iOS 7

How to build on suggested search queries in Safari

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 18, 2014

One of the worst things about Safari's autocomplete for search is that you can't build on a query like you can do with Google Chrome. Once you select a suggested query in Safari's omni-box, it auto submits the search.

While suggested queries are definitely a helpful service, the way that Safari goes about the implementation isn't very efficient. A recently revamped jailbreak tweak called Platinum seeks to improve Safari's search capabilities. Have a look at our full video walkthrough inside to see what I mean.

Ayecon for iOS 7: a must have theme, even if you don’t like skeuomorphism

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

If you've been jailbreaking for any decent amount of time, you've surely heard of the legendary Ayecon theme. This is a theme that set the standard for detail when Retina displays were still a relatively new feat in the mobile device industry.

A lot has changed since Ayecon first came riding over that hill on its white horse, reinvigorating the stagnant theming space in the process (I know some people will debate Ayecon's design, but they simply can't deny its influence.)

Flat is in, skeuomorphism is hated (and dead). So where does Ayecon fit in with this wave of change? Will Surenix, its designer, abandon the style that made Ayecon a success in the name of staying with the trend? Or, will he instead, stick to what made Ayecon work? Check inside for the full scoop along with the detailed video walkthrough.

How to bring back the unlock sound in iOS 7

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 18, 2014

iOS 7 ushered in a whole new look and feel to the iOS we all knew. Its been a polarizing release to say the least, but I think that many of the naysayers are finally beginning to get used to the way things are.

But some things that Apple changed in iOS 7 never made sense to me. I can see getting rid of skeuomorphism, but I never quite understood why they ditched the unlock sound in iOS 7. It's especially odd when you consider that the lock sound is still there.

UnlockSound7 is a new jailbreak tweak that allows users to regain the iPhone's iconic unlock sound that occurs when unlocking the device. Take a look at our video walkthrough to see how it works.

QuickActivator: Add customized Activator shortcuts to Control Center

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

QuickActivator is a recently released jailbreak tweak that allows users to add customizable Activator shortcuts to the quick launch section of iOS 7's Control Center overlay. The tweak works with any valid Activator action, including launching an app, opening a menu, toggling a switch, composing tweets and Facebook status updates, etc.

Existing quick launch shortcuts found in Control Center—Flashlight, Timer, Calculator, and Camera–can be customized with custom glyphs and tap and hold gestures. Brand new quick launch shortcuts can be added as well, and users can select from well over 70 glyphs, and mate them with any of the actions available via Activator.

QuickActivator is a tweak that you shouldn't overlook if you're searching for a way to add customized functionality to Control Center. Have a look at our full video walkthrough after the jump for more information.

CamBlur7 adds blur to Camera app UI on iOS 7

Joe Rossignol ∙ January 16, 2014

While it is not the most groundbreaking jailbreak tweak on Cydia, CamBlur7 is a new package that works in unison with TransparentCameraBar to add a translucent blur effect to the top and bottom bar of the Camera app UI on iOS 7. The tweak has a number of options that are configurable through the Settings app for adjusting the blur level and hiding the blur in filter or video mode…

Apptray lets you launch apps directly from Notification Center

Joe Rossignol ∙ January 15, 2014

There have been a handful of jailbreak tweaks released for Notification Center in the past few weeks, but perhaps none more visually appealing than Apptray, by software engineer Joshua Lee Tucker.

The tweak, compatible with all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, adds a fourth tab alongside Today, All and Missed in Notification Center for opening apps directly from the notifications pulldown. An unlimited number of apps can be added to Apptray, configurable from the tweak's dedicated menu in the Settings app…

Aura is an upcoming custom icon theme that supports over 200 apps

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

While theme makers certainly face increasing challenges because of how iOS 7 is designed, we've still seen a handful of great themes for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Aura promises to be the next. The upcoming theme provides well-designed custom icons for over 200 apps and counting, despite its creators—a five-person group called the iApex Team—stressing that it remains in beta with a lot of work to be finished. Even in its claimed infancy, Aura looks fantastic.

Update: This theme seems to be a rip off of another theme called iMIUI we covered last year. We were not aware of that at the time of publishing and we'll not give Aura anymore coverage until its developers come clean.

Give your Mac an iOS 7-style Lock screen with this screensaver

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

With the release of OS X Mavericks, Apple reaffirmed that it is in no hurry to bring the design of iOS over to the Mac—the two have little in common when it comes to UI. But there are ways to customize your Mac to look more like iOS such as utilities, icon packs, and now this.

What you see above is a new screensaver for OS X that resembles the iconic iOS 7 Lock screen. It features an oversized, 4-digit clock, an animated background, and the text 'Press any key to unlock.' The screensaver is totally customizable and fairly easy to install. Take a look...

The best Winterboard themes for iOS 7

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated March 19, 2018

The recent release of a Winterboard update with 64-bit compatibility marks a convenient time to reflect on some of the best themes for iOS 7 devices to date. It's important to keep in mind that a number of popular themes from iOS 6 have yet to be updated, although it is safe to assume that many designers will release new versions in the ensuing weeks and months. So, without further ado, take a look ahead for some of the best Winterboard themes for iOS 7 available on Cydia or elsewhere right now…

SwipeSelection Pro: one of the best jailbreak tweaks of all time just got better

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

SwipeSelection is one of those tweaks that everyone can benefit from, and for that reason, it's one of my top 5 jailbreak tweaks of all time. Seriously, I'm not using hyperbole here; SwipeSelection is incredible.

Everyone can benefit from SwipeSelection's extremely improved cursor management when compared to stock iOS. I apologize in advance to Kyle Howells, developer of SwipeSelection, but this is one of those tweaks that I wish Apple would straight-up steal; it's just that good.

Kyle has updated the original SwipeSelection for iOS 7, a free download on Cydia's BigBoss repo, but he has also blessed us with a new and improved Pro version, and he's rightfully charging $1.99 for the release. The Pro version includes cool new features like disable-in-app, swipe sensitivity, cursor speed, and more. Plus, it gives us all the opportunity to reward the developer for such an awesome and innovative jailbreak tweak.

We've put together a full video walkthrough of SwipeSelection Pro. Have a look inside to see it in action.

iTouchSecure: an amazing Touch ID security app for autofilling passwords

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

After a few days of intense testing, I can now recommend iTouchSecure for iOS. iTouchSecure is a recently released jailbreak tweak that allows you to autofill every password in any app using Touch ID. It's what we all imagined Touch ID evolving into after Apple had some time to perfect the technology. But you don't have to wait for the evolution. All you need is a jailbroken iPhone 5s and 5 bucks.

iTouchSecure is one of those jailbreak tweaks that convinces people on the fence that they need to jailbreak. It can speed up your workflow when using apps that require you to enter a password, and it's about as secure as one could hope a tweak like this to be.

The iPhone 5s' Touch ID sensor is pretty remarkable in itself, but when combined with a tweak like iTouchSecure, it goes from remarkable to downright amazing. We've got a full video walkthrough showcasing iTouchSecure's features inside. Have a look and see why this must have jailbreak tweak should be installed on your iPhone 5s.

New in iOS 7.1: remove over-the-air installer from your device

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 13, 2014

I'm still flabbergasted that many non-techies are totally oblivious to over-the-air iOS updates. I mean, I've seen way too many iPhones out there with a badge on the Settings icon denoting a pending iOS update.

When asked why they didn't act on the notification, the normals usually respond that they couldn't figure out what it was so they just left it sitting there, consuming valuable storage space.

Turns out that the upcoming iOS 7.1 includes a new feature which allows you to delete these over-the-air installation files from your device without applying the update, in order to free up storage space for apps and media...