Install on iOS (sideloading)
There is no App Store build of Tsumiru. Every release ships an unsigned .ipa, and Apple won't let an iPhone run an app that isn't signed — so you can't just download it and tap Install. Instead, a sideloading tool signs the app to your own Apple account on your own device.
1. Grab the .ipa
Download the file ending in -ios.ipa from the latest release.
2. Pick a sideloading tool
All three tools do the same core job — sign the .ipa with your Apple account and install it. They differ in how much upkeep they need.
SideStore — best for most people
SideStore signs and refreshes apps on the device itself — after the one-time setup, no computer needed. Apps signed with a regular Apple account expire every 7 days, and SideStore quietly re-signs them in the background before that happens. Follow the setup guide at docs.sidestore.io, then open the Tsumiru .ipa with SideStore to install.
AltStore — the original, needs a computer nearby
AltStore works the same way but does its re-signing through AltServer, a companion app running on your Windows PC or Mac. The 7-day expiry only gets refreshed while that computer is powered on and on the same Wi-Fi as your phone. If your computer is often off or you travel a lot, expect the app to occasionally expire until you're back home to refresh it.
TrollStore — permanent, but only on older iOS
TrollStore on GitHub · install guide
TrollStore exploits a signing bug to install apps permanently — no expiry, no refreshing, ever. The catch: that bug only exists on certain iOS versions (roughly iOS 14.0–16.6.1, plus 16.7 RC and 17.0; anything newer will never be supported). If your device is on a supported version, this is the most hassle-free option. Check the install guide to see if yours qualifies.
Expiry and account limits
- With a free Apple account, sideloaded apps expire after 7 days and you can have at most 3 sideloaded apps installed at once. SideStore and AltStore both automate the re-signing; your reading data isn't affected by a refresh — an expired app just won't open until it's refreshed.
- A paid Apple Developer account ($99/year) extends signing to a year and lifts the 3-app cap. Not required — it matters only if the 7-day refresh or the 3-app cap bites you.
- TrollStore skips all of this, on the iOS versions where it works.
Updating Tsumiru
A refresh only re-signs the version you already have — it doesn't update the app. When a new Tsumiru release comes out, download the new .ipa and install it through the same tool; it replaces the old version and keeps your settings.