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Sideloading PulseLoop on iOS

Every published release ships a pre-built, unsigned IPA:

PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa      e.g. PulseLoop-v1.0.0.ipa

Nothing is signed in CI, so there are no Apple certificates or secrets in the repo. You sign the IPA yourself with your own Apple ID using one of the tools below. This lets you run PulseLoop on a real iPhone without building it in Xcode.

Prefer a hands-off install?

The TestFlight beta needs no signing, no computer, and no 7-day refresh. Sideloading is for people who want the raw IPA or aren't on the TestFlight list yet.

Read this first: the App Group caveat

PulseLoop's only special entitlement is an App Group (group.xyz.sakshambhutani.pulseloop2). It's the shared container that the Home Screen widgets and the Live Activity / Dynamic Island read from.

Free Apple IDs cannot provision App Groups. Every free-signing tool below (Sideloadly, AltStore, SideStore, Feather, ESign with a free cert) strips that entitlement at sign time. The result:

Feature Free Apple ID sideload Paid Developer account
Core app: ring sync, vitals, sleep, coach, workouts, GPS Works Works
Home Screen widgets (Activity, Vitals) Broken Works
Live Activity / Dynamic Island Broken Works

The app does not crash without the App Group. Those features degrade gracefully and everything else runs normally.

Want the widgets? Use a paid ($99/yr) Apple Developer account

Only a paid account provisions the App Group. Sign with a paid cert (via Sideloadly, Feather, or ESign) and the widgets + Live Activity light up. A Developer account also raises the signing certificate to 1 year instead of 7 days.

Download the IPA

  1. Open the Releases page.
  2. Under the latest release's Assets, download PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa.
  3. Get it onto (or reachable from) the device or computer you'll sign with.

Pick a signing method

Method Computer needed? Signing lasts App limit (free ID) Best for
Sideloadly Yes (once per refresh) 7 days (free) / 1 yr (paid) 3 Simplest one-shot install
AltStore Yes (AltServer, same Wi-Fi) 7 days, auto-refreshes 3 Set-and-forget auto refresh
SideStore Only for setup 7 days, on-device refresh 3 No computer after setup
Feather / ESign No Depends on cert Cert-dependent On-device, paid/enterprise certs
TrollStore No Permanent Unlimited Supported iOS versions only
Paid Dev + Xcode Yes 1 year Higher Widgets + longest signing

Free Apple ID limits (apply to Sideloadly, AltStore, SideStore)

  • 7-day expiry: the app stops opening after a week until you re-sign.
  • Max 3 sideloaded apps at once per Apple ID.
  • No App Groups, so no PulseLoop widgets / Live Activity (see above).
  • Use a secondary/burner Apple ID, not your main one, to sign.

Sideloadly (simplest)

Free desktop tool for macOS and Windows. Signs and installs in one pass.

  1. Install Sideloadly and its prerequisites (iTunes + iCloud on Windows; nothing extra on macOS).
  2. Plug your iPhone in via USB and trust the computer.
  3. Drag PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa into Sideloadly.
  4. Enter your Apple ID (use a burner). Leave the bundle ID as-is unless you're installing alongside another copy.
  5. Click Start. Enter your Apple ID password / app-specific password when prompted.
  6. On the phone: Settings → General → VPN & Device Management → trust your Apple ID's developer profile.
  7. Launch PulseLoop.

Re-sign every 7 days

With a free Apple ID the app expires after 7 days. Re-run the same Sideloadly steps before it lapses (do it before expiry to keep your data).

AltStore (auto-refresh over Wi-Fi)

AltStore installs a companion app on the phone and re-signs automatically while AltServer runs on a computer on the same network.

  1. Install AltServer on macOS/Windows and run it.
  2. Connect the phone once via USB; from AltServer choose Install AltStore.
  3. On the phone, trust the developer profile (Settings → General → VPN & Device Management).
  4. Open AltStore → My Apps → +, pick PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa, sign in with a burner Apple ID.
  5. Keep AltServer running on the same Wi-Fi, and AltStore refreshes the 7-day signature in the background so the app doesn't lapse.

EU users: AltStore PAL

In the EU, AltStore PAL is an Apple-approved alternative marketplace and doesn't need AltServer or the 7-day refresh. You still sideload the IPA manually as a source/app.

An AltStore fork that refreshes on-device, so no computer is needed after the one-time setup, and no DNS tricks are needed to avoid revokes. On-device refresh runs through LocalDevVPN (the SideStore team's local VPN, installed from the App Store). The 7-day free-ID certificate is refreshed by tapping the counter in SideStore; after a refresh you can stay offline until it lapses.

Follow the official guide

Steps below match the SideStore docs. If anything drifts, the source of truth is docs.sidestore.io.

Prerequisites:

  • iPhone/iPad on iOS/iPadOS 15.0+ with a passcode set and a Wi-Fi connection (mobile data is not suitable).
  • A burner Apple Account (not your primary Apple ID).
  • A computer (Windows 8+, macOS High Sierra+, up-to-date Linux, or an un-enrolled Chromebook), needed only for the initial install.

On the device, install LocalDevVPN:

Install LocalDevVPN from the App Store (or the AltStore PAL source), open it, and tap Connect. Tap Allow and enter your passcode if prompted for "Allow VPN Configurations". This VPN must be on whenever you install, update, or refresh apps in SideStore.

On the computer, install iloader (per OS):

Download and install iloader.

  1. Install iTunes from the Microsoft Store or directly from Apple.
  2. Download the iloader installer as an MSI (recommended) or EXE.
  3. Run the installer.
  1. Install usbmuxd (often preinstalled; else use your package manager, e.g. search "install usbmuxd \<distro>").
  2. Install iloader for your distro: DEB (Debian/Ubuntu), RPM (Fedora/openSUSE), or AppImage (others). ARM builds exist for all three.

Community packages

Third-party packages (e.g. the Arch AUR one) aren't vetted by SideStore. Do your own due diligence before installing.

Requires an un-enrolled Chromebook with the Linux dev environment available (enrolled/old Chromebooks may have it disabled).

  1. Enable the Linux development environment (Google's guide).
  2. Update: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
  3. Install deps: sudo apt-get install usbmuxd fuse curl
  4. Download the iloader AppImage for your arch (uname -m gives x86_64 for the amd64 build, aarch64 for the aarch64 build) from the iloader releases.
  5. sudo systemctl restart usbmuxd, then connect the device and quickly enable it under Settings → About ChromeOS → Developers → Linux development environment → Manage USB devices (ChromeOS claims the device otherwise). Verify with lsusb.
  6. chmod +x ./iloader-linux-*.AppImage and run it.

Full detail (incl. troubleshooting) is in the official prerequisites.

One-time setup (needs the computer once):

  1. Connect the device via USB and trust the computer.
  2. Open iloader, sign in with your Apple Account (case-sensitive), select your device, and choose Install SideStore (Stable).

  3. On the device, trust the profile: Settings → General → VPN & Device Management → your Apple ID.

    • iOS 16+: first enable Developer Mode (Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode) and reboot.
    • iOS 18+: the trust prompt is "Allow & Restart" and asks for your passcode.

  4. Ensure LocalDevVPN is connected (from the earlier step); it must be on to install, update, or refresh.

  5. Open SideStore, sign in with the same Apple Account used in iloader. In My Apps, tap the "7 DAYS" counter to refresh SideStore itself and confirm any certificate prompt.
  6. Disconnect the computer. You won't need it again unless you update SideStore or replace the pairing file.

Install PulseLoop:

  1. Download PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa on the device.
  2. With LocalDevVPN connected, SideStore → My Apps → + → pick the IPA. It signs and installs on-device.

Stay refreshed (or the app lapses at day 7): tap the day counter in My Apps before it hits zero, or automate it with a Shortcuts automation that connects LocalDevVPN → waits a few seconds → refreshes SideStore apps → disconnects LocalDevVPN, scheduled a few nights a week.

If it lapses, don't delete PulseLoop

An expired app stops opening but is not revoked, so your data is intact. Reconnect and refresh in SideStore (re-run iloader only if SideStore itself lapsed). No need to redo the whole setup. Pairing files can expire after an iOS update or reset; regenerate via iloader / the SideStore advanced guide if refresh starts failing.

LiveContainer: beat the 3-app limit (free IDs)

A free Apple ID caps you at 3 sideloaded apps. LiveContainer is one app that virtualizes and runs other apps inside it, so dozens of apps cost just one of your three slots, and the inner apps don't need individual signing or refreshing (you only refresh LiveContainer in SideStore).

PulseLoop's widgets are not expected to work inside LiveContainer

LiveContainer runs apps in a shared virtualized sandbox and generally can't host app extensions, so PulseLoop's Home Screen widgets and the Live Activity / Dynamic Island are not expected to work inside it (we haven't tested this specific case). The core app (ring sync, vitals, sleep, coach, workouts, GPS) should run fine. If you want the widgets, install PulseLoop directly via SideStore (using a normal app slot) rather than inside LiveContainer, and remember you still need a paid cert for the App Group. LiveContainer is best when you're bundling many other modded apps and just want PulseLoop's core app along for the ride.

To use it: install LiveContainer.ipa through SideStore, complete its JIT-Less Mode setup (LiveContainer Settings → Import Certificate from SideStore → Test JIT-Less Mode), then add PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa from LiveContainer's + button.

Feather / ESign (on-device, certificate-based)

On-device sideloaders that install an IPA using a signing certificate + .mobileprovision. With a paid Developer or enterprise certificate this preserves the App Group, so the widgets and Live Activity work.

  1. Install Feather or ESign.
  2. Import your certificate (.p12 + provisioning profile). A paid Developer cert keeps the App Group entitlement; a free one strips it.
  3. Import PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa, sign, and install.
  4. Trust the profile under Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.

Only import certificates you trust

Never load a certificate or provisioning profile from an untrusted source. A malicious cert can sign anything onto your device. Use your own paid Developer cert whenever possible.

TrollStore (permanent, version-limited)

TrollStore signs apps permanently: no Apple ID, no 7-day expiry, no app limit. The catch: it only installs on iOS versions with a compatible exploit (broadly iOS 14.0 to 16.6.1, and specific 17.0 builds; not newer releases).

  1. Check compatibility and install TrollStore via the ios.cfw.guide install guide or the official TrollStore repo.
  2. Open PulseLoop-<tag>.ipa in TrollStore and install.

Entitlements on TrollStore

TrollStore can grant many entitlements the normal sandbox can't, but App Groups still need a matching provisioning profile. If the widgets don't appear, sign the IPA with a paid Developer profile first, then install.

The most reliable path, and the only free-of-refresh way to get the widgets and Live Activity. Requires a paid Apple Developer account ($99/yr).

If you have Xcode, prefer Build from source: set your Team on both the PulseLoop and PulseLoopLiveActivity targets and it provisions the App Group for you.

To sign the pre-built IPA instead, use Sideloadly / Feather / ESign with your paid Apple ID or Developer certificate. Paid signing gives you:

  • 1-year certificate instead of 7 days.
  • The App Group entitlement, so the widgets + Live Activity work.
  • No 3-app limit.

Troubleshooting

\"Unable to Verify App\" / \"Untrusted Developer\"

Go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management, tap your developer profile, and choose Trust. Needs an internet connection the first time.

App opens then immediately closes

The signature likely expired (free 7-day limit), so re-sign with the same tool. If it's a fresh install, the certificate/profile may be invalid.

Widgets or Live Activity don't work

Expected on a free Apple ID, since the App Group is stripped. Re-sign with a paid Developer account/cert to enable them. See the caveat.

\"Maximum number of apps installed\"

A free Apple ID allows only 3 sideloaded apps. Remove another sideloaded app or use a different Apple ID.

56ff ring receives no data

Set the ring up once in the Jring app, unpair it there, then connect it in PulseLoop. See the iOS guide.

A note on sideloading

Sideloading with your own Apple ID is a supported Apple developer workflow. Third-party tools and certificates are provided by their respective projects, so review and trust them yourself. Never sign in with your primary Apple ID on an untrusted tool; use a secondary account.

Next steps