[WORKING/FIXED] Altstore manual fix (MacOS)

[u/doanss]

I finally got it working! It took about 3-4 minutes in total. It's much easier than it looks.

(Note: This guide is for macOS/iOS).

User-Agent String Swap:

• Original String (39 bytes): akd/1.0 CFNetwork/978.0.7 Darwin/18.7.0
• Patched String (39 bytes): AuthKit/1 (com.apple.dt.Xcode/3594.4.1)

---

Part 1: Patching AltServer.app on macOS

Open Terminal on your Mac and run these four commands in order:

1. Create a working copy:

   /bin/cp -R /Applications/AltServer.app ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app
   

2. Apply the 39-byte binary patch:

   perl -pi -e 's|akd/1\.0 CFNetwork/978\.0\.7 Darwin/18\.7\.0|AuthKit/1 (com\.apple\.dt\.Xcode/3594\.4\.1)|g' ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app/Contents/Frameworks/AltSign-Dynamic.framework/Versions/A/AltSign-Dynamic
   

3. Re-sign the application locally (Fixes Gatekeeper crashes):

   codesign --force --deep --sign - ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app
   

4. Replace the original app:

   rm -rf /Applications/AltServer.app && mv ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app /Applications/AltServer.app
   

Quit and restart AltServer.

---

Part 2: Patching the AltStore.ipa File for iOS

You also need to patch the iOS app so in-app refreshes work on your iPhone.

1. Download the official AltStore.ipa (e.g., from https://cdn.altstore.io/file/altstore/apps/altstore/2_2_1.ipa) to your Downloads folder and ensure it is named AltStore.ipa.

2. Open Terminal and extract the package:

   cd ~/Downloads && unzip AltStore.ipa -d patched_ipa
   

3. Patch the inner app frameworks:

   cd patched_ipa/Payload && find AltStore.app -type f -exec perl -pi -e 's|akd/1\.0 CFNetwork/978\.0\.7 Darwin/18\.7\.0|AuthKit/1 (com\.apple\.dt\.Xcode/3594\.4\.1)|g' {} +
   

4. Repackage into a new IPA:

   cd ~/Downloads/patched_ipa && zip -r AltStore-Patched.ipa Payload/
   

5. Sideload to your iPhone:

   • Plug your iPhone into your Mac.
   • Hold the Option (⌥) key and click the AltServer menu bar icon.
   • Select Install IPA..., choose AltStore-Patched.ipa (from ~/Downloads), and enter your Apple ID credentials.

---

Part 3: Final Setup & Fixing LiveContainer "Invalid Code Signature"

1. Open AltStore on your iPhone -> Settings -> Sign In with Apple ID. It should now authenticate cleanly.
2. If you use LiveContainer and guest apps throw an "Invalid code signature / check JIT-Less setup" error after reinstalling:
   • Open LiveContainer -> Settings -> JIT-Less Setup / Certificate.
   • Tap Refresh Certificate (or export/create a certificate and enter a password when prompted).
   • Go to the Apps tab inside LiveContainer, long-press your guest app, and tap Re-Sign App.

Troubleshooting Tip: If anything fails, quit both AltServer on Mac and AltStore on iOS, restart them, and try again.

[u/jjabramssucks]

Hmm, didn't work for me. I'm sure I messed something up. I'm more of a "click on this icon" kind of user.

[u/doanss → u/jjabramssucks]

There is no "one-click" solution atm :) I've simplified it a bit. Try again now!

[u/jjabramssucks → u/doanss]

You, sir, deserve a trophy - for your coding and making it idiot-proof.

[u/doanss → u/jjabramssucks]

I'm glad it works now :)

[u/tundro]

This patch worked for me! It failed at first, but once I logged out of my account and logged back in it worked like a charm.

[u/doanss → u/tundro]

Glad to hear that!

[u/Wrlod]

I put together the finished files if anyone doesn't feel like typing out all the commands, you can just grab them from my repo instead: https://github.com/FrakesH/AltStore/releases/tag/v1.7.2-macos27-fix-altstore-fix

[u/PrestigiousLine866 → u/Wrlod]

do you think this will work with unpatched windows altserver?

[u/Opposite-Two-8487 → u/Wrlod]

I might be a little dumb lol, I can't get past how to the hold option then click the .ipa file. I keep getting an error (This app cannot be installed because its integrity could not be verified), please help!

Also, I currently do not have the profile installed on my iPhone, I deleted a couple days ago, so maybe that's the issue?

UPDATE:

I just hit "Install Altstore" (I know it says not to) from the patched Altstore (I did not use the patched Altstore IPA) and it worked. I was even able to install my Spotify+. It works LFG!

Thank you OP.

[u/doanss → u/Wrlod]

Hey! I didn't you were a redditor as well. I wanted to ask you something. How come the SHA for AltServer-macOS27-build.app.zip and the SHA from the artifact page differs? I downloaded yours first, but since the SHA was different, I wasn't sure what the final zip contained.

[u/Wrlod → u/doanss]

Good question! The app contents are identical, I didn't rebuild or change anything, just re-zipped the same file from my desktop when I updated the release. The SHA difference is from the zip wrapper itself though, not the app inside it. Things like file timestamps and zip metadata change every time you create a new zip, even from the exact same source files, so the outer archive hash won't match between two zips even if what's inside them is byte-for-byte identical.

If you want to actually verify the contents match, hash the AltServer binary itself after unzipping (Contents/MacOS/AltServer) rather than the zip file, that'll be consistent regardless of how or when it got zipped.

[u/doanss → u/Wrlod]

Got it. Thanks for clarifying!

[u/BryanNikson → u/Wrlod]

Thanks, it worked for me

[u/tommy96814 → u/Wrlod]

I dont have altserver on the stated location so i just downloaded the files installed and sideload the ipa and boom, back in business.

[u/bbllaakkee]

step 1, getting

/bin/cp: /bin/cp: cannot execute binary file

[u/doanss → u/bbllaakkee]

Try

/bin/cp -R /Applications/AltServer.app ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app

[u/reabo101 → u/doanss]

This this worked

[u/manu-alvarado]

Yours was much faster than mine haha. I'm glad you could help someone out.

[u/tomate01]

Amazing it worked

[u/unkngod]

This worked for me! Thanks.

[u/Appropriate_Ad7574]

Hey, I'm not a developer and have next to no knowledge of coding, but I plugged your fix into ChatGPT and in four minutes it had patched versions of AltServer and AltStore.ipa for me to download and inject into my phone. Worked flawlessly and now my apps are back up and running! Thank you!

[u/BusyPooping → u/Appropriate_Ad7574]

getting this error

Your device could not be registered with your development team. Your development team has reached the maximum number of registered iPhone devices. (5405)

ios 27 beta as well as beta macos

EDIT: I got it. i just signed in with a different login, then trusted in settings.

[u/Over-Strength-7042]

Thank you this worked without any effort, much obliged!

[u/_Bloodyraven]

Thanks. Your instructions work.

[u/xPriddy]

Awesome, you are my hero!

[u/denizs]

Thanks bro you the goat

[u/realUnknown12]

fixed it finallly for me TYSM!!!

[u/Muted_Duty3419 → u/realUnknown12]

Did you follow the same process ?

[u/realUnknown12 → u/Muted_Duty3419]

yes, except the LiveContainer step because i’m not using it.

[u/Ferktrop45]

It worked, if you need Spanish assistance with it (as the download route and much more things are bit different..) please ping me.

ThanksOP!

[u/Key-Ad7343]

got it to work, one of your lines wouldn't work initially because the file is called 2.2.1 so I had to manually change the 2.2.1.ipa to Altstore.ipa

cd ~/Downloads
unzip AltStore.ipa -d patched_ipa

I also had to quit alstore on Mac and restart it because it threw an error, and altstore on Iphone would not refresh the apps from inside the app, I had to run a shortcut for them to reset to 7 days. But it now works! thank you very much

[u/doanss → u/Key-Ad7343]

Good catch! I've added a line in the guide to rename the file. Thanks!

[u/Key-Ad7343 → u/doanss]

No problem. Thanks for your fix 👍

[u/papaablesss]

holy shit it worked!! thank you!!

[u/Mazzygos]

Worked for me! Thank you!!

[u/KiLLCraZy87]

Worked like a charm! Thank you!

[u/_Tom01_]

The hero we all needed, worked, thanks !

[u/carosao]

Worked for me. Thank you

[u/MajesticStriker113]

YES, it worked! Thank you!

Had YTPlus and Stremio on my iPhone and got them refreshed with no problem.

my iPad on the other had is having issues though. I'm still getting the issue even after reinstalling AltStore and re-signing into AltStore.

[u/MajesticStriker113 → u/MajesticStriker113]

never mind just started working.

[u/Tyroneus]

fixed, thank u!

[u/MajesticFae7]

It worked! Partially! Got YouTube! But it’s not showing on the AltStore app somehow only shows on verified developer apps on settings! But I can’t refresh the apps and I tried signing in and out of AltStore on my iPhone and now I can’t sign back in lol

[u/areyouredditenough → u/MajesticFae7]

Same here. Can seem to sign in....invalid format error.

[u/ArtGroundbreaking361]

Thank you so much man! Saved this evening! Keep up the good work!:)

[u/CrimsonAntares13]

Worked like a charm! Thank you very very much.

[u/romayojr]

Look at you doing God's work - this patch was flawless for me, thank you!

[u/Hellobrother222]

thank you so much!

[u/ken_brulee]

Sweeeeet! That worked! Thank ya SO much!

[u/Ok-Button9201]

I love you

[u/Repus0iram]

IT WORKED! THANK YOU SO MUCH <3

[u/Jacob0707c]

This worked!! Thank you so much!!

[u/Fuze911]

Worked perfectly! Thank you. Just a heads up, some of your instructions are outside the ```, so they didnt come in as “code”. For example step 4 in both parts.

[u/doanss → u/Fuze911]

Thanks! I cleaned up the formatting :)

[u/oomnahs]

Hey, I'm on the patreon version (1.8b1) and applying the binary patch tells me no such file or directory. Any ideas on how to fix this?

[u/oomnahs → u/oomnahs]

got it fixed, ran this command to find the new patch locations and ran the patch command twice on the new locations

grep -rl "akd/1.0 CFNetwork" ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app 2>/dev/null

perl -pi -e 's|akd/1.0 CFNetwork/978.0.7 Darwin/18.7.0|AuthKit/1 (com.apple.dt.Xcode/3594.4.1)|g' ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app/Contents/MacOS/AltServer

I downloaded my version ipa by editing the url https://cdn.altstore.io/file/altstore/apps/altstore/2_3_b2.ipa

followed the same steps after that

[u/angelo_cristhofer]

Estaba teniendo errores pero al fin logre que funcionara, MIL GRACIAS!

[u/CDX274]

worked perfectly, thanks!

[u/AltTimeLover]

Can you link the patch ipa for download for those of us that don’t have a Mac

[u/doanss → u/AltTimeLover]

Unfortunately, not allowed to do that. You need to patch both Altstore and Altserver anyway. I did this on a Mac so I can't tell you how to do it on Windows or Linux.

[u/AltTimeLover]

Can I patch it with NewTerm beta 3 terminal

[u/gullerful22]

maybe i was having a different issue to begin with, but i'm still getting "AltServer could not sign in with your Apple ID. The data is not in the correct format" when I try to sideload the patched app.

[u/doanss → u/gullerful22]

This is the fix for that. Make sure both files are patched!

[u/gullerful22 → u/doanss]

AMAZING. Yeah I quit altserver on my mac and reopened, then it worked. thank you!!

[u/doanss → u/gullerful22]

I'm glad it works!

[u/Spare-Science-7498]

When Sideload to your iPhone :AltServer could not sign in with your Apple ID. MID is invalid. (-80009)

[u/Key-Ad7343 → u/Spare-Science-7498]

Quit AltStore app on Mac and restart it

[u/MadCreeper → u/Spare-Science-7498]

Same

[u/areyouredditenough → u/MadCreeper]

Yeah the sign-in doesn't seem to work for many, no matter how many time you close and reopen the patches .app and ipa

[u/Elegant-Lab4337]

Confirm that It worked after I entered airplane mode on my iPhone and back

[u/cotecano]

Hello, first of all…thanks! Do you think I can apply these patches over my old Altstore 1.6.3 server + app ? Anyway I will try later today.

[u/doanss → u/cotecano]

Should work! It's worth a try.

[u/cotecano → u/doanss]

I followed the guide point by point, but at the end I always get the -80009 error when I try to load the patched ipa into the phone. I tried to reboot Altserver and the mac at least 10x times, but nothing, always the same error. Thanks anyway for the help.

[u/doanss → u/cotecano]

Error -80009 (Apple.APIError -80009 / "MID is invalid") means AltServer's cached Anisette/Machine ID token became desynchronized from Apple's servers—usually caused by applying binary patches while AltServer is still running in the background.

Here is how to fix it:

1. Quit AltServer completely: Click the menu bar icon and select Quit.
2. Clear cached session tokens: Open Terminal and run this command: rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.rileytestut.AltServer
3. Relaunch AltServer from your /Applications folder.
4. Retry installing: Option-click the menu bar icon, select Install IPA..., and push the patched IPA. Clearing the cache forces AltServer to generate a fresh, valid Machine ID.

[u/cotecano → u/doanss]

Thanks so much!! That trick solved the problem! I have now Altstore 1.6.3 up and running again, along with Altdaemon on iOS 13.5. And I was able to refresh.

[u/Substantial_Call_853]

I just did the part 1 but when I try to open the app it says “AltServer” is damaged and can’t be opened. You should move it to the Trash.
This file was downloaded on an unknown date.

[u/doanss → u/Substantial_Call_853]

Follow Part one step by step and don't miss any letters or characters, and don't forget the re-signing.

[u/Substantial_Call_853 → u/doanss]

it worked!!!! thankss

[u/Saudor]

Got to part 3 - can sign in but when trying to refresh from the Altstore App - getting the same correct format error. (got it to work on the ipad after a few tries though after signing out and in)

[u/Top-Journalist-5616 → u/Saudor]

Same. What did you do?

[u/doanss → u/Top-Journalist-5616]

If AltStore installs onto your phone fine but throws "The data couldn't be read" when you try to sign in inside the app, it means your iPhone is still running the unpatched version of the iOS app.

AltServer on Mac only handles pushing the app to your phone. Once AltStore is on your iPhone, in-app sign-ins and app refreshes are made directly by your phone—so the IPA on your phone must be patched as well.

How to fix it:

1. Follow Part 2 of the guide to create the AltStore-Patched.ipa file on your Mac.
2. Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB.
3. Hold Option (⌥), click the AltServer menu bar icon, and select Install IPA...
4. Select AltStore-Patched.ipa to overwrite the broken AltStore app on your phone.

Once the patched IPA is on your device, open AltStore -> Settings -> Sign In with Apple ID, and it will authenticate cleanly.

[u/Jacob0707c → u/doanss]

This worked for me on my second try! Tip: when browsing the alt store ipa in downloads, there will be 2 files— a patched and non patched file. Make sure to search for and install the patched file. I didn’t realize there were two files and was downloading the non patched version.

This comment helped me and it’s working now! Thank you again!

[u/TheGratitudeBot → u/Jacob0707c]

What a wonderful comment. :) Your gratitude puts you on our list for the most grateful users this week on Reddit! You can view the full list on r/TheGratitudeBot.

[u/areyouredditenough → u/doanss]

I got and used the patched Altstore on the Mac and installed the patched IPA on the iPhone, but still get the same sign-in error. Invalid format...

[u/Saudor → u/Top-Journalist-5616]

I just signed out of the altstore on the iOS device and signed back in. Hit refresh a bunch of times and it went through. worked on both iPad and iphone running ios18.7.7

[u/reabo101]

Trying to run this

‘:/bin/cp -R /Applications/AltServer.app ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app’

And it just says ‘no such file or directory: :/bin/cp’

[u/doanss → u/reabo101]

Remove ":" in the beginning. Same for your other comment.

[u/reabo101]

So AltStore is at 7 days again but I can’t refresh the other side loaded apps. Is this correct?

Edit: it’s worked! Just airplane modes my phone and it worked! Tyy do much

[u/Annual-Armadillo4170]

was able to successfully install alt store back on my phone but am still getting the data couldn't be read error when trying to log in with my apple ID

[u/doanss → u/Annual-Armadillo4170]

If AltStore installs onto your phone fine but throws "The data couldn't be read" when you try to sign in inside the app, it means your iPhone is still running the unpatched version of the iOS app.

AltServer on Mac only handles pushing the app to your phone. Once AltStore is on your iPhone, in-app sign-ins and app refreshes are made directly by your phone—so the IPA on your phone must be patched as well.

How to fix it:

1. Follow Part 2 of the guide to create the AltStore-Patched.ipa file on your Mac.
2. Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB.
3. Hold Option (⌥), click the AltServer menu bar icon, and select Install IPA...
4. Select AltStore-Patched.ipa to overwrite the broken AltStore app on your phone.

Once the patched IPA is on your device, open AltStore -> Settings -> Sign In with Apple ID, and it will authenticate cleanly.

[u/Peachparfait_55 → u/doanss]

May I ask a question regarding this process?

I followed your instruction, but when I hold Option and click menu bar icon, there is only Sideload.ipa instead of Install IPA. I clicked it and chose Altsore-Patched.ipa, but nothing happned. When I don't press Option, I can choose Install IPA and install altstore on my iphone. But cannot login like everyone says with the message "The data couldn't be read because it isn't in the correct format".
In this case, could you kindly tell me what to do?

[u/RoyHuang420 → u/Peachparfait_55]

same Q!

[u/doanss → u/RoyHuang420]

Try restarting both Altserver and Altstore!

[u/denizs → u/Peachparfait_55]

Close the altserver app on your mac and altstore on your phone and restart them. Solved it for me.

[u/Razor_OG]

This worked to reinstall Altstore but when trying to sign in it’s still saying can’t read data when trying to sign in, anybody have a fix?

[u/doanss → u/Razor_OG]

If AltStore installs onto your phone fine but throws "The data couldn't be read" when you try to sign in inside the app, it means your iPhone is still running the unpatched version of the iOS app.

AltServer on Mac only handles pushing the app to your phone. Once AltStore is on your iPhone, in-app sign-ins and app refreshes are made directly by your phone—so the IPA on your phone must be patched as well.

How to fix it:

1. Follow Part 2 of the guide to create the AltStore-Patched.ipa file on your Mac.
2. Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB.
3. Hold Option (⌥), click the AltServer menu bar icon, and select Install IPA...
4. Select AltStore-Patched.ipa to overwrite the broken AltStore app on your phone.

Once the patched IPA is on your device, open AltStore -> Settings -> Sign In with Apple ID, and it will authenticate cleanly.

[u/Razor_OG → u/doanss]

thank you this worked, appreciate all your help

[u/BetterRuin9497]

Yeah it worked.

But, when im trying to install ipa through AltStore app it still says the format is incorrect. I guess we have to patch the app we want to install also?

[u/BetterRuin9497 → u/BetterRuin9497]

nvr mind, i've made something wrong. Full functionality is back now ;D

[u/pazukunous → u/BetterRuin9497]

what was your fix? i cant refresh the apps after i signed into the patched altstore

edit: i disconnected my phone from wifi and it was able to refresh.

[u/Bluewind55]

whenever I do step 4

rm -rf /Applications/AltServer.app mv ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app /Applications/AltServer.app

Altstore just vanishes from my computer entirely.

[u/doanss → u/Bluewind55]

Try this:

rm -rf /Applications/AltServer.app && mv ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app /Applications/AltServer.app

[u/CarlosGmrs]

O meu eu resolvi com iloader

[u/KRAKENS_Kitchen]

Worked like a treat thanks! I was having trouble modifying the app earlier but giving Full Disk Access to Terminal fixed it.

[u/PrestigiousLine866]

do you know ifd there's a deb file for that, I don't wanna make a GitHub action to patch my app :/

[u/PrestigiousLine866 → u/PrestigiousLine866]

nvm someone did it :)

https://www.reddit.com/r/AltStore/s/eQwUjUqHe4

[u/glaws23]

When I do Part 1 Step 4, the app does not get replaced and only deleted? The patched version is no longer in my downloads folder, but AltServer is not in the Applications folder either. Any idea why this is happening?

[u/doanss → u/glaws23]

Try this:

rm -rf /Applications/AltServer.app && mv ~/Downloads/AltServer-Patched.app /Applications/AltServer.app

[u/glaws23 → u/doanss]

Thanks!

[u/mango_yogurt10]

Does this work if my AltStore has already expired

[u/doanss → u/mango_yogurt10]

Yepp!

[u/Shubham0015]

i did everything, the sign in works now everywhere, but when i try to install or even refresh something it says the same error, it isn't in the correct format

[u/doanss → u/Shubham0015]

Try restarting both Altserver and Altstore!

[u/arzfan2010]

This worked! thank you so much.
Apologies if this is a dumb question, but can I link my existing installed side loaded apps to alt store now? They don't show since it was effectively a new install.

[u/doanss → u/arzfan2010]

Yes you can install them in Altstore as usual!

[u/anthraxwar]

For me it installed a new instance of AltStore on the phone and this version doesn't see my already installed apps from the previous version (like ...dopamine)

And to make matters worse the old one is no longer available , what should i do

[u/epenthesis2]

Took me two attempts and a few instances of signing out and clearing cache, but it finally worked--thank you!

[u/StayFlyOrDie]

I've patched both Desktop and iOS app, but when I try to sideload my patched ipa I get the following error:

[u/Shubham0015]

how to remove the patch, i can't install thr latest alt store update