Someone got Linux running on their iPhone 6S, and so can you

Credit: Available_System_401 Published Aug 28, 2026, 11:48 PM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary You can install postmarketOS Linux on an iPhone 6S to revive old hardware, though some apps may not work. It took about 3.5 hours and careful work to boot Linux; the GUI can look surreal on an iPhone. Check the postmarketOS wiki and devices page for install instructions and supported hardware before you try. Not many people know that you can install Linux on your phone, and I don't mean Android, either. It's not exactly ideal, as you may find some apps and services won't work, but it is entirely possible to install a Linux distro on your phone like you would on a PC. For instance, someone dug up an iPhone 6S and slapped Linux on it, and while it was a pain to get working, it's a cool example of how you can give old tech a new lease on life. Running Linux off an iPhone 6S is a fun way to give your old phones a new purpose I might try it with one of my own older phones Over on the Linux subreddit, user Available_System_401 told their story as to how they got Linux running on an old iPhone. Their adventure began as all good Linux experiments do: from being totally and utterly bored. Available_System_401 browsed Reddit for a bit and came across postmarketOS, a Linux distro designed to work on phones. They noticed that the postmarketOS lists the iPhone 6S as a compatible device, so they dug it out of phone limbo and got to work. It took about three and a half hours to get the operating system onto the device, but after some painstaking work, Available_System_401 showed off Linux running on an older Apple phone. It's surreal seeing a Linux-like GUI on an iPhone, but that's the joy of Linux; it has a tendency to turn up where you least expect it. If you have an iPhone 6S yourself and you're inspired to get Linux running on it, the original poster posted the postmarketOS Wiki page for installing it on iPhone 6S, so give that a read. You can also check out the devices page for a full list of supported hardware.