About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (2024)

To protect backups of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on your computer, you can use password protection and encryption.

Encrypt your backups

Check if your backups are encrypted

Turn off backup encryption

Reset your encrypted backup password

When you encrypt the backup for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

The Encrypt local backup option in the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes locks and encodes your information. Encrypted backups can include information that unencrypted backups don't:

Encrypted backups don't include Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode data.

Your backup isn't encrypted by default. To encrypt a backup in the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes for the first time, turn on the password-protected Encrypt local backup option. Backups for your device will automatically be encrypted from then on. You can also make a backup in iCloud, which automatically encrypts your information every time.

Encrypt your backups

  1. Open the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn't have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead. Find out what macOS your Mac is using.

  2. Connect your device to your computer with the included USB cable. Then locate your device on your computer.

  3. From the General tab or the Summary tab, select Encrypt local backup under the Backups section.

    About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (1)
  4. When asked, make a password. Create one that you'll remember or write it down and store it safely, because there's no way to use your backup without this password. If you forgot your password, learn what to do.

After you confirm your password, your backup will start and immediately overwrite and encrypt your previous backups. When the process completes, make sure that your encrypted backup finished successfully.

Check to see if your backups are encrypted

If you've set up the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes to encrypt your backups, the "Encrypt local backup" checkbox in the General or Summary tab is checked.

  1. Connect your device.

  2. Open the Finder or the Apple Devices app on Windows. Open iTunes on Windows without the Apple Devices app or macOS Mojave or earlier.

  3. In Finder or Apple Devices app, click the General tab and then the Manage Backups button. In iTunes, use Edit > Preferences on Windows or iTunes > Preferences, then click the Devices tab.

  4. Look for the lockAbout encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (2) next to your device's name. If you see a lockAbout encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (3), then the backup is encrypted. You should also see the date and time that the backup was created.

  5. Click OK to close the backup window.

About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (4)

Turn off backup encryption

To turn off backup encryption, uncheck the Encrypt local backup checkbox in the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes and enter the password. If you can't remember your password, you have two options:

Reset your backup password

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

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

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About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (2024)

FAQs

What does it mean do you want backups of an iPhone to be encrypted? ›

The Encrypt local backup option in the Finder, the Apple Devices app, or iTunes locks and encodes your information. Encrypted backups can include information that unencrypted backups don't: Your saved passwords. Wi-Fi settings. Website history.

How do I get past an encrypted iPhone backup? ›

You can't restore an encrypted backup without its password. With iOS 11 or later or iPadOS, you can make a new encrypted backup of your device by resetting the password.

How do I remove encrypted backup from my iPhone? ›

To turn off backup encryption, untick the “Encrypt local backup” box in the Finder, the Apple Devices app or iTunes and enter the password. If you can't remember your password, you have two options: Use iCloud to back up and restore. Reset your backup password.

What is the default password for encrypted iPhone backup? ›

There's no such thing as a default password for an iOS backup. Perhaps you used one of the following: Your iTunes, Apple ID or iPhone password. Your email password.

What happens if I don't encrypt my iPhone backup? ›

Without an encrypted backup, iTunes (Apple) won't take the risk of restoring your iPhone's keychain data as a security precaution. For example, if someone stole your computer, they could restore your data to a different iPhone and have access to all your passwords. If your backup data ...

What happens when you encrypt an iPhone backup? ›

The Encrypt local backup option in the Finder, the Apple Devices app or iTunes will lock and encode your information. Encrypted backups can include information that unencrypted backups don't: Your saved passwords. Wi-Fi settings.

How to unlock encrypted iPhone backup without password? ›

You can't restore an encrypted backup without its password. With iOS 11 or later or iPadOS, you can make a new encrypted backup of your device by resetting the password. On your device, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device], then tap Reset.

How do I find my iTunes backup encryption password? ›

Step 1: Open Mac and select Application> Utilities> Keychain Access. Step 2: Put your iPhone in the search box and check for iPhone's backup. Step 3: Double-click and tick the Show Password option.

How long does an encrypted iPhone backup take? ›

Normally, it takes from 30 mins to 2 hours to back up your iPhone. The process depends on different conditions, such as: how full is your iPhone storage: if there is almost no GB left, your backup might take ages or even never happen. The device needs some free space to process the copying and encryption of your data.

What is encrypted in iCloud backup? ›

Passwords and Keychain: Includes your saved accounts and passwords. Advanced Data Protection: Messages in iCloud is always end-to-end encrypted. When iCloud Backup is enabled, everything inside it is end-to-end encrypted, including the Messages in iCloud encryption key.

How do I unencrypt my iPhone backup in iTunes? ›

Connect the iOS device to your computer using a USB cable. Launch iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and higher). Select the device from the list and ensure the Summary tab is selected. Under the "Backups" header, uncheck the 'Encrypt Local Backup' Option.

What does "encrypted backup" mean? ›

Encrypting backups adds an additional layer of security by converting sensitive information into an unreadable format. Even if threat actors manage to intercept the data while in transit, they will not be able to access or read it without the decryption key.

What is the default 6 digit passcode for iPhone? ›

Fix 2.

According to many iPhone users who have encountered the same iPhone asking for 6-digit passcode after update or factory reset, entering the default passcode 000000 or 123456 can unlock the iOS device successfully.

What happens if I reset encrypted data? ›

Resetting encrypted data will not remove the device passcode itself. However, it will delete all data stored on the device, including any encrypted files protected by the passcode.

Should I encrypt backups or not? ›

If you back up to an external disk and don't use disk encryption, any person who gains possession of that disk can read any data backed up to that disk. Be sure to physically safeguard your backup disk so untrusted users don't have access to it, and store it in a secure location.

Should backup data be encrypted? ›

Data should be encrypted both in transit and once it reaches the servers of the cloud provider and remains in storage. Storing the data in encrypted format means that if an unauthorized person manages to achieve physical or electronic access to these backup servers, the actual data will still be inaccessible.

Is it necessary to encrypt backups? ›

To ensure recoverability after a disruption, data backup encryption is vital. The key to data integrity is reliability and trust at all times. Backups are a vital part of data and application recoverability and must always be secure. Encryption is essential to data protection, and backups are no exception.

What happens if I don't know my encrypted iPhone backup password? ›

You can't restore an encrypted backup without its password. With iOS 11 or later or iPadOS, you can make a new encrypted backup of your device by resetting the password. On your device, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device], then tap Reset.

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