To remove a restricted mode of operation. For example, jailbreaking may enable content with digital rights to be used on any computer, or it may allow enhanced third-party operating systems or applications to be used on a mobile device. While jailbreaking is the term used for Apple's devices, rooting is the equivalent operation in the Android world (see
iPhone jailbreaking,
RT jailbreaking and
Android rooting).
The act of jailbreaking is not a uniform process. Sometimes a single application jailbreaks the system, while other times a series of commands, button pressing and reboots is required. Jailbreaking may also refer to "unlocking" a GSM iPhone in order to use it with a different carrier. However, one has to jailbreak the phone first before unlocking it (see
SIM lock). "Unjailbreaking" and "unrooting" mean restoring factory defaults. See
DRM and
walled garden.