untethered

Untethered is an adjective meaning not tied or bound by a tether, cord, or external constraint. In technology, untethered implies wireless operation or independence from a fixed host device. Examples include wireless peripherals, untethered drones or earbuds, and devices that can operate or boot without a direct connection to a computer. In mobile device culture, the term is used to distinguish software state changes that persist after a reboot, such as an untethered jailbreak for iOS, which remains active after a reboot, in contrast to a tethered jailbreak that requires reapplication via a computer.

In spaceflight and robotics, untethered describes operation without a physical tether to a vehicle or anchor, such as untethered spacewalks, where astronauts work outside a spacecraft without a safety line, though practical missions often employ tethers for safety. In broader discourse, untethered can describe freedom from constraints in social, creative, or economic contexts, such as untethered mobility or untethered expression.

The term also appears in product marketing to differentiate wireless or cable-free designs from wired counterparts.

See also: tether, tethered, wireless, jailbreak, spacewalk.