Is there a way to SSH or otherwise view an iPhone's files without jailbreaking it?

Question

I have an app on my iPhone that no longer works (it loads to splash screen then quits), but I have some files on there. Is there any way for me to pull these files off through FTP/SSH/Finder (I don't want to go through a backup) from the phone without jailbreaking it?

I'm fine with installing applications on my computer (Mac/Win7) but I'd prefer to keep my iPhone "legal".

Answer 1

You can't use SSH, no. That does require jailbreaking, and RipDev's InstallerApp as mentioned in nik's answer does jailbreak your phone, no matter what it says.

This tool (http://code.google.com/p/iphonebrowser/ ) will let you browse the iphone's file system, though if your phone is not jailbroken, it will only really let you read things off it.

Answer 2

There is the InstallerApp path from RipDev

InstallerApp is a native Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows application that allows you easily download applications from Installer and Cydia directly onto your computer, and install them to the iPhone connected with USB cable.

Supported on Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
But,

InstallerApp is commercial software. One license costs US $7.

Answer 3

You may be able to extract the files out of the backup that is taken by iTunes each time you sync the phone. Both of the apps below require that you are not encrypting your backups in iTunes.

On Mac OSX you can use the iPhone Backup Extractor (http://supercrazyawesome.com/)

Answer 4

Simple answer, no. The iPhone MUST be jailbroken to access the filesystem via SSH.

Answer 5

Alternativley for Windows you could try Backup Extractor for iPhone (http://www.reincubate.com/labs/iphone-backup-extractor-how-extract-files-iphone-backup-windows/)

Both are free utilities (or offer a free version), but I have not tried either of them. I can confirm that Backup Extractor successfully restored files out of my iPhone backup. I don't have a Mac to test iPhone Backup Extractor.

Answer 6

You can access the Media folder with Disk Aid. (Without jailbreaking).

Any more than that and jailbreak is required.

Answer 7

While I'm guessing your app died because of a firmware update,you might want to restart your iPhone to rule out memory issues.

1. Hold down the silver Sleep button for several seconds and a shutdown slider will appear at the top of the screen.
2. After it's off, you can press the button again to start up.

I believe you can do a more forceful restart by holding down the Home and Sleep buttons together for several seconds, but that seems to skip whatever cleanup the phone would do on a clean shutdown.