iPhone 8(+) Encrypted backup problems

Yup, without the password you will not be able to use the backup. Did you try your Apple account password as the backup password in case you may have used it?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205220

 

There is no visually distinguishable differences between iTunes and iCloud backups. Regarding the password, you can try older Apple ID passwords. If you can backup to iCloud, don’t care much about iTunes backup.
Not sure if you use Mac, but If you do, there is a chance that a backup password is stored in keychain. You can find it out.

 

I do not think making you backup secure is an “awful inherent flaw”. It is a security feature. Forgetting your password for your back up is not Apple’s fault.

If you still have you old phone, you can make a non-encrypted backup and use that, if not you are out of luck.

 

I am sorry but you can not make an encrypted backup without setting a password.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205220

 

That is plain wrong. The default setting for this in iTunes is OFF - the user needs to actively opt in in order to use an encrypted password.

 

Unfortunately it sounds like you’ve turned on the encrypted backup, created a password, and simply forgotten you’ve done it. Please take personal responsibility for your own mistakes.

 

You likely turned it on a very long time ago. The password is unique to the encrypted backup so it won’t be a phone or iTunes password.

I set mine years ago.

An iCloud back up is just a back saved to iCloud. iTunes is a back saved to your computer on iTunes.

Functionality they are near identical. The difference is iTunes saves more stuff that iCloud will download fresh.

Use the iCloud back up, delete the iTunes, and when/if you make a new iTunes backup and if you decide to encrypt it then save the password you make knowing you may not need to use it for years.

 

You can’t turn it on unless you set a password. Just cause you don’t remember setting a password, doesn’t make it apple’s fault.

 

I am afraid you are wrong. Reguardless, it is done and over with at this point. Time to move on.

 

Turning on encrypted backup means you have created a password.