---
title: "Is Your iPhone Backup Encrypted? How to Check and Turn It On"
description: "iCloud backups are always encrypted; iPhone backups on a Mac or PC aren't by default. How to check, encrypt your iPhone backup, and the password catch."
url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/iphone-backup-encryption
lang: en
published: 2026-10-29
updated: 2026-10-29
author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team"
publisher: VaultForYou
---

# Is your iPhone backup encrypted, and should you encrypt it?

> Your iCloud backup is already encrypted, but a backup on your computer isn't until you check one box and pick a password you can't afford to forget.

Published 2026-10-29 - Updated 2026-10-29 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team

## Quick answer

iCloud backups are always encrypted. Backups on a Mac or PC aren't encrypted by default. To encrypt one, connect your iPhone, open the Finder or the Apple Devices app, select Encrypt local backup under Backups and create a password. Encrypted backups also include saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, Health data and call history.

- **iCloud Backup:** Always encrypted. Apple holds the keys unless Advanced Data Protection is on.
- **Computer backup:** Not encrypted by default. Turn on Encrypt local backup in the Finder or Apple Devices app.
- **What it adds:** Saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, Health data and call history.
- **Lose the password:** You can't restore that backup. Resetting lets you make new ones, not open old ones.

It depends on where the backup lives. Yes, your iPhone backup is encrypted if it's in iCloud: Apple always encrypts iCloud backups, though by default Apple also holds the keys. No, it isn't encrypted if it's on a Mac or PC and you never turned on **Encrypt local backup**, because computer backups are unencrypted by default. Encrypting a computer backup takes one checkbox and a password. The catch is that the password is the only way back in: forget it, and that backup can't be restored.

We checked these steps against Apple's support pages in October 2026.

## Is your iPhone backup encrypted?

Here's the quick way to tell which situation you're in:

| Backup | Encrypted? | Who holds the key |
|---|---|---|
| iCloud Backup, standard data protection (the default) | **Yes**, in transit and on Apple's servers | Apple, so it can help you restore |
| iCloud Backup, Advanced Data Protection on | **Yes**, end-to-end | Only your trusted devices |
| Computer backup (Finder, Apple Devices app or iTunes), default | **No** | No password at all |
| Computer backup with Encrypt local backup on | **Yes** | You, through the backup password |

To check a computer backup, connect your iPhone, open the Finder (Mac) or the Apple Devices app (PC), and look at the **General** tab. If **Encrypt local backup** is checked, every backup of that iPhone from then on is encrypted. Under **Manage Backups**, encrypted backups show a lock next to the device name.

## If what worries you is private photos in a backup

Backup encryption protects the backup, not the photo library itself. Anyone who can unlock your iPhone can still open Photos, and anyone who can restore your backup gets back whatever photos it holds.

VaultForYou takes a different approach for the photos, videos and documents you choose: they live outside the Photos library, so they aren't in Photos, search or iCloud Photos. Files are encrypted on your iPhone with keys in the iOS Keychain, and a vault opens only with a pattern you draw. Its iCloud backup is optional (Premium), and each file is encrypted before it goes to your iCloud. After importing, delete the originals and empty Recently Deleted.

> **Private photos, encrypted before any backup.** A pattern-locked vault on your iPhone, outside the Photos library. [Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000)

## Should you encrypt your iPhone backups?

If you back up to a computer, yes, for almost everyone. Two reasons:

- **The backup gets a lock.** An unencrypted backup holds most of your phone, including app data and, often, your photos and messages, with nothing protecting it but access to the computer.
- **The backup gets more complete.** Only encrypted backups include your saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, Health data and call history. Restoring a new iPhone from one means far less setting up again.

The one reason not to: you might lose the password. Apple can't recover it, and a forgotten password means that backup is unusable. If you know you'll lose it, store it in a password manager before you start, or rely on iCloud Backup instead.

## What an encrypted backup includes that a normal one doesn't

Apple says the **Encrypt local backup** option adds:

- Your saved passwords
- Wi-Fi settings
- Website history
- Health data
- Call history

Apple's backup overview adds that Activity, Health and Keychain data are only backed up to a computer in an encrypted backup. Encrypted backups still **don't** include Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode data. For the full list of what any backup covers, see [what is in an iPhone backup](/blog/what-is-in-an-iphone-backup).

## How to encrypt your iPhone backup on a Mac or PC

1. **Open the Finder or the Apple Devices app** On a Mac, open a Finder window. On a PC, open the Apple Devices app. If your PC doesn't have it, or your Mac runs macOS Mojave or earlier, use iTunes instead.
2. **Connect your iPhone with a USB cable** Plug your iPhone into the computer and select it in the sidebar. If asked, tap Trust on your iPhone and enter your passcode.
3. **Select Encrypt local backup** On the General tab (or the Summary tab in iTunes), under Backups, select Encrypt local backup.
4. **Create a password and store it safely** Create a password when asked. You need it to restore the backup later, so save it in a password manager or somewhere you won't lose it.
5. **Let the backup finish** After you confirm the password, a backup starts and overwrites and encrypts your previous backups. Wait for it to finish and check that it completed successfully.

From then on, the computer encrypts every backup of that iPhone automatically. On a Mac, you can start one any time with **Back Up Now** on the same General tab.

## Who can open your iPhone backup?

| Who | Unencrypted computer backup | Encrypted computer backup | iCloud Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Someone using your Mac or PC | **Yes** | **No**, not without the backup password | n/a |
| Someone who knows your backup password and has the computer | **Yes** | **Yes** | n/a |
| Someone who can sign in to your Apple Account | No | No | **Yes** with standard data protection |
| Apple | No, it isn't uploaded | No, it isn't uploaded | **Yes** with standard data protection, **no** with Advanced Data Protection |
| You, after forgetting the backup password | **Yes** | **No** | Yes, if you can sign in |

The weak spots are different. A computer backup is only as safe as the computer and its password; an iCloud backup is only as safe as your Apple Account and the protection level you chose.

## How iCloud Backup encryption works

Apple encrypts iCloud backups automatically, but "encrypted" means two different things depending on your settings:

- **Standard data protection (default).** Your iCloud Backup is encrypted in transit and stored encrypted, but the keys are secured in Apple data centers, so Apple can decrypt your data on your behalf, for example when you restore a backup to a new iPhone. If you use both iCloud Backup and Messages in iCloud, the backup also includes a copy of the Messages in iCloud key.
- **Advanced Data Protection (opt-in).** iCloud Backup and everything inside it is end-to-end encrypted, including that Messages key. Only your trusted devices hold the keys, and Apple can't help you recover the data if you lose access to your account.

Even with Advanced Data Protection, some backup metadata stays under standard protection: the name, model, color and serial number of the device, the list of apps and file formats in the backup, and the date, time and size of each snapshot. For a full breakdown, see [is iCloud encrypted?](/blog/is-icloud-encrypted)

## Forgot your backup password? What you can and can't do

You can't restore an encrypted backup without its password. Apple's fix lets you make **new** encrypted backups, but it never opens the old ones:

1. On your iPhone, open **Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone**.
2. Tap **Reset**, then **Reset All Settings**, and enter your passcode.
3. Confirm **Reset All Settings**. Your data and passwords stay; settings like brightness, Home Screen layout and wallpaper reset, and the backup password is removed.
4. Connect to the Finder or Apple Devices app again and make a new encrypted backup with a new password.

This reset works on iOS 11 or later. If you also have an iCloud backup, you can restore from that instead, since it doesn't use this password.

## How to turn off backup encryption

Uncheck **Encrypt local backup** in the Finder or the Apple Devices app and enter the password. Without the password you can't turn it off; your options are to back up with iCloud or reset the backup password as above.

Think twice before turning it off. You lose the password protection and the passwords, Health data and history that only encrypted backups carry.

## Before you hand over or recycle a computer

Old backups pile up quietly. Before you give away a Mac or PC, open the Finder or Apple Devices app, click **Manage Backups**, and delete backups you don't need. Deleted backups can't be recovered, so keep at least one recent one. If you're getting rid of the iPhone too, see [how to wipe an iPhone before a trade-in](/blog/wipe-iphone-before-trade-in).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is my iPhone backup encrypted?

If it's in iCloud, yes: Apple always encrypts iCloud backups. If it's on a Mac or PC, only if you turned on Encrypt local backup. To check, connect your iPhone, open the Finder or the Apple Devices app, and look at the General tab: if Encrypt local backup is checked, your backups are encrypted. In Manage Backups, encrypted backups show a lock.

### Should I encrypt backups on my iPhone?

For most people, yes. An encrypted computer backup is protected by a password, and it's the only kind that includes your saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, Health data and call history, which makes restoring to a new iPhone more complete. The one real cost: if you forget the password, you can't restore that backup.

### What happens if I forget my iPhone backup password?

You can't restore an encrypted backup without its password. On your iPhone, go to Settings -> General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset All Settings. That removes the backup password without deleting your data, so you can make a new encrypted backup. It doesn't unlock older encrypted backups. iCloud backups don't use this password.

### Is iCloud backup end-to-end encrypted?

Not by default. With standard data protection, iCloud Backup is encrypted in transit and on Apple's servers, but the keys are kept in Apple data centers so Apple can help you restore. With Advanced Data Protection turned on, iCloud Backup and everything in it is end-to-end encrypted, and only your trusted devices hold the keys.

### Does an encrypted backup include Face ID or my passcode?

No. Apple says encrypted backups don't include Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode data. After restoring, you set up Face ID or Touch ID again on the new iPhone. Encrypted backups do add saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, Health data and call history, which unencrypted computer backups leave out.

### How do I turn off iPhone backup encryption?

Connect your iPhone, open the Finder or the Apple Devices app, and uncheck Encrypt local backup on the General tab. You'll be asked for the backup password. If you can't remember it, either back up to iCloud instead or reset the backup password with Reset All Settings on your iPhone.

### Can Apple read my encrypted computer backup?

A computer backup stays on your Mac or PC; it isn't uploaded to Apple. When it's encrypted, Apple says you need the password you created to use it, and you can't restore it without that password. Apple offers no way to recover a forgotten backup password, only a reset that lets you make new encrypted backups.

## Bottom line

Your iCloud backup is already encrypted; turn on Advanced Data Protection if you want only your devices to hold the key. Your computer backup is not encrypted until you select **Encrypt local backup**, and you should: it adds a password and includes passwords, Wi-Fi settings and Health data the plain backup skips. Store that password somewhere safe, because nobody can recover it.

For photos that shouldn't come back with every restore, keep them in a separate encrypted vault instead of the Photos library.

Keep reading:

- [What is in an iPhone backup?](/blog/what-is-in-an-iphone-backup)
- [Is iCloud encrypted?](/blog/is-icloud-encrypted)
- [What is zero-knowledge encryption?](/blog/zero-knowledge-encryption)

## Sources

- [Apple Support: About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108353)
- [Apple Support: If you can't remember the password for your encrypted backup](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108313)
- [Apple Support: Backup methods for iPhone or iPad](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108771)
- [Apple Support: iCloud data security overview](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102651)
- [Apple Support: How to turn on Advanced Data Protection for iCloud](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108756)

## Keep reading

- [What Is Backed Up on iPhone? What's In (and Out) of a Backup](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/what-is-in-an-iphone-backup): What is backed up on iPhone: iCloud Backup vs computer backup, whether photos and messages are included, where to find backups and what 'invisible backups' are.
- [Is iCloud Encrypted? Yes, but Apple May Hold the Keys (2026)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/is-icloud-encrypted): Yes, iCloud is encrypted, but by default Apple holds the keys to your photos and backups. What Advanced Data Protection changes, and what it doesn't.
- [Can Apple See Your Photos? Hidden Photos, iCloud and the Keys](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/can-apple-see-your-photos): Apple says it doesn't access photos on your iPhone, but by default it holds the keys to iCloud Photos. What Advanced Data Protection and hiding really change.
- [How to Clear Your iPhone Before Selling It: Trade-In Checklist](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/wipe-iphone-before-trade-in): Clear your iPhone before selling or trading it in: back up, sign out, turn off Find My, erase. Plus what a factory reset does to your photos and iCloud Photos.

---

Our guides are written and fact-checked by the VaultForYou team against Apple's own documentation. We make VaultForYou, a private vault app for iPhone. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000