Multiple Exchange accounts on the iPhone (Jailbroken)

So you want multiple Exchange accounts? Well, the big Apple said no. So are you still itching at being able to have your Google Sync and work Exchange accounts working? Then we have a solution. Obviously, you'll need a jailbroken iPhone to do this as it requires diving into the iPhone's filesystem and changing configuration files. And let me warn you, it can be tedious. I would backup first if I were you (actually, I didn't).

First, figure out how to SSH into your phone. All your mail configuration is stored in /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/com.apple.accountsettings.plist. If you look into the file, you'll notice its full of binary, let's fix that. You need Erica Utilities which you can find in Cydia.

Once you've got that, open your favorite SSH client and get into your phone. Run plutil -convert xml1 /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/com.apple.accountsettings.plist to convert the file to XML which you can edit. Find where <key>ASAccountEmailAddress</key> starts, you will have to duplicate everything between <dict> and </dict>. The easiest way I found to do this was to first backup my Google Sync configuration, then through the iPhone's setting (read, not SSH) delete the account. Add my work's Exchange account, and then paste my backed up Google Sync configuration back into the plist. You will have to convert the file to XML again, as the iPhone converts it back into it's binary format when it touches it.

Once you're done, you should see both accounts in your settings. You will have to go back and add your passwords manually on the iPhone, but all should work well. Good luck!

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Comments (1)

Jan 18, 2010
 said...
This is crazy. Found your answer through google. Been trying to do this for my wife's work iphone so we can also have our shared google calendar plus her work exchange account. Perfect implementation and you're answer matched my intuition so I'm thinking, this dude's pretty darn cluey. Then I read your profile and not only are you a developer, which is totally cool coz I'm a tech geek web developer. But you're a Baha'i too? My wife and I are Baha'i's as well. Newly married, we are living in LA.
Very cool Jamal. I wish you all the best and I'm sure we'll speak again soon.

regards,
Tom

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I'm a software developer, a husband, and a Baha'i!