Enter redsn0w 0.9.6rc16.
rc16 included a buggy but functional feature to query Apple’s TSS server and save SHSH blobs. This allowed users to downgrade their 3GS and iPhone 4 devices back to iOS 4.1 or even iOS 3.x, a practice that is now the foundation of modern downgrade tools.
Unlike modern semi-untethered jailbreaks (like Unc0ver ) that run from an app, Redsn0w 0.9.6rc16 required a desktop computer. The process relied on the exploit, a low-level "bootrom" exploit that Apple cannot patch with software updates on those specific hardware models. General Steps for Use: Reddit·r/LegacyJailbreak
But the headline feature everyone downloaded it for was the option.
Follow the on-screen instructions to put your device into DFU mode.
Despite its quirks, redsn0w 0.9.6rc16 represents a transitional moment in iOS hacking.
When rc16 was released, it faced stiff competition: