Lost Password to iPhone Backup

I have the same problem. The weird thing is that I installed iTune on my new Windows 10 laptop, and after plugging in iPhone, it didn't even ask for a password and then started backup with the encrypted setting.The only password I have ever entered into iTune is my apple ID and the corresponding password. But this password does not work.

I browsed some older post, someone was saying it might be a default 1234 or the lock screen password, but neither one worked. Any other ideas on how to reset the backup and disable encrypted setting?

The only weird thing is that you don't remember setting a backup password. You did. That is the only way the backup will be encrypted. The fact that you have enabled encrypted backup is "known" to the phone, so no matter what computer you back it up to the backup will always be encrypted with the password that you entered the first time you backed up after checking Encrypt Backup. If you have a company phone, or one with a company email address, the encryption requirement may have been forced on you by your administrator, but you still entered a password the first time you backed up.

Lawrence,

Thanks for your reply. But I know what I did.

I installed iTune last night, then started backup this morning. The only password ever required (or as a prompt) is my personal Apple ID and the password when I first started iTune. I started the backup just 1 hour ago before I post my message, so if I entered any password, I would remember :-) My computer is a personal computer, so there is no enforced company policy on it.

Anyway, I am trying to uninstall iTune now and clean up all related folders and re-install it to see what happens. It is fortunate that I am just trying the backup first before I switch phone, so nothing is really lost or unrecoverable yet.

Best,

HJ

Yes, that is right.

More follow-up on my tests:

- I uninstalled iTune and make sure the folder C:/program files/iTunes is completely gone. Also deleted AppData/Apple Computer/Roaming and AppData/Apple Comptuer/Local completely to make sure no old data is lingering around

- re-installed iTune.

- This time, I did not even bother to sign into iTunes store, so no apple ID or password entered. To prevent auto-backup, I prevented the auto-sync in the "Device" tab in the preferences.

- plugged in my phone, no auto backup is happening, and go to the device page, Alas, the "Enrypt iPhone Backup" box is ticked. When I try to un-check it, it is asking for a password that I really never entered.

- Tried my computer's log-in code, does not work; tried the lock screen password again, not working; tried apple ID password, not working; have a second apple ID, so tried its password as well not work; 1234/123456/000000 not working. Now I used up all the password that has anything to do with my iPhone or computer, I would want to try finger print, but unfortunately nowhere to enter it :-) stuck here now...

- I suspect it might be related to some setting on the phone given that I did not enter any password before plugging in phone, will look around ...

- tried to play with the check box for backup, the "This Computer" option is ticked by default. Latest Backup for this option is "Your iphone has never been backed up to this computer". Now if I tick "iCloud", the latest Backup is shown as "2015-10-13, .... to iCloud". I suspect this might be the problem. iTune might be using the password I used to backup to iCloud two years ago. I disabled iCloud backup since then because the iCloud space is really small. Now trying to remember, what iCloud password I had two years ago, could be different from the one I am using now, but only God can help me to remember it :-((((

It is definitely some bug. So my iPhone 6s died, that's another story. Got a new iPhone 7. Came home, went direct to a restore at menu, the setup menu. password fail. I know the password, have it saved in an encrypted app(pwsafe). Freak out, try a slew of passwords that I use, basically variations, then home screen lock password, apple account pin, apple account password. I give up. Setup iPhone as new. I noted the sw version was old, prompted for updating the iPhone. After update, in iTunes i choose a restore. My first and recorded password works! My itunes was at latest version, the new phone was older....

Anyway, not sure if that was it. Or not. There were a few disconnects/reconnects.

Oh and the prior evening, my phone screen and audio were dead, and I tried a restore-same orginal passwrd used worked there so I KNEW (2x based on working and my recording of said password in pwsafe) i had the correct password.

Super annoying, and I want the 30 minutes back and 30 minutes of freak out stress that was avoidable taken back as well.

Try the iPhone's passcode. I tried everything all of my ID passwords but it never came to me mind the us the iPhone's passcode. and it worked!!! if you know the password now just uncheck the encrypt backup option and you'll be done!

This is very weird because I honestly don't remember putting a password to lock my back up. I made a LONG list of possible passwords that could maybe work. NONE of them worked. I tried all of them again just in case. Nothing worked. Then I tried leaving my phone unlocked while entering the PWs. I tried all my passwords again. Oddly enough, I was able to decrypt the iPhone back up with the password I use to unlock my laptop!! What?! I know for a fact that I have NEVER used this password for any app, phone, email, nothing, just and only my laptop! Then I backed up my phone again without the encryption. I really hope this works for those who have this issue. Apple needs to fix this now!

Ok. I have had this problem too. I spent 2 hours sorting this. Firstly, go to the most recent backup WITHOUT encryption.

Then backup.

Download everything again.

Voila! It works!

I dont know if it will for you. But it did for me 😉

had this problem too and was banging head against wall. i did not choose to set any password as far as i remember.

anyway, i found my solution: it was the computer password (my user password on my mac) on my previous computer, which the phone at some point must have sync'd with. it was not AppleID pw or iPhone unlock code. hope that helps.

Mustafa Uyar wrote:

I am 100% sure that you DID create a password, and just forgot that you did. Technologically it is impossible for iTunes to enter a password for you, as the password does not exist in any unencrypted form on your computer. Probably a password prompt came up when you made a backup, and you naturally entered the first password that came to mind without reading the dialog carefully.

HI AT THE SAME FASHION I WAS ALMOST MAD ABOUT DE PASSWORD BACKUP RESTORE MY IPHONE 5, I'VE TRIED ALL PASSWORDS, ALL BUT NONE OF THOSE WORKS FOR ME. I DID SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP YOU. RUN ITUNES AS ADMINITRATOR THEN CREATE (ENCRYP IPHONE BACKUP) PASSWORD AND GOOD IT WORKS FOR ME. AFTER THAT I COULD RESTORE THE BACKUP FOR MY IPHONE 5

Wow, so many people having the same problem for several years! I found my solution from Rakso's reply on 2/14/13...the clue was to try a password that I used way back when I first bought the phone. That was a couple of years ago but it worked for me.

Thanks, unclefungus. I'd totally forgotten about the Wi Fi–USB conflict. I turned off Wi Fi on my Mac, unplugged the Lightning cable from the iPhone, plugged it back in, and iTunes automatically started restoring the backup. Thanks for helping restore my phone, and my sanity!

Almost 80% of the people here are saying that they didn't create any password while taking the backup. Then how can they forget it?

I took the backup of my brother's phone and didn't enter any password and I really trust my memory. Because I tried to restore everything in my iphone just after few minutes and it started asking for password. Million times I tried all my passwords that are possible, tried the data unlocker software but they are asking for $199 which I can't give them.

Its been 4 days, I'm trying every evening after work to see if something can work. Because I lost all data of my brother's phone and don't want him to suffer for this stupid ****.
Offcourse apple support can't help you because even the people sitting there are not that qualified and techy guys to help you in anyway. They're just given a list of instructions to follow when any customer asks for any query. And this was told by your apple customer support guy (so I'm not faking it).

Really you guys are coming with so many advancements and can't solve a single problem of 40% of your customers. Then what are you charging a bomb from us for?