Backup Encryption in iMazing

💡iMazing 3
This guide is not yet complete or updated for iMazing 3. An update will be available soon.

Encryption is a security measure that protects your data by encoding the information so that it is unreadable without entering the correct password to decrypt it.

With regards to iMazing and iOS/iPadOS backups:

1. Encrypting your Apple device backups is strongly encouraged as good practice to protect your data.

   • If a computer or hard drive your Apple device is backed up to is lost, stolen, or simply accessed by a 3rd party, no one would be able to read any of the information contained within.

2. Encryption is required to create a full backup of your device, as certain important datasets are excluded by Apple's design from unencrypted backups, including:

   • HealthKit
   • HomeKit
   • Keychain data (all passwords, including for Wi-Fi networks)
   • Call history
   • Safari history
   • Encrypted backups do not include: Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode data.

3. iMazing uses Apple's own iOS BackupAgent to perform backups and encryption:

   • Your data is encrypted on the device itself by iOS, not iMazing.
   • Your data is protected using the exact same high standards Apple employs, including AES-256 for the backup encryption algorithm.
   • Your backup password is known only to you, never recorded by iMazing. It is never transmitted to iMazing's servers, or anywhere else.
   • If you choose to save the password for your encrypted backup with iMazing, the password is stored locally in the macOS Keychain (Mac) or Windows Credentials (PC).

Further Reading

If you are interested in learning more about Apple’s encryption and data protection standards:

• Apple Platform Security: Keybags for Data Protection
• Apple Platform Security (Full PDF)
• Apple Support KB: About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch