How to Sideload IPA Files with Scarlet iOS – Complete Guide
Want to know how to sideload IPA files with Scarlet iOS? This guide covers every way to get an app onto your iPhone or iPad with Scarlet: from the built-in library, from a repository you add, and from an IPA file you already have. It also explains how to check a file before you install it, and what to do when an install fails. No computer or jailbreak is needed.
Scarlet not installed yet? Follow our step-by-step guide on how to install Scarlet iOS first, or open our Scarlet iOS install page in Safari.
What Is an IPA File?
An IPA file is the package format for iOS apps. It is a compressed archive that contains the app itself, its icons and resources, and a signature that tells iOS who signed it. App Store apps are IPA files too; you just never see them. Sideloading means installing an IPA from somewhere other than the App Store. iOS will only run it if it is signed with a certificate the device accepts, and that signing step is what Scarlet does for you.
Three Ways to Get an App Into Scarlet
| Route | Where the app comes from | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in library | The apps listed inside Scarlet | Quick installs of popular apps, emulators and games |
| Repositories | Third-party lists of apps you add by URL | More choice, apps that are not in the library |
| Your own IPA file | A file you downloaded or were given | A specific app or version you already have |
Before You Start
- Scarlet installed and opening normally (its developer profile trusted in Settings, General, VPN and Device Management).
- Enough free storage for the app; the IPA size is a rough guide to what you need.
- A stable connection while the app downloads and installs.
- An iOS version the app supports. Many IPA files list a minimum iOS version; an app built for a newer iOS will not install or will crash on an older one.
Method 1: Install From the Built-In Library
- Open Scarlet.
- Browse the categories or use search to find the app.
- Tap the app to open its page, then tap Install.
- Confirm the iOS prompt that asks whether to install the app.
- Go to the home screen and wait for the icon to finish downloading.
- Open the app. If iOS says the developer is not trusted, trust its profile in Settings, General, VPN and Device Management.
What the library contains changes over time, so treat any specific app as available only if you can see it on the day you install.
Method 2: Install From a Repository
A repository (repo, or source) is a list of IPA files hosted by a developer or a community. Repos are run by third parties, not by Scarlet, so their quality varies.
- Copy the repo URL from the project’s own website or page.
- Open Scarlet and find the option to add a repository or source.
- Paste the URL and confirm. The repo’s apps now appear in Scarlet.
- Open an app from the repo and install it as in Method 1.
Our guide to what a repo is for Scarlet explains how they work, and our list of IPA libraries and repositories covers well-known options.
Method 3: Install an IPA File You Already Have
Scarlet can also install an IPA file you already have, for example one you downloaded in Safari or saved in the Files app. Button names can differ between Scarlet versions, but the flow is the same:
- Download the IPA in Safari. It is saved to the Downloads folder in the Files app by default.
- Check the file before installing it (see the next section).
- Open Scarlet and use its option to import or install an IPA from Files, then pick the file. Alternatively, in the Files app, tap and hold the IPA, tap Share, and choose Scarlet if it appears in the share sheet.
- Confirm the install and wait for the icon on the home screen.
- Trust the profile if iOS asks, then open the app.
Keep a copy of IPA files you rely on in the Files app or iCloud Drive. If a certificate is revoked or a source disappears, you can reinstall the same version without searching for it again.
Check an IPA Before You Install It
Apps installed outside the App Store are not reviewed by Apple, so the source is your main protection.
- Prefer the original project. For open-source apps such as emulators, download from the project’s own website or its GitHub Releases page, not from a mirror.
- Be careful with modified apps. A tweaked version of a popular app is code changed by someone you usually cannot identify. Avoid signing in to important accounts in tweaked apps.
- Look at the size. A file far smaller or larger than the original app is a warning sign.
- Scan it. Our guide on how to scan IPA files for malware shows free ways to check a file.
- Watch the permissions. If a simple app asks for contacts, location or your photo library, think twice; see our sideloading security guide.
Troubleshooting IPA Installs
The file is not recognised
- Make sure the file ends in .ipa. Some browsers or sites save it as .zip; an IPA that was renamed to .zip can be renamed back, but a real zip archive of something else cannot.
- Download the file again; an interrupted download leaves a damaged file.
The install fails or never finishes
- Free up storage space and try again.
- Check that the app supports your iOS version.
- Close and reopen Scarlet, then retry.
- Try the same app from a different trusted source; the file may be damaged.
The app installs but will not open
- Trust its developer profile in Settings, General, VPN and Device Management.
- If apps that used to work all stop at once, the certificate has most likely been revoked; see what to do when the Scarlet certificate is revoked.
- If you see “Unable to Verify App”, follow how to fix Unable to Verify App.
- For crashes on launch, see how to fix app signing errors on iOS.
For anything else, the Scarlet iOS troubleshooting master guide covers the common errors.
What People Commonly Sideload
- Emulators such as Delta, PPSSPP or RetroArch for classic games; see the best emulators to install with Scarlet.
- Older versions of apps you prefer to the current one; see running multiple versions of the same app.
- Apps not offered in your country’s App Store, or not on the App Store at all, such as the Kodi media center; see how to install Kodi on iPhone.
- Tweaked apps with extra features, with the caution above.
Keeping Sideloaded Apps Working
Sideloaded apps do not update themselves. When a new version comes out, you install the new IPA over the old one; our guide to keeping sideloaded apps updated has a simple routine. After a major iOS update, update Scarlet too, since older versions may not work on a new iOS release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a computer to sideload IPA files with Scarlet?
No. Everything in this guide is done on the iPhone or iPad.
Do I need an Apple ID?
No. Scarlet signs the apps itself, so you do not sign in with your Apple ID and there is no 7-day limit from a free account.
Can I install any IPA file?
Most, as long as it supports your iOS version and is not damaged. Some apps check how they were installed or need entitlements that a re-signed copy does not have, and those may not work fully.
Will apps keep working if Scarlet’s certificate is revoked?
Apps signed with a revoked certificate stop opening until they are reinstalled with a valid one. Keeping your IPA files makes that quick.
