How to Backup Cydia Apps
There are times when we need to backup Cydia apps in our iOS device, for instance, upgrading iOS, rejailbreaking your device, downgrading iOS, and restoring iOS. It could be a headache if you have to write down all the jailbreak apps and tweaks you have in your iOS device on a piece of paper and then reinstall it one by one. Don’t worry, with the advance technology we have today, you don’t have to go that old-fashion way. There are few ways where you can backup your Cydia apps and tweaks easily and here are the best two apps to backup Cydia apps.
Free Apps – OpenBackup
So far, OpenBackup is the easiest option to backup your apps and tweaks. You can download it from Cydia App Store. It is free and the interface is extremely easy to use. To perform a full backup, run the app and tap the “Backup” button. OpenBackup will then save all the Cydia Packages to either iCloud or iTunes. Besides, it will also save a copy into your filesystem at private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/OpenBackupFiles (if you are backing up your iPhone). It takes just a few minutes for a complete backup depends on how many Cydia packages and apps you have in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Once the backup is completed, you can upgrade your iOS version and jailbreak your device again. Now you will need to download OpenBackup again from Cydia and launch the app. This time, tap the “Restore” button, sit back and relax, everything will be back to normal in minutes.
Except OpenBackup, you may also try AptBackup which backup a name list of all the apps (just the name of the apps, not the apps themselves) in your iOS device. This app is free but you will need to reinstall all the apps one by one after that.
Paid Apps – PKGBackup
PKGBackup is not the first time featured in this website. It was previously mentioned once in the Top 10 Best Cydia Apps of All Time. Why? Simply because of its functionality. PKGBackup costs $9.99. It may sounds expensive to those who don’t feel their apps are important but it is very cheap to people who have apps that worth hundreds of dollars in their iOS device. Rather than “Backup” and “Restore” buttons, PKGBackup has more options compared to OpenBackup. During a backup process, you have the options to backup your Cydia apps and tweaks to an address book, Dropbox, or SugarSync. You can also set the file types to backup such as Cydia sources or App Store apps. Your packages and sources can be restored after you re-jailbreak your iOS device. Although PKGBackup backups everything, it did not backup your Cydia account ID. As PKGBackup is a paid app, you will need to log in to Cydia with the same account ID and download it again once you re-jailbreak your iOS device. Everything will be lost if you lost your Cydia account details.
The above mentioned are the best two backup apps from Cydia. You have the option to choose any of them to backup your apps before upgrading your iOS. Alternatively, no one has ever said you can’t use two apps at the same time to backup and restore Cydia apps. If you want to be doubly sure about the backup, you can use both PKGBackup and OpenBackup at the same time.