Most people assume a backup means their photos are safe — until they realize the unencrypted iPhone backup sitting on their computer can be read by anyone who gets hold of it. This guide covers how to turn on encrypted backups, how to choose between Finder and iCloud, and the one thing everyone forgets: if you lose the backup password, even Apple can't help you.
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Download on the App Store →The two backup paths work very differently
Your iPhone has two backup routes — iCloud backup and a computer backup — and most people only see "one in the cloud, one local". The deeper difference is who holds the key:
| Factor | iCloud backup | Encrypted computer backup |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Apple servers | Your Mac or external drive |
| Encryption and key | Encrypted in transit and at rest; key held by Apple (end-to-end encrypted if Advanced Data Protection is on) | Encrypted locally; the key is the backup password you set |
| What you need to restore | Apple ID and two-factor authentication | The backup password (lost = no recovery) |
| Convenience | Wireless and automatic | Cable to a computer, manual trigger |
| Sensitive data covered | Photos, settings, app data, messages | The same, plus keychain, health data, call history, and website history |
In one sentence: iCloud backup leaves the key with Apple; an encrypted local backup puts the key in your own hands — at the price of "Apple can't save you" if you lose it. Which risk you prefer decides the choice.
How to turn on encrypted backups in Finder
On macOS Catalina or later, backups run through Finder. On older macOS and Windows, the same steps apply in iTunes or the Apple Devices app:
- Connect your iPhone to the Mac with a cable and tap Trust This Computer on the phone.
- Open Finder and select your iPhone in the sidebar.
- Under Backups, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac.
- Tick Encrypt local backup, enter and confirm a backup password.
- Click Back Up Now and wait for the progress bar to finish.
Once the password is set, later backups reuse the same encryption — you don't re-enter it every time. To check that encryption is really on, look at the checkbox in Finder; the only true test comes the day you restore, so write the password down the moment you create it.
Two practical tips: keep a copy of the backup on an external drive from time to time — and make sure that drive is itself encrypted. You don't need to back up daily; run one before meaningful moments: after a trip, before switching phones, before deleting a batch of photos.
Forgetting the password: there is no undo
Here is the most counterintuitive part of encrypted backups: the safest backup is also the most unforgiving one. Apple does not store your backup password. The official support document is blunt: without it, the backup cannot be restored. No Apple ID reset, no customer-support override.
There is one official escape hatch (iOS 11 and later): Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset All Settings. This clears the password record from the iPhone so you can set a new password for future backups. Two catches:
- The old backup stays locked. Reset All Settings erases the password record, not the encryption on the backup file itself.
- It also resets system settings — Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, and the like. Your photos and contacts stay, but the annoyance is real.
Three passwords people constantly mix up: the backup password (what Finder asks when restoring), the Apple ID password (your account), and the device passcode (what unlocks the phone). Setting all three to the same value feels convenient — it also puts three locks on one keyring. Lose one, lose all.
So manage the password before you enable encryption: store it in a password manager, or write it on paper and put it in a fixed drawer. Never reuse your device passcode as the backup password — forgetting both at once is the real dead end.
Which path should you choose?
No universal answer, only trade-offs:
- Choose iCloud backup if you want zero maintenance and accept that the key is managed by Apple (see our Advanced Data Protection guide if you care about the cloud line).
- Choose an encrypted computer backup if your photos are sensitive, you don't want data transiting the cloud, and you can be trusted with one more password.
- Do both. iCloud covers "every day, automatically"; the encrypted backup covers "one offline copy a week". They back each other up — literally.
There is also a lighter path for the most sensitive photos: keep them out of the system camera roll in the first place. What never enters the Photos app never enters an iCloud backup or a computer backup. That's the architecture SheMi uses — shots go straight into the app sandbox, marked excluded from backups, and export is always in your control. Learn more about SheMi.
Summary
An encrypted local backup is about taking the key back from Apple. It's more private — and easier to lock yourself out with. Arrange the password first, then tick "Encrypt local backup". That order is not negotiable.
