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CardArt

Apply with AirCard-iOS on iPhone

Change card art right on the iPhone, no computer needed. On iOS 18–26 you import the pairing file SideStore or a similar tool made; from iOS 27 you can also pair on the phone itself. Sideloading is needed the first time.

  • About 15 min
  • 9 steps
  • For AirCard-iOS v1.3.2
  • Updated October 6, 2026

Before you start

iPhone
iOS 18 or laterMinimum
Install via
A sideloading tool: SideStore, AltStore, LiveContainer or Xcode
Pairing
iOS 18–26: a pairing file from SideStore, LiveContainer or a similar tool; from iOS 27 you can also pair on the phone
Helper app
LocalDevVPN (loopback mode)

ImportantApple patched the iOS flaw AirCard relies on in iOS 27.2, so AirCard doesn’t work on iOS 27.2 or later. To keep the card art you’ve already changed, or to keep changing it, stay on the version you have now (such as iOS 27.0.1, or iOS 27.1 on iPhone Duo), don’t update to iOS 27.2, and turn off Settings › General › Software Update › Automatic Updates.

ImportantSince v1.3.1, iOS 18–26 works too: import the pairing file that SideStore, LiveContainer or a similar tool made (pairing option 1 below). Pairing on the phone itself (option 2) still needs iOS 27 or later. If you have a Mac but none of those tools, AirCard Injector can make a pairing file — or just use the Mac or Windows version.

To check: on iPhone, open Settings › General › About.

Steps

  1. Step 1: Download the IPA

    Download AirCard-iOS.ipa from the latest release (currently v1.3.2) on the AirCard-iOS GitHub Releases page⁠(opens in a new tab).

  2. Step 2: Sideload it

    Install the IPA with the sideloading tool you’re used to, such as SideStore⁠(opens in a new tab), AltStore⁠(opens in a new tab) or LiveContainer⁠(opens in a new tab); with a Mac you can also sign and install it yourself using Xcode⁠(opens in a new tab) or iOS App Signer⁠(opens in a new tab). On iOS 18–26, SideStore or LiveContainer is the easiest choice — the pairing file you’ll need later comes from them.

    TipTrollStore⁠(opens in a new tab) only supports iOS 17.0 and earlier, so it won’t work on iOS 18 or later.

  3. Step 3: Turn on LocalDevVPN

    Install LocalDevVPN⁠(opens in a new tab) from the App Store, open it and tap Connect so it runs in loopback mode (address 10.7.0.1). Back in AirCard-iOS, the status under Network turns green. AirCard-iOS needs it to reach system services on the phone.

    TipLocalDevVPN isn’t listed on the China mainland App Store — use an Apple Account from another region. It’s also open source⁠(opens in a new tab).

  4. Step 4: Pairing, option 1: import a pairing file (iOS 18+)

    Open AirCard-iOS (the first time, a welcome window appears — tap Continue to AirCard). On the Pairing tab, tap Import Pairing File… and pick the file in Files: with SideStore, choose ALTPairingFile.mobiledevicepairing in On My iPhone › SideStore; with SideStore inside LiveContainer, look for the same file in On My iPhone › LiveContainer › SideStore › Documents. When Active Pairing shows “Ready to exploit ✅”, you’re paired (the file is listed as aircard_pairing.plist).

    ImportantA pairing file lets other devices access this iPhone. Don’t share yours, and don’t use one someone else sent you.

    TipCan’t find it? Tap “Where to find SideStore / LiveContainer pairing file?” for the in-app guide; depending on your LiveContainer version, the file may also be under LiveContainer › Data › App › … › SideStore › Documents. With iLoader, Jitterbug or AltStore, export the pairing file (.mobiledevicepairing) to Files in that app first, then import it. You can also copy a pairing file straight into On My iPhone › AirCard-iOS — it shows up under “Discovered in Documents”; tap Use.

  5. Step 5: Pairing, option 2: pair on the phone (iOS 27+ only)

    Open AirCard-iOS and, on the Pairing tab, tap Pair This iPhone; if it asks to find and connect to devices on your local network, tap Allow. Then go to Settings › Privacy & Security › Developer Mode and choose “Pair with AirCard-iOS”. When you’re asked for a PIN, switch back to AirCard-iOS — it now shows a 6-digit PIN (tap Copy to copy it) — and enter it in Settings. Once Active Pairing shows a green check, you’re paired. You only need to do this once.

    TipDon’t see Developer Mode? It appears only after the app is sideloaded. If you tapped Don’t Allow on the local network prompt, turn on Local Network in Settings › AirCard-iOS and tap Pair This iPhone again. Still stuck? Use option 1 instead. To re-pair or switch pairing files, tap Delete Pairing File — no need to reinstall the app.

  6. Step 6: Get your card art

    Download the card art from CardArt on your iPhone and save it to Files or Photos.

  7. Step 7: Detect your cards

    Go to the Wallet Cards tab and tap Scan Cards in the toolbar. Then double-click the side button to bring up Apple Pay, authenticate with Face ID and tap the card you want to change — it appears in the list automatically (named after its network, e.g. Visa Card, or Payment Card if unknown; cards on the same network share a name, so tap the pencil button to rename them). Tap each card you want to change in turn, then tap Stop Scan once they’re all listed.

  8. Step 8: Pick and frame the image

    Tap “Tap to choose photo” on the card, then Photo Library or Choose from Files… to find the image you downloaded. New in v1.3.1, the Adjust Photo screen lets you drag to position and pinch to zoom; Reset puts it back. Tap Use Photo when it looks right — CardArt images are exactly 1536×969, so you can tap it straight away.

    TipTo use one image on every card, use Set Skin for All Cards… instead.

  9. Step 9: Flash and check

    Tap Flash and wait for it to finish. If it fails, the button turns into Retry — open Flash Log to see what went wrong, then tap it again. When it’s done, swipe Wallet away in the app switcher and reopen it to see the new art.

  10. Done

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