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How to Install iOS 8 Early for Free

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Users who cannot wait for the iOS 8 release date to try all of the new iOS 8 features on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch can jump ahead of everyone else and try the iOS 8 GM release without a developer account.

With this guide you can install iOS 8 free using the iOS 8GM, which is a final version for testing ahead of a public release next week.

Normally you need to pay $99 a year or $8 to a third-party to run iOS 8 early and deal with problems, but thanks to the iOS 8 GM download you don’t need to do any of that.

Apple offers an iOS 8 GM download for registered developers, but you will soon be able to find it on websites like IMZDL, which will allow you to install the iOS 8 GM on your iPhone or iPad without paying anyone to register it.

The iOS 8 release date is confirmed for September 17th.

The iOS 8 release date is confirmed for September 17th, but you can try it early.

Like the past iOS GM releases you can install this without registering, and you don’t need to wipe your iPhone or iPad to do this.

Unlike the iOS 8 betas, the iOS 8 GM download delivers something that will offer fewer problems and bugs. If you want to try iOS 8 while you can still go back to iOS 7, this is your chance.

Keep in mind that the iOS 8 GM download is not meant for the general public. There is a chance that things will go wrong and that not everything will work as it does on iOS 7, but with a Gold Master it is less likely that you will experience any problems. You are skipping past the Apple agreement that developers normally sign.

If you are jailbroken, do not try the iOS 8 GM. There is no iOS 8 jailbreak yet and it may take a while to get one that works on your iPhone or iPad.

How to Install the iOS 8 GM

The iOS 8 GM is available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. You can install the iOS 8 GM without registering the UDID for each device. Do not attempt to upgrade using the the OS X Yosemite beta and iTunes beta, as you may need to restore your device if you do this.

1. Find an iOS 8 GM download link from a site like IMZDL or on social media.

2. Download the right iOS 8 GM for your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

3. Plug the device into the computer and perform a backup. Installing the iOS 8 GM will erase your iPhone so plan to wait for a restore and sync. We didn’t lose any data, but if this sounds like a hassle, wait until the official iOS 7 release date.

4. Open iTunes and upgrade to the iOS 8 GM by choosing Restore.

  • Be sure to hold alt/option on Mac when you click Restore.
  • On Windows, hold Shift when you click Restore.

Install-IOS-8-Early

4a. You can try using option or shift Check for Upgrade to perform an upgrade that leaves your data intact. This normally works for most users.

5. Find and click on the .ipsw file you downloaded.

Find the file you downloaded and install the iOS 8 GM.

Find the file you downloaded and install the iOS 8 GM.

6. Complete the iOS 8 installation and restore from backup.

Users can install the iOS 8 GM on the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad Air iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, iPad mini Retina and iPad mini as well as the iPod touch 5th gen.

Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus at a special event in California today. The iPhone 6 release date is planned for September 19th and iPhone 6 pre-orders start on Friday September 12th. The iPhone 6 prices start at $199 and $299 with more storage available compared to the iPhone 5s.

 

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. ryegagnon

    09/09/2014 at 8:19 pm

    you forgot to mention it is also available for the iphone 5c

  2. Carl Owen

    09/09/2014 at 9:59 pm

    Mr. Lloyd, this looks and sounds curious. I wonder if there will be those whom would like to profit from it earlier?

    • techfreak243

      09/11/2014 at 6:29 am

      there will be no apps available for it, yet, im guessing, but its a great way to get a handle of iOS 8 before anyone else. and that way all you need to worry about next wednesday is a shitload app updates and people overloading the hell outta the app store downloading apps and stuff.

  3. vipersonickenneth

    09/11/2014 at 6:36 am

    “4a. You can try using option or shift Check for Upgrade to perform an upgrade that leaves your data intact. This normally works for most users.”

    Updating my iPad to iOS 8GM(via the update button) gets an error and leaves my iPad in recovery mode every single time. Thanks a lot.

  4. Anthony

    09/12/2014 at 4:57 pm

    3. the words should be official ios 8 not 7.

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