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iPad Backup Encryption Password Nightmare

I am having a bad time with trying to ensure that my future iPad backups are not encrypted. I have never told iTunes to encrypt my backups. iTunes has done this automatically and without my knowledge. A significant number of people online (and on this site) have noted that they also feel that iTunes has done this without their knowledge.

I do NOT want to recover previous backups I only want to create new backups which are unencrypted so I can be sure that I will be able to restore my iPad without being asked for a password I did not enter, but apparently until I input the aforementioned password (whatever the **** iTunes has decided that should be) it won't let me uncheck the "encrypt" box on the device summary page to do this.

As part of the advice I received from the Apple tech I deleted all my historic backups (unencrypted and the last which was encrypted) and tried recreating a new one. This was also encrypted.

Due to the fact I am running iTunes on Windows I cannot access keychain and so recover the password.

Apparently the password is NOT:

My current PIN,

My current windows admin password (I thought this would be unlikely but it was the Apples phone tech's advice so I thought I would try it)

ANY 4 digit number or combination of such (had to run Elcomsoft iPhone password cracker to determine)

ANY word in the English language with minimal mutation (again courtesy of Elcomsoft)

So basically unless I want to run a comprehensive brute force attack on the backup to determine the password (Elcomsofts excellent iPhone password cracker calculates resolution within the next 153 years) then my only other option is to lose a lot of data and more of my precious hairline.

As mainly a PC user I want a proper solution to the issue and not some guff about wiping my iPad and its data. Hopefully someone from their software devs will admit that iTunes does this so they can tell me what the default password should be. Although I rather believe that my post will more likely find itself censored or deleted.

Sent from (Apple's pwns) My iPad.

iPad

Posted on May 14, 2011 4:32 PM

Top-ranking reply

Lawrence Finch

Level 10

212,534 points

Posted on May 15, 2011 1:07 PM

Tom_Cheltenham_UK wrote:

I am having a bad time with trying to ensure that my future iPad backups are not encrypted. I have never told iTunes to encrypt my backups. iTunes has done this automatically and without my knowledge. A significant number of people online (and on this site) have noted that they also feel that iTunes has done this without their knowledge.

What is a "significant number?" In almost 4 years my iPhone backup has never been encrypted against my will by iTunes. With 100 million phones a significant number would be over a million. The few messages posted about this are likely from people who chose to encrypt the backup at some time in the past and forgot they did so. You only have to do it once; you don't have to reaffiirm with each backup.

View in context

80 replies

Oct 16, 2015 8:58 AM in response to daveednyc

UPDATE: Appears that Elcomsoft is now available for Mac.

jlswin

Level 1

0 points

Nov 10, 2015 8:36 AM in response to daveednyc

How can I turn off iTunes backup encryption?

I do have my password but the check box is grey out, it doesn’t let me check or uncheck the box!

What should I do?

Thank you

Nov 10, 2015 7:17 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Mr Finch, Your response reminded me of the Iraqi general who held the press conference to tell the world that "The Americans are not in Baghdad..." as U.S. flagged M1 Tanks drive past in the back ground. Obviously there is a problem with THE SOFTWARE, and it is rather embarrassing and disappointing that your response was devoid of anything sensible. It is pretty clear from the content of his post that Mr. Cheltenham is not a Novice and did a fair amount of work to resolve the issue before seeking help. I have an iphone 6 plus, ipad Mini1, and a Macbook Pro. I had an appointment today at the Apple store to repair my iPhone6+ camera. So last night I connected it to the Macbook to back it up. I used the Macbook to avoid the Windows-Hater EXCUSE brigade. Neither of the mobile devices has ever been connected to the Macbook, as was indicated in the itunes backup screen. I conducted the back up with encryption selected but was NOT asked to set a password. As a result, I was unable to access the back up file. Luckily I didn't need it for the iphone after the repair. I asked the APPLE Technician today and he said it was a "Common Problem" and suggested trying old passwords but said there is no reliable solution. I picked up my new Mini4 at the same appointment. So when I got home I backed up my iPad Mini1 with the intention of using the back up file to setup the new ipad M4. iTunes did the exact same thing, it did NOT ask me to set up a password, but when I tried to restore to my new iPad I was unable to do so because I don't know the password set by itunes. I have a log of all my past and present passwords in KeePass and tried them all without success.

Since last night, I have found hundreds of complaints about the exact same thing going back many years, As would you if you bothered to check before pretending this doesn't happen. We don't need excuses or a Password Recovery solution, We NEED APPLE to fix a software bug that has obviously been a problem for several years. We paid a premium price for Apple products and should get something for our money...and I don't mean your kind of "Help"

Although it has been about 4 years since your initial post about this, I still don't see a solution. I assume you will still be monitoring and hopefully have acknowledged that this is NOT a Windows Conspiracy...maybe even worked to find a viable solution? or maybe you could tell me if YOU at least used your "Level 7" powers to contact Apple and ask them to repair this Software Bug? Hopefully someone can respond with a solution that doesn't involve JB, and not just a Cheerleader Routine....Real Help will be appreciated.

Nov 23, 2015 9:19 AM in response to Tom_Cheltenham_UK

Whoever made iTunes for Windows should be shot.

Really.

I just installed iTunes to make a backup from my old iPad2, and transfer it to the new Air2. And it's encrypted.

Who had the bright idea to automatically encrypt the backup, not asking the user, not using user profile password, not AppleID password, but Windows User PIN code?

***? Why is there absolutely no question? Why do I have to spend half an hour googling for a solution?

Come on guys, as soon as my new toy is working, I'm deleting iTunes, maybe even reinstalling Windows to fully and absolutely get rid of it. Last time (2 years ago) it killed my Win8, when I plugged in the iPad Win went BSOD. Now this encryption bullsh.t

iPad is great, iOS is great, but whatever you do for Windows is... are you deliberately punishing us Win users?

tvmaster

Level 1

24 points

Nov 23, 2015 12:44 PM in response to cszolee79

I had this happen to me as well. I believe I just ignored it by clicking cancel. But if that doesn't work, I also had a VPN service installed, and it had to be uninstalled before iTunes would allow the backup, due to a conflict in security certificates I believe. Once I had done that, the backup went ahead.

iPad Backup Encryption Password Nightmare