About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

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

• Encrypt your backups

• View your encrypted backups

• Turn off backup encryption

• Reset your encrypted backup password

Encrypt your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch backup

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

• 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. The system encrypts backups for your device from then on. You can also make a backup in iCloud, which encrypts your information.

Encrypt your backups

1. Switch to 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. Use a USB cable to connect your device to your computer.

3. Locate your device on your computer.

4. From the General tab or the Summary tab, select “Encrypt local backup” under the Backups section.

   

5. When asked, create a password. You need this password to use the backup. Find out what to do if you’ve forgotten your password.

After you’ve confirmed your password, the backup will start and immediately overwrite and encrypt your previous backups. When the process has finished, make sure your encrypted backup has been completed successfully.

View your encrypted backups

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. Switch to the Finder or open the Apple Devices app. 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. Use a USB cable to connect your device to your computer.

3. Click the General tab.

4. Click the Manage Backups button.

5. In the iTunes window, select Edit, then select Preferences on Windows. Or select iTunes, then Preferences.

6. Click the Devices tab.

7. Look for the lock next to your device's name. If you see a lock, then the system encrypted the backup. You should also see the date and time that the system created the backup.

   

8. Click OK to close the backup window.

Turn off backup encryption

1. Untick the “Encrypt local backup” box in the Finder window, the Apple Devices app window or the iTunes window.

2. 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.

Reset your encrypted 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.

Learn how to reset your password and create a new encrypted backup