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Level 1

2 points

Do not ever encrypt your iPhone backup!

If you forget the password, you will never be able to use the backup function to restore your iPhone. Deleting the existing backup and creating a new one doesn't work. You will still need to enter your original, forgotten password, before you will be permitted to restore from the new backup. Apple does not consider this a bug. I was told that I should create a new user on my MacBook Pro and use that to backup my iPhone. Not much of a workaround.

iPhone 4, iOS 4.3.2

Posted on Jun 4, 2011 3:50 PM

Top-ranking reply

Jim VanLeeuwen

Level 6

18,884 points

Posted on Jun 4, 2011 6:40 PM

The problem is your failure to remember the password. The encrypted backup has done it's job. No one, including yourself, can restore from your encrypted backup to obtain access to your data.

The solution is to restore your phone and set it up as a new device, and remember the encryption if you choose to use encrypted backups.

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28 replies

nw3227 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jun 4, 2011 5:52 PM in response to gdgmacguy

A password is supposed to prevent access to the encrypted file, not to prevent a new backup file from being created without encryption or with a different password.

nw3227 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jun 4, 2011 5:52 PM in response to Jim VanLeeuwen

This the problem, not the solution.

Jun 4, 2011 6:06 PM in response to nw3227

http://www.venticentostudio.it/site/iAccounts.htm

I use this, and its companion desktop app, to remember my passwords. More secure than a post-it note.

Ziatron

Level 5

4,193 points

Jun 4, 2011 8:50 PM in response to rbrian Scotland

Msecure is also a popular password vault.

http://msevensoftware.com/msecure_ios

nw3227 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jun 5, 2011 8:41 PM in response to Jim VanLeeuwen

I am not trying to restore from my encrypted backup.

nw3227 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jun 5, 2011 8:45 PM in response to modular747

I guess all the websites that provide a mechanism for resetting a forgotten password, such as my bank, are violating good security practices.

nw3227 Author

Level 1

2 points

Jun 5, 2011 9:18 PM in response to nw3227

Get a life.

modular747

Level 6

19,668 points

Jun 5, 2011 9:24 PM in response to nw3227

nw3227 wrote:

Get a life.

Since you posted that in response to yourself, you should take your own advice. It is the root of the problem!

rieuk

Level 1

0 points

Aug 30, 2011 2:11 AM in response to modular747

Hey I don't get it - if you create an encrypted backup, does that mean you can no longer create unencrypted backups?

modular747

Level 6

19,668 points

Aug 30, 2011 6:38 AM in response to rieuk

Only if you can't remember the password.

modular747

Level 6

19,668 points

Sep 1, 2011 1:16 AM in response to rieuk

How did you determine that the backups are still encrypted after defeating it?

mikeno9

Level 1

0 points

Jan 29, 2012 1:57 PM in response to gutty1

ditto

Jan 29, 2012 2:28 PM in response to mikeno9

If you have a corporate Exchange email account on your phone your IT department can set security policy on the phone. One of the things they can require is an encrypted backup.

Do not ever encrypt your iPhone backup!