IOS 5 Update encrypted my backup, WTH is the password????

No other password would work, but indicating my iPod Touch 3G in the sidebar and and changing (in my case ADDING) the password fixed it. Geeze... so glad after hours of searching I came across this post. Even though this is the Windows area, this worked on my Macbook. Wish I could find a way to escalate it's importance!

Anything official from Apple on this problem? 😟

I specifically made this apple username to write this for people who are experiencing the same problem of the back up password...

I used a password that was set in one of my apps. (it was a numerical password)

and it worked!!

Hope this helps in any way!

I had the same problem.

Yesterday i spent the day with a "new", but EMPTY, iphone.

Finally, when I returned home, I realized the right password was my first one in Apple Store, which I used to log in one year ago.

Good Luck to everybody!

Mr. Huggs.

I have a similar problem. After updating to 5.0 i had already encrypted my backup. Now after the update, iTunes does not give me the option to restore from backup my iPhone. All I can do is to set as new iPhone.

What about my messages, and my savegames.

At least i have my contacts saved to iCloud so I am ok on that part.

Does anybody else have this problem?

Thank you!

Have the same problem when upgrading to IOS5 and never set a password during the backup. Tried all possible passwords and even Windows passwords without any result. Also tried the Elcom Phone Password Breaker with no match. I think its time for Apple to take responsibility in this question of matter and stop ignoring. I really need to get my data back and have been struggling with this problem to many hours already.

Any official response yet? This is occurring in 100% of cases in our environment as well as every personal user I've talked to. We've been trying to support iPads and iPad 2s for business which has always been questionable. We started with one device and that is completely wiped now of all our apps and setup. We tried everything mentioned here and every possible password that might of been used - no luck. We'll hold off on upgrades for a few weeks until this gets settled but it is frustrating as apps like "Numbers" already prevent you from purchasing until you have iOS5 (poor choice on their part for burning the bridges behind them).

If you want/need an official response, then contact Apple directly.

No official Apple response will ever be given here as this is a user to user support forum which Apple does not monitor.

"If you want/need an official response, then contact Apple directly.

No official Apple response will ever be given here as this is a user to user support forum which Apple does not monitor."

Wow! I hope this is not true. If it is, what a huge missed opportunity this is for Apple to support their customers. Many companies are using forums and social media to provide customer support (mine dies). With a company that has over 70billion in cash in the bank it obviously isn't a resource issue. Apple is behind the curve on this...definitely flys in the face of the notion of Apple being an innovative company.

It isn't true. They DO read these forums, just not officially. I really can't understand why Apple can't evolve to a position of culpability and helpfulness with these things.

SOLUTION - I think this will work for everyone.

First, if you read through this whole thread, you will find there is not a given password that works - i.e. it is not your Windows password (worked for some, not for others), your apple id (worked for some, not for others) etc. I won't begin to guess why one type of password works for some and not for others. But I bet this will work for all:

Cancel the restore from backup process

Select your iPad in iTunes if not already selected

On the Summary tab, go to the Backup section.

You will probably find that password-protecting your iPad backup is NOT checked.

Check it

Enter a password

If the iPad starts backing up, just cancel it

Your iPad screen is probably still showing the "Connect to iTunes" symbol

Eject your iPad in iTunes and disconnect it

Connect it again

The password dialog will probably appear again

Enter the password you just gave and VOILA, 2 pennies says you're good to go!

If this doesnt help you, I'm sorry

If it DOES help you, save me a seat on Steve Jobs' next speech, after he's upgraded Moses' tablets...

Cheers

Marius

After reading through this post I decided to just try every password I've ever used. It turned out to be my email password on my student account! I've definitely never used this password for an Apple-related purpose, except to login to my email using my iPhone or iPad.

* It wasn't my Windows PW.

* It wasn't my Apple ID PW.

* It wasn't my actual device passcode.

Just try every password you can think of. Make a list so you make sure you've tried them all. I DID have my student email account setup through the Mail app, with PW saved, so maybe it pulls from those saved on the device somewhere.

Wish I'd had a chance to try the technique outlined by mariuswaldal (above) because that seems to be the only one that has a chance of working for everyone. Good luck.

I just had the same issue, this is a really bad on Apple/iTunes part. The password for my back up file was the local account password for an old macbook i have that i dont even plug this ipad into???? go figure!!

the Apple id wouldnt work, local account password on the windows PC i was using wouldnt work, the windows PC is the machine i used to do the update, the windows PC is what the ipad normally syncs too anyway and had my latest iPad backup prior to IOS5 update, the windows PC holds all the media, apps and backup data in the windows itunes library. i never plug the iPad into the old intel mac..

However, the iphone 4 i use backs up to the Windows PC just like the iPad, but i sync ONLY the iphone music library to the music library on this said old intel macbook. but then i still backup and sync the apps on the iphone to the windows PC without affecting the music library.

So in short, the password for my iPad backup file was the local password for the macbook i plug the iPhone into to sync music!?!?!?!

this has totally confused me, i have no idea how that became the password for the backup file, i am in IT support and have supported idevices for a while in a large corporate environment, this makes absolutely no sense, it has to be a bug.

hope this helps you out people

I have the same problem after update to iOS 5: restore backup ask for a password that was never set by me.

Tried everything I could find in this forum. Old passwords, 1234.. etc. create a new password for backups… Nothing works.

I know everything is in the backup folder because I can recognise some files by the size (some videos recorded with the camera, it is an iPod 4).

Is there any possibility of reversing the encryption for the rest of the files having both the encrypted and the non-encrypted version of the same file? Something like a Rosetta stone! just need to recover the pictures in the camera rolI.

Thanks in davance. I’m just frustrated by this stupid bug!

Like the rest, I updated my iphone4 thinking that I'd like to have the latest updates I read about. Everything went well till it started prompting me for a password. I tried every password that I've used for 15yrs including all the usual suspects (0123,1111,012345, 12345 etc). nothing works!!

Now I'm stuck with a brand new software but ALL my previous setting, data (messages, calendars) and pictures GONE!!!

If I knew this would lead to me not having my data, I wouldn't have updated. A prompt that said "All your motha******* data will be gone!" would have helped. Was trying to restore and the restore files are gone!! Looked in the C:application data... and it wasn't there anymore.. Seriously, Apple is screwing up big time. It used to be such a no hassle free update and that's why I bought one.

VERY DISAPPOINTING..