idevice_pair

May 5, 2026 · View on GitHub

A cross-platform GUI application for managing iOS device pairing and wireless debugging. This tool provides an easy-to-use interface for managing pairing files which work with various iOS applications.

Features

  • Device Management: Automatically discover and connect to iOS devices via USB
  • Pairing Files: Generate, load, and validate device pairing files
  • App Integration: Support to install to popular apps including:
  • Developer Mode: Monitor developer mode status
  • Developer Disk Image Mounting: Automatically mount required developer images

Prerequisites

  • macOS/Linux/Windows: Cross-platform support, must have usbmuxd installed
  • iOS/iPadOS Device: Must have a passcode set and be connected via USB
  • Rust: Required for building from source

Building from Source

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/jkcoxson/idevice_pair.git
cd idevice_pair

  2. Build the application:

    cargo build --release

  3. Run the application:

    cargo run --release

Usage

Getting Started

  1. Connect your iOS device via USB to your computer
  2. Launch the application - it will automatically scan for connected devices
  3. Select your device from the dropdown menu if not already selected

Managing Pairing Files

The application can generate and manage pairing files for various applications:

  1. Generate new pairing file: Click Generate to create a fresh pairing
  2. Load existing pairing file: Click Load to import from your computer
  3. Save pairing file: Export the pairing file to your computer or install to your supported applications
  4. Validate pairing: Test the pairing file against a local network-connected device

Pairing Guide

Prerequisites for Pairing

Before creating a pairing file, ensure you have:

  1. Set a passcode on your iOS device

(For maximum performance, you should also)

  1. Sideloaded an app (can be done with SideStore or a certificate + signer)

  2. Enabled Developer Mode on your iOS/iPadOS device (found in Settings → Privacy & Security after sideloading an app)

Installation Instructions

macOS

  1. Download idevice_pair for macOS
  2. Open the Disk Image and drag idevice_pair to Applications

Windows

  1. Install iTunes from Apple's website
  2. Download idevice_pair for Windows and save it to a memorable location

Linux

  1. Install usbmuxd: 
    sudo apt install -y usbmuxd
  2. Download idevice_pair for your architecture and save it to a memorable location:
  3. Make the downloaded file executable

Pairing Instructions

  1. Connect your device to your computer via USB cable
    • If prompted, select Trust and enter your passcode
  2. Open idevice_pair and select your device from the dropdown menu
  3. Select pairing mode, RPPairing for iOS 17.4+, Lockdown for older verions.
  4. Obtain pairing file:
    • Ensure your device is unlocked and on the home screen
    • RPPairing: click Generate, Lockdown: click Load.
    • If prompted on your device, tap Trust and enter your passcode
  5. Install/Place in your app:
    • Keep your device unlocked and on the home screen
    • Scroll down and click Install under your target application (e.g., "StikDebug")
    • You should see Success appear in green

Supported Applications

The tool includes built-in support for pairing file formats used by:

  • SideStore: ALTPairingFile.mobiledevicepairing
  • LiveContainer+SideStore: SideStore/Documents/ALTPairingFile.mobiledevicepairing
  • StikDebug: RPPairing: rp_pairing_file.plist, Lockdown: pairingFile.plist.
  • SparseBox: pairingFile.plist
  • Feather: pairingFile.plist
  • Protokolle: pairingFile.plist
  • Antrag: pairingFile.plist
  • KSign: pairingFile.plist

Dependencies

This project uses several key dependencies:

  • idevice: Core iOS device communication library
  • egui: Immediate mode GUI framework
  • eframe: Application framework for egui
  • tokio: Asynchronous runtime
  • rfd: Native file dialogs

For a complete list of dependencies, see Cargo.toml.

Translation

This project supports multiple languages.

  1. Locate the locales/ directory.
  2. Create a new .toml file named with your language code.
  3. Use en.toml as a template and translate the strings.

Troubleshooting

Device Not Detected

  • Ensure your iOS device is connected via USB
  • Check that the device is trusted on your computer
  • Try disconnecting and reconnecting the device

Pairing File Issues

  • Ensure Developer Mode is enabled on your iOS device
  • Verify the pairing file format matches your target application (.plist or .mobiledevicepairing)
  • Try creating a fresh pairing file using the Generate (RPPairing) or Load (Lockdown) button and reinstalling it if it doesn't function as expected

Wireless Connection Issues

  • Verify both devices are on the same network
  • Check firewall settings that might block port 62078

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues, feature requests, or pull requests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Acknowledgments

  • Built with the idevice library for iOS device communication
  • GUI powered by egui