---
id: backups.how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/how-do-i-change-my-backup-passphrase
category: "Backups & restore points"
subcategory: "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."
tags: ["passphrase", "change", "versions"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/is-it-safe-to-re-enter-my-backup-passphrase", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/does-the-passphrase-change-when-i-change-destination"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I change my backup passphrase?

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.

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.