About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

The "Encrypt local backup" option in the Finder 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 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.

1. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open the Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes.
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. 
   
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:

1. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open the Finder, click the General tab, then click Manage Backups. You should see a list of your backups. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC with iTunes, from the menu bar at the top of the iTunes window, choose Edit > Preferences, then click the Devices tab.
   
2. You should see a lock  next to your device's name and the date and time that the backup was created.
   
3. Click OK to close the backup window.

If you’ve set up the Finder or iTunes to encrypt your backups, the “Encrypt local backup” checkbox in the General or Summary tab is checked.

You can also see whether a specific backup is encrypted:

1. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open the Finder, click the General tab, then click Manage Backups. You should see a list of your backups. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC with iTunes, from the menu bar at the top of the iTunes window, choose Edit > Preferences, then click the Devices tab.
2. Look for a lock  next to the backup. If you see a lock , the backup is encrypted.
   
3. Click OK to close the backup window.

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

• If you have an iCloud account, you can use iCloud to back up and restore.
• Learn how to reset your backup password.

• Learn what to do if you forgot the password for your encrypted backup.
• Learn the difference between iCloud and iTunes backups.