Encrypted iPhone Backup isn't accepting the right password

A while ago i tried to backup my iphone to my mac but couldn’t do it because my mac didn’t have enough space but i had already set a password, then i backed it up to my windows computer through itunes and set the same password. Saturday i backed my iphone to the same windows pc and tried to restore from backup and it said wrong password so i backed it up to someone else’s mac and even though i didn’t set a password this time it was encrypted, i clicked restore from backup and entered the old password, it accepted the password started the process but my phone got erased and went to the hello screen. I learned that it accepts any password but if the password is wrong it just erases the phone without a warning. I lost a lot of important data and i’ve been trying a lot of ways to find the right password. I looked to the keychain access and found nothing, i looked to the keychain access at my mac and found the same password ive been trying, i tried every password i have ever used. So what is the password now? I didn't set it, the other mac's owner never backed up an iPhone with encryption before so he didn't set it, it isn't in the keychain access , where did this password come from?


iPhone 12 mini, iOS 26

Posted on Nov 1, 2025 9:18 AM

Reply
8 replies

Nov 1, 2025 1:10 PM in response to iamspeedkachow

See 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

Nov 1, 2025 9:28 AM in response to iamspeedkachow

iamspeedkachow wrote:


A while ago i tried to backup my iphone to my mac but couldn’t do it because my mac didn’t have enough space but i had already set a password, then i backed it up to my windows computer through itunes and set the same password.


Saturday i backed my iphone to the same windows pc and tried to restore from backup and it said wrong password so i backed it up to someone else’s mac and even though i didn’t set a password this time it was encrypted, i clicked restore from backup and entered the old password, it accepted the password started the process but my phone got erased and went to the hello screen.


I learned that it accepts any password but if the password is wrong it just erases the phone without a warning.


I lost a lot of important data and i’ve been trying a lot of ways to find the right password.


I looked to the keychain access and found nothing, i looked to the keychain access at my mac and found the same password ive been trying, i tried every password i have ever used.


So what is the password now?


I didn't set it, the other mac's owner never backed up an iPhone with encryption before so he didn't set it, it isn't in the keychain access , where did this password come from?

---------------------------------------------------------------------


good question—


Never had such an issue.


it seems confounding this backup being passed around on so many machines. I would not remain optimistic here.



iPhone backups can be found here from the Finder>Go>Go To Folder, copy & paste:

~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup


or the GUI




further—


Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)


or on line https://getsupport.apple.com/


or call AppleCare Support at 1-800-APLCARE (800-275-2273)


Outside the USA—Contact Apple for support and service by phone

See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world.

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support 



Nov 1, 2025 10:33 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thank you for replying so quickly. i actually talked to apple support like 4 times, first guy said macOS might set a new password automatically but the other 3 said this was misinformation and I forgot my password which is impossible because I write every password I set and I didn't set a new password. None of them could help. The thing I don't understand is, what is the password now?

Encrypted iPhone Backup isn't accepting the right password

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