Boot a Virtual iPhone on Apple Silicon with vphone-cli
Boot a Virtual iPhone via Apple's Virtualization.framework
vphone-cli is an open-source tool that boots a virtual iPhone on Apple Silicon Macs using Apple's Virtualization.framework. It automates the entire process—downloading and patching IPSWs, performing DFU restores, and installing custom firmware—with a single command. Five firmware variants offer increasing levels of security bypass, from patchless to full jailbreak with Sileo and TrollStore. The project also includes a control socket for AI-driven UI testing via MCP.
One command creates a VM end-to-end (download → patch → DFU restore → CFW install → first boot): vphone-cli vm create myphone -V jb
- m132
Note that, unlike Corellium, this isn't about emulating an iPhone. Apple is providing an iOS kernel for Virtualization.framework in PCC/cloudOS images and this project pairs it with the iOS user-space and patches to make everything run. Applications can very easily tell it apart from the real thing.
More details here: https://github.com/wh1te4ever/super-tart-vphone-writeup
- root9876
> during iOS setup, don't pick Japan or the EU as your region (extra regulatory checks the VM can't satisfy)
I'm curious what are these checks
- hamandcheese
This seams neat, but I'm not sure I understand the purpose/difference between this and using the iOS simulator.
- thomc
Fantastic project, I use it regularly to test apps and there is a vphone-mcp which allows agents to control it, take screenshots and navigate the UI!
- wartywhoa23
Can Appium be used to control this?
- dsalzman
I better not get more spam iMessages!!
- discordance
Is this safe?
There are some binaries in scripts/resources that you need to run as root. No idea what's inside them.
- boredatoms
Is this what apple does in xcode?