By Brindley Ashford in SideStore — 07 Feb 2026

SideStore iOS 26 Setup Guide - Complete Walkthrough 2026

Step-by-step SideStore setup guide for iOS 26. Install SideStore, generate your pairing file, configure auto-refresh, and start sideloading without a computer.

SideStore is the best sideloading tool for iOS 26. After a one-time computer setup, you never need a Mac or PC again — apps refresh automatically in the background, and you can install new apps on-device without any cables.

This guide takes you through every step, including the most common pitfalls.

What You'll Need

iPhone or iPad on iOS 14 through iOS 26 (iOS 26.3 recommended)
A computer (Windows or Mac) — required only ONCE for initial setup
A free or paid Apple ID
The SideStore IPA file (download from sidestore.io)
iDevice Pair application for your computer
USB cable to connect iPhone to computer

Part 1 — Install SideStore (Computer Required Once)

Step 1 — Download AltServer

Go to altstore.io and download AltServer for your operating system
Install AltServer on your Mac or Windows PC
On Mac: AltServer lives in your menu bar. On Windows: in the system tray.

Step 2 — Download the SideStore IPA

Visit sidestore.io and download the latest SideStore.ipa release
Save it somewhere you can find it (Desktop is fine)

Step 3 — Install SideStore via AltServer

Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB
Trust the computer on your iPhone if prompted
On Mac: Click the AltServer menu bar icon → Install App
On Windows: Click the AltServer tray icon → Install App
Select your iPhone when prompted
Navigate to and select your SideStore.ipa file
Enter your Apple ID when prompted (used for signing only)
Wait for installation to complete (1–2 minutes)

Step 4 — Trust the Certificate

On your iPhone: go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management
Find the profile under your Apple ID email address
Tap it → Trust → Trust again to confirm
SideStore is now installed and trusted

Part 2 — Generate Your Pairing File

The pairing file is essential for SideStore's background refresh to work without a computer.

On Windows

Download iDevice Pair from its GitHub releases page
Run iDevice Pair.exe on your PC
With your iPhone still connected via USB, click "Generate Pairing File"
A .mobiledevicepairing file is created
Transfer this file to your iPhone via AirDrop, iCloud, or email

On Mac

Download iDevice Pair for macOS from the same GitHub releases
Connect your iPhone
Click "Generate Pairing File"
AirDrop the resulting file to your iPhone

Import Pairing File into SideStore

Open SideStore on your iPhone
Go to Settings (gear icon)
Tap "Pairing File" → "Import Pairing File"
Navigate to and select your .mobiledevicepairing file
SideStore confirms "Pairing file imported successfully"

Open SideStore and tap "Sign In"
Enter your Apple ID and password
If you have 2FA, enter the code sent to your trusted device
SideStore creates your provisioning profile — this takes 30–60 seconds

Anisette Server: If you get a login error, SideStore's default Anisette server may be temporarily down. Go to Settings → Anisette URL and try an alternative server. The SideStore community maintains a list of backup servers.

Part 4 — Install Your First App

Option A — Browse SideStore's Sources

Tap "Browse" in SideStore
Find apps in the default community source
Tap any app → Install

Option B — Install a Custom IPA

Download an IPA file to your iPhone (Safari, AirDrop, or Files)
Tap the IPA file → "Open with SideStore"
SideStore signs and installs it

Option C — Add Custom Sources

In SideStore, go to Browse → Sources
Tap the + button
Enter a source URL (e.g., https://community-apps.sidestore.io/sidecommunity.json)
The source's apps appear in your Browse tab

Part 5 — Install LiveContainer for Unlimited Apps

This is the power move. With SideStore working, you can now install LiveContainer to bypass the 3-app limit.

In SideStore Browse, search for "LiveContainer"
Install it (uses 1 of your 3 app slots)
Open LiveContainer → add your other IPA files inside it
Apps inside LiveContainer don't count toward your 3-slot limit

👉 Full LiveContainer setup guide

Common Errors and Fixes

→ Anisette server issue. Switch your Anisette URL in SideStore Settings to an alternative server.

"The maximum number of App IDs has been reached"

→ You've created 10+ App IDs in the past 7 days. Wait for the counter to reset (7 days from first install), or use a different Apple ID.

"App is no longer available" after a day or two

→ Your provisioning profile became invalid. Re-sign by going to My Apps → Refresh All.

Background refresh not working

→ Verify your pairing file is correctly imported. Check that SideStore's VPN is enabled. Ensure "Background App Refresh" for SideStore is enabled in iOS Settings.

"SideStore can't find your pairing file"

→ Re-import the pairing file. If the issue persists, regenerate a new pairing file from iDevice Pair on your computer.

Best SideStore Sources to Add in 2026

Source Name	URL	What It Contains
SideStore Community	https://community-apps.sidestore.io/sidecommunity.json	Curated community apps
CyPwn IPA Library	https://ipa.cypwn.xyz/cypwn.json	Tweaked apps, TrollStore IPAs
Quantum Source	https://bit.ly/Quantumsource	Emulators, jailbreak tools
AppTesters Repo	https://repo.apptesters.org	2300+ IPA files

FAQ

Q: Do I need the computer after initial setup?No. Once SideStore is installed and configured with your pairing file, everything is on-device.

Q: Can I use the same Apple ID for SideStore and AltStore?Yes, but they share the 3-app slot quota. Signing into both tools with the same account counts towards the same limit.

Q: What happens if my pairing file expires?Pairing files are tied to your device and don't technically expire, but if you restore your iPhone or if SideStore loses the pairing connection, you'll need to regenerate and re-import.

Q: Is SideStore safe for my Apple ID credentials?SideStore is open source. Your Apple ID is sent directly to Apple's servers for authentication — SideStore never stores or transmits your credentials to third-party servers.