iTunes asking for backup password???

I have tried all variations on the password that I could come up with - no luck. Called Apple tech support first thing this morning - they had no solution. Just called them back again - now the ios 5 solutions database is off line -so still no help. Hoping for a solution this afternoon.

Does anyone know, can I chose 'set up as new iphone' and then sync it to recover apps, music etc? This way I would only lose things unique to the back up.

Well, I guess if you're ready to forget all your settings and start fresh, you can always delete the backup. Disconnect the phone from your PC, reconnect it and, when iTunes comes up with the "...interrupted while restoring..." message, use the "Delete Backup" button. I haven't tried it but I guess it will do the trick.

Personnally, still working on the password thing... and hoping for Divine intervention 🙂

Same issue here. Updated to iOS 5 which bricked my iPhone. Tried to do a backup restore, but was prompted for a password. The password is not the itunes password. It is whatever was entered when you save a backup, and I had no idea! Fortunately, after several tries, I just happened to enter the itunes recognized name of my iphone. That worked; however, contacts are still missing.

yes, you can tell it to setup as a new iphone. You'll be missing your app data, text messages etc.

Then you can setup what you want synced.

You don't have to delete the backup. If you set it up as new, you can go back try restoring from backup later.

That is what I did initially since I had to go out. Then when I came home again, I tried more passwords by initiating another restore.

My iPhone, iPad, and iPad 2 all had different passwords. They all seemed to be based on when I created that device. My iPhone was a password from ages ago, I have a 3GS.

My iPad was an old password I used on my iMac. And on my newly purchased iPad 2 was my itunes password.

So keep trying passwords. I don't recall ever setting up to use encryption, but apparently I did.

During my update to iOS5 I was asked for the password to my encrypted backup, and my iTunes password didn't work. My phone password didn't work. My previous passwords to these things didn't work, and I tried every variation of password that I could have used...and none of them worked.

So then I unplugged my iPhone, and plugged it back in, then hit the "Check for Updates" and "Restore" buttons on the iPhone screen in iTunes. And it began to restore the back up. Hitting "Check for Updates" did nothing...but I included it here to document everything that I did.

I notice in the Backup section of the Devices->iPhone screen in iTunes that 'Encrypt iPhone backup' is not checked....so I suspect that value from the check box might be getting incorrectly passed to the update, so it brings up the password entry dialog box, when it isn't needed.

I was stressed for hours that this might have wiped my phone, so I hope that this helps someone else.

iPhone 3GS, previously at iOS 4.3.5

iTunes updated as of yesterday

Windows 7 x64 updated as of yesterday

And PS:. Go Cougs!

Guys I had the same problem. I've put the pass 12345 and voilà, it worked...

If this is the new Apple Era we are doomed.

same thing happened to me... never made a password for any backup and now i lost a lot of crucial info, what the **** apple?

on my iphone it seemed one of my old pwd worked out.

guys, we should probably test for a long time 'till we find the right one.

now it's the ipad time :-)

In my case, the password turned out to be a numeric code I defined when I set up the Microsoft Exchange account on the phone. When I set up this account, my phone asked me to define a numeric password. This password is not linked to anything else. It is numeric and must have at least 4 characters. My guess is that those people who are miraculously finding that 12345 is their password happened to have used that generic number sequence when they originally set up the Microsoft Exchange account on their phone.

I managed to get the backup restored onto my iPhone after iOS 5 update. Nothing worked for me, no old password, not current and not the pin lock. So if you are in the same situation as me, and never took a backup of the iphone 4/s, and never set any passwords for your backups and now you have one thanks to itunes. you can do the following to get it all back.

I have a friend with another mac, I copied the backup that was taken just before the iOS5 update to their computert, and into the same itunes folder for backups.

made sure itunes is at the latest level. launch itunes, plug in iphone, and restore.... Done! No passwords, no questions, all my folders, accounts and settings are back as they were before the upgrade.

I tried everything too and found ot was the very first password i used on the Iphone when i first set it up. Yes - very silly that this would be the case. Apple tut tut. I tried pin, sim pin, current itunes password and luckily i remembered th first password i tried. Good luck 🙂

Help, I have the same issue.

Tried every password I can imagine for the last 4 hours... and nothing.

I wish someone could give us real solution.

I have PC and I even tried elcomsoft software but it didn't work for me!

Just wanted to say my Uncle had this issue with his iphone after he tried to do the 5.0 update, he said he never even set a password on it but to restore the data it is asking for a password. After reading another members post I just told him to try 0000 and it worked!

Restored his contacts / mail / other settings. He just went to go celebrate!

My guess is the 5.0 version messed with the passwords and it may depends on other settings as to what one works for you, in other words I am sure 0000 wont work for everyone. I say that because lots of people are having this issue and some people are saying the password that worked is the same password as there computer, others are saying 1234 worked, others say 1111 worked, and a few other combonations. But 0000 is what worked for his iphone, and he did not have a password set prior, so if you did not set a password try 0000!

Good luck!.

-Mark

imho this is related to your first ever set Apple ID password or the first device password - I tried some of my standard passwords I am using for low risk accounts and it worked ... which would also explain why 1234 or 0000 is working for a number of people 😉

So - keep trying, I am 100% certain it is a password you set yourself at some point of time!

That worked on mine too (so far)!! I just took the # out of my password and it has started to restore.