iTunes backup password problem

Question

iTunes backup password problem

Hey there, I have the following question.

To transfer files from an iPhone11 to an iPhone15 I used iTunes to make a Backup of the iPhone11 on a laptop ticking the box for Encryption local backup. I then restored this Backup to the iPhone15 using the Encryption key. As I expected this key to be for one-time use I did not keep the key. This was six months ago.

As my iPhone15 needed a screen repair, last week I made another Backup on another laptop, this time NOT ticking the box for Encryption local backup. iTunes did not ask for a password verification or anything, it just made the Backup. I then set the iPhone15 to factory settings. To my surprise iTunes is now asking for a password for restoring the latest Backup on the iPhone15. Can someone please tell me if this password is the same as the one I used for encryption six months ago? Or is it the Apple ID password I used at the time.. or a password assigned by Windows perhaps?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards, Erik

iPhone 15, iOS 18

Posted on Dec 23, 2024 9:37 AM

Reply

Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

275,812 points

Dec 24, 2024 9:33 AM in response to ErikNetherlands

It would be the same key you used previously. And no, there is no obvious warning that this will be used for subsequent backups and restores.

See also Disable iOS backup encryption - Apple Community. In particular:

If you have forgotten the password, or were not aware that encryption had been enabled, consider that it might be any computer, Apple ID, Wi-Fi password or device PIN that you've used in the past, working from the assumption that you might have reused a common password that you were using when encryption was first activated. See About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support for details.

tt2

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 24, 2024 11:51 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks tt2,

I remember that I scribbled a password on a newspaper, used it and then discarded it.

I was wondering if the encipherment would be crackable. Given your name is Turingtest you may be in for some mathematics :-) Let's see. Most likely my password had 8 unique characters; 1 capital letter, 4 lower case letters, 2 numbers and 1 symbol from the eight character range ! @ # $ % ^ & *. An example of a possible password is: Tempy24%. Total number of permutations (I hope I do this correctly) would then be: 26*25*24*23*22*10*9*8=5683392000

If I have a computer running at let's say 1500 passwords/minute, i.e. 2160000/day, it would take 2631 days to decipher the password. In other words; not really doable. What do you say?

Erik

Reply

Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

275,812 points

Dec 24, 2024 2:10 PM in response to ErikNetherlands

That about sums it up. 😞

Unless you have some insight into how less than truly random you might have been or can envisage the password written on the paper.

tt2

Reply