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Q: Restore Backup is asking for a password that I did not set

Upgraded the phone and when brought up iTunes, it prompted to restore from a backup. I did not set a password when I made the backup but can't continue without entering one.

Posted on Dec 8, 2013 3:03 PM

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Q: Restore Backup is asking for a password that I did not set

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Awol1404,

    Awol1404 Awol1404 Dec 8, 2013 3:06 PM in response to DCEvers
    Level 1 (45 points)
    Dec 8, 2013 3:06 PM in response to DCEvers

    You must be refering to the encrypted backup, if that is the case you will not be able to use that backup without the password. You must restore the device as new , the setting for encrypted backup is stored on the device so there is no way around it.

  • by DCEvers,

    DCEvers DCEvers Dec 8, 2013 4:17 PM in response to Awol1404
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2013 4:17 PM in response to Awol1404

    I made the backup today, NOT encrypted and did NOT enter a password ! Somehow, stupid iTunes set one.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Dec 8, 2013 4:28 PM in response to DCEvers
    Level 9 (57,304 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 8, 2013 4:28 PM in response to DCEvers

    Is it an encrypted backup, or is the device asking for the 4-digit passcode. When you updated the iPhone to iOS 7, it prompts you to enter a 4-digit passcode. You can opt out of that if you want, but if you didn't, you entered a passcode on that screen.If it is the encrypted backup as Awol1404 mentions, iTunes cannot encrypt that without input from you. When you have the device connected to iTunes, do you see a checkmark by the backup area on the Info page?

  • by DCEvers,

    DCEvers DCEvers Dec 8, 2013 6:19 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2013 6:19 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    I did not update, I upgraded an iPhone 4 to a 5S. Before I did the new phone, I backed up the old one without encryption. When I brought up the new iPhone, I had the option of starting as new or restore from a backup. I choose the latter. The Restore Backup process asks me for a password which I did not put on the backup. Not a passcode !  The option for encryption is not now nor has ever been checked. Have tried every password I can think of to no avail.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Dec 8, 2013 8:05 PM in response to DCEvers
    Level 9 (57,304 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 8, 2013 8:05 PM in response to DCEvers

    If the backup does not have the encryption box checked, then it is not that password. Did the iPhone 5s originally have iOS 7.0.4, or did it upgrade at the same time you were doing this restore? I'm not doubting what you are saying, but I'm trying to picture this in my mind and it is not working.

     

    Where is the old phone? Do you still have it? If you do and you connect it to iTunes, is the encryption box checked? If it is not the encryption password, then the only other thing it can be is a passcode. Can you take a screen shot of this on your phone to add to this thread?

     

    Is this during the activation process? I'm trying the best I can to help, but something does not sound right. Does the screen actually ask for a password for the backup, or can you at least say exactly what it is asking for?

  • by DCEvers,

    DCEvers DCEvers Dec 9, 2013 7:47 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 9, 2013 7:47 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    I believe it did upgrade to 7.0.4 before attempting the restore. 

     

    The old phone was traded in.  Encryption was definitely off. The old phone did have a passcode where the new phone did not. I tried setting the new phone to the previous passcode and using it for the password but that did not work.

     

    I've attached a couple screenshots.

    Thanks for help.

    Restore1.PNG

    Restore2.PNG

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Dec 9, 2013 8:47 PM in response to DCEvers
    Level 9 (57,304 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 9, 2013 8:47 PM in response to DCEvers

    Well, that one has me stumpted. Is the backup you are trying to restore from the old phone? You say the old phone had a passcode, are you referring to the 4-digit passcode to open the phone from the lockscreen? Without the old phone, it is hard to say anything about the backup encryption. I wouldn't know of any way to get past this at this point, since you cannot use an encrypted backup without the password. That backup would not be usable at all. Maybe someone else can help.

  • by Awol1404,

    Awol1404 Awol1404 Dec 12, 2013 9:53 AM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (45 points)
    Dec 12, 2013 9:53 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

    The old device had to have encryption turned on otherwise it would not ask for password, if it was activation lock due to ios7 it would show thefirst letter of the apple id and starts asking for the apple id password.

  • by RomeDK82,

    RomeDK82 RomeDK82 Feb 24, 2014 1:33 PM in response to Awol1404
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 24, 2014 1:33 PM in response to Awol1404

    Awol1404, i hear what you and everybody else is saying, but i to did not click the encryption box, and did not set a password. Now when i am trying to set up my new 5S I am asked to enter password...!!!!! I DID NOT SET ENCRYPTION, I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS AND CHOOSE NOT TO. THIS WAS A CHOISE I MADE. NOW IT SEEMS THAT MY DATA IS LOST WHICH IS REALLY BAD....!!! ******* BUGS..

  • by davenic11674,

    davenic11674 davenic11674 Aug 3, 2014 4:20 PM in response to RomeDK82
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 3, 2014 4:20 PM in response to RomeDK82

    seems this has been going on for years now

    why hasnt apple sorted this out ?

     

    APPLE why have you not fixed this problem

    it happened to me last month

    it happened to my son this eve

     

    NO PASSWORD SET

    NO ENCRYPTION SET

     

    yet now hes trying to restore his phone its asking for the password

  • by davee_88,

    davee_88 davee_88 Oct 29, 2014 2:32 PM in response to DCEvers
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 29, 2014 2:32 PM in response to DCEvers

    I had the exact same problem, I found the password was my iTunes password, or rather my old one. Hopefully its something similar for you, hope it helps.

  • by Gerxican ,Helpful

    Gerxican Gerxican Nov 6, 2014 12:00 PM in response to davee_88
    Level 1 (7 points)
    Nov 6, 2014 12:00 PM in response to davee_88

    I'm so glad I read this today!

     

    I've been having this problem...and have stalled restoring my new iPhone and selling my old iPhone. Thanks to what you said, I tried all passwords associated with my iPhone/iTunes. It was none of them, it was in fact, the password for my computer?!

     

    Weird, but perhaps you can give it a go?

  • by eash1920,

    eash1920 eash1920 Feb 27, 2016 8:25 AM in response to DCEvers
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 27, 2016 8:25 AM in response to DCEvers

    A whole year later and I am experiencing the same issue. I did not encrypt my backup, however after the wiped my phone and I tried to restore it, a password is required. I have tried several versions of my password. From what I have seen on other post, it is likely the first itunes password I ever used.

  • by TattooedCarrot,

    TattooedCarrot TattooedCarrot Jul 28, 2016 2:57 PM in response to DCEvers
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 28, 2016 2:57 PM in response to DCEvers

    Old post but I'm having this exact same issue and I did find the answer in this thread so I'm adding to it in case it helps someone else.

     

    I was attempting to restore from my work computer and after my apple ID password, phone pass code, and many other previous passwords failed, it ended up being the password on my iMac sitting at home. Why? I have no idea, but it worked.