{"id":"backups.how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase","url":"/faq/backups/how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase","category":{"id":"backups","title":"Backups & restore points"},"subcategory":{"id":"encryption-passphrase","title":"Encryption and passphrases"},"question":"How do I change my backup passphrase?","alt_questions":["Change passphrase… option","set a new backup password","update cloud backup passphrase","Change & delete previous","Can I change the passphrase without losing versions?"],"short_answer":"Choose Change passphrase… from the set's Destination menu. It permanently deletes every existing version of that set and starts a fresh backup, so use Re-enter passphrase… instead if you only need to fix a typo.","answer_markdown":"Open the backup set's **Destination** menu and choose **Change passphrase…**. Be aware of what it costs: changing the passphrase **permanently deletes every existing version** of that set, because they're encrypted with the old passphrase and can't be re-opened. A new backup then starts from scratch.\n\nThat's why the button is labelled **Change & delete previous** and asks for confirmation. If you only need to fix a mistyped passphrase on this Mac, use **Re-enter passphrase…** instead — that keeps every version.","answer_html":"

Open the backup set's Destination menu and choose Change passphrase…. Be aware of what it costs: changing the passphrase permanently deletes every existing version of that set, because they're encrypted with the old passphrase and can't be re-opened. A new backup then starts from scratch.

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That's why the button is labelled Change & delete previous and asks for confirmation. If you only need to fix a mistyped passphrase on this Mac, use Re-enter passphrase… instead — that keeps every version.

","answer_text":"Open the backup set's Destination menu and choose Change passphrase…. Be aware of what it costs: changing the passphrase permanently deletes every existing version of that set, because they're encrypted with the old passphrase and can't be re-opened. A new backup then starts from scratch.\n\nThat's why the button is labelled Change & delete previous and asks for confirmation. If you only need to fix a mistyped passphrase on this Mac, use Re-enter passphrase… instead — that keeps every version.","tags":["passphrase","change","versions"],"related":[{"id":"backups.is-it-safe-to-re-enter-my-backup-passphrase","question":"Will re-entering my passphrase delete my backup versions?","url":"/faq/backups/is-it-safe-to-re-enter-my-backup-passphrase"},{"id":"backups.does-the-passphrase-change-when-i-change-destination","question":"Does my passphrase change if I move a backup set to a new destination?","url":"/faq/backups/does-the-passphrase-change-when-i-change-destination"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I change my backup passphrase? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Choose Change passphrase… from the set's Destination menu. It permanently deletes every existing version of that set and starts a fresh backup, so use Re-enter passphrase… instead if you only need to fix a typo.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Backups & restore points","path":"/faq/backups/"},{"name":"How do I change my backup passphrase?","path":"/faq/backups/how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I change my backup passphrase?","alternateName":["Change passphrase… option","set a new backup password","update cloud backup passphrase","Change & delete previous","Can I change the passphrase without losing versions?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Open the backup set's Destination menu and choose Change passphrase…. Be aware of what it costs: changing the passphrase permanently deletes every existing version of that set, because they're encrypted with the old passphrase and can't be re-opened. A new backup then starts from scratch.\n\nThat's why the button is labelled Change & delete previous and asks for confirmation. If you only need to fix a mistyped passphrase on this Mac, use Re-enter passphrase… instead — that keeps every version.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase"}}]},"fragment":"
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Backups & restore points · Encryption and passphrases

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How do I change my backup passphrase?

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Short answer: Choose Change passphrase… from the set's Destination menu. It permanently deletes every existing version of that set and starts a fresh backup, so use Re-enter passphrase… instead if you only need to fix a typo.

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Open the backup set's Destination menu and choose Change passphrase…. Be aware of what it costs: changing the passphrase permanently deletes every existing version of that set, because they're encrypted with the old passphrase and can't be re-opened. A new backup then starts from scratch.

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That's why the button is labelled Change & delete previous and asks for confirmation. If you only need to fix a mistyped passphrase on this Mac, use Re-enter passphrase… instead — that keeps every version.

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