About encrypted Backups

When you back up an iOS device to iTunes there is an option to encrypt the backup. This is a good idea for a couple of reasons: First, it protects the rather valuable content most people have on their phone if the computer they back up to is lost, stolen or hacked; Second, if the backup is NOT encrypted sensitive information like health data and passwords will not be included in the backup. Here's Apple's description of encrypted backups: About encrypted backups in iTunes - Apple Support.

It's important to realize that encrypted backups are forever. They will survive changing computers and changing iOS devices. For example, if you back up your iPhone on a computer, then get a new computer and back up to the new computer, your first backup on the new computer will be encrypted with the same password you entered on your old computer. Likewise, if you restore an encrypted backup to a different device, then back up that device the backup will be encrypted with the same password as the previous device (of course, you would need to know the backup password to do this). And there is no way to remove encryption from an encrypted backup without knowing the password, with one exception explained in the Apple tip above and this User Tip: Disable iOS backup encryption. Note that this requires that you still have the phone that was last backed up.

There are two ways your backup may have an encryption password:

1. You or whoever made a backup checked Encrypt Backup.
2. If you have a company MS Exchange email account on your device the Exchange Administrator may have required that the phone (and thus backups) be encrypted. Many MDM (Mobile Device Management) corporate profiles force backups to be encrypted and use passwords to protect backups (Google Suite for one). If you use the same device for work or the company has BYOD policies, it can happen that you have to install a profile that will force your device to encrypt backups.

There is no other way that a backup can become encrypted. iTunes never defaults to backup encryption, and never assigns a "default" password. Someone has to take the step to encrypt, whether they remember doing so or not.

Note that encryption passwords only apply to iTunes backups; iCloud backups do not need an encryption password. iCloud backups are always encrypted using an internal encryption process.

The first time you make an encrypted backup you will be prompted for a backup password. You will be required to enter it twice for confirmation:

Notice the "Remember this password in my keychain" - it's a good idea to check this, as it provides a way to recover your encryption password if you forget it (and you back up to a Mac).

If you forget your backup password you cannot restore the backup without figuring out what the password is. A backup password will not be your phone's passcode, your Apple ID password, or any other password you may have used unless you chose to make it so the first time you created an encrypted backup. So first, consider the password you might have used in the past, when you first had to enter one when creating an encrypted backup. Then start guessing passwords (you get unlimited guesses). To speed the process uncheck Encrypt Backup and you will be prompted immediately.

Regarding programs that claim to decrypt iTunes backups; they don't work. Don't waste your money. (Actually, there is one that works some of the time if your password is not a strong one, but it targets the law enforcement market and is priced accordingly, out of the reach of most normal people.)

I've compiled a list of backup passwords that other users who posted in the forum have found by successfully guessing:

• First iTunes account password (40 different users)
• Old iTunes account password, but not the oldest one
• Password used for almost all accounts (3 different users)
• All digit Password created a long time ago
• Computer/laptop login password (4 users)
• Laptop password (2 users)
• Computer password (4 users)
• Email password (3 users)
• iTunes with no capital letters
• Password not used anywhere else
• All numeric used in the past
• Password for old gaming site
• PC password (5 users)
• “iphonelogin”
• work computer password
• Current app store password (2 users)
• Paypal account password
• iPad unlock passcode
• Strongest variation of the base password I have ever used
• Old password
• Old work password
• Macbook password (2 users)
• Restriction passcode
• Gmail password (2 users)
• Current Apple ID password (2 users)
• Apple MobileMe password
• Apple ID password, but all lower case (8 users)
• Apple ID password, first one ever used, but all lower case (2 users)
• iPhone passcode when corporate profile was installed
• Passcode for a website
• iPhone screen unlock passcode (9 users)
• iPhone unlock passcode at the time the first backup was made (3 users)
• First password for work computer
• Old password used over 2 years ago (2 users)
• Previous owner’s iTunes password
• Current laptop password
• Wireless network password
• Electric bill and Skype password
• icloud password, all lower case
• Windows login for very old laptop
• iMac password (3 users)
• First iPhone 4 digit passcode
• iTunes password from last year
• 4 year old password
• iTunes password (current) (3 users)
• Old PC password
• Password for “Good” application
• Password used for everything+1234
• 1234 (4 users)
• 12345 (2 users)
• 0000
• Password I use for everything else (2 users)
• One of my husband’s passwords
• Some old non-Apple product password
• Screen passcode of the first iPhone that was backed up (2 users)
• Old password with different case on first letter
• “password” (2 users)
• Windows Administrator password (2 users)
• Original Windows Administrator password
• Mackbook administrator password
• “iphone”+4 digit unlock code
• Voicemail password
• asd
• “herpderp”
• “darwin” (first name from credit card account)
• First name, all lower case
• Ms Exchange account password
• Facebook password
• Browser password
• Network admin password