the most recent working versions are maintained byother developers. It is a command-line tool which can upgrade, downgrade, and restore Apple devices (iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS). It mainly uses Apple’s stock restoring infrastructure, (as used by iTunes, Apple Configurator, and more recently Finder) for device restores, but is more configurable and adds options for restores which would not be permitted by Apple’s own tools.
Why is it useful?
Jailbreaks only work on certain firmware ranges, and are patched in later firmwares. So you need to be on a certain firmware to use a given jailbreak. Apple only lets you update your device to the newest firmware, not downgrade, nor upgrade to somewhere between your current firmware and the newest firmware. If you are on 13.5 and the newest firmware is 14.5, you cannot move to 13.4, nor 14.4, only 14.5, using Apple’s methods. They enforce this rule by “signing” firmwares. When you attempt to restore your device, a check is made with Apple to see whether the firmware you are moving to is currently “signed” by them. If it is, the restore completes. If not, it fails. Once a firmware is no longer the newest (when a newer one has been released by Apple), they un-sign the older one, and sign the new one, forcing users to restore to the new one only.
With futurerestore a user can “trick” the signing check, allowing a restore to an unsigned firmware to complete. It does this by forging elements of the verification process, creating the impression that the destination firmware is signed, when it is in fact not signed by Apple. If you wanted to move to 14.3 in order to jailbreak there, but Apple had unsigned it and was signing only 14.5, futurerestore could fool the checks and initiate the restore to 14.3 anyway. There are additional caveats and requirements, but that is the gist of it: futurerestore is a tool which allows jailbreakers to move to their desired firmwares without obeying Apple’s draconian rules.
How does it work?
I’ve mentioned above how futurerestore hijacks the stock restore process whilst bypassing checks to restore devices, but here are some further details. Bear in mind, futurerestore has several modes and there are some special cases, but in general, the following steps would take place. A user would download the full firmware file for the firmware they wanted to move to. They would also normally have saved SHSH blobs for the destination firmware. These are what futurerestore uses to trick the restore process into thinking the restore is valid, even on unsigned firmwares. The user would then connect their device to their computer and run the futurerestore tool via a command. They will specify their blob, the destination firmware and often, but not always, various other required files too (think SEP and baseband for those who are familiar). If all goes well, futurerestore will use our blob to validate the restore, use the various other required files to pass any signing checks which we cannot fake with our blob, and then finally use the destination firmware file to restore onto the device.
Can I use futurerestore?
Not everyone can use futurerestore. What you will need depends on which destination firmware, device, jailbreak availability, and futurerestore mode you are using. In the most common case you will need to have saved .shsh2 blobs for your destination firmware (and you must have saved them while that firmware was still being signed by Apple), and a way to set a generator on your iOS, iPadOS, or tvOS device. The way to set that generator will nearly always be a jailbreak on your starting firmware, though a generator-setter or other unusual methods can be used too in rare cases.
For more details read theTypes of futurerestoresection below, but remember: unless you are in a few very rare scenarios, you will need a current jailbreak and saved blobs to use futurerestore. If you don’t have them, be prepared for disappointment.Start saving blobs now for all current and future firmwaresfor all devices so you can use futurerestore next time!
Types of futurerestore
Below are the different futurerestore modes which exist, in order of decreasing usefulness to the average user. Check if you meet the eligibility criteria for any of the modes, and proceed from there.
- Generator mode
This is by far the most commonly-used way of using futurerestore, and the only way which most users will be eligible for. It works with all devices (even the newest) but generally only works to move to a range of recent firmwares. Below are the requirements to use the generator method with futurerestore.
- Apnonce collision mode
This mode does not require a jailbreak, but does require specific devices and firmwares. If you have a recent device and firmware, and/or don’t have blobs saved with specific Apnonces which are known to automatically recur on your device, this is unlikely to be a method you can use.
- Odysseus mode
Not to be confused with the unrelated Odyssey jailbreak, this is another futurerestore mode. Again, this is a less-used and specific mode, and won’t apply to most users.
- iOS 9.x re-restore bug mode (iDeviceReRestore)
This is a powerful mode, not requiring a jailbreak, though it’s useless for most users. It only works to move to iOS 9.x, and only on 32-bit devices (iPhone 5c and older).
All users must first determine if any of the above modes apply to them. Remember, if in doubt and/or on a recent device/firmware, it is likely that you are only eligible for the most common futurerestore mode,Generator mode. If you have a current jailbreak or generator setter, have saved blobs with a generator, and/or have an A12+ device which requires blobs saved with an Apnonce, this is the one for you. If you don’t know if this is you, but have saved blobs somewhat recently using somewhat recent tools, this is also you.
Once you are sure that one of the modes is compatible with your situation the next step is to gather all the files and fulfil all the requirements listed above for your chosen mode. When you have everything you need, and are ready, follow our guides as detailed below:
Generator mode users
If you are eligible for the generator method of futurerestore, you should firstdouble-check this article to make sure that futurerestore workswith your device and destination firmware. Then complete:
Guide to futurerestore Part 1: How to set a generator
Followed by:
Guide to futurerestore Part 2: How to use futurerestore to restore to unsigned firmwares
Apnonce collision mode users
If you are eligible for the Apnonce collision method of futurerestore, you can skip Part 1 of the guide and head straight to:
Odysseus mode users
If you are eligible for the Odysseus method of futurerestore, follow our specific guide:
How to downgrade devices using futurerestore + libipatcher
iOS 9.x re-restore bug mode users
If you are eligible for the iDeviceReRestore method, follow our specific guide:
How to restore your device to iOS 9.x with iDeviceReRestore
Conclusion
Whew! It seems like a marathon, but it’s really not too bad. Find the mode which applies to you, gather all the required items for that mode, then use the links to the guide(s) above for your mode. Good luck; I hope your restore is successful! Please don’t ask eligibility questions unless you have read this article carefully first. If you have a question which is not answered in the article, let me know in the comments!
