Lost Password to iPhone Backup

Yes, initially. Subsequent encrypted backups from the same backup chain are allowed without a password. So when you go to backup your iPhone 7 while the last encrypted backup you did was in 2011 with a password of whotheheckknowswhat, it uses that same password from 6yrs ago. If it forced you to re-enter that password for the latest backup, users would at least know they messed up and be able to find another option (iCloud). Instead users go on thinking their backup is accessible while restoring their devices only to come back to a backup they cannot access.

riptide30 wrote:

Yes, initially. Subsequent encrypted backups from the same backup chain are allowed without a password. So when you go to backup your iPhone 7 while the last encrypted backup you did was in 2011 with a password of whotheheckknowswhat, it uses that same password from 6yrs ago.

Except that the iPhone 7, in order to have that same encrypted password associated with its backup, would have to have been set up from that backup. Which means that you would have had to know that password to even set up the iPhone 7 in the first place.

If you had set it up as a new device, then the backup for that device would not be encrypted unless you selected Encrypted when you backed it up the first time. That would have required you to set the password at that time.

Cheers,

GB

Thats not how it works... It happened to me I know first hand. I lost my iPhone 7 backup. I started with an encrypted backup from an iPhone 4 then used iCloud backups for iPhone 5 and 6 then did an encrypted iTunes backup on my 7 as I was out of space in iCloud. It did not ask or say I would need a password to use my backup before allowing me to back it up. Had it asked me to enter the password that I didnt know - I would have updated my iCloud storage and said goodbye to iTunes backups (which I did anyway).

riptide30 wrote:

Yes, initially. Subsequent encrypted backups from the same backup chain are allowed without a password. So when you go to backup your iPhone 7 while the last encrypted backup you did was in 2011 with a password of whotheheckknowswhat, it uses that same password from 6yrs ago. If it forced you to re-enter that password for the latest backup, users would at least know they messed up and be able to find another option (iCloud). Instead users go on thinking their backup is accessible while restoring their devices only to come back to a backup they cannot access.

OK, let's follow through with what that means. If it forced you to enter the same password every time you backed up I can just see the posts here:

Darn this #$^*&^%$ iTunes! Why does it make me enter my password every time I back up? It knows the password, so why is it asking. What was Apple thinking?! APPLE, ARE YOU LISTENING?

Plus, it disables an important feature - automatic backups when the phone is asleep, connected to power and WiFi. While many people (me included) use this feature to back up to iCloud, it also works to back up to your computer if it is on.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Plus, it disables an important feature - automatic backups when the phone is asleep, connected to power and WiFi. While many people (me included) use this feature to back up to iCloud, it also works to back up to your computer if it is on.

I use an encrypted backup to iTunes (computer) because I want my health data backed up. I get no automatic backups. I have to enter iTunes application and command a backup or a sync (which always starts with a backup). iPhone-7/IOS 3.3, iMac ElCapitan 10.11.6.

I suspect you have some other problem, between this and the fact that you said you can't back up over WiFi. I can do both; I regularly back up with encryption over WiFi manually, and I have tested automatic backup over WiFi (I normally back up to iCloud automatically and to iTunes manually). You cannot restore a backup over WiFi; the Restore button is grayed out. Restore only works via USB cable.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

...and the fact that you said you can't back up over WiFi.

I don't remember ever saying that and, if I did, I certainly didn't mean to. I do remember stating that my S.O.P. is to back up over WiFi. I almost never use a cable for backup.

I did state that any attempt to change the password over WiFi will result in the bogus "incorrect password" message. I have found that I must use a cable to change the password.

razenkov55 wrote:

That was PASSWORD FROM MY MACBOOK!

Yes, that's what you entered when you were prompted for a backup password. Look at my post, right above yours. It lists some of the passwords that users who guess their backup password found it to be.

This happened to me yesterday and it took me hours to figure it out. I had moved from a Mac to a Windows computer last year, and I was thinking that it would be my log in password for iTunes. What actually worked was my log in password for my old Mac.

Jeffro_C wrote:

This happened to me yesterday and it took me hours to figure it out. I had moved from a Mac to a Windows computer last year, and I was thinking that it would be my log in password for iTunes. What actually worked was my log in password for my old Mac.

That's perfectly logical. It will ALWAYS be the password that you entered when prompted for your backup encryption password. You entered it twice, and you chose to enter your Mac login password. It never changes, unless you explicitly check the "Change Password" box. Then you must first enter the password that you entered originally.

Whew! This was a frustrating one. I continue to be mystified by how troublesome it is to do a simple restore from backup on an iPhone. I just had a different issue with my wife's iPhone 7 that took a couple of hours to sort out.

Tonight I had the issue described repeatedly here. Mine was: backed up old 6S Plus so I could plug in new 8 Plus and restore from that fresh backup.

I ultimately found the password to be my iTunes password at the time of the very first backup of the 6S Plus. What I think goes on, and why none of us remember setting a password, is when we set it up we didn't realize we were setting up a password for the backup (and all backups to follow apparently?!) I believe what many of us thought was the system was asking for our iTunes password! I also found this only worked with my phone unlocked.

What a steaming pile of garbage!

My phone was never backed up. I had to do the backup for my new phone so I never set any password. But now it wants a password so the high level responders on here don’t k I was much as they think they do!

1. Iphone 6S never backed up (screen shows this fact)

2. Backup 6s and NO prompt for a password

3. Plug in 8s for restore of information

4. Request password

98 pages of people with this issue, not all of them are idiots like some on here State! There’s an issue that needs fixed!

saxplayer8 wrote:

I know I didn’t set a password this morning and it is asking for a password. There is a serious problem with this process!

Passwords are not set by magic. There's nothing wrong with "the process." If you didn't do it, someone with access to your iPhone did it.

There is one way that Encrypt Backup can be checked without you doing it - if you have a company MS Exchange account on your phone the account administrator can install a security profile that requires encrypted backups. But you still would be prompted for a password.

Hello, so this problem also happened to me. But firstly, I want to say my horrific situation. I had an iPhone 6 Plus and upgraded to iPhone 8 Plus. I backed up my 6 to my PC. After buying the 8 I went to my laptop opened iTunes and hit Restore Backup. Then suddenly it was asking for a password for the backup. I was surprised. I didn’t make any password for the backup. After googling some answers it appears that so many people are having the same problem. Apple will going to put password on your backup for the “safety” of your files. Apple created a password made from your old iPhone password combinations. So my suggestion is to try to remember your pasts passwords and list them down and cross out whatever didn’t work until you hit the right one. After I got the right password combination then it says that my backup was corrupted. I was losing my **** Then after googling this issue again it appears that you should update your new phone that you’re going to restore to the newst iOS version. Then after that, restore should start. Hope this helps. Apple seriously need to resolve these issues.

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