Encrypt Backup Password Problem

Hi Lawrence,

Hope you're still monitoring this old thread, which began in 2009.

I'm having the same problem, and I placed a call to AppleCare two days ago -- the problem was that the iPhone 4S (IOS 9.2) was not backing up to iCloud, ever. Even attempting a manual backup to iCloud failed part way through the backup procedure.

The Apple tech believed the problem was somehow corruption in either IOS in an earlier version or in one of my Apps. She firmly believed that the problem was a software issue.

My laptop is a MacBook, running OS 10.11.2, and that's where iTunes is running. I rarely use iTunes for backing up the iPhone or iPad, though at one time I did use iTunes on my Wiindows computer several years ago, before iCloud existed. The hard drive on that Windows computer failed, so whatever was there is locked up forever.

Back to current time. The Apple tech had me look through the iCloud Keychain, looking for a password associated with either "iPhone" or "iTunes". Neither entry exists in the Keychain listing, which is a mystery to me. How then can iTunes insist on the password when one doesn't exist in the iCloud Keychain?

The though occurs to me that if there were such a password or passcode, there must be an entry in the iCloud Keychain for "iPhone", but there is not.

Any thoughts on this?

Jerry

Hello MrWheels,

I just purchased a new iphone6 yesterday and struggled trying to remember my iTunes encryption password for my 4s. I tried encryption software crackers, tried to punch in every old password I knew, installing iTunes on other computers and nothing would work for me.

In the end I purchased an extra 50gb of data on the icloud ($1) and backed my 4s up to that. It failed the first time but I ran it a second time and it worked. The estimated time said something like 17 minutes on my phone but it took an hour at least.

I was able to then reset up my new Iphone 6 and set it up as a new device and restore it from the cloud with my backed up 4s info.

I have just recently cancelled my extra 50gbs storage on the cloud and backed up my iphone 6 using iTunes (with no encryption!)

I now have all my apps, emails, pics, etc from my 4s on my 6.

cra65 wrote:

This just happened when working on an iPad for someone in my office. I performed a backup and did not realize encryption was turned on. After upgrading their iOS I tried to perform a restore but was prompted for a password. I tried many of the suggestions found here to restore backup password ; 1234, my password, the 4-digit unlock code of the device, the apple ID password for the person who owns the iPad etc. What finally worked was . . . wait for it . . . . password. Yep, that good old standby "password". Hope this works for someone else and saves you an hour (or more) of pulling out your hair.

You are lucky enough to finally got the password. For those who can't remember the right password, it will be a disaster.

SOLUTION FOUND!

I was experiencing the same baffling problem as described throughout this thread -- none of my iTunes or Passcodes worked to my extreme chagrin. I was trying to export all my iMessages to free up space; couldn't export because my encryption password was "incorrect." I couldn't change it without knowing the original encryption password -- nothing worked...

Turns out in my case I had to input my COMPUTER'S password -- the user password I use to login to my mac. THAT password was what the encryption password was -- not my iTunes password, not my iPhone's four digit passcode. I was so excited, I wanted to share. Hope this works for some of you!

Hello!

I understand that you are having problems with your encripted backup i had the same problem on my iPad Mini 3 Wifi and i solved my problem!

1. Uninstall iTunes ( on you idevice )

2. go into Settings-General-Reset-Erase All Content and Settings. ( warning backup your device first ) This wont update

3.when restore completed reinstall itunes and DONT login your backup shouldnt be encripted

4. enjoy 😎

If This Dosnt Work Or You Have Any Questions Please Email Me At *************

Thanks!

<Email Edited by Host>

It could still be using an old password that was used at the time of back-up to encrypt. I found the correct password for iTunes back up by going into my Keychain Access - thankfully, I had saved the password there (you can right click the entry in key chain access and choose copy password to clipboard)

Guys, I had the same problem and found the fix.

Apparantly, the issues is backup over wi-fi. I had my phone connected to iTunes over wi-fi and when I checked the encrypt iPhone backup I got this error.

Close iTunes, Open iTunes again and connect your phone with USB to the computer.

Now, after the phone finish backing up automatically I was able to use this option and set a password with no problem.

I wish they would just mention that this feature cannot be set while on wi-fi...

Hi 1006jws,

I'm interested in your solution. Could you possibly give a more detailed step by step guide.

I understand resetting the device but are you also talking about removing itunes from the computer.

This would be a great help. Thanks again for posting this.

I just had the same issue trying to set-up the iPhone 7 for the wife. I can confirm that there seems to be some sort of bug because we never set her backups to encrypted. I tried all the passwords we could think of, none worked. What did work though was an old PIN that she used to unlock a previous iPhone. Try all of your old PIN's!

Hope this helps.

whilst this is an aged discussion, just wanted to thank OzoneARC, elcomsoft and Lawrence Finch (see other threads re itunes backup issues). Tried this option with a txt file of my known history of passwords, + elcomsoft's trial version of phone password breaker, and it worked a treat after a little trial and error.

Saved my day!!!!!! made a backup yesterday, got new iphone 7+ today, couldn't access my encripted backup due to password not correct. I kept entering my itunes password, and variations of it that I KNEW were not right, got nowhere. Then read your post after reading many incorrect solutions and tried it... success!!!! entered my iphone passcode. I AM SO RELIEVED!

THANKS!

Hi,

trying to go from a 5s to a 7, never set a password.....

tried all I could think of, nothing worked.

I even trying making a new back up to another computer but it will not let me do it with out the encryption, I can not use Icloud back up do to this option being turned off by the office. now did not have this issue going from my 4, to a 5 or to the 5s.

Just to check, this will not happen if I restore from Icloud?

I just wanted to get this done to give my 5s to my 8 year old tomorrow but guess it will have to wait.

Bummer

any help out there that I missed?

I'm having the exact same problem and believe the problem stems from 'encrypt' being set as default ON when in fact, it should have been default OFF and allow us as users to decide. I too have tried every password I can find that I've ever used with Apple and nothing works. At a minimum, a user should be able to SHUT OFF encryption protection for future backups but I can't even do that which makes me question how I might EVER successfully do a restore, should that need arise.

I, as well, am having major issues here.

iPhone 6+ iOS 10.2.1, backed up on iTunes 12.5.4.42

Encrypted iPhone backup was NOT selected

Went to the Apple Store because my girlfriend & I were having performance issues with our phones (she has iPhone 6). Both our phones were reset, the only difference was her phone wasn't updated with the newest iOS version, and her iTunes was not the newest version, either.

Get back home, we both go to restore our phones. Hers restores no problem. Mine says there's a password, come to find out its encrypted. I NEVER selected encrypted, plus I brought my macbook to the Apple store and the guy was perplexed. He tried telling me it was the profile installed on my computer for work. Well, both our phones had the same work profile installed, and she did not have any issues.

I've literally tried every password I could possibly think of. I looked in to several of the programs mentioned in this thread, but they are not MacOSx compatible. I looked online how to copy the backup to a PC, but then I saw somewhere about photos not being moved when you do that because of Apple's copyright policy (or something like that). The photos are most important, I can download all the apps and do that.

I'm pretty much at a loss. And to make things worse, when I was in the Apple store w/ my Macbook, the guy somehow made the Encrypt iPhone backup option CHECKED permanently since I don't have the password. I have no idea how he did this, nor does he.

If anyone has any other ideas for me, I would loveeeeeeee to hear them!

It's had this problem after updating iTune, I have never turned on encrypt backup. I uninstalled iTunes and reinstalled it again and yet I still had encrypt backup on. After reading some of the comments I tried the 1234 password listed in the replies and that worked for me, it is just horrible that the encrypt file is auto on now, and they don't even give you the option anymore.