Short answer: you cannot remove encryption from an existing Apple or WhatsApp backup without its original secret. Apple lets you reset the encrypted-backup setting on an iPhone running iOS 11 or later, but that only permits new backups; previous encrypted computer backups remain unusable. WhatsApp requires the backup password, 64-digit encryption key, or passkey and says it cannot reset the credential or restore a backup without it.
Your next step depends on three facts: which service made the backup, whether you still control the original device or account, and whether you can find the original password or key. The procedures below separate those cases so you do not accidentally overwrite a backup you still might recover.
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What is and is not possible
Encryption is designed to prevent anyone without the secret from reading the backup. Turning encryption off later changes how future backups are made; it does not retroactively decrypt an archive whose password or key is gone. A device passcode, Apple Account password, WhatsApp phone number, or access to the computer that stores a file is not a substitute for the backup credential.
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| Backup type | Secret accepted for the existing backup | If the secret is lost | What you can still do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple encrypted local backup in Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes | The password set when local backup encryption was enabled | The old encrypted backup cannot be used after Apple’s reset process | Reset the device’s backup-password setting and make a new backup, or use an available iCloud backup and restore |
| WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted backup | The backup password, 64-digit encryption key, or passkey | WhatsApp says the encrypted backup cannot be accessed without one of those secrets | If WhatsApp still opens, change the password or turn off end-to-end encrypted backups for future use |
No physical storage product or generic decryption utility supplied with a computer can bypass either protection. A password manager can store a credential you still know for next time, but it cannot reconstruct one that has already been lost.
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Apple encrypted local backups
When you still know the backup password
To remove encryption from a local iPhone or iPad backup, connect the device to the computer where you manage it. Open Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes, select the device, and clear the Encrypt local backup checkbox. The app will ask for the existing backup password. Enter it and confirm. The setting is changed only after that password is accepted.
- Connect the iPhone or iPad with its cable and unlock it if prompted.
- Open Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes and select the device.
- In the backup section, untick Encrypt local backup.
- Enter the current encrypted-backup password.
- Start a new backup if you want an unencrypted local copy under the computer’s normal backup settings.
This procedure does not convert an old encrypted archive into an unencrypted one. It authorizes the change for subsequent backups. Keep the old archive until you have verified that the new backup contains what you need.
When the Apple password is forgotten
Apple’s supported recovery route is to reset the encrypted-backup password setting on the device, then create a new backup. On iOS 11 or later, use this exact path:
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- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset [Device].
- Tap Reset.
- Choose Reset All Settings.
- Authenticate with the device passcode when requested.
- Reconnect the device to Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes and create a new backup.
Apple says Reset All Settings does not erase user data or passwords. It does reset configuration choices such as display brightness, Home Screen layout, and wallpaper, so you should expect to reapply personal settings afterward. The reset removes the requirement for the forgotten encrypted-backup password when you make a new backup; it does not reveal or replace the password protecting an earlier archive.
Apple’s limitation is explicit: creating a new password does not provide access to previous encrypted backups. Treat the old file as permanently unavailable unless you later find the original password. Do not delete it until the replacement backup has completed and you have checked that the needed data is present.
Using iCloud instead
Apple also points users who cannot use an encrypted local backup toward iCloud backup and restore. This is a separate backup path, not a way to unlock the computer archive. If an iCloud backup from before the device change exists, check its date and contents before erasing or setting up another device. A new local backup made after Reset All Settings will not contain data that was never on the device at that time.
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Common Apple misunderstandings
- Device passcode versus backup password: the passcode unlocks the phone and authorizes Reset All Settings; it does not decrypt an old computer backup.
- Apple Account password versus backup password: signing in to the Apple Account does not supply the local encryption password.
- Changing computers: copying the encrypted backup folder to another Mac or PC preserves the encryption; it does not remove it.
- Restoring first: a restore operation still needs a usable backup. Reset the setting and make a fresh backup before relying on a computer archive.
WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted backups
Which credential opens the backup
WhatsApp protects an end-to-end encrypted chat backup with one of three secrets: the password you created, a 64-digit encryption key, or a passkey when that option is offered on your account. WhatsApp describes that secret as the only way to access the encrypted backup or transfer it to a new device. Access to the WhatsApp account alone is not enough if the backup credential is missing.
If WhatsApp still opens on your phone
When you can still use the original WhatsApp installation, you may replace the password before moving to another device. Open:
- Settings
- Chats
- Chat backup
- End-to-end encrypted backup
- Change password
- I forgot my password
Follow the prompts to create a new password. This changes the credential used going forward while you still have an authenticated WhatsApp session. Record the new password in a password manager or another secure location before signing out, replacing the phone, or deleting the app.
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Turning off encrypted backups while access remains
You can also disable the feature from Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encrypted backup. Choose Turn off, follow the confirmation prompts, and confirm the change. This controls how future WhatsApp backups are protected. It is not a back door into an older encrypted backup whose password, key, and passkey are all unavailable.
If the WhatsApp credential is completely lost
Do not uninstall WhatsApp, clear its data, or reset the phone while hoping the service will recover the archive. WhatsApp states that it cannot reset the password or help restore the encrypted backup. Its help guidance also says you cannot access the backup without the password, encryption key, or passkey.
The practical choices are therefore limited:
- Search the places where you may have stored the secret, including a password manager, a written recovery record, or a securely stored copy of the 64-digit key.
- If WhatsApp is still open and your chats are visible, change the backup password or turn off end-to-end encrypted backup before changing devices.
- If you have none of the three accepted secrets and no usable active session, plan on setting up WhatsApp without that encrypted backup. Messages that exist only in the inaccessible archive cannot be restored through WhatsApp’s support process.
Choose the right action for your situation
| Your situation | Safest action | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| You know the Apple local-backup password | Untick Encrypt local backup in Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes and enter the password | Encryption is disabled for later local backups |
| You forgot the Apple password but still have the iPhone or iPad | Use Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Reset > Reset All Settings, then make a new backup | Future backups can be created without the old password; the previous encrypted archive remains unusable |
| You have an Apple iCloud backup | Check its date and use Apple’s iCloud restore route instead of relying on the locked local archive | Recovery depends on what that iCloud backup contains |
| WhatsApp opens and you can see your chats | Change the password through End-to-end encrypted backup > Change password > I forgot my password, or turn the feature off | You can protect or create future backups with a credential you control |
| WhatsApp backup password, key, and passkey are all missing | Do not erase the active installation; search for the credential and avoid signing out | WhatsApp cannot reset the credential or restore that encrypted backup without one of the secrets |
How to avoid losing the next backup credential
Encryption is valuable only when the recovery secret is managed deliberately. After changing either setting, save the exact credential rather than relying on memory. A password manager is appropriate for a WhatsApp password or Apple backup password that you have just created. Store a second offline copy of a WhatsApp 64-digit key in a place protected from casual access but available during a device replacement.
Before wiping a phone, selling it, or moving WhatsApp to a new device, perform a test backup and confirm that you can authenticate to it. For Apple, verify that Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes completes the new backup after the settings reset. For WhatsApp, open the encrypted-backup screen and confirm that the password or passkey is recorded. Keep at least one known-good backup until the replacement device has finished setup.
Do not treat a successful setting change as proof that an old archive is recoverable. The reset and disable controls are forward-looking: they help produce a new backup under credentials you control. They do not weaken encryption on a file created under a secret you no longer possess.
Quick Recap
What to do now
- Identify whether the locked backup is an Apple local computer backup or a WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted backup.
- Search for the original password, 64-digit key, or passkey before changing or erasing anything.
- If the Apple device is available, use Reset All Settings on iOS 11 or later and make a new backup.
- If WhatsApp still opens, change the backup password or turn off end-to-end encrypted backup from the chat-backup settings.
- Keep the old archive until the new backup or iCloud copy has been checked.
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