EU Sideloading in 2026: What Changed From iOS 17.4 to iOS 27

ByScarlet iOS Team Updated on

The EU Changed How Apple Handles Sideloading

For years, Apple kept a strict single-store policy on iPhone: if you wanted an app, you went through the App Store. That changed for users in the European Union when the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force and Apple opened iOS to alternative app marketplaces and apps distributed from developer websites. Those options arrived with iOS 17.4 in 2024, carried on through iOS 18, and as of October 2026 they still apply on iOS 26 and iOS 27.

For people who follow the sideloading space, and for fans of tools like Scarlet iOS, the EU changes are useful but limited. They do not replace third-party sideloading tools, and they only apply in a few regions. According to Apple’s support page, alternative app distribution is now offered in the EU, Brazil and Japan. Here is what you need to know in 2026. Last checked: October 27, 2026, against Apple’s support article “About alternative app distribution” and the AltStore docs.

The Risks First

  • Apps from alternative marketplaces and websites are not reviewed by Apple’s App Review. According to Apple, they go through notarization, a basic integrity check, and each alternative distributor then reviews apps under its own rules and processes.
  • Apple’s help is limited. Its support page says Apple “will not be able to support users” with marketplaces or apps that are not working as expected, including “concerns with app quality, safety, and content”. Support, refunds and content rules come from each marketplace or developer.
  • Some familiar features do not work for these apps, such as restrictions on In-App Purchases in Screen Time, purchase sharing with Family Sharing, and Ask to Buy.

Who Gets What, Region by Region

Region Alternative marketplaces Web distribution from a developer’s site Devices
European Union Yes Yes iPhone and iPad
Japan Yes Not listed iPhone
Brazil Yes Not listed iPhone
Everywhere else No No None

For each region, Apple says the country or region of your Apple Account must be set to it, “and you must physically be located” there. If you leave, you can keep opening, using and managing apps you installed this way, and for 90 days after you leave you can still update and install alternatively distributed apps. If you are eligible but do not see the options, Apple says to update to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.

What the Digital Markets Act Requires

The DMA labels large technology platforms as “gatekeepers” and gives them specific openness and interoperability duties. For Apple, these include:

  • Allowing third-party app marketplaces on iOS in EU member states
  • Allowing app developers to distribute their apps outside the App Store directly to users
  • Permitting alternative browser engines (not just WebKit) on iOS in the EU
  • Opening up NFC access for third-party payment apps

Crucially, under the DMA these options apply only to users set up for the EU. Apple has since opened alternative marketplaces in Japan and Brazil as well, under their own rules (see the table above). If you are in the United States, Canada, Australia or anywhere else outside those regions, you do not get these features on your iPhone, on iOS 26 or on iOS 27. For the court cases behind these rules, see Apple vs sideloading: the latest legal developments.

What Apple Changed Starting With iOS 17.4

Alternative Marketplaces

Apple introduced a new category called “Alternative App Marketplaces”. These are third-party app stores that Apple approves to operate in the EU. When Apple launched the system, it required apps distributed this way to pass its notarization process, which checks for malware and some policy rules but does not enforce every App Store guideline, especially around business models and payments.

AltStore PAL, the marketplace version of AltStore, was among the first alternative marketplaces to launch; it is now available in the EU, Japan and Brazil (see our AltStore PAL guide). AltStore’s own comparison says AltStore PAL “installs notarized apps”, “does not require a computer to install”, and that its apps do not expire and have no installed-app limit, unlike AltStore Classic, whose apps “expire after 7 days” with a “3 app install limit”. Scarlet iOS itself works the same way it always has, through its own certificate-based install, for users in and outside the EU.

Web Distribution

From iOS 17.4 (in the EU), Apple also introduced “web distribution”. Developers can host their apps on their own websites and let EU users install them directly, without going through any marketplace. This is a real form of sideloading, though Apple’s notarization step still sits in the middle.

When Apple introduced web distribution, it set eligibility rules for developers, including a threshold of 1 million annual installs unless they qualified for an exception. In practice that pointed direct web distribution at larger developers, leaving smaller apps and personal tools in a gray area.

From iOS 18 to iOS 27

Since iOS 17.4, the EU options have stayed in place through each new version:

  • iOS 18 (2024) kept alternative marketplaces and web distribution for EU users
  • iOS 26 (September 2025), the first release with Apple’s new year-based numbers, still offers them
  • iOS 27 (public since September 14, 2026) still offers them as of October 2026
  • Apple’s support page now lists Japan and Brazil for alternative marketplaces too; outside the EU, Japan and Brazil, none of these versions added marketplace or web distribution options

How These Changes Affect Scarlet iOS Users

For EU-based Scarlet iOS users, the DMA gives you extra options but does not remove the value of traditional sideloading tools. Here is why:

Apple’s Notarization Is Not the Same as Full Openness

Even in the EU, Apple still decides what gets notarized. Apps that do not pass Apple’s checks will not be available through official EU channels. Traditional sideloading via Scarlet remains the more flexible option for installing IPA files, not just notarized ones.

Global Users Are Still Better Served by Third-Party Tools

If you are outside the EU, Japan and Brazil, nothing has changed from Apple’s side. Tools like Scarlet iOS remain the main way to install apps beyond the App Store. Scarlet works on iOS 14 through iOS 26; third-party reports say it also runs on iOS 27, but this is not officially confirmed. As our guide to sideloading apps on iOS 26 and iOS 27 without jailbreak explains, Scarlet’s approach works worldwide and does not need any region changes.

The Certificate Model Still Works

Scarlet iOS’s certificate-based install model is completely separate from Apple’s EU marketplace framework. Whether or not you have the EU features, Scarlet installs apps the same way it always has: from Safari, without a computer, with a certificate you trust in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management. Keep in mind that Apple can revoke these certificates at any time. Scarlet is enterprise-signed, so it does not need Developer Mode either way. Understanding what Scarlet iOS is and how it works in 2026 helps explain why these two systems exist side by side rather than compete.

Will These Changes Spread Beyond the EU?

This is still the big question. Regulators in other places, including the United States, the UK and Japan, have looked closely at Apple’s App Store rules over the past few years.

Japan and Brazil have since joined the EU for alternative marketplaces, according to Apple’s support page. Web distribution from a developer’s website is still listed for the EU only. We do not try to predict when or whether other regions will get something similar. Until that happens, users elsewhere should plan around the tools that work for them today.

What Should You Do Right Now?

If you are in the EU:

  • Explore alternative marketplaces such as AltStore PAL for an Apple-approved experience
  • Keep using Scarlet iOS for apps that alternative marketplaces do not carry
  • Check whether the apps you want are offered through web distribution
  • Make sure your Apple Account country or region matches where you live; Apple checks both

If you are in Japan or Brazil:

  • Alternative marketplaces such as AltStore PAL are available to you; web distribution from developer websites is not listed for your region

If you are anywhere else:

  • Keep using Scarlet iOS, which works without a computer on iOS 14 through iOS 26
  • If you are on iOS 26, check compatibility before updating to iOS 27. Scarlet is confirmed on iOS 14 through iOS 26; iOS 27 support is reported by third parties but not officially confirmed.
  • Consider tools that sign with your own Apple ID, such as SideStore or Sideloadly, keeping the 3-app limit in mind
  • Follow news about app store rules in your own country

Conclusion

The EU sideloading changes that started with iOS 17.4 were a historic shift, and they are still in place on iOS 26 and iOS 27. But they only help users in the EU, Japan and Brazil, and Apple’s notarization keeps them tightly controlled. For people elsewhere, third-party tools like Scarlet iOS remain an option, with the revocation risk described above. To compare all the routes, see how to install multiple app stores on iPhone.

FAQ

Can I use a VPN or change my Apple Account region to get EU marketplaces?

Apple says you must both have your Apple Account set to an eligible country or region and be physically located there. Changing only the account region is not enough.

What happens to my marketplace apps if I move away?

Apple says you can keep using them, and for up to 90 days after you leave you can still update and install alternatively distributed apps.

Are notarized apps as safe as App Store apps?

Not the same thing. Notarization checks baseline integrity; content and quality review is up to each marketplace, and Apple’s support for problems is limited.

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