Lost Password to iPhone Backup

The phone didn't have a passcode on it, so maybe there is some mechanism that tells it to produce somebody cloning a phone while the person is in another room.

Seriously?

Let me ask again... how much more proof do those who can't recall putting a password in place need?

It need not have been in those few minutes. It could have been created initially years ago and has been carried forward.

Several users have come back to this thread, telling us they "found" their password after all.

It is accepted that we all forget stuff. I forget stuff. We all do. We are human.

However, when I am told this...

I then take an absurd amount of care to store that password somewhere safe. I was told in no uncertain terms it is my responsibility. "no way" is pretty clear. I don't blow past dialogs of valuable information and warnings. And if I ever do, and I will admit I have... I take responsibility for my actions.

This thread has many accusations of Apple inserting passwords secretly in to iTunes backups without the user's knowledge or permission.

Dustin Hansen wrote:

I think this must be displayed only once, the first time a user performs a backup?

Correct. This is what is displayed:

She performed the backup. And now she can't restore this backup - which she JUST MADE - because it's asking her for a passcode. She has no recollection of ever entering a passcode for her backups. Perhaps she did create one - several years ago. Who knows. Point being: the user should be told when creating a backup that the backup will be locked.

She must have, because that's the only way an encrypted backup can be made.

And, again, it should also be made very clear that this password will be the same forever - which is kind of weird, when you think about it - and can never be changed in the future, or recovered if you forget it. Again, each time a backup is made, it would be better to remind the user about this and ask if they would like to create a new password.

Well, if you think about what the password actually is - it is not a "password" in the usual sense. It is the encryption key for the backup. As a result, it isn't saved anywhere, unless you check "Remember this password in my keychain" when you first set it. As it isn't saved anywhere, there is no way to change it unless you know the password. And no way to recover it, for the same reason. In general cybersecurity protocols specify that no password should ever be recoverable. If you access a site that can tell you what your password was you should cease using that site, as any hacker worth her salt can steal your password.

You CAN change it anytime you want to by clicking the Change Password button, or remove it by unchecking the "Encrypt..." prompt, but again, only if you know the current password:

The reason for all of this security is because it means that no one, not Apple, not a hacker, not someone who stole your phone, not law enforcement, not your ex's lawyer, can recover the contents of your phone or its backup. If there were any way to access the backup or change its password without knowing it all of these people would be able to hack the backup or get a court order to recover the information.

There is one professional tool that can recover the password if you are not in the habit of using strong passwords. I'm not allowed to post a link to it, but it shouldn't be hard to find. It isn't cheap, however, because its target market is law enforcement.

If you are in the habit of reusing passwords, you can start going through them one by one and you will probably be able to guess it. Many people have found that it was an old Apple ID password, or screen unlock password, or domain login password. To speed up the process uncheck "Encrypt password" and you will be prompted immediately, and you get unlimited guesses.

And if you can't the workaround is to use iCloud for your backups. They don't require a password, and they are encrypted.

ADDENDUM: Apple does provide information in the manual and in the knowledge base: About encrypted backups in iTunes - Apple Support

In this tip it says:

There is no way to recover your information or turn off Encrypt Backup if you lose or forget the password.

That probably should be in a more prominent place.

Just keep denying there is a problem. You'll feel better.

Nobody here disputes there is a problem.

What the problem is may be up for debate. A wild conspiracist theory run amok is the problem IMO.

It has been proven beyond any doubt that Apple has not been adding or creating encryption passwords for iTunes backups. This can't be what keeps this inane conversation going. What does is posts like yours, continuing to imply someone else is responsible. Each of those who recalled or reverse-engineered their encryption password(s) came to realize that the password was indeed set by them at some point and being human, they forgot not only the password, but that they created and entered that password in iTunes.

You continue to imply something else. I haven't figured out exactly what. The struggle?

As an aside...you have attacked me personally in this thread.

My upbringing? You have no right to say such stupid things to anybody here in this community.

This was *after* apologizing to me in this same thread. I just don't get it.

What happened to the test you were going to run with your wife's phone?

Once again... I'll agree there is a downside to any process that relies on one's memory so much. To lose access to a backup due to a forgotten password is not pleasant.

But place the responsibility for this squarely where it brings and stop creating the idea that big bad Apple is behind this.

Apple also doesn't tell you that the password will change. As it's the encryption key, it won't change.

Apple assumes a certain level of intelligence in interpreting what you read. This is the password dialog:

You will notice that it says "Enter a password to protect your [iPad|iPhone] backup." Nowhere does it say this password is for any other purpose, or does it say that it has anything to do with any other password.

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!

Apple created a password made from your old iPhone password combinations.

No. Apple did not do this.

Apple will going to put password on your backup for the “safety” of your files.

Again, No.

This was a choice you made. It is not set by Apple or by default. You, or perhaps a corporate employer with an installed profile on your device, made an overt, deliberate choice to set a password for your iTunes backup.

Apple seriously need to resolve these issues.

The issues where users can't recall setting a password? Twice? And then years later believing every conspiracy theory on Google about "who did this?" Not sure how Apple can resolve this issue.

There is no issue to solve. Backups do not get encrypted by themselves, and if you are going to restore a device to a backup, you need to be running the same iOS as the backup or higher in order to do the restore.

You figured out your password, and you updated your device. No issue - simply a matter of getting your stuff into the position it needed to be in to do the setup.

GB

How is it that this same issue has not been resolved by Apple?! it's 2017 and still happening. I use 3 PW and none work....I just want future backups to be unencrypted but I can't uncheck the box without the PW. Apple you guys have got to do something about this ridiculousness!

<Edited by Host>

Can someone explain why it's useful to have an unrecoverable password? All of my other accounts with other companies will give me the opportunity recover a lost password. If I forget the password to my ATM card, my bank doesn't say "sorry, there's no way to get your money now." If I forget the password to my google account, they email me at my other email address or text me on my phone. But if you forget the password for your iPhone backup, (an obscure password most people seem unaware of), then that's it: no iPhone backup. Who does this serve? Are any customers having a better experience because of this feature? Are there any success stories about the time someone almost backed up someone else iPhone but they were foiled because the security so extremely tight? What's the point? Please explain who is helped by a password that cannot ever be recovered by anyone?

As you implied earlier that you have read the entire thread, the answer has been posted many times in the thread. So there's no need to ask again; just review what you read. Along with answers and explanations to each of the other points you raised.

Ok, so you've proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that iTunes is doing what Apple wants it to do.

I think it's abundant clear from seven years of complaints that what Apple want iTunes to do is NOT what Apple customers want iTunes to do.

Was there a point in time when there were a lot iPhone backup hacks and this level of security became necessary?

Same thing just happened to me. My phone wasn’t holding it‘s charge & the techs at the Apple Store didn‘t know why. They suggested I back up my iPhone 6 then use the Restore iPhone in iTunes. I’ve never ticked the Encrypt Backup box or set a password for any backup. I know this because when I now tick the Encrypt Backup the Set Password box appears asking me to select a password & verify it. I backed up (no encryption) then went through the Restore iPhone procedure. When I tried to restore the backup it asked for a password. l’ve tried all the usual passwords to no avail. Without reading 67 pages, is there a way to restore non encrypted data without a password?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Part of the issue here is that the user is not asked to re-enter their password on subsequent backups. Let's assume I did set a password at some point and don't know what it was (although I always use 1 of 3 passwords for local auth and none of those are working so I am suspect of that, perhaps Apple is defaulting to a user account password?). If I haven't backed up in months, iTunes should re-prompt for my backup password. I am absolutely positive that I was not re-prompted for this password despite performing a manual backup over 2 months after the previous backup I made.

I would prefer to see all manual backups require a verification of the password BEFORE making the backup. For most users, iCloud backups will be happening automatically and iTunes backups are a quicker, more secure way to backup prior to switching devices. In these cases, the user will be backing up and restoring from backup on the same day, or the following few days. This is a perfect opportunity to ensure there is no confusion about the password and prevent the user from receiving a new device and being unable to properly restore because of years old passwords.

This seems like a lost cause... this also points out a very major flaw in apples philosophy. the accidental encryption of our Iphone to our computer causing this problem needs a solution that is still highly secure... such as proof of Government ID, security questions, itunes information on viewing things that can be matched to our profile. To lose in my case over 10 years worth of notes and shortcuts to my livlihood (book author) has me appauled. I am furious that Apple has not created a highly secure work around for this problem.

donholbrook wrote:

This seems like a lost cause... this also points out a very major flaw in apples philosophy. the accidental encryption of our Iphone to our computer causing this problem needs a solution that is still highly secure... such as proof of Government ID, security questions, itunes information on viewing things that can be matched to our profile. To lose in my case over 10 years worth of notes and shortcuts to my livlihood (book author) has me appauled. I am furious that Apple has not created a highly secure work around for this problem.

"Accidental" encryption? How is typing in a selected password not once, but twice an accident? I'm appalled that, as a book author, you don't know how appalled is spelled. Look at the list of possible passwords you may have typed in to see if you can find your valuable work. It must be worth the effort for you to try to figure out what you might have used, even if you initially set up that encryption 5 or 6 years ago.

Where were these notes being kept? What app?

Cheers,

GB