iOS 7

Touchy: launch apps with specific fingers using Touch ID

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 28, 2023

Touchy is an awesome new tweak that allows users to assign specific apps to designated fingers via the iPhone 5s' Touch ID sensor. I've been testing the upcoming jailbreak tweak through several iterations, and it's coming along quite nicely.

Touchy lets you assign up to five different apps to work with up to five different fingers via its settings panel. Since it uses Touch ID, you'll need to make sure you set up the fingerprints via Touch ID's settings beforehand. You don't have to configure all five fingers, you'll just need to have as many prints set up as you want to assign to shortcuts.

Understandably, most of the tweaks we've seen involving Touch ID revolve around some sort of security aspect, but Touchy is among the first Touch ID oriented tweaks that dares to do something different. Take a look at our video inside to see how the tweak works in action.

BioLockdown: the best way to secure apps with Touch ID

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 6, 2014

Ryan Petrich has done it again—not that that comes as a surprise to any of us at iDB. Of course, Touch ID enabled tweaks are all the rage these days, and quite a few developers are starting to release tweaks that take advantage of the iPhone 5s' flagship feature.

Most of the tweaks being released have a security related aura about them, which is understandable considering that Touch ID is all about security in its stock implementation. One such tweak called BioProtect was released a couple of days ago, and while it was hard not to get extremely excited about it, I feel that BioLockdown, Pertrich's tweak, is by far the better of the two.

I feel that way, not just because BioProtect came packed with a serious flaw that caused its superfluous animations to run constantly in the background, draining your battery; it's because BioLockdown is better designed, has a better feature-set, and it's cheaper. It's also from a developer that keeps his releases updated constantly, and communicates well with those who use his apps.

Check out our full video walkthrough of BioLockdown after the jump. You'll see why this is hands-down the best Touch ID security tweak to hit Cydia thus far.

CCHide: the best way to hide Control Center sections in iOS 7

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 6, 2014

There are a couple of tweaks to be found in Cydia that claim to allow you to customize the sections in Control Center, but only one of them is worth your time. CCHide is the tweak that you should target should the need arise to remove sections from Control Center in iOS 7.

Ever since iOS 7 was released in beta form, I've been dying for a way to customize Control Center. It comes as no surprise that just a few days after the iOS 7 jailbreak released to the public, a deluge of Control Center tweaks hit Cydia allowing you to do just that. CCHide is one of the best Control Center tweaks available, and it is hands-down better than its closest competitor, CleanCC.

As we tend to do, we've created a video walkthrough showcasing all of the features and functions of this excellent new jailbreak tweak. Have a look inside as we take CCHide through a thorough spin on video.

How to map Control Center’s timer shortcut to the alarm clock

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 4, 2014

I don't know about you, but I rarely use the timer found in the stock Clock app. I know Sebastien has mentioned that he uses the timer from time to time while cooking, but he's one of the few I know who do.

The Control Center panel in iOS 7 features a shortcut to the timer section of the stock Clock app. Personally, I think it would have been more beneficial to link that shortcut to the alarm clock section of the Clock app. If there's one area of the stock Clock app that I frequent on a daily basis, it's the alarm clock section.

Jailbroken iOS 7 users can now reassign the timer shortcut to the alarm clock. Take a look inside at our video walkthrough to see how...

BytaFont 2 is out with support for iOS 7, A7 devices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Adding to our list of popular jailbreak tweaks that have been updated for iOS 7 this morning is BytaFont. The developers announced yesterday that BytaFont 2 is now available in Cydia with support for iOS 7 and A7 devices.

This is great news for folks who like to really customize the UI on their iPhone or iPad, as BytaFont allows you to change the default font in iOS. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like any of the old fonts are compatible with BF 2...

BioProtect: Protect individual apps with Touch ID

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 3, 2014

Hot on the heels of another Touch ID enabled jailbreak tweak comes BioProtect—a tweak exclusively dedicated to protecting individual apps with Touch ID. Unlike the previous tweak we covered, AppLocker, BioProtect's entire goal is solely based on securing individual apps by means of Touch ID.

The singular focus is immediately noticeable while using BioProtect. Its graphics, design, and preferences are all orientated towards the single goal. This makes BioProtect the best choice for those of you who are only interested in Touch ID-based app security. Have a look at our full video walkthrough, which breaks down the tweak, inside.

The best way to customize the look of iOS 7’s Messages app

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 3, 2014

Messages Customiser [sic] is a brand new jailbreak tweak that just hit Cydia's ModMyi repo, and it's one of the, if not the best way to customize the stock Message app's look on iOS 7. The most remarkable thing about Messages Customiser, besides the fact that it work great, is that its developer has made it available free of charge.

If you're looking for a way to customize the look and feel of the stock Messages app, and you don't want to break the bank in the process, then look no further my friends. Check past the break for the full video demonstration.

How to use Activator with Touch ID

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 3, 2014

A couple of days ago, we told you about Virtual Home–a brand new jailbreak tweak that allowed users to simulate a press of the Home button using Touch ID enabled hardware. Virtual Home was one of the first jailbreak tweaks that modified the behavior of the iPhone 5s' Touch ID sensor, and because of that, it proved to be very popular among jailbreakers.

Adding to the popularity of Touch ID tweaks is a recent update to Ryan Petrich's Activator—an absolute staple of a jailbreak tool that all users should have installed from day one. Petrich's latest 1.8.3 update brings support for a single press of the Touch ID sensor.

But Activator goes far beyond the scope of Virtual Home, because you can, in theory at least, assign any Activator action to a Touch ID gesture. Have a look inside to see how it works.

Starbucks now lets you use your iPhone’s camera to redeem Pick of the Week cards

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 2, 2023

Starbucks, a Seattle-based global coffee company and coffeehouse chain and Apple's longtime marketing partner, started offering 'Pick of the Week' promotion via its recently Passbook-enabled App Store app back in 2011. The tie-in allows Starbucks customers to download paid iOS applications for free as they sip on their beverage of choice.

The company has now upgraded its backend system to allow folks to scan these redemption codes using their iPhone's iSight camera, a feature Apple added to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices as part of its iOS 7 software release in September 2013...

Filippo Bigarella gives status update on Springtomize 3

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Now that we're able to jailbreak our iOS 7 devices, and MobileSubstrate has been fixed, the next question on everyone's mind is when will the major tweaks start getting updated? A few, like iFile already have, but we're still waiting on a lot of them.

The good news is, we just received a status update on Filippo Bigarella's upcoming Springtomize tweak. The developer says that he's completely rewriting the popular utility for its third iteration, and at this point he believes he's over halfway done...

Swipey adds quick launcher for apps to the Lock screen on iOS 7

Joe Rossignol ∙ January 2, 2014

A much-anticipated release of Cydia Substrate for iOS 7 has prompted a number of developers to release or update jailbreak tweaks, and Swipey is among the latest to make the list. The new tweak, the work of iOS developer Tyler Nettleton, extends the functionality of the Lock screen with a quick launcher for accessing your favorite apps. A simple swipe to the right provides you with access to Camera, Instagram, Messages, Twitter or whichever apps you assign to appear…

Barrel, the flagship jailbreak tweak has been updated for iOS 7

Jeff Benjamin ∙ December 31, 2013

If you've been around jailbreaking for any measurable amount of time, the name "Barrel" has a significant meaning for you. It's the tweak that I, and many others, view as the flagship jailbreak tweak. It's the tweak that represents jailbreaking as a whole.

Barrel is the type of tweak that you use to convince skeptical friends that they should jailbreak, and often the end result is that they do. No, Barrel isn't a tweak that will improve the usability of your device, such as biteSMS' quick reply. It's not a practical release like iFile, or Safari Download Manager. But it's still one of the first tweaks that come to mind when a new jailbreak arrives.

I'm happy to say that Barrel has been updated to support iOS 7. In fact, it works beautifully on my iPhone 5s. If you're new to jailbreaking and don't know what Barrel is, then I invite you to step inside and enjoy the visual roller coaster.