How to make a shortcut that refreshes all sideloaded apps with AltStore

AltStore is a popular utility for sideloading apps on iPhones and iPads, and whether you depend on it to use your favorite semi-untethered jailbreak tool or merely to install apps that aren’t approved for the App Store, chances are you could benefit from making a Siri-compatible shortcut for refreshing all your sideloaded apps on demand.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of creating a shortcut in the native Shortcuts app for iOS and iPadOS that automatically re-signs all your sideloaded apps when invoked.

What you need to know

Sideloading apps with AltStore requires most users who aren’t using paid developer accounts to refresh those apps once every seven days. If you don’t, then the app may appear to crash when you try to launch it. You would normally do this by visiting the AltStore app on your iPhone or iPad and tapping on the Refresh All option from in the My Apps tab, but with the shortcut, that won’t be necessary.

Just like refreshing sideloaded apps in the AltStore app, using the shortcut you’re about to make requires you to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the macOS or Windows computer you’re using to run AltServer. This also means that the computer and the AltServer program needs to be up and running at the same time as when you invoke your shortcut.

After creating a shortcut, you will be able to invoke it from the Shortcuts app or by properly referencing it with the help of a Siri voice command.

How to make the AltStore Shortcut

If you’re ready to create and use the AltStore shortcut for refreshing your sideloaded apps, then you can follow the steps below:

1) Launch the Shortcuts app from your iPhone or iPad’s Home Screen:

2) Tap on the + button at the top-right of the Shortcuts app:

3) Next, tap on the blue Add Action button:

4) In the ensuing interface, type AltStore into the search bar and then tap on the Refresh All Apps option:

5) Enter a name for your new shortcut and choose a glyph to go along with it, then tap on the Done button to save it:

Note: You may now test your new Refresh All Apps shortcut by tapping on it from your shortcuts list. When you do, you should see the following pop-up:

Using your new AltStore shortcut with Siri

If you want to use the new shortcut you just made to refresh all sideloaded apps with Siri, then all you need to do is say something like “Hey Siri, refresh all apps,” or invoke Siri manually and then say, “Refresh all apps.”

After you do, the Shortcuts app performs its expected action before displaying the pop-up depicted above. This will give you an additional seven days to use your sideloaded apps before you need to refresh them all again.

Wrapping up

Lots of iPhone and iPad users utilize the Shortcuts app to make their lives easier, and just because you’re sideloading apps despite Apple not wanting you to doesn’t mean you should be the exception.

If you found this tutorial helpful and plan to make a shortcut for refreshing all your sideloaded apps via AltStore, whether they’re jailbreak-related or not, then be sure to let us know by dropping a comment below.