Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
If I have to remove and reinstall iTunes (because it's not working properly), will my old encrypted iPhone backup files still be restoreable/usable in the newly-installed iTunes? In other words, is the encryption key in iTunes software or elsewhere (e.g. in the encrypted backup file or on iPhone device)?
iPhone XS, iOS 13
The key is stored on the device. The backups should work, however if you are running Windows 10 and switch from the Microsoft Store version of iTunes to the older iTunes64Setup.exe installer from apple.com it is unlikely the backups will still be shown. See Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support to see where the two versions store the data. It may be possible to move the files from one path to the other in order to reveal them in whichever version you have installed.
Given the number of threads I've seen where people find they cannot access an encrypted backup when the time comes you might want to backup to iCloud in addition to iTunes to give yourself an alternative recovery route.
tt2
The key is stored on the device. The backups should work, however if you are running Windows 10 and switch from the Microsoft Store version of iTunes to the older iTunes64Setup.exe installer from apple.com it is unlikely the backups will still be shown. See Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support to see where the two versions store the data. It may be possible to move the files from one path to the other in order to reveal them in whichever version you have installed.
Given the number of threads I've seen where people find they cannot access an encrypted backup when the time comes you might want to backup to iCloud in addition to iTunes to give yourself an alternative recovery route.
tt2
Nothing in particular comes to mind regarding the sync issues, but you might want to look at my tip on Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates - Apple Community for advice on the reinstall. Direct links to the most recent builds of iTunes are now at the very bottom of the page.
tt2
Many thanks for your quick reply. I learnt from you that the encryption key is stored on the iPhone and not in iTunes software, so now I am more relaxed about uninstalling iTunes. I am on Windows 10, but I downloaded the iTunes from Apple site many many years ago (and have simply used PC-to-PC Windows transfers to get it on my new PCs). I have about 30 iTunes backup files (relating to 4-6 various iPhone devices), and I have renamed all of them and stored them on an external hard disk. I will be reinstalling iTunes because of long/standing issues that Apple Support has been unable to resolve during past couple of years. Those issues include: (a) long syncing (and often failed) process; (b) when you want to add just a handful of new photos from iPhone to PC, iTunes often takes off several hundred or thousand from device for no apparent reason (today I went down from 19,000 to 13,000, so now I have to spend time reloading them!), and (c) iTunes doers not sync/transfer all selected media files from PC to device (despite all files being in compliant formats). Hence after two years, I think now's the time to reinstall iTunes. I don't think any of what I just said changes your original answer, so don't feel obliged to respond (unless of course you think of a better way of troubleshooting the iTunes issues that I listed. Thank you!
Thank you, I will refer to your article prior to losing my whole Sunday on a full removal /reinstall process.
You're welcome. 🙂
Shouldn't take you that long.
tt2
Do old encrypted iTunes iPhone backup files still work on newly-installed iTunes or on other PCs?
