How to SSH into iPhone/iPod Touch using WinSCP (Windows)

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Comments: 41

What is SSH?

SSH stands for Secure SHell.

It is just a protocol that allows you to access your iPhone or iPod Touch from your desktop PC or MAC and execute commands on it (thus allowing you to copy any kind of data to and from the iPhone or iPod Touch without iTunes). It’s also used for a lot of customization things if you know what you’re doing.

You can use a program like Cyberduck on MAC or WinSCP on Windows and you can browse your iPhone or iPod Touch like any other hard drive and explore it’s content (which can be very interesting).

In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to SSH into iPhone using WinSCP.

NOTE: This guide requires your iPhone/ iPod Touch to be connected to a wireless network.

In order to SSH into your iPhone you need to Jailbreak iPhone first. Use one of the guide to jailbreak iPhone:

How to jailbreak iPhone

How to SSH into iPhone using WinSCP

Step 1

Go to Cydia from your Springboard

Step 2

Go to Sections tab at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3

Under the Sections list, choose Networking.

Step 4

locate and Select OpenSSH from the list.

Step 5

Hit the Install button at the top right of the screen.

Step 6

Then hit the Confirm button

Step 7

After the installation is completed successfully, Press the big Return to Cydia button.

WARNING:

Now that you’ve installed OpenSSH now you’re vulnerable to external intruders with the default root password for SSH. Attacks on jailbroken iPhone with SSH installed with default password are increasing. So, we strongly recommend you to change your default root password used to SSH into iPhone before proceeding further. Follow the link below to change your SSH root password to Protect your iPhone/iPod Touch from intruders:

Change Root Password to Secure Your iPhone

Step 8

Now go back to Springboard by pressing the Home button.

Step 9

Now you need to obtain the IP Address of your iPhone or iPod Touch.

To obtain the IP address go to Settings.

Step 10

Under the Settings Menu, go to Wi-Fi.

Step 11

Make sure you’re connected to a wireless network. Press the Blue circled arrow button.

Step 12

There you will find your IP address. Please note that IP address.

Step 13

Make sure your PC is on the same wireless network that of your iPhone.

Download the WinSCP

Once you have downloaded, launch the WinSCP

Step 14

Once WinSCP is opened, enter the following detailes:

Host Name: IP Address of your iPhone/iPod

Username: root

Password: alpine

Now hit the Login button.

ATTENTION: On an iPhone 3GS, you will need to change the File Protocol to SCP. The default is most likely SFTP. Just select the arrow next to the option and select SCP.

Step 15

WinSCP will start connecting to your iPhone.

Step 16

If a Warning dialogue box appears, click Yes

Step 17

Finally, after a few second you’ll be logged into your iPhone using WinSCP.

Step 18

You can access all your iPhone folder from the right navigation pane. or use the drop down menu on the right side.

Step 19

If you want to transfer a file from your PC to your iPhone, simply locate the file you want to copy from your PC using the left pane. Then navigate to the desired location on you iPhone using the right pane. Now to copy the file to your iPhone, just drag it from the left pane to the right pane.

Note: As user dlr stated, it is a good idea to set auto-lock to never. You can do this by going to Settings > General > Auto-Lock and set to never.

If this page or section of the page needs to be updated, Submit Request

Posted in: iPhone Guides, Tutorials, iPhone Hacks on September 8, 2009

Tags: iPhone, iPhone Guides, iPhone Hacks, iPhone Tutorials, SSh into iPhone, WinSCP

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Comments:

FBarah 20 October 2009 at 8:02 pm #

Thanks a lot this was very helpful and the step by step help led me to get connected with my iPhone asap! Thanks a lot for all your efforts

Reply
freepass 8 November 2009 at 7:37 pm #

WinSCP isn’t connecting to my iPhone 3GS.And yes,my PC is on the same wireless network as my iPhone.I have 3.0 version installed.Please help me out here.

Reply
- iPhoneHeat 8 November 2009 at 8:57 pm #
  
  On an iPhone 3GS, you will need to change the File Protocol to SCP. The default is most likely SFTP. Just select the arrow next to the option and select SCP.
  
  Reply
  - FreePass 9 November 2009 at 10:44 am #
    
    you are the greatest! thanks! it works!
    
    Reply
freepass 8 November 2009 at 7:43 pm #

It keeps saying “Connection Refused”.
I’ve tried to do it on my laptop and PC with same results:(
cant get it connected

Reply
Andrew 15 November 2009 at 9:19 pm #

can u copy music

Reply
Andrew 15 November 2009 at 9:42 pm #

where do u go to check the files you put

Reply
Jim 24 November 2009 at 12:52 am #

Hi iPhoneHeat, good tutorial, it’s one of the first if you google for SSH iPhone!

One request/piece of advice: as threats become more serious, I think it is essential that people also change their password for the ‘mobile’ account. There’s now a very malicious piece of malware stealing people’s money, and the mobile account is just as vulnerable as the root account and it holds ALL your data! It has the same password as ‘root’, and I think it will be a very short while before a criminal hacker will start to use that hole: most tutorials, including yours, now tell people to change the root password, but they forget mobile.

USERS READING THIS: After doing step 5 above, with the terminal still running, you should type:

passwd mobile

and it asks for your new password (twice). It is OK to use the same new password you used for the root account. Just don’t use ‘alpine’.

Reply
- iPhoneHeat 24 November 2009 at 10:48 am #
  
  Guide is already there under iPhone Guide Category.. But I forgot to add here..
  thanks for the input Jim
  
  Reply
Patrick 7 January 2010 at 6:57 pm #

That was a very detailed tutorial. Thx

Reply
GemOfTheDraco 14 January 2010 at 8:26 am #

When I had my ITouch and IPHONE 3G, I was able to use SSH to load my apps, with the use of the Installer app to of course install the app officially. But i just received my IPHONE 3GS and the previous method doesn’t appear to work on it. I was trying to load some of my apps onto the 3GS but can’t make them show up and when I use the search feature, no luck on finding it, but they are in fact on the IPHONE when I use SCP program and browse the directories.

Reply
bruyce 22 March 2010 at 8:50 am #

how do you get to the themes under library? i am currently using the SSH for my iPod Touch but it doesnt show up on WinSCP

Reply
mike05 24 March 2010 at 4:28 am #

I have a 3GS and set the proto to SCP but i get connection timed out ive tried to reboot the phone reistall everything but still no luck anyone have the answer? any help is welcome
Thanks

Reply
- iPhoneHeat 24 March 2010 at 2:01 pm #
  
  If you have SBsettings installed.. make sure SSH toggle is turned ON
  
  Reply
qaaa 22 July 2010 at 10:45 am #

My cydia is not working again, after installing installous. Anytime i click it from the springboard, it comes up, then goes back to the springboard, How can i solve this problem

Reply