Q: Lost Password to iPhone Backup

mgmurphy122 wrote:

 

I'm thinking there was a glitch because I had never used the password to actually lock my phone before.

The backup password and the passcode to lock the phone have absolutly no relation to each other.

This was odd. After an update on my 4s, I got the restore to backup asking for a password. I never set one, and had previously had it syncing through wifi. I tried all the usual passwords and not usual passwords, and even got the previous user's apple id password to try, which didn't work either.

I added my wifi connection details to the 4s. I added my Apple ID for iTunes and the App Store.

Then, I unplugged the sync cable and plugged it back in, and it went.

ODD. But it worked.

kipp0606 wrote:

 

After trying a third-party program, I found out that they updated the original/default passcode of 1234 to 12345. Scumbags.

Thank you, kipp0606.

My Situation:

I upgraded my laptop to Windows 7 from Vista.

Next I upgraded ITunes to v11.

I had lots of trouble upgrading my IPhone 4 from v6 to v7. OVERNIGHT.

I had to restart my computer several times.

Of, course ITunes indicated that I lost all data and would I like to restore? Seeing as how this was my only option, I kindly obliged. Then, of course, ITunes demanded a Restore password.  I never typed one it or I would have taken note. Even now, I see that 'Encrypt IPhone backup' is not checked.

kipp0606, your solution saved me.  12345 was the right answer.  I think people who are telling us that there is no hope are providing bad advice.

Don't give up!!

I think that there is a serious bug in this apple product. I have had over 12 hours of ITunes problems.

vinky87 wrote:

 

I HAVE AN ANWSER THAT MAY WORK for this random password protected backup (i went through this when I unlocked my phone) AND EXPLAIN SOME OF THE WEIRD PASSWORDS THAT PEOPLE ARE FINDING WORK!!! When you back up your iphone and you click (intentionally or un-intentionally)  "Encrypt iphone backup" This automaticly backs up EVERY password that you may have used on your iphone (this is why people are finding that there lock codes are working while otheres say its there apple ID passwords) I suggest using the normal 1234 or 0000 default but then try every password that you can remeber that you have EVER typed into your iphone. I think it randomly chooses a password because i have had the same password since i was a kid ( i have a letter password a number password and a number with letters password) and the only password that I have changed latley to a completley different password was my facebook (which I had the app for on my iphone) and that one worked. So i would suggest using app passwords or even your email password. I kind of think its just randomly chosen out of all the "passwords that have been stored in your iphone" (kind of like an iphone keychain access that you cant access unfortunatley)

 

If your a pc user I think that there is some merrit to trying your admin password aswell for other reasons that are too long to explain!

 

Also, for people who are using the "encryption cracking programs"( now I dont know much about those) is it possible they are weird random passwords that youve never used because maybe at some point it was a password that was ACCIDENTLY typed in and saved when you were in a hurry tryign to get into a program (ive done this on my computer numerous times and even though that password doesnt get me into the actual program it still for some reason saves :S) if so then maybe thats the random password your phoen decided to protect its back up with.

I never ticked that encrypt password box. There is a bug in ITunes. The people in this forrum who said that I do not remember my own password do not know what they are talking about.

My appleid was a dud, so was the admin password.

12345 worked for me.

Even now that I have restored my IPhone that box still remains unchecked.

I unplugged and replugged the USB cable.

I powered down and powered up.

NOTHING WORKED.

I used 12345 as suggested In this forum. It worked.

I have never used 12345 in my life as a password until now. I have never used 1234.

Yes, I am not a techy but I do not have any password recorded for ITunes backup.

So there is a bug,

+++++++++ Its Working      1  0  0  %    T  H  A  N    Y  O  U  +++++++++++++

I had the same issue with trying to restore a backup of my wife's iphone 4 to her new 5s.  The phone had never been backed up on iTunes until I backed it up prior to receiving the new phone and wanting to transfer data from the old to the new.  I did not choose encryption when doing that full backup. 

After trying every password she or I ever had, I started doing variations on known passwords and tripped over my wife's SYSTEM LOGON PASSWORD for her PREVIOUS WINDOWS laptop (she's now running a Macbook Air).  There is something in some version of iTunes back there that must pick up the system logon password when none is chosen, and then associates it with the device and its backups even after you've moved it to another machine. 

Those claiming that she or I must've chosen this as a backup encryption password at some point just aren't credible.  Sorry.

The only problem with your claim is that a Windows password is NEVER stored on the computer in its unencrypted form, and the cipher is one way, so given the encrypted version stored on the computer there is no way that the original password ca be determined. iTunes had no way to figure out the logon password even it it wanted to. So she must have set the backup encryption on the old laptop, and it got transferred to the MBA when she moved the iPhone to it.

Yes, this worked for me as well. Thank you!

Thanks to Lawrence Finch and many other contributors, you set me thinking and I tried the password I use to log in to my laptop  (after trying all the passwords I remember I have ever used, on the iphone), as The Dirko and sepps522 found, it seems to be a random apple selection/glitch, I rarely use that password for other things, I know I haven't used it as the password for my iphone. I did check "encrypt iphone backup" in itunes but I didn't set a password at that time. Unfortunately I have lost calender dates and notes, thanks icloud - worst thing I ever did was to use it for back-up!  I won't be getting another iphone thats for sure!

I backed my iphone 4s up on the 15th (four days ago) got the 5c the same day, came back to restore it and it ask for a password, I did click encrypt, but DID NOT set a password, (I think I'd remember same day actions) downloaded much hacker softward (elcomsoft, ect) nothing found the password, elcomsoft did tell me it was a numeric pass, so i tried all numbers I knew (phone number, birthdate, passcode lock, ect) ended up being my SSN? kinda sketchy considering I didn't set a password and that was it. Worth a shot if you're having problems! Best of luck.

Well I will vent too with my ******* in the wind:

1.  It is a very bad design indeed, to make a backup system utterly useless FOREVER if you forget the password.  Having to start again as a fresh device and lose all is useless as a back-up plan.

i.  At the very least you should be able to delete or be barred from past back-ups, but be able to start fresh with new back-ups if you have access in full to your phone.  If you already have full access to all the data on your phone, you ain't giving up the state secrets by allowing it to be backed up again unencrypted or with a new encryption code.

ii. It should, if remains the same, say in huge large clear text with a check a box that if you forget the password not only do you lose access to the one back-up but you lose all back-up access FOREVER for that device absent losing all data and starting fresh.  Not sure what it said years ago, but I though I was only using a code to encrypt one back-up not irretreivably everything FOREVER.

2,  Design Flaw  #2.  Design #1, described above, is also deeply compounded by Design Flaw # 2, which is the huge build up of "Other" storage/memory, which can't be eliminated other than with a restore, which of course can't be done without losing everything, as you can not now back-up usefully FOREVER.  So now is is full restore with all data lost or live with 6 gigs of others, inane and insane.

If you can get a new itunes password easily enough, which would allow a nefarious party to charge thousands of dollars, why can't you at very least get just future back-up capability if you have full access to all the data on your phone and your computer?

Why won't/can't they fix the "Other" storage issue to make it easier to delete, or not occur, absent a data losing restore?

There are huge amounts of posts on these issues across many sites, why does not Apple care?

I like Apple,mostly, plan to stay with iphones, unless they also go with nothing but ridiculous large sizes too, but they are not infalliable gods, these are issues that need fixing.

Amen Lobomojo.

Who does this description fit?

1) Zero responsiveness to real issues raised by loyal customers.

2) Imposing ways of doing things instead of offering choices.

3) Imposing ways of doing things that defy logic.

3) Imposing ways of doing things that defy logic because...well..they're the company you can't walk away from.

Can't guess?  It's Microsoft.

Congratulations, Apple. Your ways now resemble the company that you were once a real alternative, too, and that won you all those defectors in the first place.

Perhaps to go to apple.com/feedback and let Apple know directly would help to get the issue resolved. As countless others have mentioned, Apple does not monitor these forums for suggestions or technical concerns.

Help Apple help you!

Hi,

I had the exact same problem. I swear I had never set up a password for backup in first place.

I tried for about a week all passwords that I had ever used in my life and finally one of them worked but not after a week of agony of losing every photo and text and all my whatsapp conversations.

Apple has screwed up big time over this and HAS to fix it.

Meanwhile the only thing you can do is to brainstorm over every password you could have set - think of every favourite song, band, tv show you liked that could have been your password.

There is a software called iPhone Password Unlocker you could use that costs 50$ but there is no free wat out. I hope Apple changes this. There should atleast be 'Forgot my Password' type option we have for emails.