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Enter password to unlock iPhone backup

I got a new iPhone 7 today and am trying to restore it from the backup of my old one (5S) (which I did this morning). I'm logged into iTunes, but when I select "Restore from backup" I'm prompted to "Enter the password to unlock your iPhone backup." This doesn't appear to be my iTunes password, or my iPhone password, so what is it?

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Posted on Sep 9, 2017 7:35 PM

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Posted on Feb 7, 2018 3:40 PM

I had the same problem! Turns out the password is not the same as your iTunes login. Mine was 'iphone' even though I never set it as that. Try every single password you can think off, even default passwords like 0000 and 1234.

16 replies

Sep 10, 2017 3:15 AM in response to Hi_Harry

Hi


Upon first turning on "Encrypt iPhone backup" in iTunes, a password must be set for your encrypted backups. This applies automatically to all future backups, without needing to enter it again.


If you later wish to turn off backup encryption or to restore from an encrypted iTunes backup, it is necessary to enter the current backup encryption password.


If you have forgotten or do not know the password, then encryption cannot be turned off and the iTunes backup cannot be used. There is no way around this feature:



An alternative solution for transferring the content and settings to your new iPhone is to back up your old iPhone using iCloud and then to restore your new iPhone from the iCloud backup. (iCloud backups are encrypted as standard, so will also include your sensitive data).


Instructions are provided here:


Transfer content from your previous iOS device to your new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Nov 22, 2017 6:39 PM in response to Hi_Harry

It is the encryption password that you set to protect your iPhone backup in iTunes.

like this:

User uploaded file


If you forgot it, you can recover the backup password with some iTunes backup password recovery tools.


Actually, why not transfer data from your old iPhone to your iPhone 7 directly? That will be easy to do. Hope my answer is helpful for you!

Nov 21, 2017 8:20 AM in response to Juju1990

THIS WORKED FOR ME


You can’t restore an encrypted backup without its password. With iOS 11 or later, you can make a new encrypted backup of your device by resetting the password. Here’s what to do:

  1. On your iOS device, go to Settings > General > Reset.
  2. Tap Reset All Settings and enter your iOS passcode.
  3. Follow the steps to reset your settings. This won't affect your user data or passwords, but it will reset settings like display brightness, Home screen layout, and wallpaper. It also removes your encrypted backup password.
  4. Connect your device to iTunes again and create a new encrypted backup.

You won't be able to use previous encrypted backups, but you can back up your current data using iTunes and setting a new backup password.If you have a device with iOS 10 or ealier, you can't reset the password.

Jan 3, 2018 2:28 AM in response to Hi_Harry

If you can’t remember the password for your encrypted backup

You can’t restore an encrypted backup without its password. With iOS 11 or later, you can make a new encrypted backup of your device by resetting the password. Here’s what to do:

  1. On your iOS device, go to Settings > General > Reset.
  2. Tap Reset All Settings and enter your iOS passcode.
  3. Follow the steps to reset your settings. This won't affect your user data or passwords, but it will reset settings like display brightness, Home screen layout, and wallpaper. It also removes your encrypted backup password.
  4. Connect your device to iTunes again and create a new encrypted backup.

You won't be able to use previous encrypted backups, but you can back up your current data using iTunes and setting a new backup password.

If you have a device with iOS 10 or earlier, you can't reset the password. In this case, try the following:

  • If someone else set up your device, ask them for the password.
  • Use an iCloud backup instead of iTunes. If you don't have an iCloud backup, you can make one.
  • Try using an older iTunes backup.

Feb 19, 2018 9:57 AM in response to Hi_Harry

I reset my Apple ID password using iForgot, wrote the password down, then backed up my iPhone using iTunes. A few minutes later I tried to restore from backup. I was prompted for my iPhone password, entered my Apple ID password, which I had just reset 5 minutes earlier. Password was not recognized. I tried my iPhone 4-digit passcode. Password not recognized. I have a 5C and trying to upgrade to 6Plus. Perhaps 5C isn't supported?

Mar 9, 2018 3:42 AM in response to Hi_Harry

Hi,


It's the same for me and before someone tells me to read all the answers with regards to encrypted passwords and all, I did NOT chose the encrypted data/password option. I also did not fill in any passwords when I did my backup this morning. After changing the battery on my troubled iPhone 6, I tried to restore my backup and was asked to input a password. It is definitely not the iTunes password as I could login to iTunes on my iPad and computer. What other passwords can it be? I tried my iPhone password, sim card code...nothing seems to work.

Mar 15, 2018 9:41 PM in response to Hi_Harry

Just to add to the list.
I am unlocking my iPhone 5S from AT&T, so I needed to back it up to my computer, erase it and then restore it from the backup.

I did not set up an encrypted password!

But I still got the password request, which of course I don't have a password for.

Luckily, I had also backed up the phone last night (which I also never set up an encrypted password for), that did not require me to use a password, so I could restore my phone.


This is obviously a bug.

Enter password to unlock iPhone backup

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