mvt/docs/ios/backup/libimobiledevice.md

# Backup with libimobiledevice

If you have correctly [installed libimobiledevice](../install.md) you can easily generate an iTunes backup using the `idevicebackup2` tool included in the suite. First, you might want to ensure that backup encryption is enabled (**note: encrypted backup contain more data than unencrypted backups**):

```bash
idevicebackup2 -i backup encryption on
```

Note that if a backup password was previously set on this device, you might need to use the same or change it. You can try changing password using `idevicebackup2 -i backup changepw`, or by turning off encryption (`idevicebackup2 -i backup encryption off`) and turning it back on again.

If you are not able to recover or change the password, you should try to disable encryption and obtain an unencrypted backup.

If all else fails, as a *last resort* you can try resetting the password by [resetting all the settings through the iPhone's Settings app](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205220), via `Settings » General » Reset » Reset All Settings`.  Note that resetting the settings through the iPhone's Settings app will wipe some of the files that contain useful forensic traces, so try the options explained above first.

Once ready, you can proceed performing the backup:

```bash
idevicebackup2 backup --full /path/to/backup/
```
First commit 2021-07-16 06:05:01 +00:00			`# Backup with libimobiledevice`

			If you have correctly [installed libimobiledevice](../install.md) you can easily generate an iTunes backup using the `idevicebackup2` tool included in the suite. First, you might want to ensure that backup encryption is enabled (note: encrypted backup contain more data than unencrypted backups):

			```bash
Update libimobiledevice docs about backup password reset In this stage, the user is likely to want to run `idevicebackup2` in interactive mode, so clearly specify the `-i` flag in the right place (just dropping `-i` at the end of the command does not work as expected -- i think `idevicebackup2 backup encryption on -i` tries to set the password to `-i`). More importantly, note that resetting the password by resetting all the settings runs a risk of removing some of the forensic information. Etienne identified a file that he thought was wiped as a result of this in the call this morning, but I don't remember which file it was. Maybe `id_status_cache.json` ? If you have more concrete info, please add it here too! 2021-07-31 03:44:44 +00:00			`idevicebackup2 -i backup encryption on`
First commit 2021-07-16 06:05:01 +00:00			```

Update libimobiledevice docs about backup password reset In this stage, the user is likely to want to run `idevicebackup2` in interactive mode, so clearly specify the `-i` flag in the right place (just dropping `-i` at the end of the command does not work as expected -- i think `idevicebackup2 backup encryption on -i` tries to set the password to `-i`). More importantly, note that resetting the password by resetting all the settings runs a risk of removing some of the forensic information. Etienne identified a file that he thought was wiped as a result of this in the call this morning, but I don't remember which file it was. Maybe `id_status_cache.json` ? If you have more concrete info, please add it here too! 2021-07-31 03:44:44 +00:00			Note that if a backup password was previously set on this device, you might need to use the same or change it. You can try changing password using `idevicebackup2 -i backup changepw`, or by turning off encryption (`idevicebackup2 -i backup encryption off`) and turning it back on again.

Updated doc on backup 2021-07-31 08:19:38 +00:00			`If you are not able to recover or change the password, you should try to disable encryption and obtain an unencrypted backup.`

			If all else fails, as a last resort you can try resetting the password by [resetting all the settings through the iPhone's Settings app](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205220), via `Settings » General » Reset » Reset All Settings`. Note that resetting the settings through the iPhone's Settings app will wipe some of the files that contain useful forensic traces, so try the options explained above first.
First commit 2021-07-16 06:05:01 +00:00
			`Once ready, you can proceed performing the backup:`

			```bash
			`idevicebackup2 backup --full /path/to/backup/`
			```