Advent PC, Windows Vista
I've just been through this problem however if you're running iOS 5 and you backup to iCloud you can save yourself having to Jailbreak or pay for a brute force password cracker like the one from Elcomsoft.
- When you get to the point that iTunes is asking for your (forgotten) backup password look at your phone.
- Slide the slider on screen to begin setting up as a new device.
- Answer the location services question
- Input a wifi network password if you have wifi available
- Select to 'Restore from iCloud' (see also: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1766)
- Once the phone is setup you can specify you phone lock passcode
- If your iPhone is plugged into your PC/Mac with iTunes on your phone will then begin syncing all of your selected data from iTunes.
- If you're not connected to iTunes it will download purchased content (apps, music, etc via wifi).
So there you go. One very good reason to backup your data to iCloud - even if you have an encrpted backup on your computer.
Elcomsoft worked for me!
I was upgrading my brother-in-law's iPhone to iOS 5, and apparently I'd backed up the phone to my Mac before, and set a password to encrypt it when I did. The iOS 5 upgrade created a backup, but it was encrypted, and we both forgot the password I used. Thankfully, my brother-in-law keeps a spreadsheet with all the passwords he uses for various things. I followed the suggestion to use Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker, and finally recovered the password.
Thank you Elcomsoft!
rbtwrld Is completely correct in that the iPhone backup has a bug that falsely encrypts it. I had the exact same problem, tried for 2 days all of the passwords I've ever used and was pulling my hair out until I found his post. I couldn't believe I had used a password that I couldn't remember nor had written down so went ahead and tried his fix.
Sorry rbtwrld, I was a little skeptical at first but have first-hand experience it truly works and there is a bug that definitely needs to be fixed.
I was upgrading my iPhone's iOS, and the upgrade created a backup, but it was encrypted and I never set it to encrypt. I usually use the same "set" of passwords and numbers. I followed the suggestion to use Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker, and finally recovered the password.
Thank you Elcomsoft!
I posted this earlier -- I had the same problem and did this and it worked!
I was upgrading my iPhone's iOS, and the upgrade created a backup, but it was encrypted and I never set it to encrypt. I usually use the same "set" of passwords and numbers. I followed the suggestion to use Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker, and finally recovered the password.
There are only 2 ways an encryption password can be created:
In either case a backup password had to be entered the first time the phone was backed up after enabling encryption. It actually has to be entered twice for confirmation. After that, even 5 years later, you will not be asked for it again until you want to restore the backup.
The backup password is not your Apple ID password, unless that's the password you entered. And it doesn't have to be a password that you have ever used anywhere else (although most people use a familiar password) or that you use currently. It could be one that you used 5 years ago.
It's also ludicrous to suggest that iTunes "chose" one of your other passwords. That's not how password protection works on a computer. If you enter a password into an app ONLY that app knows the password. I'm including Windows or OS X as an app, BTW. Most apps that have passwords, and all operating systems, do not store the password anywhere. They encypher it using an irreversible process and store the encyphered version. So no other program, even malware, can retrieve it. And certainly not iTunes.
Lawrence Finch wrote:
There are only 2 ways an encryption password can be created:
- You created it. Perhaps accidentally.
- If you have a corporate MS Exchange email account on the phone your account administrator installed a security profile on your phone that required the backup to be encrypted.
In either case a backup password had to be entered the first time the phone was backed up after enabling encryption. It actually has to be entered twice for confirmation. After that, even 5 years later, you will not be asked for it again until you want to restore the backup.
The backup password is not your Apple ID password, unless that's the password you entered. And it doesn't have to be a password that you have ever used anywhere else (although most people use a familiar password) or that you use currently. It could be one that you used 5 years ago.
It's also ludicrous to suggest that iTunes "chose" one of your other passwords. That's not how password protection works on a computer. If you enter a password into an app ONLY that app knows the password. I'm including Windows or OS X as an app, BTW. Most apps that have passwords, and all operating systems, do not store the password anywhere. They encypher it using an irreversible process and store the encyphered version. So no other program, even malware, can retrieve it. And certainly not iTunes.
You are missing point. It makes no sense to require a seperate password for something that most people would probably not use for years. I, like a lot of folks on here, don't even remember setting the password let alone remembering what the actual passward is. Why require a seperate password when we (the users) already have Apple ordained credentials that we constantly use in the company's ecosystem. Wouldn't that belie the simplicity of form and use that apple so ostensibly aspire to? This is my first time attempting to restore a phone in nearly 4 years and it's a very disappointing experience. I'm so annoyed. I'd have ordered an android phone yesterday if I wasn't so terrified of having google anywhere near my family's personal information.
Encrypt Backup Password Problem
