Remove Encryption From iTunes Backups: What It Does

Removing encryption from an iTunes (or Finder) backup is a straightforward setting change, but it has a major consequence: you lose access to saved passwords, Health data, and HomeKit information in that backup. This article explains exactly what the encrypted backup option does, how to turn it off safely, and what you should consider before doing so.

What an Encrypted Backup Actually Protects

When you check “Encrypt local backup” in iTunes or Finder, Apple uses a password you create to scramble the entire backup file on your computer. This does more than just hide your photos and messages — it is the only way to back up certain sensitive categories of data. According to Apple’s documentation, an encrypted backup includes:

• Saved passwords (for websites, Wi-Fi networks, and app logins)
• Health and Activity data from the Health app
• HomeKit configuration and accessory settings
• Call history and voicemail (in some iOS versions)
• Website history and cookies

An unencrypted backup, by contrast, contains almost everything else: photos, messages, contacts, calendars, app data, and device settings — but not the items above. If you remove encryption and then restore from that backup, you will have to re-enter passwords, re-pair HomeKit accessories, and you may lose years of Health history.

Why Would You Want to Remove Encryption?

The most common reason is that people forget the backup password. Unlike your device passcode, there is no way to reset an iTunes backup password — if you lose it, the backup is permanently inaccessible. Removing encryption is the only way to start fresh with a new backup that doesn’t require a password. Other reasons include:

• You want to access backup files with third-party tools that don’t support encrypted formats.
• You’re troubleshooting a restore that keeps failing because of a password mismatch.
• You’re moving to a new computer and want to avoid entering the password every time you sync.
• You no longer need Health or password data in your backup because you use iCloud for those.

If you simply dislike entering a password each time you back up, you can uncheck the box and the next backup will be unencrypted. But be aware: the old encrypted backup file remains on your disk until you delete it manually, and it still requires the old password if you ever try to restore from it.

How to Remove Encryption from an iTunes Backup

The steps are nearly identical on Windows and Mac, though the menu names differ slightly depending on your OS version. For current versions of macOS (Catalina and later), backups happen in Finder, not iTunes. Here’s the general process:

1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer with a USB cable.
2. Open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (Windows or older macOS).
3. Select your device — it appears in the sidebar of Finder or in the top-left of iTunes.
4. In the “Backups” section, uncheck the box labeled “Encrypt local backup.”
5. If the box is checked, iTunes/Finder will ask for the backup password to confirm you’re allowed to disable it. Enter the password you originally set.
6. Click “OK” or “Done.” The next backup you run will be unencrypted.

If you’ve forgotten the password, you cannot uncheck the box — the system requires the password to disable encryption. In that case, your only options are to keep using the encrypted backup (if you remember the password later) or to delete the old encrypted backup and start a new, unencrypted one. Deleting the old backup is done in the same Backups section: right-click the backup in the list and choose “Delete Backup.”

What Happens to Your Existing Encrypted Backup?

Removing the checkmark does not delete the encrypted backup file you already have. It simply tells the software that future backups will not be encrypted. The old file remains in your backup folder, taking up space, and it still requires the old password if you ever attempt to restore from it. To actually get rid of it, you must delete it manually through the device management screen in iTunes or Finder.

If you later re-enable encryption with a new password, the software will create a new encrypted backup, but it will not merge with the old one. You’ll have two separate backup files — one encrypted (old) and one unencrypted (new) — unless you delete one. Also note that when you disable encryption, the Health data and passwords in your next backup will be omitted, not just hidden.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

The most frequent issue is the “forgot password” scenario. Apple provides no password recovery mechanism for encrypted backups, so the only workaround is to delete the backup and lose its contents. To avoid this, write down the password when you first enable encryption, or store it in a password manager. Another common problem is that disabling encryption can cause a restore to fail if you’re trying to restore from an older encrypted backup while the setting is off — the software will still prompt for the old password. If you’re moving to a new computer, make sure you know the password before you disconnect the old one, because the encrypted backup won’t transfer to the new machine without it.

Comparing Encrypted vs. Unencrypted Backups

Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:

• Security: Encrypted backups are protected by a password; unencrypted backups are not. Anyone with access to your computer can read an unencrypted backup.
• Data included: Encrypted includes passwords, Health, HomeKit; unencrypted excludes these.
• Restore speed: Unencrypted restores are slightly faster because no decryption step is needed.
• Compatibility: Unencrypted backups are easier to use with third-party data extraction tools.
• Password recovery: Encrypted has no recovery; unencrypted has no password at all.

Alternatives: iCloud Backup and Password Managers

If your main reason for removing encryption is to avoid the password hassle, consider using iCloud Backup instead. iCloud backups are always encrypted in transit and at rest, and you don’t have to manage a separate backup password — your Apple ID credentials handle it. However, iCloud backups do not include Health data either (unless you enable iCloud Health sync separately), and they’re limited to the free 5GB unless you pay for more storage. For passwords, a dedicated password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden will keep them synced across devices without relying on your backup at all. That way, even if you choose an unencrypted local backup, your sensitive data lives elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a forgotten iTunes backup password?

No. Apple does not provide any way to reset or recover an encrypted backup password. The only options are to keep trying passwords you might have used, or to delete the backup and start fresh. If you have an iCloud backup, you can restore from that instead.

Will removing encryption delete my Health data?

It won’t delete it from your phone, but it will stop including it in future local backups. If you later restore from an unencrypted backup, Health data will not be restored. To keep Health data, either keep encryption enabled or use iCloud Health sync.

Does unchecking “Encrypt local backup” affect my iCloud backup?

No. The setting only affects local backups made to your computer via iTunes or Finder. iCloud backups are managed separately and are always encrypted by Apple.

Can I have both an encrypted and an unencrypted backup at the same time?

Yes, but not through the same software. iTunes/Finder only allows one backup per device at a time — it replaces the previous backup. To have both, you’d need to make an encrypted backup, then manually copy that file elsewhere, then disable encryption and make a new unencrypted backup. The old encrypted file remains on disk until you delete it.

What happens if I restore from an encrypted backup on a new computer?

You’ll need the original backup password. The restore process will prompt for it. If you don’t have it, the restore will fail. There is no way to bypass this.

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