User profile for user: dunno4
dunno4 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

How to recover photos, contacts, and other data from an encrypted backup after an unrecoverable error during iOS update on iPhone 15?

Hello all,

I recently updated my iPhone 15 from iOS 18.2 (I believe) to 26.2.1 using the Apple Devices app on my Windows 11 (22H2) desktop computer. Before this, I made an encrypted backup using Apple Devices (important: I was not asked for a password for this backup). The backup completed successfully and I then went about updating my iPhone. About 3/4 of the way through, Apple Devices gives me an error (I did not screenshot unfortunately, but the error code was something involving a network configuration issue) and my phone is stuck on the Apple logo, with the progress bar about 75%. I tried unplugging and re-plugging it in, checking drivers, checking whether Apple Devices was up to date, and disabled my firewall temporarily. No dice. I booted it into recovery mode and Apple Devices recognized it as an iPhone and I was able to restore it with a fresh 26.2.1 install. However, when I attempted to restore it from the backup I made, it got through wiping my iPhone and then asked me for the backup's password. I have tried all of my recent and non-recent passwords and all of the passwords I can think that I would have used for this (Apple ID password, email password, standard password, phone PIN, old phone PIN, other email accounts' passwords, old passwords for all of the above) and was unable to restore it from a backup, and this again left my phone in the recovery state, which I was able to restore it with a fresh 26.2.1 install.


Where I am now:

My iPhone has most of my apps back and I am signed in to all of my important things.

However, I am missing all of my photos that were in the backup as well as my Contacts list and other things in the backup. These things are not available in iCloud.


Software used:

Apple Devices 1.4.6.87 (1.1030.22273.0)

Windows 11 (22H2) Pro

iPhone 15, previously running iOS 18.2 I believe, now running iOS 26.2.1

Official Apple USB-C to USB-C cable, if that makes a difference


What I am doing now:

I am attempting to restore my iPhone from a backup on my laptop


Any advice would be appreciated.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: iPhone 15/Apple Devices/Windows 11 backup+iOS update - Unrecoverable error while updating turns into iPhone being wiped


iPhone 15, iOS 26

Posted on Feb 5, 2026 10:49 AM

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User profile for user: KiltedTim
KiltedTim
User level: Level 10
228,240 points

Posted on Feb 5, 2026 10:55 AM

So to boil this down to the actual problem...


You don't know the password for your encrypted backup.


Is that correct?


The good news is, you get unlimited tries.


When you first enabled encrypted backups, you were prompted to set a password.

The only exception to this is if encrypted backups are being enforced by a management policy pushed by your employer or school either using an MDM or because you have set up a corporate Exchange email account on the device.


In the latter case, try your Exchange password.


If that doesn't work, you're just going to have to brute force guess your password until you get it right.

If you can't do that, the data is effectively gone.

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User profile for user: KiltedTim
KiltedTim
User level: Level 10
228,240 points

Feb 5, 2026 10:55 AM in response to dunno4

So to boil this down to the actual problem...


You don't know the password for your encrypted backup.


Is that correct?


The good news is, you get unlimited tries.


When you first enabled encrypted backups, you were prompted to set a password.

The only exception to this is if encrypted backups are being enforced by a management policy pushed by your employer or school either using an MDM or because you have set up a corporate Exchange email account on the device.


In the latter case, try your Exchange password.


If that doesn't work, you're just going to have to brute force guess your password until you get it right.

If you can't do that, the data is effectively gone.

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User profile for user: dunno4
dunno4 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Feb 5, 2026 11:34 AM in response to KiltedTim

Not the encryption bug. The error while updating from Apple Devices. Attached is a screenshot of the error I got while restoring the phone. A different error occurred while updating but it was a similar network error code. These are the errors that caused me to have to restore the phone and resulted in the phone being wiped.

I am not sure if this error could be related to the cable I was using, but I tried with two different cables and ports on my desktop, and this error was inconsistent between the two cables.

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How to recover photos, contacts, and other data from an encrypted backup after an unrecoverable error during iOS update on iPhone 15?

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