Apple introduced 4/5 fingers multitouch gestures in iOS 4.3 beta. However, these features could not made it to the final release of iOS 4.3.1 or 4.3. These are the steps to enable multitouch gestures in iOS 4.3.1 on iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad, iPod Touch.

This guide involves editing plist files. So, make sure you backup each file before editing it. Let’s enable Multitouch Gestures on iOS 4.3.1 [iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad, iPod Touch].

How to Enable Multitouch Gestures on iOS 4.3.1

You iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad must be jailbroken on iOS 4.3.1. Here’s is how to: Jailbreak iOS 4.3.1

Method 1 – Install package from Cydia

1. Open cydia;
2. Go to Search tab, and search for MT Gestures;
3. Install MT Gestures;
4. Then close Cydia, and go to Settings > General and turn Multitasking Gestures ON.

Method 2 – Editing PLIST Files

Step 2

Now SSH into you iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch;

• How to: SSH into iPhone / iPod Touch
• How to: SSH into iPad

Step 3

Once you’ve SSH into iDevice, Navigate to: System > Library > CoreServices > SpringBoard.app and copy the following .plist files into your computer:

iPhone 4: N90AP.plist
iPhone 3GS: N88AP.plist
iPod Touch: N81AP.plist
iPad: K48AP.plist

Usually, there’s just one of this file’s kind, so it should not be very difficult to locate.

Step 4

Now edit the copied .plist file with any plist editor. [Windows] [Mac]
and add the following lines, anywhere under <true/> (as shown in the screenshot):

<key>multitasking-gestures</key>
<true/>

and copy the file back to the SpringBoard.app directory.

Step 5

Now navigate to Var > mobile > Library > Preferences

Copy the com.apple.springboard.plist file to your computer and add the following two lines of code:

<key>SBUseSystemGestures</key>
<true/>

and then copy the file back to the Preferences directory.

Step 6

Navigate to Applications > Preferences.app;
Copy the General.plist file to your computer;

Replace the following block of code;

		<dict>
			<key>cell</key>
			<string>PSGroupCell</string>
			<key>footerCellClass</key>
			<string>MultitaskingGestureExplanationView</string>
			<key>id</key>
			<string>Mutltitasking_Gesture_Group</string>
			<key>requiredCapabilities</key>
			<array>
				<string>multitasking-gestures</string>
			</array>
		</dict>
		<dict>
			<key>cell</key>
			<string>PSSwitchCell</string>
			<key>default</key>
			<true/>
			<key>defaults</key>
			<string>com.apple.springboard</string>
			<key>id</key>
			<string>Mutltitasking_Gesture_Switch</string>
			<key>key</key>
			<string>SBUseSystemGestures</string>
			<key>label</key>
			<string>Multitasking_Gestures</string>
			<key>requiredCapabilities</key>
			<array>
				<string>multitasking-gestures</string>
			</array>
		</dict>

with this code:

		<dict>
			<key>cell</key>
			<string>PSGroupCell</string>
			<key>footerCellClass</key>
			<string>MultitaskingGestureExplanationView</string>
			<key>requiredCapabilities</key>
			<array>
				<string>multitasking-gestures</string>
			</array>
		</dict>
		<dict>
			<key>cell</key>
			<string>PSSwitchCell</string>
			<key>default</key>
			<true/>
			<key>defaults</key>
			<string>com.apple.springboard</string>
			<key>key</key>
			<string>SBUseSystemGestures</string>
			<key>label</key>
			<string>Multitasking Gestures</string>
			<key>requiredCapabilities</key>
			<array>
				<string>multitasking-gestures</string>
			</array>
		</dict>

Then copy the .plist file back to its directory. That’s it.

Step 7

Now reboot or respring your iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch;
Go to Settings > General;
and Turn Multitasking gestures ON. Following Gestures can be performed after this:

• Pinch to home screen
• Swipe up for Multitasking bar
• Swipe left/right to switch apps

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Also checkout:

• How to: Enable Video Mirroring on iPad 1
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• How to: Save SHSH blobs for iOS 4.3.1
• How to: Downgrade iOS 4.3.1