I forgot my encrypt iPhone backup password

Hey AjaxTheCat,

Thanks for the question. If I understand correctly, you do not have the password for an encrypted backup. I would recommend that you read this article, it may be able to help the issue.

iOS: Troubleshooting encrypted backups - Apple Support

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

Have a good one,

Mario

Hello AjaxTheCat,

After reviewing your post, it sounds like the other possible passwords listed in the previous article did not work. I would recommend that you read this article.

Create and delete iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backups in iTunes - Apple Support

If you encrypt an iPhone backup in iTunes and forget your password, you won't be able to restore from backup, and your data will be unrecoverable.

If you can't remember the password and want to start again, you must perform a full software restore and choose set up as a new device when iTunes prompts you to select the backup from which to restore.

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

Have a nice day,

Mario

Passwords protect your data from access by people who do not know the password. It is important that you do not become one of them.

Rubbish,

This is disastrous totally incompetent design by Apple. The backup encryption should clearly be linked to the Apple ID password, not be some different password that is set once with no warning of the consequences if it forgotten. Then when a backup is needed suddenly the user is expected to remember a password that they may have set years ago when everything else apple does is secured with the apple ID username and password.

This is Apples fault for poor design. At the very least it should be possible to disable encryption and start again with a new password. The fact that a user with a working device is told they have to erase all their data and start again is inexcusable.

I totally agree with the above comment. Why not tie this to the apple id?

This is a total f$#%^ up. I just lost so much time because of this. Apple, you suck.

Obviously you do not understand the concept of password-protection.

gbdrbob wrote:

This is Apples fault for poor design. At the very least it should be possible to disable encryption and start again with a new password. The fact that a user with a working device is told they have to erase all their data and start again is inexcusable.

That right there is rubbish. If encryption could be disabled without knowing the password, then what on earth would be the whole point of encrypted secure backups in the first place? The reason it is a SECURITY feature in the first place is that without the password, the backup data is inaccessible to anyone and everyone.

Ame why is it expecting so much that someone actually remember their own password? Why is anyone else responsible for that? It's your device and your information. Take responsibility for it.

My Iphone still working and I want to make a backup, but I don't remember the encrypted password to uncheck it from the itunes. Can anyone help me?

You cannot make a backup without that password. That is precisely what the system of encrypted backups is designed to prevent. If it were possible to bypass the encryption setting and make an unencrypted backup of your phone, then someone could gain access to that information by simply backing up your device, rendering the very point of encrypting your information moot.

To remove the requirement for the encryption password, you will have to erase your device and set it up as new. This will delete all information from the device, which is by design in the event someone does not have (I.e. you, in this case) the password.

There is no alternate solution. If you forget the password, you will HAVE to erase the device and set it up as a new device. That is your only means of removing the phone's setting that now requires the encryption password to make a backup in iTunes.

Hey guys,

I just went through the same thing. Thankfully I keep a record of past passwords, and while it WAS my Apple ID password at the time I created, I've since changed my Apple ID password. If you can find your old Apple ID passwords, I'll wager to bet there's a good chance you did the same, (and chose your current (at the time) Apple ID password).

I found my old one, used it and voila, it worked! Thank god.

Good luck!

Kindly,

C

Thanks, PlaceNarration,

Your idea saved me. I use a password manager app, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it kept a history (something I'd never needed before). One of my old Apple ID passwords unlocked my Backup.

-Chris

Hooray! You're welcome. 😀 So glad I could help. This just made my day, (esp. since the night it happened to me, I spent hours pouring over websites trying to figure out what to do). Pay it forward! :]

How does the system protect if one has full access to the iPhone except for the back up option?

To not be able to use an encrypted back up without the password is exactly what that is supposed to do. But to not be able to create useful future back ups without that password even if you have full access to the iPhone is complete bs and does not serve anything except for creating hurdles for iPhone owner.

The only reason I can think of is to sell iCloud storage as you can still back it up on iCloud and restore from that without the forgotten password in iTunes.

<Edited by Host>

Yes, this is nonsense. Encryption should protect the data. Not the container. If what I read here is correct, forgetting the password leaves you -unable- to do a new encrypted backup, with new password. It should be -my- option, to make a new backup, with a new password and abandon the old dataset. There's no security danger in that.