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Sep 26, 2016 11:12 AM in response to RichArtLoveby javaliga,FWIW, I have read on these forums that people who swear they didn't set an iTunes backup password have found out that simply hitting "Enter" at the password prompt worked for them. In any case, you do get an unlimited number of tries at guessing the iTunes encryption password. Worth a try!
As this article says:
About encrypted backups in iTunes - Apple Support
There is no way to recover your information or turn off Encrypt Backup if you lose or forget the password.
The only workaround to "remove" the encryption (without knowing the password) is something like this:
1. Backup to iCloud.
2. Then erase the phone.
3. Then backup to iTunes as an unencrypted backup. (In a sense, you are creating an empty iTunes backup - but now it is unencrypted.)
4. Then restore from the iCloud backup.
5. Finally, backup to iTunes again. (Now you have an unencrypted backup in iTunes.)
Before (or after step 1 above) on your phone, go to:
Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage > Manage Storage (under ICLOUD) > [Your Phone] (under BACKUPS)
and make sure the "Latest Backup" has a recent date/time and the "Backup Size" seems reasonable. Do not follow the above procedure until you confirm this or you stand to lose everything. Otherwise, the only way to turn off backup encryption on your device is to erase your device and set up as new. Erasing removes all data from your device.
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Sep 26, 2016 11:49 AM in response to javaligaby RichArtLove,Thanks! What a long bizarre trip just to get back to zero (once again!).
I've had so many problems with Apple procedures & policies that for years I've used blatant profanities for my Apple passwords (they're hard to forget), and switched back to PC computer systems. It seems clear that iTunes is an unreasonably inelegant (clunky) program that all iPhone users are forced to deal with.
I'll give your fix suggestion a try. Cheers...
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Sep 26, 2016 12:06 PM in response to javaligaby RichArtLove,PS Hitting enter is impossible -
The encryption box is checked (not by me) and demands a password to be undone to use iCloud backup, so this entire 'fix' workaround will still result in an encrypted backup - that requires a password that I never created. Stuck...:-(
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Sep 30, 2016 10:59 AM in response to RichArtLoveby turingtest2,You can create an iCloud backup on the device from Settings > iCloud > Backup.
What isn't entirely clear is if the process of backing up to iCloud and restoring actually removes the encryption requirement when it comes to backing up to iTunes. I haven't personally tested. I suggest trying your Apple ID password and past versions of it in case you inadvertently entered it in response to a request for a password when backing up.
tt2