The “no‑erase” patched IPSW allows a restore without losing personal files (photos, documents, app data). Tools such as make_noerase_ipsw modify the standard IPSW so that the restore operation does not wipe the user data partition.

Unlike the early days of "Custom IPSW" files, the modern iOS security landscape has made modified firmware almost entirely obsolete for the average user. Here is everything you need to know about the current state of modified iOS on the iPhone 11. 1. What is Modified iOS Firmware?

: Tools like AltStore or SideStore allow you to install third-party applications (like emulators or tweaked apps) using a free Apple Developer certificate without compromising system security.