Encrypt iTunes Backup | iTunes Backup Password Recovery Tips

If you back up iOS device data to iCloud, Apple ID will be the key to backup. However, if you create backup in iTunes, what is the key to iTunes backup? Surely it is the iTunes backup password. But how to encrypt iTunes backup and protect it from accessing by other people?

Actually, the direct and easy way to encrypt iTunes backup has appeared in the process of creating iTunes backup, if "Encrypt local backup" box is checked. If not, follow these steps to learn how to encrypt iPhone/iPad/iPod touch backup in iTunes.

Step 1: Take your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch connected into computer with USB cable.

Step 2: Open iTunes.

If you have set "Open iTunes when iPhone/iPad/iPod connected" in iTunes before, now you will don’t need to open iTunes. iTunes will run automatically once iOS device has been connected to computer successfully.

Step 3: Click device name in the top-right side of iTunes.

Step 4: Choose Summary option, and in the "Backups" part, you can see there is "Encrypt local backup" option.

Step 5: Tick "Encrypt local backup" and a dialog will pop up to ask for a backup password.

Step 6: Type and verify iTunes backup password, and then click "Set Password" button to confirm.

Besides, there is always another option under password box, "Remember this password in my keychain". If you select it, backup password will be saved in the keychain on your mac computer. One day, if you forgot password to unlock iTunes backup, you can get it in keychain. But to some degree, this defeats the purpose of setting a password in the backup password box. On the other hand, encrypt iTunes backup with powerful password not only increases the security of that data, but also prevents you from having to re-enter your email and Mobile Me passwords when you restore.

Therefore, we had better set a password to encrypt iTunes backup, but choose to save password in keychain or not depends on your own necessity. Save iTunes backup password in other safe place is worth to do. So that when you forgot or lost iTunes backup password one day, it can be found to unlock iTunes backup. Otherwise, you should need a tool, such as iTunes Password Genius, to recover iTunes backup password.