TrollStore iOS 18: Best Alternatives to install IPA files on modern iPhones
TrollStore iOS 18 is one of the most wanted apps to be released for iOS devices. However, it is currently impossible to use TrollStore on modern iPhones running iOS 18 to iOS 18.3. This limitation stems from TrollStore’s reliance on a CoreTrust exploit, which Apple patched with the release of iOS 17.0.1. This fix has persisted through all subsequent updates, including the latest iOS 18 release.
TrollStore’s technology enables the installation of not only standard IPA files but also specialized apps that would otherwise be incompatible with your device. These include tools like TrollRecorder, TrollLED, UiHaruX, and more. You can explore all available tools in our TrollStore Apps Category.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of TrollStore for iOS 18, explaining why it is unlikely to be released for this version and exploring the best alternatives available for installing IPA files on iOS 18.
I will provide you with my favorite IPA installer apps that can install IPA files on iOS 18.
How TrollStore Works: A Peek Under the Hood
TrollStore is a clever tool that takes advantage of specific security flaws in Apple’s iOS system, particularly in a component called CoreTrust. Let’s break it down in simple terms.
The Original TrollStore: Bypassing CoreTrust with CVE-2022-26766
The first version of TrollStore relies on a vulnerability known as CVE-2022-26766. This flaw tricks CoreTrust—a key security feature that verifies app signatures—into accepting any root certificate. Normally, CoreTrust acts like a gatekeeper, ensuring only properly signed apps can run on your iPhone. By exploiting this vulnerability, TrollStore essentially renders code signing meaningless, allowing any app to sneak past the usual checks.
Here’s why this matters: CoreTrust operates at an early stage, before another security layer called AMFI (Apple Mobile File Integrity) gets involved. When CoreTrust is fooled into thinking an app has the “App Store policy flag” (a marker of legitimacy), AMFI trusts it and skips its own verification process. This opens the door for TrollStore to install apps with any entitlements—special permissions that Apple typically restricts—without further scrutiny.
TrollStore 2 (iOS 16 & iOS 17.0): A New Trick with CVE-2023-41991
For iOS 16 and iOS 17.0, TrollStore 2 uses a different vulnerability, CVE-2023-41991, discovered by Citizen Lab and Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Apple patched this flaw in iOS 16.7 and iOS 17.0.1, but here’s how it worked before the fix: This vulnerability causes CoreTrust to incorrectly validate CMS blobs (a type of data used in app signatures) for apps with multiple signers.
The workaround is ingenious. TrollStore includes an App Store binary — a legitimate app component — that CoreTrust checks and approves, assigning it the App Store policy flag. Once this happens, the app bypasses additional security checks, allowing TrollStore to install it without raising any red flags. This method, like the original, takes advantage of CoreTrust’s early role in the verification process, ensuring AMFI doesn’t interfere.
Fixing CVE-2023-41991 vulnerability with iOS 17.0.1 makes it impossible to use TrollStore iOS 18 Edition. Therefore, it's unlikely to see a TrollStore update with support for iOS 18 – iOS 18.3.
Why It’s Powerful
Both versions of TrollStore exploit CoreTrust’s position as the first line of defense in iOS security. By bypassing this initial checkpoint, TrollStore can install apps that would otherwise be blocked, making it a favorite tool for users who want more control over their devices. However, with Apple patching these vulnerabilities in newer iOS versions, TrollStore’s compatibility is limited to older systems.
Can you install TrollStore on iOS 18.0 – iOS 18.3?
If you’ve grasped how TrollStore’s core mechanism functions, it’s easy to see why it’s incompatible with iOS 18.0 to iOS 18.3, as well as iOS 17.0.1 and later versions. The key lies in a security flaw known as the CoreTrust bug, which Apple patched starting with iOS 17.0.1. TrollStore iOS 18 – iOS. 18.3 will not be released.
When iOS 17.0.1 was released, I took a look at Apple’s security changelog. Sure enough, there it was: CVE-2023-41991, the specific CoreTrust vulnerability that TrollStore relied on. Apple had closed this loophole, which allowed TrollStore to bypass signature validation—a critical feature for installing custom apps and IPA files. The patch was also applied to iOS 16.7, ensuring the bug was fully addressed across supported systems.
According to Apple’s security notes, this vulnerability (CVE-2023-41991) could have allowed a malicious app to slip past signature checks. By fixing it in iOS 17.0.1, Apple effectively blocked TrollStore’s ability to function. Without access to this exploit, TrollStore iOS 18 can no longer bypass code-signing restrictions or apply custom entitlements, rendering it unusable on these newer iOS versions.
Could TrollStore Make a Comeback for iOS 18?
In the past, Apple’s incomplete patches to CoreTrust allowed TrollStore to regain functionality, almost like a phoenix rising from the ashes. However, given Apple’s track record with security updates, it’s unlikely they’ll leave another door open for this exploit. With the CoreTrust bug firmly patched, TrollStore’s days of bypassing iOS restrictions appear to be over — at least for now.
Best Alternatives for TrollStore iOS 18 that work!
Since TrollStore iOS 18 was never released — and likely won’t be due to the absence of new exploitable bugs — this doesn’t mean you’re out of options for installing third-party apps on iOS 18.
Fortunately, there are several excellent alternatives to TrollStore that work on iOS 18. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the best options for installing IPA files on your device.
Popular alternatives to TrollStore iOS 18 IPA Installer:
- LiveContainer: allows you to open apps without actually installing them on iOS 18.
- FlekStore: a third-party App Store with a feature to sign imported IPA files on iOS 18.
- Feather iOS: is a new open-source IPA installer that, unlike TrollStore, works on iOS 18.
- Esign: is a TrollStore alternative to sign IPAs with a certificate packed with useful features on iOS 18.
- SideStore: an iOS 18 IPA installer using a free Apple ID certificate.
- Gbox: IPA Installer with support for iOS 18 – iOS 18.3.
- AltStore: the most popular IPA signing tool that replaced Cydia Impactor. Also, iOS 18 is supported.
- AltStore PAL: the first App Store alternative allowed by Apple running iOS 18.
- Bullfrog Assistant: an on-device IPA installer using a free Apple ID certificate.
- Scarlet: popular IPA installer for iOS devices.
- Sideloadly: the easiest Desktop software to sideload apps and games.
FAQ
No, TrollStore cannot be installed on iOS 18 or beyond. Apple patched the CoreTrust vulnerability (CVE-2023-41991) in iOS 17.0.1, effectively blocking all installation methods that rely on this exploit.
No, TrollStore cannot be installed on iOS 18.0 or later, nor on iOS 17.0.1 and above. Apple patched the CoreTrust exploits that TrollStore relied upon, starting with iOS 17.0.1 and continuing through iOS 18 and beyond, leaving no viable installation methods available.
It’s unlikely. Although Apple has made errors with CoreTrust patches in the past, they have since strengthened their security measures, reducing the chances of future vulnerabilities that could enable TrollStore to work again on iOS 18.
