About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch (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 the password for encrypted backups

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 will lock and encode your information. Encryptedbackups can include information that unencrypted backups don't:

  • Your saved passwords
  • Wi-Fi settings
  • Website history
  • Health data
  • Call history

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 be encrypted automatically from then on. You can also make a backup in iCloud, which will encrypt your information automatically every time.

Encrypt your backups

  1. Open the Finder or the Apple Devices app on Windows. Open iTunes on Windows without the Apple Devices app or macOS Mojave or earlier. Find out which 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 (1)
  4. When asked, create 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’ve forgotten your password, find out what to do.

After you've confirmed your password,your backup will start and immediately overwriteand encryptyour previous backups. When the process is complete, make sure your encrypted backup has finished successfully.

Check 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” box in the General or Summary tab will be ticked.

  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. Find out which macOS your Mac is using.
  3. In Finder or the 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 lock About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch (2) next to your device’s name. If you see a lock About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch (3), the backup is encrypted. You should also see the date and time the backup was created.
  5. Click OK to close the backup window.About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch (4)

Turn off backup encryption

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:

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 (2024)

FAQs

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

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: Your saved passwords. Wi-Fi settings.

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.

How do I turn off encrypted backups on 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.

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. On your device, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device], then tap Reset.

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.

How to tell if an iPhone is encrypted? ›

Encryption is enabled individually on an iPhone when you set up a passcode or Touch/Face ID to unlock the device. You can confirm that this is enabled in Settings > Face ID & Passcode, where you should see the phrase Data protection is enabled at the bottom of the page.

Where are encrypted iPhone backups stored? ›

On both Windows and macOS, iOS backups are stored in a MobileSync folder. On macOS, iTunes will store backups in /Users/[USERNAME]/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup . (macOS 10.15 creates backups using Finder rather than iTunes, but these backups are stored in the same place.)

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.

Does iCloud always Encrypt backups? ›

Standard data protection is the default setting for your account. Your iCloud data is encrypted in transit and stored in an encrypted format at rest.

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.

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.

Is it possible to decrypt iPhone backup? ›

All you have to know is the password you used for encryption. If you encrypt an iPhone / iPod / iPad backup and forget your password, you won't be able to restore or read backup, and your data will be unrecoverable. Make sure it's a password you will remember, or write it down for safekeeping.

What does "encrypted data" mean on an iPhone? ›

No one else can access your end-to-end encrypted data — not even Apple — and this data remains secure even in the case of a data breach in the cloud. If you lose access to your account, only you can recover this data, using your device passcode or password, recovery contact, or recovery key.

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