password to unlock your iphone backup file

SparkyGirl1012 wrote:

None of my passwords worked; not my computer password, not my wifi password, not any of my old or current iTunes passwords, arghhhh!! I'm stuck with a $1200 brick right now.

How is your phone a brick because you don't have the password to the encrypted back up? That doesn't make sense.

Have you review this article:

About encrypted backups in iTunes - Apple Support

It explains what to do if you forgot the passcode.

Zikeokiller wrote:

Apple in their genius have decided to use the password you first used to set up your iphone a(maybe like 2 years ago), even though you only took the backup 5 minutes ago. Give that a try.

Apple in their genius decided that only the user should be able to create and set a backup password, so they NEVER create passwords for you. If your backup has a password YOU created it and entered it - TWICE - whether you remembering do so or not. YOU created the password the first time that you made an encrypted backup, which it sounds like it was 2 years ago for YOU. Once created by YOU it never changes, unless YOU change it.

That link still says:

There is no way to recover your information or turn off Encrypt Backup if you lose or forget the password.

However, the further instructions give a way to bypass it that requires "reset all settings." This is a partially destructive step, but I guess for some people it may be worth it.

Well, that will only work if that is the password that you entered when prompted for a backup password. Many users have discovered that it is a different password. I while ago I compiled and posted a list of passwords that have been reported by users in this thread and another thread.

Here is a list gleaned from the threads of passcodes that have worked for users. You will note that, while there is some repetition, most of the correctly guessed passcodes are different for each user.

• First iTunes account password (37 different users)
• Old iTunes account password, but not the oldest one
• Password used for almost all accounts (2 different users)
• All digit Password created a long time ago
• Computer/laptop login password (4 users)
• Laptop password (2 users)
• Computer password (3 users)
• Email password
• iTunes password with no capital letters
• 1234 (2 users)
• Password not used anywhere else
• All numeric used in the past
• Password for old gaming site
• PC password (5 users)
• “iphonelogin”
• work computer password
• Current app store password (2 users)
• Paypal account password
• iPad unlock passcode
• Strongest variation of the base password I have ever used
• Old password
• Old work password
• Macbook password (2 users)
• Restriction passcode
• Gmail password (2 users)
• Current Apple ID password (2 users)
• Apple MobileMe password
• Apple ID password, but all lower case (5 users)
• iPhone passcode when corporate profile was installed
• Passcode for a website
• iPhone unlock passcode (5 users)
• First password for work computer
• Old password used over 2 years ago (2 users)
• Previous owner’s iTunes password
• Current laptop password
• Wireless network password
• Electric bill and Skype password
• icloud password, all lower case
• Windows login for very old laptop
• iMac password (3 users)
• First iPhone 4 digit passcode
• iTunes password from last year
• 4 year old password
• iTunes password (current) (2 users)
• Old PC password
• Password for “Good” application
• Password used for everything+1234
• Password I use for everything else (2 users)
• One of my husband’s passwords
• Some old non-Apple product password
• Screen passcode of the first iPhone that was backed up (2 users)
• Old password with different case on first letter

it's the 4 or 6 digit number passcode that you use to unlock your iphone - i tried all the passcodes i've ever used (the one that worked was the first one i ever used on my old phone that i created the backup with)

i had this problem as well.. long story short you have to try your first itunes password and if you dont remember it you can go to keychain and search for it there.

Apple in their genius have decided to use the password you first used to set up your iphone (maybe like 2 years ago), even though you only took the backup 5 minutes ago. Give that a try.

You try every password that you can remember you've ever used until you get it right. Or update to iOS 11, then you can reset all settings, and then that will turn off encryption for you.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205220

My password turned out to be my laptop admin password. I remember turning encryption on but not setting a password (I am very good about storing passwords in my app), so I must have thought it was asking FOR my password, not to SET a password. I recommend, as others have, to try various itunes, iphone, and laptop passwords until you find it.

Here is the CLUE: It is the password you entered when prompted for a backup password, the first time you backed up with Encrypt checked. You entered it twice.

If you go back to the previous page in this thread I have cataloged a list of the passwords that different users have discovered to be the correct one.

Hello, so this problem also happened to me. But firstly, I want to say my horrific situation. I had an iPhone 6 Plus and upgraded to iPhone 8 Plus. I backed up my 6 to my PC. After buying the 8 I went to my laptop opened iTunes and hit Restore Backup. Then suddenly it was asking for a password for the backup. I was surprised. I didn’t make any password for the backup. After googling some answers it appears that so many people are having the same problem. Apple will going to put password on your backup for the “safety” of your files. Apple created a password made from your old iPhone password combinations. So my suggestion is to try to remember your pasts passwords and list them down and cross out whatever didn’t work until you hit the right one. After I got the right password combination then it says that my backup was corrupted. I was losing my sh*t. Then after googling this issue again it appears that you should update your new phone that you’re going to restore to the newst iOS version. Then after that, restore should start. Hope this helps. Apple seriously need to resolve these issues.

Zikeokiller wrote:

Apple in their genius have decided to use the password you first used to set up your iphone (maybe like 2 years ago), even though you only took the backup 5 minutes ago. Give that a try.

Yep this did it for me - only in my case it was a password I first used about 3 years ago and not my current password despite having only just made the backup 1 hour ago. #genius alright .

According to this, you may now be able to turn off encryption and create a new unencrypted backup if your device supports iOS 11.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205220

I just gotten my 7 plus. I tried my iTunes I'd but to no avail. I read the advice from the posting and began typing all differe passwords. In the end, I realise that it is not my current gmail password, but my previous one. Hope it is the same for you. Wishing you all the luck😊