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iMac 2019 MacOS Mojave; iOS 15.7.1

Sometime after I updated my iPhone 8 and iPad (9th gen) I get a message on the iPhone/iPad every time I connect via USB to provide a passcode to back up the device.

"Enter passcode to Start a Backup"

On the iMac I get the following message about the passcode requirement with the choices Cancel or Try Again.

"iTunes could not back up the 'device' “device name” because it is locked with a passcode. You must enter your passcode on the 'device' before it can be backed up."

I believe the behavior started with iOS 15.7 for both devices.

I tried both settings for the "USB Accessories" preference under "Touch ID and Passcode" without success and I couldn't find any information about this change.

Any ideas how to turn off this persistent passcode prompting without disabling the passcode?

Edit: Devices are synced if Cancel is selected for prompts, just no backup.

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  • Are you already unlocking the devices when you connect & this is then a secondary request?
    – Tetsujin
    Nov 1, 2022 at 11:48
  • This is a new "feature" of iOS. You can't turn it off.
    – Marc Wilson
    Nov 1, 2022 at 18:47
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    15.7.1 not available for phones capable of 16. Cannot test.
    – Tetsujin
    Nov 1, 2022 at 19:42
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    imazing.com/blog/imazing-216-ios16-ventura implies it wasn't happening before iOS 16, I don't have a device I can put 15.x on either.
    – Marc Wilson
    Nov 1, 2022 at 21:26
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    This is a total PITA. It isn’t so bad if you’ve connected via cable, but the wifi backups which just used to happen aren’t going to happen any more unless you notice your device asking for the passcode! Totally silly. The linked page in the previous answer says this affects iOS up to 15.7 and 16.0. My devices are all .1 past that, and are still doing it.
    – Melanie Cook
    Nov 15, 2022 at 23:19

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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This looks to be a result of CVE-2022-32929.

From Apple's release note for 15.7 and for 16.1...

Backup

Available for: iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 5th generation and later

Impact: An app may be able to access iOS backups

Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

CVE-2022-32929: Csaba Fitzl (@theevilbit) of Offensive Security

So... it's deliberate. Maybe they'll back down, maybe they won't.

Edit... complete analysis here.

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3
  • Damn! Stupid sexy security!
    – Giacomo1968
    Nov 7, 2022 at 0:47
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    @Giacomo1968 It is worse than that. It is yet another example of a request to enter my password. Teaches us to become blasé and enter password without thinking.
    – Gilby
    Nov 29, 2022 at 1:43
  • @Gilby Or frustrates people into thinking that if they are going to have to enter a passcode all the time, they might as well make it 12345678 or something along those lines.
    – Giacomo1968
    Nov 29, 2022 at 2:11
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I fixed this new annoyance by telling iTunes DO NOT AUTO BACKUP during sync, I will do manual backups at my leisure thank you very much.

Follow this: https://www.technipages.com/disable-itunes-backup-process/

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    Please summarise the steps required into your answer rather than post a link. If the link goes dead then your answer is worthless.
    – Andy Griffiths
    Mar 26 at 9:23

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