iPhone 4s - IT Tunes Encrypted Backup

Question

mouson Author

Level 1

9 points

iPhone 4s - IT Tunes Encrypted Backup

I have never used this facility. In fact I only use iTune to listen to music.

Now I have a problem with the iPhone and I need to reset it.

(I used synching software so my contacts and so on are safe)

I want to make a backup to preserve my apps but I cannot because a password (that I never created) is required.

There's a lot posted but nothing that I've read works.

I've even installed iTunes on a Windows machine (so a vanilla install) and it still asks for a password.

I also tried changing my Apple ID password - but that didn't work.

I looked in Keychain but could see nothing related to iPhone.

I've have been at this now for a week 😟

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 21, 2014 3:16 AM

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Answer 1

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Feb 21, 2014 3:18 AM in response to mouson

Tips to recover the password here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5162

If the backup you're trying to restore from is encrypted, you will not be able to use that backup if you can't remember the encrypted backup passcode.

If on a Mac, & you elected to save the passcode to your Keychain, you can recover the passcode from your Keychain. Otherwise, your backup data is unrecoverable.

While you can continue to sync/backup, if you can't remember it & want to remove it, you'll have to delete your existing backups, & restore your phone as a new device. Your data will be unrecoverable.

You delete your existing backups here: iTunes>Preferences>Devices.

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Answer 2

mouson Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 21, 2014 5:18 AM in response to wjosten

Hi & Thanks,

Created a backup.

Did as TS5162 instructed but nothing appeared in the Keychain.

The choices are impossible to understand:

1st time I have used iTunes

Offers the choice to encrypt to save on local computer

I've never set anything up before.

I uncheck encrypted box.

It asks for a password.

I've gone through the hoops including changing my ID password

Nothing...

There is no point in making a backup because when I restore it will ask for a password.

So I cannot reset my iPhone safely because I will lose my apps and won't be able to restore them.

Yikes!

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Answer 3

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Feb 21, 2014 6:41 AM in response to mouson

For the password to appear in your Keychain, you would have had to elect to save such to the Keychain when FIRST electing to encrypt the backup. If you didn't do so at that time, it's too late now.

Your only choice now, to remove the encryption requirement, is to delete your existing backups, & restore the phone as a new device.

Your data will be unrecoverable.

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Answer 4

mouson Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 21, 2014 7:09 AM in response to wjosten

Hi - well I bit the bullet and restored the phone completely.

Thankfully the Apps Store remembers the apps you have downloaded.

The backups made are as you pointed out and I knew useless because iTune was bleated about a password which I never created (having never used the iTunes backup system before).

I've still got to figure out how to restore photos and music.

Now I have got the encryption unchecked - this has been a time-wasting exercise for me.

Thanks anyway for your suggestions and help.

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Answer 5

wjosten

Level 10

95,369 points

Feb 21, 2014 8:47 AM in response to mouson

Purchased iTunes content is forever tied to the Apple ID used to obtain it, & can be redownloaded for free, except for purchased ringtones, which are a one-time download.

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