How to sideload apps on BB10

This guide will teach you step-by-step how to install .BAR files on your BlackBerry 10 device or BlackBerry PlayBook. If you own a Mac, please follow this guide: Sideloading guide for Mac.

Preparations

Network

First of all your BlackBerry device and your PC need to be in the same network. Connect your BB10 device with you local Wi-Fi and join that network with your PC. You don’t need to connect your device via USB.
If you don’t have any network available, connect your device via USB and use 169.254.0.1 as IP address.

Development mode

To sideload applications your device needs to be in development mode. You can find this option in

Settings – Security – Development Mode

You will need to setup a password, make sure you don’t forget it. Once the development mode is active, find out your device’s IP address. Therefore go to

Settings – About – Network – IPv4

Install the BB10 Sideloading Tool

You can download it here. Execute and install it (you may need admin rights). The BB10 Sideloading Tool allows you to connect your PC with your device as well as sending and installing selected .BAR files.

Start sideloading

Connecting

Now start the BB10 Sideloading Tool. You will see a setup guide if you start it for the first time. Click continue until you see the settings screen and enter the IP address of your BlackBerry device and the password for the development mode. Click “Check connection” to see if your network is setup right.

Install .BARs

Now switch to the “Install” tab or restart the tool. Drag and drop your .Bar files into the package icon and click “Start sideloading”.

Let the tool do the work for you

The tool will now send and install each of your selected .BAR files. Don’t interrupt your network connection during this process. Once the tool finished, have a look at your device’s home screen. You will find your sideloaded apps there. If an app is missing, have a look into the log and find out why.

Video tutorial

You can follow this video to setup the BB10 Sideloading Tool for the first time.

19 comments

    1. If you are connecting wirelessly:
      Make sure that your devices are in the same network and that you entered the correct IP address.

      If you are connecting via USB:
      Make sure that you set 169.254.0.1 as IP address.

  1. Hello,

    I have downloaded the sideload tool. download BAR file too….when i drag the Viber BAR file on installation tab and start sideloading…a Green BAR appear and READY msg appear….nothing happend further. Please guide.

  2. My case is similar to that of Jawad. If java runtime or invalid input directory is the issue like u said, how can we go about it..?

  3. I have successfully installed the apps to my phone. Problem is that, they all say that the application unfortunately stopped. Why?

  4. Am having trouble starting the side loading tool on my computer as no shortcut is being created during installation. After installation there is an option to launch but after shutting down the system there is no way to start the tool again. need help

  5. Thanks, am able to move on but when I tried converting some file I keep getting this error message
    Error: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
    at BB10_Sideloading_Tool.Converter.convertAppsThread()
    Need help

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